Macbeth Essay

Kelsey McCabe
Period One
Chamberlain

Macbeth illustrates the eternal struggle, between good and evil,

right and wrong and the need for power. Macbeth, and even more his
wife, Lady Macbeth’s hunger for power is ultimately what causes their
downfall, after fourteen murders; of a beloved king, helpless
bystanders, and a character trying to do the right thing. The play
Macbeth has various kinds of murder. Throughout the play though, it
does distinguish between honourable and dishonourable violence and
murders. Most of the murders and violence are dishonourable. The few
honourable murders and the surrounding plot around them do however
show how the plea for peace is thread throughout the play.

The honourable deaths do not appear until you near the end of
the play. The first one is the deaths of Lady Macduff, her family, and
anyone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. This could be
debated because they were killed to hurt Macduff. But their deaths in
the end were very necessary to help restore peace to Scotland. The
killing of Macduff’s family put the gears in motion to attack Scotland;
this lead to the killing of Macbeth and the restoring of peace. The next
honourable death is that of Young Siward. He is the first to try and
defeat Macbeth, Although Macbeth warns him that he will not be killed
of anyone born of a woman; Young Siward still tries to bring the tyrant
down. “What’s he That was born of woman? Such a one Am I to dear,
or none.” (A5 svii, 2-4). “Thou liest, abhorred tyrant; with my sword I’ll
prove the lie though speak’st.” (A5 svii, 14-15).

There are many dishonourable murders in Macbeth. The first one

is in the second act of the play, the murder of King Duncan. So hungry
to be queen, Lady Macbeth devises a plan to kill Duncan, fulfilling the
prophecies earlier delivered to Macbeth. At first Macbeth is hesitant
and unwilling to cooperate but Lady Macbeth calls him a coward and
unmanly. Macbeth, not wanting to disappoint his wife and feeling
pressured, agrees to the Murder of the great king. From here the
murders become easier as Macbeth becomes desensitized and enjoys
the life of being king. In addition to the king, the innocent guards were
also killed. Macbeth was worried that they guards would know they did
not kill the King and so they simply needed to remain silent. Then
comes the death of Banquo, and the attempted murder at Fleance.
Banquo had the prophecy of being the father of a line of kings. Fearing
being dethroned, Macbeth hires three murders. Fleance, who could be
the next king, according to the three witches also needed to be killed,
so again Macbeth could remain king. “’Tis safer to be that which we
destroy, Than, by destruction, dwell in doubtful joy.” (A3sii, 7-8)

The plea for peace in Macbeth is threaded through the play. It

starts when Macbeth is given the second set of prophecies by the
witches. This makes Macbeth over confident and leads to his downfall,
and peace is restored to Scotland. Macduff goes to England to bring
back Malcolm, sacrificing his family to help reinstate peace to Scotland.
Finally, Lady Macbeth commits suicide, because she knows that she
cannot win, her guilt and grief cause her to take her own life. This
leaves Macbeth alone, which aids in his eventual defeat.

“Shall draw him on to his confusion:

He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace, and fear:
And you all know security
Is mortals’ chiefest enemy.” (A3sv, 29-33)

The play Macbeth does distinguish between honourable and

dishonourable deaths through the play. The play also is a plea for
peace. Macbeth is bloody, but in the end all works out and peace is
restored to Scotland, after the main character is defeated.
 Macbeth Essay
Work Cited
Kelsey McCabe
Period One
Chamberlain

Shakespeare, William Macbeth Toronto; Harcourt, Canada 1988