Macbeth: themes and character analysis

Macbeth

Shakespeare is perhaps the most famous playwright of all time. It is hard to imagine that in the seventeenth century, Shakespeare was just another playwright alongside others such as Marlowe and Webster, to name only two. In fact, his works were not truly appreciated until the nineteenth century when "the Bard" became worshipped not only in England, but throughout Europe. In the eighteenth century, Shakespeare was beginning to be awarded increasingly more recognition for his work. Today, Shakespeare has gained full recognition for his extensive body of work which includes tragedies, historical dramas and comedies and even poetry.

Macbeth" is a tragedy intended for seventeenth century audiences. Nonetheless, its themes, characters and plot make it timeless, as betrayal and ambition have always been part of human nature. In this sense, the fact that "Macbeth" is open to continual reinterpretation has not only kept it alive for audiences ever since it was first performed, but it has preserved its relevance and applicability to contemporary circumstances. By illuminating several themes and making some considerations on the plot of the play, this paper strives to illustrate why many modern critics and viewers find "Macbeth" relevant in today's context.

Before anything else perhaps, "Macbeth" is a political play which explores the boundaries between good and evil, and the effects of blinding ambition. The plot of the play is rather simple, and this simplicity could contribute to its appeal with audiences (Nostbakken, 1997, p. 23). "Macbeth" dramatizes a story about authority and power, the two main components of power which have been a constant irrespective of the epoch. Moreover, "Macbeth" looks at themes such as the relationship between order and disorder, violence and the importance of the restoration of peace. All these themes are built around the central idea of kingship, with all its associated issues, i.e. succession, usurpation, regicide, tyranny and so on. In order to create this universe in which the proper exercise of power is challenged and ultimately breached, Shakespeare uses a very important dramatic tool, i.e. The dichotomy between exterior and interior, appearance and essence. In turn, this contradiction is constructed with the use of language which plays the central part in the play.

Moral ambiguity has always been at the core of politics, and the fact that "Macbeth" is built upon this ambiguity is an important element which renders the play authentic and relevant. The language of contradiction is used to illustrate that appearances can be deceiving, and that nothing is what it seems. The first example is the usage of the expression "fair is foul and foul is fair" uttered by the witches in the beginning of the play: "Fair is foul, and foul is fair: / Hover through the fog and filthy air" (I.i.11-12). This line hints at the moral ambiguity of both Macbeth and his wife which will be illustrated throughout the play. Lady Macbeth provides us with another dichotomy between what is visible and what lies beneath the surface. Not only does she cold-heartedly calculate her husband's every move, but she even advises him to put on a mask in order to deceive and achieve his plans of becoming king: "Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, / Your hand, your tongue: like th' innocent flower, / but be the serpent under 't." (I.v.64-66). She even summons the spirits to free her from the weakness of femininity "Come, you spirits / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here" (I.v.41-42) because she associates cruelty and lack of remorse with manhood. In many cases, politics is about what takes place behind the cameras in the sense that rivalry, treason and the corruptive influence of ambition are never expressed in an open manner, but kept hidden and set free only when the lights go out. From this point-of-view, Lady Macbeth could represent the instigator, the morally flawed individual who pushes towards wrongdoing even though she does not get her hands dirty.

Another important factor which could account for the appeal of the play is the fact that it clearly traces the line between good and evil (Nostbakken, 1997, p. 25) even though language and dialogue suggest the exact opposite. In this sense, equivocation is a very important theme in "Macbeth." Equivocation could be defined as a manner of "answering ambiguously through hairsplitting logic and mental reservations so that the truth remains unclear" (Coursen, 1997, p. 56). Although equivocation is not lying, it is still considered deception, and such deception was linked to the Catholics and Jesuits. This is a direct historical reference aimed at the missionaries that the Catholic Church had sent to England during Elizabeth I's reign (Idem). Equivocation has always been applicable to the political realm, with politicians using demagoguery and dishonesty in order to hide their real interests and intentions.