MACBETH

STAGING
In Elizabethan times actors performed on a variety of stages.
They gave private performances in venues such as a royal
palace or the inn of a court. They performed publicly where a
stage was erected on trestles and spectators watched from
the yard or galleries.
The staging of a play is crucial to the audiences
understanding of the play. Decisions on staging are usually
made by the director of a play. Decisions must be made on
how the witches are presented, who is depicted as the
instigator of Duncans murder, and how the actors interpret
and portray Lady Macbeth and Macbeth.
The way directors choose to portray the witches in Macbeth
is a good example of how staging, and therefore some of the
meaning of the play, can be altered (think modern versions).
Throughout the play, only one stage set was used.

Characters
Macbeth: Macbeth is a very complex character. Duncan and
Banquo originally portray him as noble and brave, yet he can
be seen as weak in the first scene with Lady Macbeth (LM).
LMs view of Macbeth is that he will be ...too full othmilk of
human kindness... to see that the witches prophecies are
fulfilled. Although she knows he is ambitious, he is unlikely to
be dishonourable and will be torn between his desires to
fulfill his ambitions and to remain at peace with himself.
It is through Lady Macbeth that the audience comes to see
another side of Macbeth. She highlights the evil and
treachery that is within Macbeth, in contrast to the portrait of
such a noble warrior as that painted by the King and
Banquo.
It is through various asides and soliloquies that the audience
is able to gain insight into Macbeths true character,

understanding his inner war with his ambition and loyalty to

the king. We learn in an aside in Act 1 scene IV that Macbeth
is torn between whether the witches predictions are good or
evil. But despite his uncertainty, the temptation proves to be
too much. He becomes fearful of this temptation, but this
temptation becomes his downfall.
Throughout the play, it can be seen that Macbeths character
changes with the various events, and he is heavily
influenced by others actions towards him.
As the play continues, Macbeths attitude to death changes.
At first, he is heavily reluctant to murder Duncan, however,
with each new murder that he carries out/orders, he
becomes less involved and emotionally attached- gradually
he becomes numb to any kind of emotion. The greatest
example of this is when he is given the news that his wife
has died, and although he reflects for a moment on the
futility of life, his attention moves quickly to the task at hand.
Macbeth is also heavily reliant on the witches predictions.
He uses these to justify his actions: if it was only going to
become true in the end, then how can Macbeth be at fault?
By hiding behind these predictions, Macbeth is able to
escape the blame and in doing so does not accept
responsibility for his actions.
It is too simple to see Macbeth as merely an evil character.
He could be seen as a weak character that gives into
temptation and is drawn into escalating criminal acts as a
consequence of fear, ambition and revenge. However, it is
also true that he was easily tempted. His character
diminishes over the period of the play: he is referred to as
brave, noble etc. at the beginning of the play, but by the
final act he is a tyrant. He was a flawed character whose
honourable behaviour was dependent on never being put to
the test.

Macbeth is shown as:

- courageous in battle
- vengeful
- ambitious
- a loving husband
- devious
- loyal to his king
- indecisive
- Extremely complex
- Easily tempted
- Susceptible to corruption
- Revengeful
- Deceitful
- Remorseful
- Driven by events
- Guilt ridden
- A believer in the metaphysical or unnatural world
- Fearful of being detected
- Uninclined to take responsibility for his actions.
Lady Macbeth: Lady Macbeth is also a complex character,
and this complexity lies in the combination of strength and
passion she demonstrates in the plan to murder Duncan,
and her subsequent decline into madness by the end of the
play. This madness is a result of the enormous amount of
guilt she harbours after the murder of Duncan. Unlike
Macbeth, she is unable to hide herself from her guilt. Her
punishment comes from within. Her distress is evident in her
speech:
Out, damned spot! Out, I say!...
...who
would have thought the old man to have had so
much blood in him?

Lady Macbeths guilt is well beyond that suffered by

Macbeth. She smells the blood from the murders and
realises that nothing can be done.
Lady Macbeths death is left open to interpretation- the most
common suggestion is that her guilt has led her to suicide.
However, whatever the manner of her death, it is clear that
guilt is the most important part of Lady Macbeths character
at the end of the play.
Lady Macbeth is:
- Complex
- Easily tempted
- Ambitious, particularly for her husband
- Angry that she is a woman
- Desirous of replacing her feminine characteristics with
male attributes
- Fearful of being detected
- Prepared to take responsibility for murders in which she
had no physical part
- Deceitful
- Remorseful
- Guilt-ridden.
Banquo: Banquo provides a moral comparison with other
characters in the play. In particular, his moral strength
illuminates the poverty of Macbeths virtue. Banquo is
essential to understanding the depths to which Macbeth
eventually plunges. Banquos effect on Macbeth after his
death is instrumental in bringing about Macbeths fall.
Banquo manages to maintain his integrity and loyalty to
Duncan and his heirs throughout the play. Unlike Macbeth,
he is not easily tempted or drawn from his moral path- he
stands alone in brave defence of morality in a situation
where it is clear that immorality has won respect and power.
He remains a person of integrity to the last.
Banquo, unlike Macbeth, is not a complex character. He is:

Loyal
Honourable
Courageous
A believer in the metaphysical or unnatural world
(however, although Banquo asks the witches for a
prophecy regarding himself, he shows none of the
superstitious awe of them that characterises Macbeth)
Moral
Perceptive
Humane
Decisive but thoughtful
Tempted, like Macbeth, but stands strong.

Macduff: As Macduff is a soldier, it is fair to see his

predominant characteristic as associated with war.
The theme of loyalty is closely associated with his actions.
His character raises a difficult question about the importance
of personal ties in comparison with the welfare of a nation
and loyalty to a king or leader. Macduff does not hesitate to
join the armies amassing against Macbeth in England, and
as a consequence, he leaves his family at the mercy of the
tyrant he will eventually kill. This shows his lack of
commitment to his personal interests and his wife, Lady
Macduff, criticises him as a traitor for abandoning his
family.
In many ways, Macduff is the opposite of Macbeth, and it is
no coincidence that he is the one who finally dispatches of
the tyrant.
Macduff has some complexities, but he is essentially
- Loyal to his king
- Less concerned about his family than his role as a
defender of Scotland
- Courageous.

Duncan: In the short time that he is on stage, he is shown

as the commander of his army and a dispenser of
punishment (his treatment of the Thane of Cawdor- stripping
him of his title and lands) and reward (rewarding Macbeth for
his bravery with the title of Thane of Cawdor).
Duncans commitment to family is also an important feature
of his character. This concern with family is also shown when
Duncan anoints Malcolm as a future king.
Duncan can be seen to be a little too trusting- his experience
with the original Thane of Cawdor should have made him
more cautious, however it did not change his attitude in the
slightest. Macbeth comments on the meek manner in which
he conducts his duties. He accepts everything that he sees,
without looking for any hidden meanings.
Duncan is the portrait of a good man, standing in contrast to
Macbeth. He is not only shown to be a kindly, generous and
utterly blameless monarch, but in the metaphoric scheme of
the play he is connected to all the healthy, life-affirming
qualities the elements of order and sanity which
Macbeths crime overthrows.
Duncan is:
- Prepared to make quick decisions to reward or punish
- Concerned with his family
- Trusting of his kinsmen
- Representative of harmony and wholeness.
Ross, Angus and Lennox: Characters such as Ross,
Angus and Lennox are relatively neutral, although they make
a number of appearances. Usually their dialogue clarifies
and confirms events.
Malcolm: Malcolm initially shows very little leadership,
although Duncan has named him as his successor. In fact,
his leaving the court gives Macbeth freedom to continue with

his plans, and leaves others to deal with the damage to

Scotland, despite his own responsibility.
Upon his return to Scotland, Malcolm does demonstrate
some qualities that are in keeping with Duncans faith in him.
Malcolm:
- Is an idealised portrait of a good king
- Embodies the qualities of leadership believed at the times
to be the right ones.
The Witches: The Witches are the initial source of
Macbeths temptation and they do acknowledge their desire
to entrap Macbeth. However, the witches also provide
Macbeth with warnings as to the consequences of his
actions, which he chooses to ignore. They cannot be held
responsible for the course of action Macbeth takes. The fact
that they were unable to tempt Banquo clearly proves their
limitations, and the fact that Macbeth was so willing to fulfill
their predictions is more a reflection on his own character
rather than the witches supernatural powers.
The witches also provide important examples of the
metaphysical component of Macbeth, as well as contributing
to the theme that nothing is what it seems.

Themes
Appearance vs. Reality: Things are rarely as they seem,
and this theme is set in the first scene of the play with the
witches foretelling the future in which things cannot be taken
at face value.
Quotes:
Fair is foul, and foul is fair. The Witches.
False face must hide what the false heart doth know. Macbeth.
Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee:
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Macbeth.

Guilt: The play is, in part, a study of how powerful a force

guilt can be. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are affected by guilt
in different ways: Macbeths guilty conscience presents itself
in the form of vivid images, and Lady Macbeths suppressed
guilt surfaces in her sleep. Her guilt is so strong that the selfloathing it engenders finally causes her to take her own life.
In her case, her guilt was so strong that it usurped her desire
to obtain and maintain her power.
Quotes:
What, will these hands neer be clean? Lady Macbeth.
O, full o scorpions is my mind. Macbeth.

Revenge and Justice: The play is a revenge tragedy, and

through this revenge, justice is achieved. Macbeth had
murdered Macduffs family, and so Macduff avenged this
wrong doing by killing Macbeth. In doing so, justice and
retribution was achieved: Malcolm, who was deprived of his
rightful inheritance, has it restored by the end of the play.
Quotes:
Lets make us medcines of our great revenge
To cure this deadly grief. Malcolm.
...Front to front
Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself;
Within my swords length set him. If he scape,
Heaven forgive him too. Macduff.

The Nature of Evil: Macbeth depicts the dark side of human

life. Darkness permeates the play. The greater part of the
action takes place at night, where mystery, darkness and the
supernatural abound.
Macbeth could be seen as an archetype of what any bad
man or woman may do. In obsessively obeying his own ego,
brutally destroying all opposition, following one crime with
another all in the service of his objectives, Macbeth is a
portrait of all tyrants, all murderers, and all villains.

Throughout the play, Shakespeare is at pains to suggest that

ultimate responsibility for what happens to Macbeth lies with
Macbeth himself. Although the witches do obviously have
some influence on him, they never suggest murdering
Duncan in order to become king, nor do they suggest any of
the other murders Macbeth commits or orders.
Quotes:
Fair is foul, and foul is fair. The Witches.
Come you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts. Lady Macbeth.

Ambition: The play demonstrates the destructive power of

ruthless ambition. The pursuit of power can be so irresistible
that corruption inevitably follows. While ambition in itself is
not bad, when it overrides other considerations it is
dangerous. Macbeth kills in order to become king, but once
he becomes king, he loses all joy in living. His downward
spiral is highlighted by the further murders he commits- he is
prepared to kill innocents and people of integrity as he sees
these murders as a solution to his perceived problems. His
ambition can be seen as his tragic flaw that leads to his
downfall.
Quotes:
I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition. Macbeth.

Order and Disorder: The play begins and ends with the
restoration of order after rebellions. In between we see the
consequences of disorder. Macbeth is shown as violating the
natural order. There is no greater violation than the
murdering of a king- in doing so, Macbeth is breaking the
cosmic pattern. Images of darkness, blood, nightmare and
disorder run right throughout the rest of the play.

Macbeth dramatises the willful disrupting of harmony, and

paints a bleak picture of what happens when it is undone.
This nightmare continues until the evildoer who has
disordered nature is dispatched. Only then can harmony be
restored.
Quotes:
Uproar the universal peace, confound
All unity on earth. (?)
...oer the one half-world
Nature seems dead. Macbeth.
Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles. Lady Macbeth.