conclusion for a macbeth essay

Macbeth Essays

There are loads of ways you can approach writing an essay, but the two i favour are detailed below., the key thing to remember is that an essay should focus on the three aos:, ao1: plot and character development; ao2: language and technique; ao3: context, strategy 1 : extract / rest of play, the first strategy basically splits the essay into 3 paragraphs., the first paragraph focuses on the extract, the second focuses on the rest of the play, the third focuses on context. essentially, it's one ao per paragraph, for a really neatly organised essay., strategy 2 : a structured essay with an argument, this strategy allows you to get a much higher marks as it's structured to form an argument about the whole text. although you might think that's harder - and it's probably going to score more highly - i'd argue that it's actually easier to master. mainly because you do most of the work before the day of the exam., to see some examples of these, click on the links below:, lady macbeth as a powerful woman, macbeth as a heroic character, the key to this style is remembering this: you're going to get a question about a theme, and the extract will definitely relate to the theme., the strategy here is planning out your essays before the exam, knowing that the extract will fit into them somehow., below are some structured essays i've put together., macbeth and gender.

conclusion for a macbeth essay

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Macbeth Conclusion

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Frank Kermode asserts that "Macbeth is a play about the eclipse of civility and manhood, the temporary triumph of evil; when it ends, virtue and justice are restored." Shakespeare displays a remarkable perception of the human condition by dramatizing not only the way in which evil enters Macbeth's world, but also the devastating effect it has on those who yield to temptation and sin. Shakespeare concludes the tragedy on a hopeful note, however, for as awesome and corruptive as the evil is that pervades Macbeth, it is only temporary. Ultimately, time and order are restored through the actions of the defenders of goodness.

(See also Shakespearean Criticism, Vol. 3)

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View Macbeth Character Studies

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129 Macbeth Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best macbeth topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on macbeth, 📌 most interesting macbeth topics to write about, 👍 good research topics about macbeth, ❓ macbeth essay questions.

Writing an essay on Shakespearean tragedies may be tricky for some students. There are a lot of ideas to put in your paper, and that may puzzle you. That’s why we’ve prepared a short guide on how to write Macbeth essay.

Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare based on the true story of Scottish king Macbeth. The play tells us about a Scottish general who heard a prophecy from a trio of witches and decided to bring predictions to fulfillment. This is a drama about the jeopardy of excessive lust for power and betrayal of friends.

Some researchers state that William Shakespeare adopted the plot from Holinshed’s Chronicles, a popular history of England, while others argue that the plot of the play was borrowed from George Buchanan. Before you start your Macbeth essay, you should do thorough research on facts and fiction around the play.

To give you ideas on how and what to write in your essay, check the tips below:

  • Check our Macbeth essay samples to acquire knowledge on characters: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, King Duncan, Banquo, Malcolm, Macduff, Three Witches, and others. Each character is unique, and it’s quite easy to write a paper on each of them. Make a meticulous analysis of each of them, if you decide to write an essay on Macbeth characters. Use dialogues and monologues as supporting arguments to your ideas.
  • In your Macbeth essay introduction provide readers with the thesis statement and a summary you’re going to discuss in the paper. Specify what exactly you will depict or analyze. Sometimes, you may need to write the intro after you finish the body and already have done an in-depth analysis of text and critique materials.
  • When writing body paragraphs, describe the essay topic in detail. Start each section with a short statement, provide a supporting quote, explain it, and make a conclusion. You can always analyze IvyPanda Macbeth essay titles to learn various points of view on each character and event.
  • In the Macbeth essay conclusion, reiterate a topic and your analysis. You should not only summarize the information you’ve gathered and analyzed in the paper body. You have to get back to the intro and provide clear and extensive answers on the questions you raised. Try not to leave any further questions for your readers. Here’s the secret: some professors read the conclusion first. So make it persuasive and give a complete portion of information.

You may be wondering how to use essay examples that you may find on our website. It is super easy. First of all, look through the titles to get some topic ideas.

Then, look through the sample and learn how to create your outline. Think about what you can write in your essay. Check the bibliography: there you can find useful sources for the research.

Indeed, any paper on Shakespeare’s play may concern a variety of topics. So check out our Macbeth essay examples and think of the topics which you can choose.

  • Betrayal in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” The betrayer, Macbeth betrays the King, friend and other subjects in the kingdom. However when Macbeth is told he has just been chosen as the Thane of Cawdor, scenes of the possibilities of him as […]
  • Dramatic Irony in Macbeth Essay Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to amuse the audience and to show the level of deception developed by the main character. The porter gives a clear picture of what is about to happen.
  • The Use of Hands as a Motif in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” The play presents readers with the world of royalty and the well-knit state; the world of Duncan, his two sons, Banquo, Macbeth and the whole of Scotland and England.
  • William Shakespeare: Hamlet and Macbeth It is important to examine the role that the setting plays in Hamlet and Macbeth in relation to the tragic flaw and developments of the plot.
  • Supernatural Elements of Act I and II in Macbeth In the play, the supernatural things are central to the plot of the play as they provide a basis for action as Shakespeare meant them to fit in putting the play together.
  • Macbeth & Frankenstein: Compare & Contrast In the being of the play, we assume that Macbeth is akin to the king, a loyal soldier, and a person “full of the milk of human kindness”.
  • Concept of Power in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” While The government is the system that makes laws and ensures that they are followed, it is the person who wields power who is responsible for the equality and impartiality of its enforcement.
  • Unchecked Ambition in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” However, in Act 1, scenes 1 to 4, the audience is introduced to Macbeth’s increasing fear and the developing desire to be the king. It appears that the desire to be the king overrides his […]
  • The Downfall of Macbeth Nonetheless, he goes on to murder the king and his character takes a turn for the worst as he kills the chamberlains who would give witness of the king’s death and he claims he killed […]
  • Emotions and Outward Actions in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” In this regard, in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the relationship of inward emotions and outward actions is relevant in fully conveying the interplay of themes in this tragedy.
  • The “Macbeth” Film by Rupert Goold While Shakespeare’s play happened in the 11th century in Scotland, the movie’s design is more similar to the events of the 20th century. Corresponding to the era of the first half of the 20th century, […]
  • “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare: Language and Tropes Typically, ‘the end of something means the onset of another.’ Using this as a viewpoint that provides a lead to what Macbeth is all about, the fact that ‘we will proceed no further in this […]
  • Macbeth Versions Comparison Film Analysis The use of classic settings in the design of the play helps in portraying the role that gangsters play in the original play of Macbeth and helps present it in the modern world.
  • British Literature: Beowulf vs. Macbeth They are as follows: the presentation of the heroes, the consideration of the ethical themes, and the final stages of the plays the latter help to draw some ethical conclusions based on the peculiarity of […]
  • Character Analysis of “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare The unplanned overnight stay of King Duncan and his entourage at Macbeth’s castle precipitates Macbeth’s first fateful decision: to murder King Duncan and clear the way for the witches’ prophecy to come true.
  • Omens in The “Macbeth” Play by William Shakespeare The supernatural was an aspect of the plot structure used to add tension and drama to the occurrences and situations and manifested in various ways. To conclude, the owl and raven were utilized as omens […]
  • Literary Character Analysis of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” The very reason that made me write about this character was how he is depicted as a hero in the opening pages of the play, and only to learn how weak he is from his […]
  • Macbeth and Hamlet Characters Comparison The queens in Hamlet and Macbeth play a pivotal role in the life of the heroes of the play. She is portrayed as a mother who, in her awareness of Hamlet’s crisis, feels guilty and […]
  • The Life and Work of William Shakespeare: His Contribution to the Contemporary Theater In addition, the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare continue to set the standard for the study of the English language in its dramatic context in institutes of higher learning and performance training.
  • Comparison of the Opening Scene of Macbeth by Orson Welles and The Tragedy of Macbeth by Roman Polanski The opening scene of The Tragedy of Macbeth starts with the words “fair is foul and foul is fair” that Polanski takes from the end of the Shakespeare’s scene.
  • Representing the Heroic: Macbeth and Odysseus In Homer’s Odyssey, the noble nature of the hero is made clear in the way that his servants speak of him and strive to behave as he would expect.
  • Shakespeare Tragedies: Macbeth and King Lear At the beginning of the play, he decides to abdicate his throne and divide his kingdom among his three daughters. This choice eventually undermines the ethical integrity of this character, and he murders murder to […]
  • Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and Sophocles’ “Oedipus” The idea of a person being in the center of the action and trying to overcome some problems connected with doom, fate and some other supernatural forces become peculiar to this kind of art.
  • Analyzing the Adaptation of the Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” Furthermore, the names of all the characters in both films are the same except for a little twist in the spelling of names like Mcbeth and Mcduff.
  • Philosophy of Literature: Shakespearean Tragedy In addition, it is also an indication of the facts that human beings are always nosy and ready to participate in other people’s issues.
  • The Play “Macbeth” by Shakespeare and the Film “Maqbool” by Bhardwaj Bhardwaj’s Maqbool is a great example of how the weather sets the tone for the story, it is not the backdrop in the film, but an active force expressing the psychological state of the characters.
  • Themes in the Tragedy of Macbeth by Shakespeare The character of Macbeth is used by Shakespeare to illustrate a man who lacks the strength of moral fiber under the affection of guilt and ambition.
  • Supernatural in “Macbeth” Play by Shakespeare The supernaturally manufactured predictions lure Macbeth and Banquo with the idea of power, leading Macbeth to plot the cruel murder of Duncan.
  • Jeffrey R. Wilson: Macbeth and Criminology The genre of tragedy used in Macbeth poses the question to the reader: who is responsible for committing a crime – the individual or the society?
  • Intro to Theatre: “Macbeth” Shakespeare’s theatrical performances are widespread all over the world and do not lose their relevance, both due to the problems raised by the playwright and the various interpretations of his works. One of such plays is the production of Macbeth directed by Bodinetz (2020) and created by the troupe of Digital Theater +. The performance […]
  • The Story of Macbeth by W. Sheakspeare: Relationship and Strengths Between Macbeth and His Wife Lady Macbeth reads a letter her husband had written about the witches’ prophecy and manipulates him to kill King Duncan and take over the kingdom.
  • Shakespeare and His View on Kingship: Macbeth, King Lear and Othello At the same time, it is beyond doubt in the basement Macbeth’s character is clean and as a soldier, he is true to his job and his king.
  • Analysis of Characters in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” The witches’ predictions spark Macbeth’s ambitions and then hearten his violent performance; Lady Macbeth offers the brains and the will behind her husband’s intrigues; and the only heavenly being to emerge is Hecate, the divinity […]
  • Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Macbeth The world of Macbeth is a world of contradiction. Already a successful soldier in the army of King Duncan, Macbeth is informed by Three Witches that he is to become “Thane of Glamis!”, “Thane of […]
  • Shakespearean Macbeth as a Tragic Hero In addition to fighting for his king, Macbeth is quickly and well rewarded for his efforts as King Duncan makes him the new Thane of Cawdor in addition to his already holding the title of […]
  • Shakespear’s “Macbeth”: Main Character Change Analysis Macbeth is essentially the story of a character who lives his life in a state of confusion to the degree that the only constant in his life changes.
  • Chaucer’s ‘Miller’s Tale’ and Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ Chaucer’s The Miller’s Tale and in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, to be more exact, we will find out how the notion of poetic justice is represented by examples of the main characters of the works mentioned.
  • An Explication on Shakespeare’s Macbeth However, Macbeth’s wife is murdered and the news is broken to him, and he is drifted into a life of futility and remorsefulness.
  • Literary Elements in “Macbeth” Poem In addition, use of Symbolism imagery and symbolism creates a better picture in audience mind, concerning the themes that the play covers; such as where dark is used to represent evil.
  • King Macbeth in Shakespeare’s Play and History He proved to be a courageous man and ambitious because he wanted to become the king, and the only way he could do it was by killing the king.
  • Characters’ Traits in Shakespeare’s Macbeth As weird as it might sound, Lady Macbeth is very emotional; as a matter of fact, the crimes that she committed can be attributed to her emotionality rather than her greed, though the latter has […]
  • Macbeth: An Analysis of the Play by Shakespeare Macbeth’s treachery springs from his reliance to the witches who gave him prophecy that results in his endless creation of enemies.
  • Oedipus King vs. Macbeth: Drama Comparison The concept reflects the foundation of the decent authority through showing the tendencies of power both in the ancient times and in the period of Renaissance.
  • Drama Macbeth: Shakespeare’s Play and Wells’ Film However, the play communicates the meaning of the text in a better way as compared to the film by Orson Wells.
  • Macbeth by Shakespeare and Oedipus by Sophocles Comparison In Act 1 Scene 3 of Macbeth, we have the three witches who greet him and inform him that he is to become the “Thane of Cawdor,” the title that he will receive that evening, […]
  • Shakespeare Literature: Prophecy and Macbeth Morality The divination made by the witches pushes Macbeth further into immorality as he is made to believe that he deserves the position of king. In addition, Macbeth abandons reason and morality so as to make […]
  • Power and Evocation of Horror: The Macbeth Witches’ Chant Among them are the rhymes, the rhythm of the words, the interpolation of a chorus, the increasing complexity of the lines as the poem progresses, and the vivid and horrifying imagery.
  • The Ambitions and Immoral Decision in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Analyzing Macbeth’s Conscience Throughout Shakespeare’s Play “Macbeth”
  • Murder and Power in William Shakespeare’s Play “Macbeth”
  • Unprincipled Ambition in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Use of Supernatural to Create Suspense in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Psychological Victimization of William Shakespeare’s Protagonist in “Macbeth”
  • Responsibility for Planning to Kill Duncan in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Dramatic Techniques to Create a Sense That Macbeth Is Not in Control of His Own Thoughts and Deeds
  • An Analysis of Jam-Packed With Malfeasance and Darkness in the Play “Macbeth” by Shakespeare
  • The Application of Imagery in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Witches, Supernatural, and Evil in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • The Banquet Scene of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Analyzing Macbeth’s Weak Character in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Ambition Often Results in Greed as Portrayed in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Psychoanalytical Criticism of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Women as The Driving Action of the Play in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • William Shakespeare’s Manipulation of the Audience Through “Macbeth”
  • Suspense and the Supernatural in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Sharing the Blame in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Macbeth’s Tragic Downfall in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • The Characterization of Macbeth in Relation to the Development of Scotland in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Role Reversal in William Shakespeare’s Play “Macbeth”
  • The Butcher and His Fiend Like Queen in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Supernatural Forces Create a Suspense Atmosphere in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • The Archetypal Tragic Hero Characteristics of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and Sophocles’ “Oedipus”
  • An Analysis of Macbeth as a Victim of Circumstances in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Power, Ambition, and Treason in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • The Breakdown of Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Unbridled Ambition in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • The Art of Appeasement and the Political, Religious, and Social Issues Reflected in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Parallels Between Macbeth and Satan in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Some of the Ways in Which Shakespeare Portrays an Atmosphere of Evil in “Macbeth”
  • An Analysis of Lady Macbeth’s Character in “Macbeth” by Shakespeare
  • The Blood Imagery in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Macbeth’s Representation of Ambition in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • The Attract of Wicked in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • The Manipulations, Greed, and Guilt in William Shakespeare’s Play “Macbeth”
  • Stereotypical Images of Women in “Macbeth” by Shakespeare
  • Symbolism and Imagery in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Subjective Reality to the Viewer in the Play “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • The Betrayal of Human Nature in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Treatment of Gender Disruption in William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and “Macbeth”
  • Significance of Act Four Scene One in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Role of Women in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Recurring Images in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Similarities Between the Philosophies From Machiavelli’s “The Prince” and Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • The Aristotelian Standards of a Tragic Hero in the Tragedy of “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Struggles of the Conscience in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • The Battle Between Good and Evil in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
  • Sleep and Its Meaning in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • Relationship Between Spouses in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • A Musical Analysis of “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
  • What Did Macbeth’s Character, Words, and Actions Show About Changes in His Character?
  • Who Are the Women in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”?
  • When Power Falls Into the Wrong Hands in “Macbeth”?
  • Why Are the Period and Place Important in “Macbeth”?
  • What Makes William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” a Pessimistic Play?
  • How Ambitions and Immoral Decision Play a Part in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”?
  • How and Why Does Macbeth Turn a War Hero Into an Evil Murderer?
  • Did the Three Witches Push Macbeth to Kill Duncan?
  • What Are the Attitudes Towards Gender Can Be Seen in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”?
  • What Part Does the Supernatural Play in “Macbeth”?
  • Was Macbeth Responsible for His Downfall?
  • Does Shakespeare Present Lady Macbeth as Good or Evil?
  • Can One Feel Pity for Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”?
  • What Dramatic Techniques Are Used in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”?
  • How Did Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s Relationship Change Throughout the Play?
  • What Did Macbeth Say About Good and Evil?
  • Does Shakespeare Present Lady Macbeth as Fiend-Like?
  • Does Macbeth Have Power?
  • How Did Macbeth Turn From “Nobel Macbeth” to “A Bloody Butcher”?
  • What Does Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” Have to Say About Kingship?
  • Did Macbeth Suffer From Fate?
  • What Are the Character Traits of Lady Macbeth?
  • Does Macbeth Have Free Will?
  • What Are the Influences of the Witches’ Prophecies on Macbeth’s Actions?
  • How Are the Themes of Appearance and Reality Presented in “Macbeth”?
  • How Are Characters Presented as Disturbed in “Macbeth”?
  • Was Macbeth Considered the Tragic Hero of the Play?
  • How Did Lady Macbeth and Witches Change?
  • What Are the Differences and Similarities Between “Medea” and “Macbeth” Plays?
  • What Factors Lead Macbeth to Kill Duncan?
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by William Shakespeare

Macbeth essay questions.

Macbeth is often cited as a famous example of what the American sociologist Robert Merton called a “self-fulfilling prophecy.” Discuss how the mechanism of the witches’ prophecy works in terms of its self-fulfillment.

Suggested Answer

The question may be approached by examining the psychology behind Macbeth’s character and his relationship with Lady Macbeth (e.g. his easily-tempted character becomes his fate). It may also be fruitful to perform a close reading of the passage around Banquo’s famous lines “If you can look into the seeds of time / And say which grain will grow and which will not, / Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear / Your favours nor your hate” (1.3.55-59). An ambitious essay might also consider a comparison to Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex or another play containing a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Imagine a staging of Macbeth. Who would play the third murderer who appears unannounced? Who would play the anonymous messenger who warns Lady Macduff about her imminent doom? Why?

Consider current and past productions of Macbeth. There is a certain logic to staging Macbeth as the third murderer, for example, and Ross as the messenger. How would a different staging change the dynamics of the play?

Some critics have considered the porter scene out of place in an otherwise cruel and compact play. Does it really provide comic really relief? How do you imagine the scene to be staged?

Suggest Answer

Compare and contrast a lighter, comic staging to a darker, hellish staging. Here, the issue is simply tone, as the text supports either interpretation. If the porter's comic relief is properly juxtaposed against the violent circumstances, he comes across more as pitiable than a discordant jester.

Macbeth is the one to express doubts over murdering Duncan but it is Lady Macbeth on whom the burden of crime takes its toll. How do the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth develop differently over the course of the play?

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can be considered to have switched characters, in a broad sense, over the course of the play. Lady Macbeth goes from proclaiming “unsex me here” to “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” (I v 39; V i 42-43), Macbeth becomes more resolute and tyrannical as the play progresses. And yet Lady Macbeth also shows a morsel of humanity early on in the play. After she has intoxicated Duncan’s two guards, she remarks: “I laid their daggers ready; / He could not miss’em. Had he [Duncan] not resembled / My father as he slept, I had done’t” (2.2.11-13). The question lies in the judgment of whether a coherent psychological picture underlies the two characters, or whether they serve to illustrate some more or less formulaic “meaning.”

Perform a close reading of Macbeth’s soliloquy beginning “She should have died hereafter” and ending “It is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing” (5.5.7-27). Why does Macbeth believe that Lady Macbeth should have died on a future date? What does he think lies in the future? What does this say about his character?

There are many possible interpretations of the passage—in particular of his comment about Lady Macbeth’s death. One answer will draw on Macbeth’s lines immediately preceding the soliloquy in question. In the past, he claims, a sound such as Lady Macbeth’s shriek of death would have shocked him deeply, but at present he has become unmoved and apathetic. Macbeth still seems to believe that the future holds peace for his reign. At the same time, he seems to have already accepted Lady Macbeth’s death as inevitable. What does this calm acceptance say about how his character has changed?

What is the significance of Macbeth’s vision of the dagger and of Banquo’s ghost in the play?

Macbeth’s visions seem to be indicative of his guilty conscience. At the same time, they also seem to interact with the supernatural order that the witches have brought about - the three apparitions and their specific prophecies. It would also be interesting to consider different stagings of such visions.

Discuss the exchange between Malcolm and Macduff in Act V Scene iii. Is Malcolm really testing Macduff—and if so, why does he do it? What is the dramatic significance of the testing?

The scene immediately proceeds the murder of Lady Macduff and Macduff’s son. Given the dramatic irony that Macduff has yet to hear the news, the scene seems to heighten the sense of cruelty that pervades the play. It may also be worthwhile to consider a counterfactual alternative: what would have happened if Macduff had responded differently? Could he have responded differently?

Discuss the dramatic conclusion of Macbeth. The resolution to the problems presented by the later prophecies relies on a play of words. Macduff was not technically “born” of a woman, so to speak, and Birnam Wood only “comes” to Dunsinane Hill in a manner of speaking. For a play as grave as Macbeth , does not such a resolution seem strangely lacking in gravity?

The resolution of the play may attest to the power of words. The plot of the play—in all its terrible events of regicide and murders—are after all driven by nothing but a few words uttered by three weird sisters. These same words, of course, are powerful enough to overthrow a kingdom twice.

Why can Macbeth not bring himself to pronounce one “Amen” when Duncan’s guards say “God bless us” on their deathbeds (2.2.26-27)? Does this paint a coherent psychological picture? If not, what dramatic purpose does the scene serve?

Although Macbeth does not always act rationally, he is by no means an unintelligent character. On the contrary, his famous soliloquy beginning “She should have died hereafter” in Act V Scene v is testament to his perceptive worldview—if not his poetic sensibility. His inability to pronounce “Amen” may attest to the fact that he finds such a pronouncement overwhelmingly hypocritical.

The account of Duncan and Macbeth differs significantly between Macbeth and its primary source, Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland . Compare the two accounts and discuss the effects of Shakespeare’s changes.

In Holinshed's account, Macbeth is a ruthless and valiant leader who rules competently after killing Duncan, whereas Duncan is portrayed as a young and soft-willed man. Shakespeare draws out certain aspects of the two characters in order to create a stronger sense of polarity. Whereas Duncan is made out to be a venerable and kindly older king, Macbeth is transformed into an indecisive and troubled young man who cannot possibly rule well.

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Macbeth Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Macbeth is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

The third which says that Banquo's sons shall be kings, Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 questions

What is significant about the first words that Macbeth speaks in the play?

A motif or recurring idea in the play is equivocation. There is the balance of the dark and the light, the good and the bad. Macbeth's first line reflects this. It...

What news took the wind out of Macbeth's invincibility?

Macbeth rethinks his invincibility when MacDuff tells him that he was torn from his mother's womb.

Study Guide for Macbeth

Macbeth study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

  • About Macbeth
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  • Character List

Essays for Macbeth

Macbeth essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

  • Serpentine Imagery in Shakespeare's Macbeth
  • Macbeth's Evolution
  • Jumping the Life to Come
  • Deceptive Appearances in Macbeth
  • Unity in Shakespeare's Tragedies

Lesson Plan for Macbeth

  • About the Author
  • Study Objectives
  • Common Core Standards
  • Introduction to Macbeth
  • Relationship to Other Books
  • Bringing in Technology
  • Notes to the Teacher
  • Related Links
  • Macbeth Bibliography

E-Text of Macbeth

Macbeth e-text contains the full text of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

  • Persons Represented
  • Act I, Scene I
  • Act I, Scene II
  • Act I, Scene III
  • Act I, Scene IV

Wikipedia Entries for Macbeth

  • Introduction
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conclusion for a macbeth essay

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Theme of Revenge in Macbeth

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conclusion for a macbeth essay

Mr Salles Teaches English

conclusion for a macbeth essay

Kingship in Macbeth

(a grade 8 essay, improved to grade 9).

conclusion for a macbeth essay

Hi again Mr Salles - I hope you are well,

Here is an essay I have written on the theme of kingship, tyranny and natural order.

If you have a spare few minutes, please let me know what mark this would get and how I can improve it to get full marks :)

Shakespeare cleverly crafts the themes of kingship/tyranny/natural order through the devolution of Macbeth. By contrasting morality and corruption within Macbeth and Banquo, Shakespeare cautions against ambition and associates it with the supernatural - a very disturbing idea for the contemporary audience, contributing to Shakespeare’s overall purpose of trying to flatter King James I and warn the nobility against rebellion.

Shakespeare constructs Banquo as a foil to Macbeth by illustrating their contrasting reactions to the same evil force - the supernatural and temptation. Banquo represents the route that Macbeth chose not to take: the path where ambition does not lead to betrayal and murder. Thus, it is Banquo’s ghost, rather than Duncan’s, that haunts Macbeth and conveys to the contemporary audience that restraint will lead to a fruition of power as Banquo’s lineage stays on the throne for the longest.

The witches’ equivocation: “ Lesser than Macbeth, and greater ” paradoxically suggests the drastic difference between Banquo and Macbeth, foreshadowing character development as the witches' prophecies come true. Banquo will never be king, but he does father a line of kings. Macbeth, on the other hand, will become the King of Scotland which is commendable in terms of the Divine Order; Macbeth’s reign of power will be one of selfishness and greed as he fulfils his cruel desire for power, eliminating all obstacles that stand in the way of his kingship.

As a result, Macbeth holds the shorter end of the stick in this paradox, facing paranoia, insomnia, guilt, and a tragic demise, therefore proving its accuracy. Here, Shakespeare is flattering King James I, as he was descendant of Banquo and Fleance, in order to gain his trust and potentially patronage for his theatre. This also helps Shakespeare later in the play when he subtly warns James I not to be repressive and tyrannical in his rule.

Shakespeare ensures Banquo isn’t perfect as he is tempted on some level by the Witches’ prophecy, but his ability to reject evil is what makes him a moral character and an antithesis to Macbeth. He is less able to resist temptation when he sleeps “ I dream’d of the three weird sisters last night ”, but instead of trying to hide this, he confesses to God and asks for help in remaining moral and virtuous.

This references the Bible as Jesus was tempted three times by the devil and resisted: perhaps Shakespeare is attempting to draw parallels between Banquo and Jesus which would have been largely impactful to a Christian contemporary audience, further warning about the devastating consequences of temptation and tyranny by contrasting this with the holy and biblical ideas associated with resistance to temptation and ambition.

Shakespeare demonstrates how the acquisition of power invokes an irreversible change in character, subverting the audience’s expectations as he implies that a person’s poor qualities are amplified by the crown and personal desire - Macbeth becomes paranoid.

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is conveyed as the epitome of a loyal and quintessential Scottish soldier when the captain recalls Macbeth’s noble actions as he “ carv’d the passage ” of the traitor Macdonwald. Specifically, the emotive verb “ carv’d ” carries strong connotations of combative expertise and nobility. Alternatively, it could allude to him carving his name famously in the beginning of the play and eventually notoriously at the end of the play, foreshadowing his drastic moral decline. The stark contrast between Macbeth murdering an enemy of the king (which would be seen as an enemy to God due to the Divine Right of Kings believed by the contemporary audience) and when he commits regicide - the ultimate sin.

Shakespeare explores the consequences of usurpation - for the nation it is a nightmare; an illegitimate king can only become a tyrant, using ever greater acts of violence to maintain his rule. However, Shakespeare is careful to emphasise how the tyrant himself suffers at his own hands - violence traumatises the violent person as well as the victims. Macbeth ‘ fixed [Macdonwald’s] head upon our battlements ’. The head is symbolic as a motif of Macbeth’s declining heroism. First he is at his moral peak as he beheads the King’s enemy, effectively God’s enemy in the eyes of the contemporary audience, then after having his moral endurance tested in the form of ‘ supernatural soliciting ’ he goes out to commit regicide, losing all virtue. Finally, Shakespeare uses this motif to highlight the negative consequences to his audience as the ‘head’ foreshadows Macbeth’s later disgrace as his own head becomes described as ‘ the usurper’s cursed head’ that is reminiscent of his previous morality before he was corrupted by ambition and the witches’ prophecies.

Supernatural

Shakespeare forces his audience to question whether the unlawful act of treason has a supernatural urge, whether there are malign witches and demonic forces working against the moral bonds of mankind. Macbeth’s growing inclination towards ‘supernatural soliciting’ leaves him in a perplexed self-questioning state " why hath it given me earnestness of success/commencing in a truth ?” Linguistically, the sibilance of ‘ supernatural soliciting’ is deliberately used by Shakespeare to raise his audience’s alarm, given the satanic connotations and reference to devastating sorcery in the form of ‘soliciting’.

Likewise, Macbeth’s rhetorical question is used by Shakespeare to create a self-doubting, unstable and malevolent fallacy created by the engagement with the ‘agents of the dark’.

This repeated motif of the supernatural was especially significant to a contemporary Christian audience as witches were believed to be women who made a pact with the Devil, but it also would have especially attracted the interests of King James I - Macbeth was first performed to him and his courtiers. James I hated witchcraft and wrote Daemonologie - a book about the supernatural. Here, Shakespeare is flattering the king by incorporating his interests into his play and is also warning the nobility who were unhappy with James as king at the time by suggesting their desire to overthrow James I was manipulated into existence by the supernatural and witches.

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This is a very ambitious title – normally you would have just kingship or tyranny set as the question. And then you are going to make it even more ambitious by introducing the supernatural!

This has led to a very convoluted thesis – having at least 3 ideas is excellent, but it has to make sense. You could simplify this:

Shakespeare contrasts the characters of Macbeth and Banquo to caution against ambition. Unchecked ambition is associated with the supernatural, which allows Shakespeare characterise ambition as inherently evil. Macbeth becomes a tyrannical king because he welcomes “supernatural soliciting.” The focus on the supernatural also contributes to Shakespeare’s overall purpose of trying to flatter King James I and warn the nobility against rebellion.

Notice how I have structured this differently in order to make one point at a time.

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Macbeth essay. Wrecked by Ambition

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Aniqa Aslam

Macbeth: Wrecked by Ambition

“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare is a tragic play which tells the terrible tale of a once powerful and respected general who is brought down by his own malicious ambition.

The main character, Macbeth, who was once the envy of many, becomes immoral due to a yearning for power which drives him to commit despicable misdemeanours against his own people.

Shakespeare brilliantly portrays how the predominant character is intensively guilt-ridden by his own exploits, then adapts slaughtering paranoia before he resigns from his life altogether. Meanwhile, Macbeth’s deeds, driven by his longings and ambition, have caused others to despise him.

Before Macbeth’s reckless ambition begins to control his actions, he is thought of as a ruthless, heroic, yet noble soldier. In the early scenes of act one, King Duncan hears highly of Macbeth’s performance on the bloody battlefield, where he massacred a Scottish traitor venturously. Due to the praises of the Captain, the reader already has a vivid idea of how respected and esteemed Macbeth is at the start of the play. The wounded Captain even says;

“For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name – disdained fortune, with his brandished steel… like valour’s minion.”

This shows that Macbeth is hugely admired by someone who is probably just a mere acquaintance. At this point in the play, Macbeth definitely has ambition because he wouldn’t have gotten this far without it, but the difference is that even though he has this ambition, he still receives worship and honour.

Once Macbeth is titled Thane of Cawdor, his controlling ambition begins to direct his thought and actions. When Macbeth and Banquo meet the weird sisters and hear their queer prophecies, Macbeth is determined – or even desperate – to hear more about his upcoming success:

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“Stay you imperfect speakers. Tell me more.”

This is the first sign of his ambition as he refuses to overlook the witches’ predictions and his tone of voice also implies his desperation as he speaks rapidly and angrily, in short sentences. In scene seven of act one, Macbeth is losing a battle against his own ambition as it grasps and influences his thoughts greatly, in his soliloquy; he admits that his ambition is too big:

“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other”.

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Macbeth states that he has no real reason to kill Duncan, but his excessive ambition is too dominant to subside. He already has evil thoughts in his mind at an early stage of the play as he is hoping for/planning the death of a noble man and his innocent children. It makes the reader wonder how drastically he will change throughout the rest of the play and how uncontrollable his ambition will become.

After murdering Duncan, Macbeth is suddenly hit by immense remorse and anguish, he becomes a wreck.

“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No: this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.”

The enormity of his crime has awakened Macbeth and given him a powerful sense of guilt that will hound him throughout the play. Duncan’s blood serves as the symbol of that guilt, and Macbeth knows that “all great Neptune’s ocean” cannot cleanse him, that there is enough blood on his hands to turn the entire sea red and this will stay with him until his death. He also realises that he is now in association with hell and pure evil;

“But wherefore could I not pronounce ‘Amen’? I had most need of blessing and ‘Amen’ stuck in my throat.”

Macbeth needed God’s blessing the most due to the austere sin he has violated but he is terror stricken by his inability to say ‘Amen’. He is now conscious of how his ambition has driven him too far and forced him to do something he knew was wrong all the while. He wasn’t content with the perfectly good life he had before and has now ruined it because he will forevermore be full of penitence.

Macbeth’s remorse and penitence briskly change to tremendous paranoia and ruthlessness. It is, once again, the ambition which has caused Macbeth to be stripped of his male bravado and revealed to be paranoid and frightful:

“Then comes my fit again. I had else been perfect, whole as the marble, founded as the rock, as broad and general as the casing air. But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in to saucy doubts and fears.”

Macbeth admits that he is currently tangled up with doubts and fears and everything would be perfectly intact without them. His ambitious desires and aspirations to keep his wrongly claimed throne have caused him to murder those he was once loyal to.

“I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er.”

Since Macbeth’s ambition has caused him to cross major lines, he will never turn back and he will kill anyone who stands in his way. Even though he knows he can never forgive himself for his selfish deeds, he decides that now he has the power his ambition craved, he must do everything in his ability to keep it.

While Macbeth is continuing to slaughter those who pose a possible threat to him, the people of his country grow to loathe him. Macbeth’s ambition has gained him a defeated victory because even though he has everything he wanted, he also has everything he didn’t want – his own people seeing him as a blight in Scotland:

“O nation miserable! With an untitled tyrant, bloody-sceptred.”

Macduff is horrified that Scotland has become such a ‘miserable’ place now that a Macbeth, a betraying dictator, is in control. Macbeth is described as ‘bloody-sceptred’ because he has the title of king by shedding blood and is only kept in power through murder, which is why he is ‘untitled’.

 “Or so much as it needs, to dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds.”

This quote shows that Macbeth is the evil villain and Malcolm is the hero because the soldiers are saying that they will give as much blood as they have to, in order to get rid of Macbeth. Macbeth, who was once the war hero of Scotland, is now compared to a weed which is killing the flowers of Scotland. He was a highly respected man but his wicked ambition led him to want more, now he has less respect than ever before.

At the peak of the play, tyrant Macbeth begins to understand that his chaotic ambition took him nowhere; he becomes pessimistic, downhearted and resigned from life:

“I have lived long enough. My way of life is fall'n into the sere, the yellow leaf, and that which should accompany old age, as honor, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have.”

Macbeth seems to think he has lived long enough and he compares his life to a yellowing leaf in Autumn; withering and falling away. He also admits that he doesn’t own any of the things any other man should have in old age, such as love, honour and many good friends; he has given up on these.

“Better be with the dead, whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy.”

Macbeth would rather be dead than having to endure the endless metal torture and lack of sleep. He has grown tired of life and envies the dead as they can no longer be tormented. He realises that all the sinful deeds his crazy ambition drove him to commit were meaningless as his power is impotent. The ambition he always had was easily fuelled by the ambiguous prophecies of the deceiving witches.

In conclusion, the adversity “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare renders the downfall of a glorified, respected man who is brought down by his vicious ambition in six stages. At first, Macbeth maintains control and channels his ambition into helping those he is loyal to but after hearing what could be, he yearns for more. Once he takes drastic measures to try and reach his goals, he is plagued by regret and knows he has been forever damned for his actions. Macbeth’s ambition leads him to secure his power; he overlooks his guilt and focuses on doing whatever it takes to hold onto his authority. Eventually, the people of his wrongly claimed country learn of his maliciousness and see him as blight in Scotland. Due to the stress his ambition has caused him, Macbeth becomes resigned and fatalistic; he grows tired of life. He understands that he has been tricked by the three witches and simply doesn’t want to live anymore because he knows his ambition caused him to break all bonds of loyalty and trust. Shakespeare brilliantly demonstrates, in a variety of techniques, how just ambition alone can bring down the even the greatest of men.

Macbeth essay.  Wrecked by Ambition

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Grade 9 essay on fate in Macbeth

With useful literary criticism.

conclusion for a macbeth essay

With the GCSE Shakespeare exam on Monday, I’m sharing a couple of essays on my favourite play, Macbeth.

Here’s an essay on the role of fate drawing on Emma Smith’s This is Shakespeare.

Fate in Macbeth

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a character whose fate appears to be overdetermined with a convergence of influences leading to his downfall. As Smith argues in ‘This is Shakespeare’, the problem with the question of who is responsible for what happens in Macbeth is that there are too many characters and forces affecting Macbeth, which leaves us feeling the end he meets is inevitable. 

Smith suggests Burton’s ‘Anatomy of Melancholy’ as a potential source of inspiration for Shakespeare writing Macbeth. Burton attempts to identify the sources of melancholy and argues that there may be a convergence of factors contributing and exacerbating an individual’s melancholy. The determining factors can be reduced to three broad categories: the self, others and the supernatural or spiritual. Smith argues similarly that Macbeth’s fate is influenced by the supernatural (the witches), others (Lady Macbeth) and himself and his own hamartia. 

We can begin with the ‘Weird Sisters’, those 3 who ‘look not like the inhabitants o’ the earth.’ They appear on the field of battle in the aftermath of conflict and seem to be clairvoyant. Macbeth is told he will be ‘Thane of Cawdor’ and not long later he holds that title. From the viewpoint of Macbeth, there seems to be little doubt of the witches supernatural powers. But whether or not the weird sisters are able to predict the future, and perhaps an allusion to the 3 fates from Greek mythology, there is little doubt that they are not of this world, but belong to the realm of the supernatural. Witches were a popular theatre trope at the time and would have appealed to superstitious Jacobeans. This is a time of witch hunts where people believe devils or witches are able to transfigure themselves and set about manipulating and corrupting good Christian souls for Lucifer. Using this historical lens, it makes sense that Macbeth is naturally distrusting of the ‘weird sisters’ who appear ‘withered’ and ‘wild’ women, conforming to the stereotype. Witches were considered experts in manipulation and capable of persuading, so a Jacobean audience might likely expect Macbeth to be persuaded and corrupted by these dark forces. Another way the witches successfully persuade Macbeth is by appealing to his hamartia: ambition. The tricolonic echoe of ‘All hail, Macbeth!’ from each of the weird sisters inspires Macbeth to visualise each ascendency in rank: Cawdor, Glamis and finally king of Scotland, which triggers his pursuit.

However, Shakespeare doesn’t simply present Macbeth as a character spellbound by the witches, but rather as someone who chooses to ignore his better judgement. In his aside, Macbeth reflects on the ‘supernatural soliciting’ saying paradoxically that it ‘cannot be good, cannot be ill’, suggesting that it would be better to put this encounter out of his mind altogether. Although he won’t because his own ambition and darker desires spur him forward. Macbeth’s own interpretation of the ‘weird sisters’ words are sinister, saying that this ‘horrid image doth unfix my hair/ and make my seated heart knock at my ribs.’ Although not said explicitly, this extreme emotional response suggests that Macbeth imagines himself murdering Duncan and those who precede him in rank to sit on the throne. Notably, the witches give Macbeth no instruction, but Macbeth influenced by his own darker desires wilfully interprets their words in this way.

In the succeeding scene Macbeth is given the throne to Cawdor and this arguably confirms for Macbeth the accuracy of the witches prophecies. Ironically moments before Macbeth arrives in the scene, Duncan asks if the traitorous Cawdor has been executed. He laments ‘there’s no art/ to find the mind’s construction in the face’, telling us appearances can be deceiving. Just before this scene on the heath, Shakespeare hints at Macbeth’s deceptive nature where Macbeth delivers a series of asides speaking his mind away from Banquo, before saying that they should think upon what has happened and then ‘let us speak our hearts freely to each other.’ Although, you could argue that this would be the wisest course of action as the witches’ prophecies are treasonous and speaking plainly comes with great risk, so considering this it is only sensible, that what has happened is ‘weighed’, perhaps meaning given proper reflection. Even still at the very least Macbeth’s choice of language presents him as a calculating figure, and if not dishonest, deceptive and guarded. Shakespeare wants to hint that Macbeth is driven by an overwhelming ambition to claim the throne, which he attempts to conceal and repress. Focussing on these details it becomes apparent that Shakespeare is foreshadowing Macbeth's later treachery, and the audience comes to expect the dark comic irony of one traitor being replaced with another, and one who does an even better job to conceal his intentions and win the trust of Duncan. 

Not long after Macbeth is crowned Thane of Cawdor does he invite Duncan to dine and he and Lady Macbeth scheme to murder and usurp Duncan. Although it is Macbeth that plants the idea in Lady Macbeth, it is his wife who seems to successfully persuade and embolden Macbeth to do the ‘horrid deed.’ He falters in his conviction and perhaps his conscience stops him. ‘I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent’ Macbeth says. This metaphor suggests that he has lost the drive and momentum and it is Lady Macbeth who is the ‘spur’ to ‘prick’ him into action. Lady Macbeth does this by attacking his masculinity, appealing to his ambition and even offering to lend a hand. When his wife calls him a coward, Macbeth retorts ‘I dare do all that may become a man; who dares more is none’. Macbeth’s retort implies that there is no honour in the ‘deed’. Yet eventually he succumbs to his wife’s taunts and cajoling.

However from thereon Lady Macbeth moves into the background and it is Macbeth who does all the scheming and plots the subsequent murderers of his own initiative, being not merely reactive but proactive in his pursuit to secure the throne, and also to thwart the prophecy of Banquo’s heirs inheriting the throne. That is why he attempts to assassinate both Banquo and his son Fleance together. At this point his repressed desire has been unleashed and he loses control. As Macbeth puts it, ‘I am in blood / Stepped in so far, that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o'er.' In this metaphor Macbeth suggests that he has reached a point of no return, but more significantly he uses the word ‘tedious’ suggesting a disinterest to return to righteousness. He has become numb to murder. 

In conclusion, it’s the convergence of factors, the witches planting the seeds of ambition in Macbeth, Lady Macbeth spurring Macbeth to murder Duncan and Macbeth’s own lack of control and unchained desires which converge to secure his downfall. Shakespeare sets out to over-determine Macbeth’s fate and there’s no clear single factor but a multiplicity of contributing factors which seem to lead Macbeth to ‘dusty death.’ In his tomorrow and tomorrow soliloquy, Macbeth captures this feeling that his tragic fate was always inevitable; he projects his own feelings: he is the ‘poor player’ who ‘struts and frets his hour on the stage’, finding brief spotlight on the stage as king before his candle is snuffed out.

Word count: 1210

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Macbeth and Violence — Example A Grade Essay

Here’s an essay on Macbeth’s violent nature that I wrote as a mock exam practice with students. Feel free to read and analyse it, use the quotes and context for your own essays too!

It’s also useful for anyone studying Macbeth in general, especially with the following exam boards: CAIE / Cambridge, Edexcel, OCR, CCEA, WJEC / Eduqas.

Thanks for reading! If you find this resource useful, you can take a look at our full online Macbeth course here . Use the code “SHAKESPEARE” to receive a 50% discount!

This course includes: 

  • A full set of video lessons on each key element of the text: summary, themes, setting, characters, context, attitudes, analysis of key quotes, essay questions, essay examples
  • Downloadable documents for each video lesson 
  • A range of example B-A* / L7-L9 grade essays, both at GCSE (ages 14-16) and A-Level (age 16+) with teacher comments and mark scheme feedback
  • A bonus Macbeth workbook designed to guide you through each scene of the play!

For more help with Macbeth and Tragedy, read our article here .

THE QUESTION

Starting with this speech, explore how far shakespeare presents macbeth as a violent character. (act 1 scene 2).

Debate: How far is Macbeth violent? (AGREE / DISAGREE)

Themes: Violence (break into different types of violence)

Focus: Character of Macbeth (what he says/does, other character’s actions towards him and speech about him)

PLAN — 6–8 mins

Thesis – Shakespeare uses Macbeth to make us question the nature of violence and whether any kind of violent behaviour is ever appropriate

Point 1 : Macbeth has an enjoyment of violence

‘Brandished steel’ ‘smoked with bloody execution’

‘Unseam’d him from the nave to’th’chops’ ‘fixed his head upon the battlements’

Context — Thou shalt not kill / Tragic hero

Point 2 : Macbeth is a violent character from the offset, but this violence is acceptable at first

‘Disdaining Fortune’ ‘valiant cousin/ worthy gentleman’

‘Worthy to be a rebel’

Context: Divine Right of Kings / James I legacy

Point 3:  The witches and Lady Macbeth manipulate that violent power

‘Fair is foul and foul is fair’ ‘so foul and fair a day I have not seen’

‘Will these hands never be clean?’ ‘incarnadine’

‘Is this a dagger I see before me?’

Context: Psychological power — Machiavelli / Demonology

(Point 4) Ultimately, Macbeth is undone by violence in the end

Hubris — ‘Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripp’d’

‘Traitor’ ‘Tyrant’

‘Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing’

Context: Violence for evil means is unsustainable, political unrest equally is negative and unsustainable — support James

Macbeth is certainly portrayed as a violent character from the offset, but initially this seems a positive trait: the Captain, Ross and others herald him as a great warrior, both an ally and valuable asset to Duncan and his kingdom. Furthermore, Duncan himself is overjoyed at Macbeth’s skill in battle. Yet, as the play progresses and Macbeth embarks upon his tragic fall, Shakespeare encourages us to question the nature of violence itself, and whether any kind of violence is truly good. Ultimately, Shakespeare demonstrates that Macbeth’s enjoyment of violence works against him, as it is manipulated by the evil forces at work in the play, and it ends in destroying not only himself but his entire life’s work, reputation and legacy.

Firstly, Macbeth is established as a character who embraces violence, though he uses it as a force for good in the sense that he defends Duncan and his Kingdom against traitors and the King of Norway’s attack. In the play, it is interesting to note that Macbeth’s reputation precedes him — despite being the central focus of the tragedy, we do not meet him until Act 1 Scene 3, and so this extract occurs before we have seen the man himself. The Captain’s speech begins with the dramatic utterance ‘Doubtful it stood’, creating a sense of tension and uncertainty as he recounts the events of the battle to Duncan and the others. Yet, the tone of the speech becomes increasingly full of praise and confidence as he explains how Macbeth and Banquo overcame ‘Fortune’, the luck that went against them, and their strong willpower enabled them to defeat ‘the merciless Macdonwald’, the alliteration serving to underscore the Captain’s dislike of the man, while the adjective ‘merciless’ implies that the traitor himself was also cruel and violent. The sense that Macbeth enjoys the violence he enacts upon the traitor is conveyed through visual imagery, which is graphic and quite repellent: ‘his brandish’d steel… smoked with bloody execution’ and ‘he unseam’d [Macdonwald] from the nave to th’chops’. The dynamic verb ‘smoked’ suggests the intense action of the scene and the amount of fresh blood that had stained Macbeth’s sword. Furthermore, the verb ‘unseam’d’ suggests the skill with which Macbeth is able to kill — he does not simply stab the traitor, he delicately and expertly destroys him, almost as if he’s a butcher who takes pleasure in his profession, and indeed at the end of the play Macduff does call him by this same term: ‘the dead butcher and his fiend-like queen’. Interestingly, much of the violence that occurs in the play happens offstage, Duncan is murdered in between Acts 2.1 and 2.2., as are Banquo and Macduff’s family. Even in this early scene, the audience hear about the violence rather than experiencing it directly. This suggests perhaps that for a Jacobean audience at a time of political instability, Shakespeare wanted to discourage the idea or enjoyment of violence whilst still exploring the idea of it in human nature and psychology. Furthermore, a contemporary audience would be aware of the Biblical commandment ‘thou shall not kill’, which expressed that violence and murder of any kind was a sinful act against God. Therefore, we can see that Macbeth is established as a tragic hero from the offset, though he is a successful character and increasing his power within the feudal world, this power is built upon his capacity for and enjoyment of violence, which will ultimately cause him to fail and in turn warn the Jacobean audience against any kind of violence in their own lives.

We could also interpret Macbeth as inherently violent, but under control of his own power at the beginning of the play, an aspect of himself which degenerates under the influence of evil. Though he is physically great, he is easily manipulated by the witches and Lady Macbeth, all of whom are arguably psychologically stronger. The use of chiasmus in the opening scene — ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’ is echoed by Macbeth’s first line in Act One Scene 3: ‘so foul and fair a day I have not seen’. Delving deeper into the meaning of these lines also reveals more about Shakespeare’s opinions on the inherent nature of violence; though the language is equivocal and can be interpreted in many ways, we can assume that the witches are implying that the world has become inverted, that ugliness and evil are now ‘fair’, what is seen as right or normal in Macbeth’s violent world. Macbeth uses similar lines, but with a different meaning, he is stating that he has never seen a day so ‘foul’, so full of gore and death, that was at the same time so ‘fair’, so good in terms of outcome, and positive for the future. Shakespeare is perhaps exposing an inherent paradox in violence here, that war and murder is thought by many to be noble if it leads to a positive political outcome. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth encourages and appeals to Macbeth’s sense for violence by directly associating it with masculinity and male traits that were considered noble or desirable in the Jacobean era. She questions him just prior to Duncan’s death, stating ‘I fear thy nature is too full o’th’milk of human kindness / to catch the nearest way’, using ‘milk’ as a symbol of femininity to imply his womanly and cowardly nature, while in turn asking evil spirits to ‘unsex’ her and fill her with ‘direst cruelty’. In this sense, it could be argued that Shakespeare is commenting on the connections between nature and violence, perhaps a Jacobean audience would have understood that Macbeth fighting for the king was an acceptable outlet for his violence, whereas Macbeth using violence for personal gain and Lady Macbeth’s wish to become more masculine, and therefore more violent, are all against the perceived view of natural gender and social roles of the time. Overall, we could say that the culture itself, which encourages Machievellian disruption and political vying for power through both women and men stepping out of the social norms of their society, encourages more violence and evil to enter the world.

Alternatively, it could be argued that Shakespeare uses Macbeth’s success through violence to criticise the nature of the Early Modern world, and so it is not Macbeth’s violence itself which is at fault, but the world which embraces and encourages this in him. Duncan responds to the Captain’s speech by exclaiming ‘valiant cousin’ ‘worthy gentleman!’, demonstrating his extreme faith in Macbeth’s powers. The Captain additionally terms him ‘Brave Macbeth’, stating ‘well he deserves that name’, suggesting that the general structure of the world supports violent and potentially unstable characters such as Macbeth, enabling them to rise to power beyond their means. Interestingly the downfall of Macbeth is foreshadowed early on in this extract, as the term ‘worthy’ is also applied to the traitor in the Captain’s speech, when he states Macdonwald is ‘worthy to be a rebel’, the repetition of this adjective perhaps subtly compares Macdonwald’s position to Macbeth’s own, as Macbeth’s own death also is similar to the initial traitors, with his own head being ‘fixed…upon the battlements’ of Inverness castle. Through this repetition of staging and terminology, we realise that the world is perhaps at fault more than Macbeth himself, as it encourages a cycle of violence and political instability. Though there is a sense of positivity in extract as Duncan has succeeded in securing the throne and defeating the traitor, the violent context in which this action occurs, being set in 11th century feudal Scotland, suggests the underlying political unrest that mirrors the political instability of Shakespeare’s own time. The play was first performed in 1606, three years after James I had been made King of England (though he was already King of Scotland at this time), and in 1605 there had been a violent attempt on his life with the Gunpowder Plot from a group of secret Catholics who felt they were being underrepresented. Shakespeare’s own family were known associates of some of the perpetrators, so it is likely that he intended to clear suspicion of his own name by creating a play that strongly supported James I’s Divine Right to rule. In this sense, we can see that the concept of a cycle of violence that is created through political instability is integral to Shakespeare’s overall purpose, he is strongly conveying to the audience that not only is Macbeth’s personal violence sinful, but the way in which society encourages people to become violent is terrible and must be stopped, for the good of everyone.

In summary, Macbeth is established from the offset as a violent character, who takes pride and pleasure in fighting and killing. However, Shakespeare is careful not to make this violent action central to the enjoyment of the play (until the very end, when Macbeth himself is defeated), to force us to engage with the psychology of violence more than the physical nature of it. Though the women in the play are passive, Lady Macbeth and the witches prove to incite violence in Macbeth’s nature and lead ultimately to more evil entering the world. Finally, we can interpret the violence of the play as a criticism of the political and social instability of Jacobean times, rather than it being purely Macbeth’s fault, Shakespeare is exploring how the society itself encourages instability through the encouragement of Machiavellian ideas such as power grabbing, nepotism, greed and ambition.

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Literature Paper 1 Quick Revision

Literature Paper 1 Quick Revision

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Mahasenn

Last updated

10 May 2024

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conclusion for a macbeth essay

Lesson Overview: This lesson serves as a quick revision guide for Year 11 students, honing in on “Macbeth.” It covers essential elements including characters, themes, plot overview, literary techniques, a model essay, and guidance on critical analysis in essays.

Lesson Components: Character Analysis: Delve into the main characters of “Macbeth,” such as Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and the witches. Discuss their motives, actions, and how they change throughout the play.

Themes: Identify and discuss the core themes of “Macbeth,” like ambition, fate, guilt, and the corrupting nature of power. Explore how these themes unfold and resolve within the play.

Plot Overview: Offer a concise summary of “Macbeth,” highlighting pivotal events and plot twists. Ensure students grasp the storyline and its significance. Literary Techniques: Explore the use of literary techniques in “Macbeth,” such as imagery, symbolism, foreshadowing, and dramatic irony. Show how these techniques deepen themes and enrich characters and plot.

Model Essay: Present a sample essay on a typical “Macbeth” exam question, focusing on structure, argumentation, and textual evidence. Analyse how the essay addresses the question, demonstrating critical thought and engagement with the text.

Critical Analysis in Essays: Guide students on how to critically approach essay writing, stressing the importance of analysing and evaluating the text rather than just summarising it. Encourage students to develop their interpretations backed by evidence from the play.

This lesson equips Year 11 students with a thorough understanding of “Macbeth,” readying them for exams. By spotlighting characters, themes, plot, literary techniques, and critical analysis, students will be well-prepared to tackle exam questions, showcasing their comprehension of the play.

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Peter Morgan Turns His Pen From ‘The Crown’ to the Kremlin

His new play “Patriots,” now on Broadway, follows Putin’s rise to power and the Russian oligarchs who mistakenly thought he’d be their puppet.

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A portrait of Peter Morgan, with his hands clasped, wearing a chunky dark sweater.

By Maureen Dowd

Going from Princess Diana, a lovely icon who generated waves of sympathy, to Vladimir Putin, an icy villain who generates waves of disdain, might be difficult for some writers.

Not Peter Morgan.

After pulling back the curtain on the British royal family for six seasons of “The Crown,” Morgan was keen to move on. He had an idea for a play about the oligarchs who, in the 1990s, helped propel an obscure Putin to power and then had to watch as their Frankenstein changed the course of Russian history in a disastrous way.

The resulting drama, “Patriots,” which opens on Broadway on April 22, offered Morgan a different way to approach recent history, and a new challenge: switching from the royals, who are household names but not ultimately very powerful, to oligarchs, who are super powerful but not generally household names.

Morgan enjoys writing about the vilified, giving them a fighting chance. In “Patriots,” he creates a jigsaw of four Russian men, their fates intertwining in the post-Soviet era, who represent a Byzantine spectrum of moral values.

“It’s just a delicious combination of characters,” Morgan, 60, told me, in an interview at the Ethel Barrymore Theater in Times Square. “There’s a sort of violence, whereas in ‘The Crown,’ there’s this politeness and there’s repression, and it’s very female. There’s something very male, very violent about this play. It felt like a natural thing to do, having spent so much time in the one world to go into another world just to relax a little.”

There were several oligarchs who helped Putin rise from a K.G.B. apparatchik in Leningrad to autocrat in the Kremlin. Morgan chose the most colorful of them for his protagonist: Boris Berezovsky, who cast himself as “the Jew behind the czar.”

Morgan tailors the tale to do one of the things he does best: One character self-destructs, and another exploits that spiral.

Michael Sheen, who played Tony Blair onscreen in a trilogy of Morgan opuses, “The Queen” with Helen Mirren, “The Deal” and “The Special Relationship,” told me that Morgan “finds a moment that is able to ripple out in front and behind, and illuminate what matters.”

Morgan said he loves “riveting personal interactions” with a backdrop of history, when you see the impetus for an event and realize “it’s because of envy, or it’s because of persecution or it’s because of jealousy or because of love.”

Despite the model of Shakespeare, he thinks that we too often tend to separate the emotional and psychological from our reading of history and politics.

“In a sense, I enjoy painting with a brush that is not too realistic, because that’s what drama can do,” he said. “We have cameras for verisimilitude and for likeness.”

Morgan is known — and oft chided — for mixing research and invention, looking for an underlying dramatic truth rather than pure accuracy. As with “The Crown,” he turned to a flock of advisers, this time Russian ones, for “Patriots.” He said he wanted to be careful not to demonize Russia. And he spent time with people who were close to Berezovsky.

He traces the rise and fall of Berezovsky (Michael Stuhlbarg), a math prodigy — “a golden child,” as a teacher calls him in the play — who built a fortune in cars, oil and TV and became a political power. He even had his own exclusive private club in Moscow.

“If there was a rock star of that era,” Morgan said, “if there was an iconic character who most typified the indulgence, the excess, in a sense the lawlessness of oligarchy, it would be him. I was interested in somebody that everybody felt was magnetic.”

Nina L. Khrushcheva, a professor of international affairs at the New School in Manhattan and Nikita S. Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter, was one of Morgan’s advisers on Russian history. Sitting with us, she offered her gloss on Berezovsky: “He’s the King Lear. He’s the most tragic figure you can imagine.”

Berezovsky blithely bribed and plundered. One security official told my colleague Steven Lee Myers for his biography of Putin, “ The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin ,” that Berezovsky divided people into two categories: “A condom in its packaging and a condom that has been used.” Once in power, Putin, who had been Berezovsky’s protégé, checked the power of oligarchs, including him. And Berezovsky came to see Putin as a killer who was snuffing out reforms implemented by Boris Yeltsin.

“The thing that sent me straight to my laptop, as it were,” Morgan told me, “was the tragedy of Berezovsky, something about having all those ideals and then being shattered and outmaneuvered.”

Khrushcheva interjected dryly: “Berezovsky and ideals. There’s a little bit of a stretch, right?”

Morgan defended his antihero: “The thing that Boris had to take to his grave is that he weaponized Putin through his own transgressions, being so voraciously greedy, stealing from the Russian state.” Once Putin got to the top and clamped down on the oligarchs, Berezovsky, stripped of power, became “a reluctant revolutionary.”

Other historic figures are brought into the mix. There is Alexander Litvinenko (Alex Hurt), who worked for the federal security service and investigated the bombing of Berezovsky’s car in 1994 , which left his chauffeur decapitated. He grew close to Berezovsky, became disillusioned with Putin and defected to Britain, where, in 2006, he was poisoned with polonium-210 , a radioactive isotope, and died.

Then there is the luxe oligarch Roman Abramovich (Luke Thallon), described as “the kid” when Berezovsky first meets him in the play and agrees to go into the oil business with him and become his protector. They too fall out, and in 2011 Berezovsky sues Abramovich in London, seeking billions, and loses. The judge calls Berezovsky “an unimpressive and inherently unreliable witness who regarded truth as transitory.”

Sonia Friedman, the play’s producer, said that while Morgan had initially set out to write the story of “Boris as a kingmaker,” he made Putin more central because “as the play was developing, the world was changing around the play.”

The drama is animated by the shifting relationship between Berezovsky and Putin.

When we first encounter Putin — played by Will Keen, a “Crown” alum who won an Olivier Award last year after the play’s successful London run — he’s a deputy mayor of St. Petersburg politely rebuffing a bribe from Berezovsky, who wants to give the politician a Mercedes in return for letting him set up a car dealership.

Putin says he’s happy to keep driving his old Zaporozhets: “It has sentimental value. It used to belong to my parents.”

At this point, the woman next to me, the night I saw the play, called out “Awwwww!” impressed with Putin’s filial affection.

“I think you put anyone on stage, and you cannot help but humanize them,” said Rupert Goold, the director. “That’s true of Macbeth.”

Berezovsky shepherds the mild-mannered young pol’s career, pulling him into Yeltsin’s inner circle — “letting a form of the devil into his orbit,” as Goold puts it. When the unlikely Putin ascends to the presidency — and Stalin’s dacha — he has no intention of being Berezovsky’s puppet, or even ally.

As Putin tells his former mentor, people have grown tired of “your treason and treachery, of your criminality and your disloyalty, of your perfidy and your whining and your thieving and your bribes and your decadence — all of which you dress up as patriotism and some kind of ‘political movement.’”

MORGAN, WHO LOVES WRITING about power, saw the abuse of power at an early age. His German Jewish father fled before the war to escape the Nazis, and his Roman Catholic Polish mother fled after the war to escape the Soviets. They raised Peter in Wimbledon.

“The culture in the house that I grew up in was: You can lose anything overnight,” he said. “It was a very, very Jewish culture that I grew up in, but also people who’d lost everything. Immigrants who come to a country with nothing. Both of my parents came to the U.K. with a paper bag.”

Does Berezovsky’s Jewishness inform the play?

“A lot of the first generation of oligarchs were Jewish,” Morgan said. “Interestingly, Putin has a very positive relationship with Jews. There’s nothing antisemitic about Putin, I don’t think.”

Morgan describes his characters as “four people with very different views about patriotism, what’s best for Russia, and very different views of each other.”

After Berezovsky’s death, Putin’s aides claimed that the castoff puppet master had written the president, apologizing for his “mistakes” and asking to come home to Russia; Berezovsky’s last girlfriend said it was true. Morgan had this in the London version but left it out of the Broadway version because, as Goold said, they had “one too many endings.”

(At the first Broadway preview, Stuhlbarg was able to go on as Berezovsky, even though the day before he had been hit with a rock by a homeless man in Central Park; in an odd twist, the suspect was caught near the Russian consulate on the Upper East Side.)

Losing the London court case to Abramovich broke Berezovsky, both financially and emotionally. Seven months after the verdict, he was dead . He was found hanging in his bathroom in his mansion outside London. People are still arguing whether it was a suicide or a murder.

Morgan said that originally he wanted “to make it really unambiguously a suicide, because if you put me on a lie-detector test, I would probably say that’s what it was. I’ve gone down that rabbit hole so many times. I’ve said, ‘Why was there no camera footage of anybody? There were no cars leaving. He was found in a bathroom locked on the inside.’”

He asked Khrushcheva where she stood on the matter. “I am one of those people who think that you can expect everything and anything from the K.G.B.,” she said, adding that she wouldn’t put anything past Putin “ever.”

After the Russian opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny’ s death in February in an Arctic penal colony, Morgan decided to make the cause more ambiguous. “I kept thinking that it was almost a disrespect to Navalny, and a disrespect to the other political prisoners to put Boris’s death as unambiguously a suicide,” he said, adding, “There was known to be a hit squad in the U.K. at the time.”

Russian oligarchs are of particular interest in London, where “Patriots” originated. Litvinenko was killed there. Berezovsky went into self-imposed exile and died there. Abramovich was the owner of the Chelsea Football Club until forced by sanctions to sell it . “These are all characters that we all felt connected to,” Morgan said.

But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the death of Navalny, have fueled curiosity about Putin and his rise. At one point in the play, Putin rages that Berezovsky has sent millions to help fund Ukraine’s Orange Revolution “against his own country — the country he claims to love.”

“The reality of Ukraine,” Morgan said, “has somehow seeped into the way in which an audience responds to Putin.”

I asked Morgan if Berezovsky was really so different from American billionaires who finance everything from presidential campaigns to Supreme Court vacations to satellite use over Ukraine? He replied that “oligarchy exists everywhere.”

“They have the power and influence of nation-states,” he said. “They’re supra governmental, and they’re supranational, actually.”

And what if an American oligarch cuts out the middlemen and simply makes an unlikely climb to power himself? I ask Khrushcheva if she understands Trump’s obsession with Putin.

She said that Putin was trained as a K.G.B. recruiter and therefore was capable of “amazing charm,” a “nobody pimple who came from Leningrad” who managed to leave the intelligentsia and the oligarchs “absolutely smitten.”

She surprised Morgan when she said she would rather have dinner with the murderous Vladimir than the roguish Boris. “I met him twice and he was probably as charming as Bill Clinton,” Khrushcheva said of Putin.

Outside the theater the night of the first preview, I chatted with Morgan and his girlfriend, the actress Gillian Anderson, who played Margaret Thatcher in “The Crown” and stars as anchorwoman Emily Maitlis in the new Netflix drama “Scoop,” about the BBC interview with Prince Andrew about his seamy friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The Netflix power duo — the streaming giant is a co-producer of “Patriots” and is considering a screen adaptation — appeared cozy, both with startling blue eyes and a casual-glam look, greeting friends and fans. So how is the romance going, I wondered.

“We’re just two old people trying to be in love,” said the very private Morgan. “Stop it!”

And what about the royals? When he sees the monarchy roiled by searing dramas, doesn’t he get the urge to go once more, unto the breach, and explore the new traumas of Harry and Meghan, Kate and William, Charles and Camilla? Isn’t Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard brand a siren song for a royal troubadour?

“Not even for a split second,” he said.

Maureen Dowd is an Opinion columnist for The Times. She won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary. More about Maureen Dowd

Advancing Pregnant Persons’ Right To Life Symposium

By boston university school of law program on reproductive justice,, northeastern law center for health policy and law,, and center for reproductive rights., hosted by boston university law review online.

On February 8, 2024, scholars of law, medicine, and religion from across the world came together at Boston University School of Law to discuss the potential of promoting and protecting reproductive justice through advancing pregnant persons’ right to life. Stemming from that event are six articles and an annotated bibliography from leading legal scholars. This historic and important symposium is captured in its entirety in the video below.

Contributions

The Free Exercise Right to Life David A. Carrillo , Allison G. Macbeth , & Daniel Bogard 104 B.U. Law Review Online 19 (2024)

Religion Clause Challenges to Early Abortion Bans  Caroline Mala Corbin 104 B.U. Law Review Online 37 (2024)

Medical Authority and the Right to Life Jessie Hill 104 B.U. Law Review Online 67 (2024)

The Right to Life as a Source of Abortion Rights: Lessons from Kansas Richard E. Levy 104 B.U. Law Review Online 87 (2024)

Turning Away from Criminal Abortion Laws and Towards Support for Pregnant People and Families Cynthia Soohoo 104 B.U. Law Review Online 109 (2024)

Reproductive Justice and the Thirteenth Amendment Rebecca E. Zietlow 104 B.U. Law Review Online 143 (2024)

Annotated Bibliography: “Persons Born” and the Jurisprudence of “Life Martha F. Davis 104 B.U. Law Review Online 161 (2024)

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COMMENTS

  1. What is the conclusion of Macbeth?

    In the conclusion to Macbeth, the title character ends up brutally slain by Macduff in a duel, in revenge for the savage murder of his family. For good measure, Macduff cuts off the tyrant's head ...

  2. PDF Six Macbeth' essays by Wreake Valley students

    Level 5 essay Lady Macbeth is shown as forceful and bullies Macbeth here in act 1.7 when questioning him about his masculinity. This follows from when Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth to be ambitious when Macbeth writes her a letter and she reads it as a soliloquy in act 1.5.

  3. Macbeth: Critical Essays

    Get free homework help on William Shakespeare's Macbeth: play summary, scene summary and analysis and original text, quotes, essays, character analysis, and filmography courtesy of CliffsNotes. In Macbeth , William Shakespeare's tragedy about power, ambition, deceit, and murder, the Three Witches foretell Macbeth's rise to King of Scotland but also prophesy that future kings will descend from ...

  4. AQA English Revision

    Strategy 2: A structured essay with an argument. The key to this style is remembering this: You're going to get a question about a theme, and the extract will DEFINITELY relate to the theme. The strategy here is planning out your essays BEFORE the exam, knowing that the extract will fit into them somehow. Below are some structured essays I've ...

  5. Macbeth Essays

    The Captain tells the King that 'brave Macbeth' (1.2.16) met the traitor Macdonald with his sword drawn and killed him in a very horrible and gory manner. Thus our first description of Macbeth is ...

  6. How to Write a Grade 9 Macbeth Essay

    A good Macbeth essay introduction. A not-so-good Macbeth essay introduction. Is short: one or two sentences is plenty. Is long and rambling. Just contains your thesis statement: a short summary of your argument and personal opinion. Contains many points and so doesn't present a single, clear argument. Doesn't include evidence

  7. The Scrbbly Blog

    P3 — death- "Banquo, thy soul's flight…find heaven" Enter the Ghost of Banquo and sits in Macbeth's place (stage directions) P4 — good versus evil- juxtaposing of characters. Conclusion — strongest points again. ESSAY PLAN 4: 'Macbeth is not an evil man, but one led astray by those around him'.

  8. Macbeth by William Shakespeare Conclusion

    Shakespeare displays a remarkable perception of the human condition by dramatizing not only the way in which evil enters Macbeth's world, but also the devastating effect it has on those who yield to temptation and sin. Shakespeare concludes the tragedy on a hopeful note, however, for as awesome and corruptive as the evil is that pervades ...

  9. PDF National 5 Critical Essay Exemplar 'Macbeth'

    which ultimately ends in his own destruction. The play's final scene, in which Macbeth is revealed to have been killed and Malcolm is made king of Scotland, effectively brings to a conclusion the play's central concern of how wrongful ambition can lead to destruction. When the final act of 'Macbeth' starts, Macbeth is king of Scotland.

  10. 129 Macbeth Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    In the Macbeth essay conclusion, reiterate a topic and your analysis. You should not only summarize the information you've gathered and analyzed in the paper body. You have to get back to the intro and provide clear and extensive answers on the questions you raised. Try not to leave any further questions for your readers.

  11. How to answer a 'Macbeth' question

    How to answer a. Macbeth. question. The firsst question you'll answer on English Literature Paper 1 will be on Macbeth by William Shakespeare. You have 1 hour 45 minutes for his paper so you should spend around 55 minutes on this question. Like the A Christmas Carol question, you will be given an extract to analyse in your essay - you should ...

  12. Macbeth Essay Questions

    1. Macbeth is often cited as a famous example of what the American sociologist Robert Merton called a "self-fulfilling prophecy." Discuss how the mechanism of the witches' prophecy works in terms of its self-fulfillment. Suggested Answer. The question may be approached by examining the psychology behind Macbeth's character and his relationship with Lady Macbeth (e.g. his easily-tempted ...

  13. Theme Of Revenge In Macbeth: [Essay Example], 813 words

    Published: Mar 14, 2024. Revenge is a powerful and enduring theme in William Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth. From the very beginning of the play, we see the seeds of vengeance planted in the hearts of the characters, driving their actions and ultimately leading to their downfall. In Macbeth, the titular character's desire for revenge is sparked ...

  14. PDF Macbeth

    Sample Essay - Banquo. 'While Banquo is a morally compromised character whose moral decline mirrors Macbeth's, he ultimately retains more nobility than does Macbeth.' (This is not a quote from any critic; it's just my take on how a question on Banquo might be phrased. The closest question would be that of the 1987 LC examination: 'The ...

  15. Kingship in Macbeth

    Thesis: Shakespeare cleverly crafts the themes of kingship/tyranny/natural order through the devolution of Macbeth. By contrasting morality and corruption within Macbeth and Banquo, Shakespeare cautions against ambition and associates it with the supernatural - a very disturbing idea for the contemporary audience, contributing to Shakespeare's overall purpose of trying to flatter King James ...

  16. Macbeth essay. Wrecked by Ambition

    Aniqa Aslam. Macbeth: Wrecked by Ambition. "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare is a tragic play which tells the terrible tale of a once powerful and respected general who is brought down by his own malicious ambition. The main character, Macbeth, who was once the envy of many, becomes immoral due to a yearning for power which drives him to ...

  17. Grade 9 essay on fate in Macbeth

    Grade 9 essay on fate in Macbeth. With useful literary criticism. Morgan. May 11, 2024. With the GCSE Shakespeare exam on Monday, I'm sharing a couple of essays on my favourite play, Macbeth. Here's an essay on the role of fate drawing on Emma Smith's This is Shakespeare.

  18. Macbeth and Violence

    Here's an essay on Macbeth's violent nature that I wrote as a mock exam practice with students. Feel free to read and analyse it, use the quotes and context for your own essays too! It's also useful for anyone studying Macbeth in general, especially with the following exam boards: CAIE / Cambridge, Edexcel, OCR, CCEA, WJEC / Eduqas.

  19. Literature Paper 1 Quick Revision

    Literature Paper 1 Quick Revision. This lesson serves as a quick revision guide for Year 11 students, honing in on "Macbeth.". It covers essential elements including characters, themes, plot overview, literary techniques, a model essay, and guidance on critical analysis in essays. Character Analysis: Delve into the main characters of ...

  20. Peter Morgan Turns His Pen From 'The Crown' to the Kremlin

    His new play "Patriots," now on Broadway, follows Putin's rise to power and the Russian oligarchs who mistakenly thought he'd be their puppet. The writer Peter Morgan says he is drawn to ...

  21. Advancing Pregnant Persons' Right To Life Symposium

    On February 8, 2024, scholars of law, medicine, and religion from across the world came together at Boston University School of Law to discuss the potential of promoting and protecting reproductive justice through advancing pregnant persons' right to life. Stemming from that event are six articles and an annotated bibliography from leading ...