Essay about Evil in William Shakespeares Macbeth - 755 Words

Evil in William Shakespeares Macbeth Evil. It is a word that has been used for hundreds of years, yet the meaning is ones interpretation of what is evil. The criteria for an evil act have changed over the years also. My interpretation of evil is a very bad or ill act against a person, animal or God. Macbeth, dead butcher and evil man? This essay will discuss this question. At the start of the play Macbeth is portrayed as a brave soldier, who would do anything for his king and country. During the opening battle a picture is built up in the mind of the audience. It is an image that shows Macbeth as a brave, noble, loyal and strong man. This is achived through the language Shakespeare uses.†¦show more content†¦He does this when lady Macbeth summons spirits. This would have been seen as immensely evil in the Elizabethan age when the play was first shown. This is because the Elizabethans believed that talking to spirits was indirectly talking to the Devil. It was also against the law to communicate with spirits at the time. Under my battlements. Come you spirits, That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, Lady Macbeth is the single biggest influence that causes Macbeth to kill the king (the highest position in Scotland, chosen by God). This would have been seen as the most evil act that one could commit. It was seen as an action against God. So this would mean Lady Macbeth is encouraging Macbeth to do a satanic deed. So by committing this deed both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have been dammed for eternity. After the killing of Duncan Macbeth and his wife react differently. Macbeth speaks in small statements. As I descendedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Hark who lies I th second chamberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This is a sorry sight. This shows us Macbeth is panicking and anxious. He speaks of being caught or detected by someone; he also speaks of the evil that he just performed While Lady Macbeth also talks in small sentences showing that she is also nervous, however she is pragmatic. It also shows us that she is collected and rational. She is also thinkingShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Evils of Macbeth in William Shakespeares Macbeth3793 Words   |  16 PagesThe Evils of Macbeth in William Shakespeares Macbeth The question that I have been given is to evaluate Shakespeares characterization of Lady Macbeth and to decide on an correct description of her character, as I think Shakespeare intended it to be - is she a cruel, calculating, cold blooded killer; or is she just a confused and distraught lonely woman? 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