by Matty Z

Created on: October 22, 2010   Last Updated: October 26, 2010

Macbeth changes in the play, Macbeth. He slowly devolves from the calm admirable noble man in the beginning of the play to the ruthless uncaring tyrant towards the end. An event happens in each the beginning, middle, and end of the novel. Each one of these events show the deteriorating of Macbeth’s character. Macbeth’s temptations lead him into harshly defending his throne which is the cause of change in this dynamic character.

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as an admirable soldier and nobleman. After winning a battle Macbeth and his good friend Banquo ride their horses towards their castle when three witches appear. The witches’ prophesize that Macbeth will become king and Banquo’s children will become king. Macbeth takes the prophecy lightly and shows an admirable trait by saying, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir.”(1.3.157-159) This means Macbeth will not do anything to make himself become king such as killing the current King Duncan or his sons Malcolm and Donolbain. When Lady Macbeth, who is Macbeths wife, finds out about the witches prophecy she convinces Macbeth to go through with the act of killing Duncan assuming that Malcolm and Donolbain will flee. She convinces Macbeth to go through with killing Duncan by challenging his manhood. She tells him any man could get the job of killing Duncan done.  Still, after killing Duncan, Macbeth shows he does not lack morals and has a great amount of guilt and understanding of the magnitude of what he did. “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.”(2.2.76-81) Macbeth is referring that he has so blood on his hands for killing Duncan, that it could turn the ocean red.

After Duncan’s death, as suspected, Malcolm and Donolbain flee to different countries making Macbeth the king. Macbeth soon realizes he has another threat. Banquo was also present when the witches told their prophecy, which Banquo was included in. It was stated by the witches, “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.”(1.3.70) Macbeth has no children therefore he wears a fruitless crown. He has nobody to pass the crown down to. Macbeth wanting to rule as long as he could sends men out to kill Banquo and Fleance because understands it is best to be king knowing you are safe as he says, “To be thus

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