How does Macbeth’s character change throughout the play?

           Macbeth’s character changes throughout the play in many obvious ways, such as how he’s been bullied and dominated by Lady Macbeth at the starting to acting independently of her, how he goes from a timid person who is full of fears and doubts to being a stronger and respected king, and how he starts by being a worried murderer to being a calmer person who thinks thoroughly when things go wrong.

 

           While he is on the plan to kill Duncan, Macbeth’s mind is full fears and doubts that make him weak. He sees a dagger before killing Duncan, he knows it’s a result of his fevered brain. After he reluctantly murders Duncan, he refuses to go back to Duncan’s chamber. A support quote, “I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on’t again, I dare not.” This shows how timid and fearful he is just after the murder that he commits. He fears to look or think of what he has done. But after the witches’ assurances that he is invincible, he becomes harder and tougher than anyone expects. his courage and resolution clearly shown. A quote “the mind I sway by and the heart I bear shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear.” This shows how he starts by being a timid and easily startled to a harder and tougher leader. As long as he is alive, he is not going to be controlled by fears or doubts that used to be his weakness.

 

           Another way in which Macbeth’s character changes is from being bullied and dominated by Lady Macbeth to acting independently of her. At the beginning, she is in control of most things and people can only obey orders, even Macbeth. She is the one urging him on and taking charge. Macbeth just follows what she says and all decisions are made by her.  Quotes that support, “Give me the daggers” and “Get on your night-gown”. The use of imperatives “gets” and “give” shows that she in command. She orders Macbeth to do the following when he is in fear. But that changes afterwards. He becomes tougher and is independent, relying on himself to achieve targets. He doesn’t think she is significant to his life and he makes all decisions alone. She dies afterwards, Macbeth having no time to grieve and he dismisses her death with, “She should have died hereafter” He gets over it and just moves on without distractions. This shows how strong he has become and is totally independent, not relying on anything.

 

          The third way Macbeth’s character changes throughout the play is he goes from being a worried murderer who cannot stop fretting about his situation and is exposed to noises that are in his mind to become a calmer person who thinks better when things go wrong He is easily startled after the murder of Duncan. A quote “How is’t with me, when every nose appals me?” This shows how he is easily distracted by noises and couldn’t control himself in bad situations when noise reaches him. He changes to a calmer person who gets things under control when things get extremely out of the way. A quote “The time has been, my senses would have cool’d to hear a night- shriek.” This tells us that after all the things he has been through, he becomes subconsciously calmer when things go wrong because he is used to all that.

 

          In conclusion, Macbeth’s character has changed extremely throughout the play. How he starts by being bullied and dominated by Lady Macbeth to being independent, how he goes from being a timid person who is full of fears and doubts to become a stronger king, and how he goes from being a worried murderer to a calmer and more relaxed person in different situations. After studying the play, we realised that he is a respected man who is worth learning from. These are the ways which Shakespeare has made Macbeth interesting and this makes us understand more about the character.