Shakespeares Macbeth - Why does Macbeth Murder Duncan? :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Why does Macbeth Murder Duncan? In Shakespeares play Macbeth, the terzetto character of the same name is non sufficiently happy with the broad(prenominal) social position he occupies and the honored status he has acquired. cover the play simplistically, one may conclude that Duncan is murdered due to the rivalry of Macbeth. Ambition is a sin, of course, and therefore Macbeth is punished for his sins. If one does not fearfulness to probe more deeply, this evaluation of the play is al nigh entirely satisfactory, because it is precise simple and neat. Yet, this approach converts the work from an extraordinarily complex study of wickedness into a straightforward morality play and closes off discussion of the most interesting cycloramas of the play. Now, there is some evidence for the charge of ambition. Macbeth does want to buy the farm king, and he refers to that appetite as ambition (I have no spur/ To prick the sides of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition which oerle aps itself/ And waterfall on thother (1.7.25-28). But we need to be careful here not automatically to take a characters own estimate of his motivation for the truth, or at least for a completely adequate summary argument of all that needs to be said. We need to unpack just what that construct of ambition contains in the character to whom we apply it. For a fascinating aspect of Macbeths motivation is that he is in the grip of something which he does not to the full understand and which a part of him certainly does not approve of. This makes him genuinely unlike Richard Gloucester, who announces his plans with glee and shows no scruples about what he has to do (quite the reverse he looks forward to doing away with his next victim and invites us to share his delight). Clearly a part of Macbeth is fascinated with the possibility of world king. Its not entirely clear where this desire comes from. The witches (whom we will discuss later) fix the suggestion into the play, but ther e is a strong hint from chick Macbeth that she and her husband have already talked about the matter well to begin with the play begins (What beast wast then/ That made you break this enterprise to me? (1.7.48-49). In that case, the appearance of the witches may be, in part, a response to some desire in Macbeth.