Asher Period 1 -Macbeth Essay- JUSTINE TURRIETTA

The perception of fate perpetually knocks upon man’s door, and strives to take over life. Consequently, fate succeeds in manipulating an individual’s actions and words. This supremacy displays itself in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In Macbeth, Shakespeare utilizes the device of Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeth’s characterization to elucidate and drive man’s perception of fate forward. Through the characters’ actions, comments, reactions, comments made outside him/her, and personal thoughts, Shakespeare thrives in demonstrating Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeth’s perception of fate. The tool of characterization is what flourishes this insight to his readers.

Lady Macbeth’s characterization illuminates and displays her perception of fate assertively to her readers. In the play, Lady Macbeth is found lecturing and persuading Macbeth to murder King Duncan with vicious words and scathing questions concerning his masculinity. Her comments are very bitter and stinging to Macbeth in order to persuade him that King Duncan’s murder is for the better and not for the worse. In addition to her comments made in the play, her actions also speak for her perception. When Macbeth is unable to leave the daggers of the sleeping chamberlain in Duncan’s room, Lady Macbeths takes it upon herself to perform his deed. She is utterly disgusted by Macbeth’s cowardice and says that she would be embarrassed to be Macbeth at that moment. Lady Macbeth’s action stands forth amongst her characterization. In addition to these other devices, Lady Macbeth receives comments and observations from other characters in the play. For example, when Lady Macbeth has finished scolding Macbeth into killing King Duncan, Macbeth says to him that Lady Macbeth is like a man. He also believes that she will only bear boys and not girls. This demonstrates her assertiveness when it comes to her fate. Lady Macbeth characterization clarifies to the readers that she can achieve anything with a hard heart and willing hands to conquer her fate. Her characterization throughout the play drivers her insight forward unfortunately to its tragic end. Her ill believed view surreptitiously fails for the rest of the play in order to demonstrate her cruelty. Lady Macbeth’s characterization drives man’s awareness of fate forward in Macbeth.

Macbeth is another potent character in Shakespeare’s Macbeth to demonstrate fate through classification to his readers. Macbeth is initially strong and confident when it came to him achieving his desired fate. This is demonstrated in his monologue in Act I Scene VII of the play. In this scene, he comments to himself that he has second thoughts about killing King Duncan. His words were like loops, they traveled from one conclusion to another conclusion. His self doubt and his so called cowardice came about when he believed that by killing the King, this would result in injustice. In addition to his own comments to himself, his reactions demonstrate his taking on of fate. When Macbeth sent his servants to murder his own friend, Banquo, Macbeth was on the edge. This intensified even more when during his first dinner as King, he sees the ghost of his past friend Banquo. Macbeth immediately panics and yells at the ghost frantically to leave his sight. His reaction is so sudden and dramatic that Macbeth’s guests are confused and in awe of his strange behavior. Macbeth’s guilt and self doubt buries him when he sees the ghost. With Macbeth’s characterization, the audience is easily capable in elucidating his perception of fate. His fate consists in believing that he can achieve his future through willing hands and violence. Although he may believe this in the beginning, he later on realizes through his actions and comments that his philosophy is false and is crumbling due to his self-doubting and his wrong doing. Macbet h’s characterization throughout the play drives his perception forward repetitively through his own words and beliefs.

Shakespeare’s utilization of characterization proves to succeed when it comes to clarifying and driving man’s insight of fate forward in his play Macbeth. Without his elaborate characterization, it would be impossible for the readers to define Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeth’s belief of fate. His profound care to meticulous character detail helps the audience fully understand the characters. Shakespeare’s key to perception of fate comes from his proficiency in characterization.