MacBeth Essay, Atticus Blatt, Period 4, Asher

Atticus Blatt

Period 4

December 8, 2011

Macbeth Timed Essay

Shakespeare characterizes Macbeth through his actions before and after he meets the Weird Sisters (three witches). He portrays Macbeth as a strong warrior who deserved to be praised for being a war hero and fighting with such fierceness on the battle field. His perception of fate after meeting the witches truly changes his actions to come later on in the play.

Shakespeare sets the Weird Sisters up in such a way that they will clearly be influential on Macbeth, who will be drawn to their mystical appearances. When they announce to him that he will be king, he at first does not believe it, but their magical ways convince him otherwise, and his perception of fate is immediately blurred from then on out. He buys into the witches and tells his wife of the prophecy, fully believing that it is his fate to become the king after Duncan.

Lady Macbeth is the force that drives the actions in the play forward, on top of both of their misconceptions of fate. Lady Macbeth become so power hungry after hearing the Weird Sisters fortune and pushes Macbeth to do things he would normally never think of, such as killing King Duncan. The hazy perceptions of fate that both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are both guilty of have taken over their thoughts and ultimately will lead to the downfall that is Macbeth’s reign. His thirst for power and Lady Macbeth’s greed for riches causes them to have more murders carried out, eventually foreshadowing the death to come later on in the play of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth.

The progression of ill-fated events were all spurred on by the catalyst that is the Weird Sister’s. Shakespeare successfully utilizes characterization through Macbeth’s actions after his altered perception of fate once meeting with the witches, willing to kill anybody getting in his way of maintaining power and the throne and his wife. If he had not met the witches, he would not have been the power thirsty king that resulted from his character.