Macbeth Essay Asher p.1

Dylan Trimarchi P.1 Asher

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Characterization is used to clarify the perception of fate. Macbeth depicts his personality by possessing faith in his fortune and how he reacts in situations throughout the play. Shakespeare plays with the different strategies of characterizing and shows how Macbeth determines the direction of the play through his insight of fate.

To begin with, Shakespeare’s characterizes Macbeth by revealing his amount of trust. Through out the play Macbeth has the urge to find “the answers” to his doubtful thoughts, so he seeks 3 witches who foresee his future. Macbeth believes the fortune given to him by witches is to be nothing short of the truth. Macbeth is convinced that anything that in contrary to the witch’s prediction is wrong which leads to his downfall. Toward the close of the play, Macduff raids the castle thirsty for Macbeth’s blood and his crown. When face to face with Macduff, daggers drawn, and fierce for revenge, Macbeth remains confident that “ No man who came from a woman can hurt him”, for this was what the witches claimed. He finds he has been mislead and the prediction untrue since macduff was pulled out of his mothers whom by cesarean section. Believing the witches prophecy made Macbeth feel as if he was protected by a security blanket, which progressed the action of the play by leading to Macduff holding Macbeth’s head like a trophy. Macbeth’s character was defined by his willingness to be faithful.

In addition, Shakespeare puts Macbeth in situations where his character is challenged and defined through his perception of fate. Through out the play Macbeth has one ultimate goal of becoming the next king, as he feels this is his vocation. The difficult process of gaining the crown meant he must kill the current king, Duncan. Although filled with anxiety, Macbeth gives into peer pressure from his wife, Lady Macbeth, and proceeds with the homicide, feeling that it was his calling. By characterizing Macbeths character in situation such as this, Shakespeare managed to show the importance of certain valued traits such as fate, which was acquire by the main characters. Macbeth’s exposed character in situations cause for the play to be propelled forward into action because of his significant belief in fate.

In conclusion, Shakespeare’s choice of characterizing the personalities in the play proves significance for the direction of play.