ENG3U

January 27, 2021

Macbeth: The exploration of human nature through time

The feeling of having no power over people and events is generally unbearable to us -when

we feel helpless, we feel miserable. No one wants less power; everyone wants more. However, this

ambition, if gone unchecked, can corrupt individuals and lead to their downfall. The nature of

humanity makes us strive to choose between right and wrong. From time to time, there is a conflict

between personal desires and ethical choices. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a play that transcends time

because of its timeless and secular themes. These concepts are explored thoroughly throughout

Shakespeare's Macbeth, which allows the play to continue to be relevant as the concepts are deeply

rooted in both the play and today's contemporary society. William Shakespeare illustrates humanity

as murky and nefarious. He demonstrates the unsavory side of human nature through these

concepts. The concept of ambition prevents the audience from questioning the actions of certain

characters. Shakespeare also continuously uses the motif of blood, to represent the concept of guilt

in order to preview the complexity of the characters of Macbeth. The essence of unpredictability

and predictability, or rather free will and fate, allows the audience to stay observant and thoughtful

at all times.

Without ambition, many of the creations of men would not be possible. As no one would

seek to discover and clash against others to succeed. In life, it is thought that ambition is necessary

and rewarding. However, it is vital to understand that it is also mankind’s greatest evil. In

Shakespeare’s Macbeth, we see the negative effects of unchecked ambition. Unchecked ambition is

a cruel and wicked motivator that urges Macbeth’s cruel nature and eventually turns him into a
bloodthirsty beast. As soon as Macbeth hears “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!”

(1.3.51), he is filled with lust for power and temptation. The temptation of power is brought out by

Macbeth's overwhelming and formidable force of ambition, increasing his dissimulated desire to

acquire more power. The concept of ambition is a complex trait to pin, as it is innately human. In

Macbeth, it is used to give the audience an explanation for certain actions of characters. These

characters are already accustomed to ambition. Ambition allows the audience to relate to the play,

as they could have been motivated by it before, either to gain more power or more knowledge. It is

in every person’s nature to strive for something greater, to gain more power. However, they do not

understand the consequences of their unchecked ambition. Though ambition drives many people to

accomplish great things it also can destroy a life, as it did in Macbeth. Through Shakespeare’s

exploration of unchecked ambition, people can grasp the full nature of ambition and they fully

understand both the virtues and the consequences. The audience is left to ponder on both their

past decisions and their future ones. They are also left baffled by the lengths other people are

willing to go to increase their power and control.

At first, Shakespeare intrigues the audience with characters with questionable morals and

character’s that seem to be inhumane. However, soon the audience is captured by the effects of the

character’s inhumane actions. The world is full of decisions, and everyone makes wise ones and

poor ones at certain points in their life, but when poor choices are made, people must bear the

feeling of guilt. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the effects of guilt and having a guilty conscience is a

recurring theme displayed throughout the play. In act 1 of the play, Lady Macbeth persuades her

husband into killing Duncan, which at first makes her happy but she is quickly overwhelmed with

thoughts of remorse and a guilty conscience. Lady Macbeth’s spiral into madness starts shortly after

Duncan’s murder. She continuously ponders on his murder. However, once her sleepwalking
incident occurs we see the full extent of her guilt. In her episode she cries “Out, damned spot; out, I

say. One, two,—why, then ’tis time to do’t” (5.1.30-31). Lady Macbeth is still seeing Duncan’s blood

on her hand. Her hallucinations are so immersive that she can still smell Duncan’s blood on her

hands. “Paradoxically, she fears that Macbeth will be incapacitated by his own fear” (). Lady

Macbeth’s own fear is what incapacitates her adding another level of character development. This

detail shows the amount of remorse and guilt she feels for Duncan’s murder and how karma works

in the play. Her way of coping is to deny reality and to rely on her strength of will, but in the end,

even her will to live vanishes. After Shakespeare derives the play of all human emotions, he

introduces one of the strongest, guilt. He once again allows the audience to connect and feel what

the character is feeling as almost every human has felt guilt before. The absolute absence and then

sudden introduction of guilt allows for better characterization and development which captivates

the audience.

Throughout the play, the relationship between fate and free will is the most elaborate theme. It

permeates the tragedy from beginning to end. As the play progresses, Macbeth encounters the

three witches. The witches predict that “shalt be king hereafter!” (1.3.51). This statement is what

represents the beginning of Macbeth’s ascension to the throne, triggering thoughts on foul play.

Shakespeare’s placement of the three witches is what guides the audience’s perception of the play.

Shakespeare’s use of language is crucial in portraying the witches as a supernatural factor and

separating them from the characters. Thus the witches personify fate. However, the belief that

Macbeth is controlled by fate is completely shattered once Macbeth begins to plan the murder of

Duncan. It was clear since the prophecy, that Macbeth would do anything to become king. It

becomes impossible to determine whether Macbeth became king through his own actions and will

or if it was predestined because of Macbeth’s actions. Throughout the play it seems as though
Macbeth is simply following fate, however, to fulfill the prophecy Macbeth must make his own

decisions creating a question as to whether or not Macbeth is driven by fate or free will? Each

scene combines drama and mysticism, ambiguity, leaving a sense of incompleteness, thus

furthering the argument of free will vs fate. The absence of an answer allows the audience to argue

and debate on what determines the path of Macbeth? Is it free will, or fate indeed?

One can now understand, how Macbeth has sustained itself through centuries of change

and how it depicts timeless traits of human nature. Its exploration of timeless concepts of human

nature allows the play to transcend time. Adding the trait of wanting more power allows the

audience to explore characters without questioning their morals as ambition explains the actions

of the characters. The absence and the sudden introduction of guilt gives the audience something

to look forward to. The theme of free will and fate allows or the supernatural to keep the audience

on their heels and allows them to debate and have their own perception of the play adding

suspense and mystery. The play’s exploration of “radical identity of two opposite terms”(,13),

embodies the play’s uncertainty and mystery again adding to the audience’s confusion and keeping

the audience attentive. By exploring timeless traits of human nature and corruption, Macbeth not

only serves as entertainment but a piece of text which informs us of the physical and psychological

consequences of lust. Macbeth should and will be a piece of storytelling that will be passed on for

hundreds of years and generations to come.

Works Cited Entries

Weber, William W., and William Shakespeare. “On Macbeth.” Critical Insights: Macbeth, Oct. 2017, pp.
xiii–xxv. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lkh&AN=130931084&site=lrc-plu