In the tragedy, Macbeth, written by Shakespeare, the playwright showcases the effects of

usurpation which was done to create a cautionary tale about committing regicide/treason as
well as to please his patron, King James. Shakespeare showcases the consequences of
greed and the toll it may take on your morals. He communicates these topics through the
character of Macbeth, who is portrayed as one who is very ambitious but haunted by the
actions that are a result of his overwhelming and growing greed. And because of this he is
very conflicted, stuck in an internal battle between his morals, his common sense and his
ambition.

Shakespreare shows Macbeth to be haunted by his actions of treason and other immoral
acts: murdering King Duncan and organising the murder of Banquo, his once close friend.
When Banquo’s ghost appears in front of Macbeth during the banquet, he says “Thy bones
are marrowless, thy blood is cold. Thou hast no speculation in those eyes.” (Act 3 Scene 4).
He says this to reassure himself that Banquo is really dead. Indicating that the definite death
of Banquo is what Macbeth cares about more, not the possibility of his once beloved friend
remaining alive. This insinuates that although Macbeth is guilty of and is haunted by his
actions, he does not regret them. This is because Macbeth’s frequent hallucinations of the
people he killed is an indication of his guilt. His culpability is so deep he is unable to differ
reality from his mind’s visions. Macbeth reveals that his tormented consciousness is steering
him into insanity and madness and this foreshadows the events further in the play. The
impact of the supernatural element in Macbeth is used to symbolise his descent into
madness. The farther he descends, the more the lines between hallucinations and reality are
blurred to him. And magic was a very relevant topic at the time the play was made as witches
were demonized and many had a hysteria of women secretly being them. And therefore,
there were negative connotations to the idea of the supernatural. Which is why Shakespeare
used it as a negative theme in the play, to create that symbolic and contextual link.

Another example of this is,before, when Macbeth says in Act 2 Scene 2, right after he had
murdered King Duncan “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”.
Here, Shakespeare uses metaphor and hyperbole to explain how even the mythical roman
god of the sea’s ocean, of which Macbeth is referring to, wouldn't be able to wash the
remorse and guilt he feels away. And ‘blood’ is an ongoing theme throughout the play. Blood
is symbolism for both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s guilt, like a permanent stain on their
consciousness. Shakespeare does this to communicate to the audience that committing
regicide will result in instant regret and overwhelming guilt that will never vanish. This guilt he
feels, the consequences of his actions will continue to haunt him until he dies and maybe
even after, following the saying that eternal damnation is the punishment for treason.

Shakespeare does this to create the allegory communicating that defying God and the King
(in terms of the Divine Right of King) was a major sin and would in turn, have grave
consequences. Macbeth is seen to go through hallucinations, loss of sanity, inability to cope
with the guilt and finally, an immense fall from grace; and all as a result of regicide and
treason.

Macbeth is introduced as someone who initially values his moral conscience and is generally
kind as it is mentioned that he is liked by many, specifically King Duncan “He hath honoured
me of late, and I have bought /Golden opinions from all sorts of people.” (Act 1 Scene 7). He
isn't in conflict in the very beginning of the play as his ambition does not yet outweigh his
morals just yet. He is characterized as someone who makes decisions based on how it
affects the general public/other people. Before he meets the witches, his values are clearly
presented as a noble and kind man. But as soon as the prophecy comes into the play, his
morals shift and his greed thickens. He starts to make selfish decisions and is swayed by
power and titles. This is when he starts to feel conflicted. He doesn't know whether to keep to
his once strong moral conscience, or to let greed consume him to the point of losing his
morals altogether. Although shakespeare does hint that Macbeth has a brutal side and this
can be seen when

Macbeth is seen to be very conflicted about his actions and his morals, especially during the
beginning of the play. “Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.”
(Act 1 Scene 4) this implies that Macbeth is scared that even his eyes will expose him for his
treasonous thoughts. This is because he knows he has to be this careful due to the
significance of the crime he is intending to commit. He is conflicted as he knows how grave of
a crime treason is (especially specific to Jacobean times due to the Great Chain of Being) but
at the same time, his ambition and greed overtakes his morals, fear and his common sense.
And the imagery Shakespeare used signifies how impure and treacherous Macbeth’s
thoughts were, with the use of the words ‘black’ and ‘deep’. It also exemplifies how he can’t
let anyone find out. He is so scared of someone seeing through his noble facade he fears
even his eyes will give him away as that is how careful he must be. The rhyme Shakespeare
used was to incorporate a sound pattern that will make the audience feel like they are able to
predict what comes next. Which allows for some foreshadowing as that ‘fire’ that he is
suppressing, is something that will fester and grow throughout the play.

Shakespeare wrote Mabbeth to be initially hesitant to go through with th emurder of King

Duncan. But allowed Lady Macbeth’s manipulation and threatening of his masculinity, to
convince Macbeth to do the deed. This is seen in Act 1, Scene 7 when she says “When you
durst do it, then you were a man;” implies Lady Macbeth will only see Macbeth as a man, if he
kills King Duncan and secures the role of King for himself. And during the Jacobean time
period, the gender roles during that period of time and for many years before this were that
men would have to be reliable and provide for his family no matter the cost and that women
were the caregivers. His wife calling him ‘not a man’ signified her doubting his abilities to
make the sacrifices necessary to provide for his family, which is expected of him as a man.
So when she said this, it simultaneously implied many things about his character. It insinuated
that he is not courageous, reliable nor masculine/manly. And this tips him over the edge and
finally makes him decide to go through with it.

Macbeth is portrayed to be very ambitious and determined. He is introduced as a very heroic

and courageous soldier. And this reminds us he has already secured a good image of himself
and has a good rank as it is, and is respected. In Act 1 scene 2, we learn that Macbeth is
brave, renowned, prosperous and known to be a hero “For brave Macbeth well he deserved
the name. Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel” implies that the captain thinks of
Macbeth as courageous when he testifies to King Duncan about the war and how Macbeth
slayed the traitor Macdonwald. We also learn that King Duncan thinks highly about Macbeth
“‘O worthiest cousin’. This reminds the audience that they are related, or at least very close,
and further shows that they have a close relationship and have mutual respect for each other.
Shakespeare himself was supported and thought highly of by King James and he heavily
relied on King James and was his patron. King Duncan exemplifies characteristics of being a
good king as it is shown that he is loved by his people and was recognised to be very
generous and kind. Even when Macbeth murdered him he said “the gracious Duncan I Have
murdered.” (Act 3 Scene 1)

Shakespeare portrayed Macbeth as very ambitious, another example of this is when he says
in Act 1, Scene 3 “Two truths are told As happy prologues to the swelling act Of th’imperial
theme”. This highlights his ambition as it reveals his eagerness of when the idea of the
prophecy actually being true arises. He finds the possibility of becoming King appealing,
regardless of King Duncan already bearing the role. This is used to reveal the beginning of
Macbeth’s ever-growing hunger for more and more power. Although he had only just received
the title of Thane and yet his mind had already veered off to the idea of King. This
foreshadows his later actions and increasing disregard for his morals when his greed
increases, even though at this point in the play he seems adamant about not doing the acts
his mind has hinted at doing (regicide). Specifically when he orders for the murder of Lady
McDuff and her children. This shows how deep his loss of morals had gone because he killed
a mother and her children without remorse nor hesitance.

To conclude, Macbeth is a didactic play, communicating a message of warning towards

readers about committing treason/regicide; during Jacobean times, there was a clear
symbiotic link between Kings and God due to the Great Chain of Being as well as the
health/well being of the country being closely tied to the quality of their King. Shakespeare
himself had King James I as his patron and relied on his input for many things. King James I
was related to Banquo and Shakespeare wrote Macbeth as a tribute to him as England’s new
monarch. Shakespeare indicated that treason would only end in regret and one’s downfall as
well as eternal damnation. In addition to this allegory, we are also shown how feeding into
one's greed and prioritizing power and ambition over our moral conscience and nobility will
only end negatively. During Jacobean times, this play was extremely shocking due to the
themes of regicide and the generation’s beliefs such as the Great Chain of Being and the
Divine Right of [Link] the contrary, those beliefs are not as prevalent in the 21st Century
therefore, audiences of the play nowadays may not be able to grasp just how appalling the
actions of Macbeth were, contextually.