Macbeth

Machiavelli believed that the way you appeared to people was more important than how you actually acted. He believes that no matter how horrible and cruel you really are you should appear good to others. Shakespeare addresses this same belief many times in the play Macbeth. Early in the play you read that +the Thane that appeared loyal and honorable to the country was not that. "the Thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict. No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive our bosom interest" (1.3.53, 63). When he was later found to be disloyal he was punished by death. Machiavelli and Shakespeare both want you to think that as long as you appear good you will succeed. The Thane of Cawdor appeared good for as long as he lived and succeeded and as soon as this appearance was shattered his rein ended. This same idea of appearance vs. reality is addressed throughout the play. Macbeth is another main character that plays with this idea of appearance. All throughout the play he appears loyal and honorable to the country but is quick to betray others to get what he wants. I believe that Shakespeare enjoys toying with and adding the ideas of Machiavelli in the play. He is reteaching these ideas to the audience.


In Macbeth Shakespeare uses the character of Lady Macbeth to express and change the traditional male and female roles of the times. Lady Macbeth is supposed to be the lady of the house, be sweet and loving to her husband, be innocent and do as she is told. Lady Macbeth is the opposite of this. She is cruel hearted and wants to be. She does not want to feel pain or suffering for others. Lady Macbeth is ambitious and cunning. She is all the things women aren't supposed to be. Shakespeare made her this way so that you looked at her as a rebel. Her different behavior is most highly expressed in the following reading "come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty" (1.5. 38-41). When she asks to be unsexed she is asking to become a man. Directly after she asked to be full of cruelty. This shows that she believes that men are tough and cruel. She wants to become the opposite of what she is. The idea that men are tough, strong and cruel is commonly seen throughout the play.


"With one that saw him die, who did report  that very frankly he confessed his treason" (1.4. 4-5). This is a line from the report that Malcolm gave about what had just happened to the Thane of Cawdor. Malcolm and King Duncan spoke highly of the honorable thing he did.  By admitting to what he had done wrong throughout his life King Duncan was seen as dying honorably. Although he was honorable he put himself in great danger because as soon as he admitted to what he had done he was killed. This importance of honor is weighted throughout the play. Shakespeare highly encourages people to be honorable.There is also great importance weighted on being loyal to people and your country. Throughout the play Macbeth is seen as an honorable and noble person but in the end when he is a know betrayer he is beheaded. As soon is someone is seen as disloyal they are punished. This shows that Shakespeare greatly cares about teaching people to be honorable and loyal.