Fatal Flaws in Macbeth
The components of an effective tragedy often evoke pity, raise fear, and stir anger in the audience and in the characters themselves. Macbeth by William Shakespeare fits this criteria as these components illustrate that one should not let expectations cause someone to lose his or her sense of self, no matter how tempting those expectations may be. This lesson, which today is often modified to the phrase “don’t succumb to peer pressure,” is particularly understandable when presented through literature. Readers relate to characters, identifying with flaws and mistakes, and seek deeper meanings to extract and implement into their daily actions. While the readers of Macbeth may not become heartless murderers or even undergo …show more content…
Towards the end of the play, after having completed more destructive deeds than he ever anticipated, Macbeth faces the sudden death of his wife. When losing a spouse, one would expect a more dramatic reaction than the startlingly indifferent response that Macbeth has. For example, Lady Macduff’s response to losing a spouse is appropriate. Upon hearing that her husband went off to England, Lady Macduff was angered at his apparent thoughtless abandoning of his family. She cries “His flight was madness. When our actions do not,/ Our fears do make us traitors” (vi. ii. 4-5) to the messenger, Ross. Clearly, Lady Macduff is distraught outraged at the thought of her husband leaving her, and rightfully so. The audience feels anger, similar to the anger stirred in Lady Macduff, when Macbeth is presented with the news that his own wife has died and responds insufficiently. “She should have died hereafter./ There would have been a time for such a word./ Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.” (v. v. 20-22.) This passive reaction aggravates the audience at his loss of affection and marks the point in which Macbeth’s “kind-hearted” identity has been lost once and for
The components of an effective tragedy often evoke pity, raise fear, and stir anger in the audience and in the characters themselves. Macbeth by William Shakespeare fits this criteria as these components illustrate that one should not let expectations cause someone to lose his or her sense of self, no matter how tempting those expectations may be. This lesson, which today is often modified to the phrase “don’t succumb to peer pressure,” is particularly understandable when presented through literature. Readers relate to characters, identifying with flaws and mistakes, and seek deeper meanings to extract and implement into their daily actions. While the readers of Macbeth may not become heartless murderers or even undergo …show more content…
Towards the end of the play, after having completed more destructive deeds than he ever anticipated, Macbeth faces the sudden death of his wife. When losing a spouse, one would expect a more dramatic reaction than the startlingly indifferent response that Macbeth has. For example, Lady Macduff’s response to losing a spouse is appropriate. Upon hearing that her husband went off to England, Lady Macduff was angered at his apparent thoughtless abandoning of his family. She cries “His flight was madness. When our actions do not,/ Our fears do make us traitors” (vi. ii. 4-5) to the messenger, Ross. Clearly, Lady Macduff is distraught outraged at the thought of her husband leaving her, and rightfully so. The audience feels anger, similar to the anger stirred in Lady Macduff, when Macbeth is presented with the news that his own wife has died and responds insufficiently. “She should have died hereafter./ There would have been a time for such a word./ Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.” (v. v. 20-22.) This passive reaction aggravates the audience at his loss of affection and marks the point in which Macbeth’s “kind-hearted” identity has been lost once and for