Macbeth is considered one of the most controversial characters in Shakespeare's Macbeth. Many literary scholars discuss in detail Macbeth’s character and how he should be viewed. Many scholars believe he is the villain in the novel while others take the view that Macbeth is the victim. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth emerges as the villain in the play as he knowingly violates his conscience; and his unbridled courage and ambition take full control over him.
Many critics, scholars and readers may argue that Macbeth is a victim in his crimes. This is not a completely uneducated argument because Macbeth is highly influenced by his wife and the three witches. Also, Macbeth probably would not have felt as much passion to commit his heinous crimes …show more content…
In A.C. Bradley’s article Darkness in the Struggle for Power, Bradley supports this point when he says, “The blackness of night is to the hero a thing of fear, even of horror; and that which he feels becomes the spirit of the play”(Bradley 41). This quote shows that whatever Macbeth does he acts based on his feelings but without really thinking too much about his conscience or the resounding consequences. Bradley also says that Macbeth acts out of fear and necessity rather than acting on his conscience which Macbeth clearly puts aside and ignores. E. A. J. Honigman also gives bases for this point in his article Macbeth as Victim, when he says, “...we never know quite enough about the hero’s guilt,...” (Honigman 80). The reason why we do not know enough about the “hero’s guilt” is because Macbeth puts his guilt and his conscience aside every time he kills someone so that he does not think twice and can complete the heinous act more …show more content…
When Bradley says, “In these conflicts he showed great personal courage, a quality which he continues to display throughout the drama in regard to all plain dangers” he supports the point that Macbeth shows courage even in the face of wrongdoing. It is Macbeth’s unbridled courage, even when he should not have courage such as when he murders someone, that makes him a villain. Honigmann even speaks to this issue by saying, “...Macbeth’s intentions are more straightforwardly criminal than the Moor’s…”(Honigmann 81). In this context Honigmann is comparing Macbeth to Moor from another one of Shakespeare's tragedies, Othello. Honigman makes the observation that Macbeth is intentionally evil and is considerably worse than Moor. He also is telling us that Macbeth’s ambition and unbridled courage helps him be straightforward with his crimes.
Macbeth emerges as the villain in the play as he knowingly violates his conscience; and his unbridled courage and ambition take full control over him. Macbeth is inherently evil like the rest of the human race due to our sin but what separates him from us is that he will violate his conscience to make his life better overall. Macbeth also uses his unbridled courage and ambition to his advantage so that he may complete any daunting task set in front of him whether it is considered right or wrong. When Macbeth’s ambition
Many critics, scholars and readers may argue that Macbeth is a victim in his crimes. This is not a completely uneducated argument because Macbeth is highly influenced by his wife and the three witches. Also, Macbeth probably would not have felt as much passion to commit his heinous crimes …show more content…
In A.C. Bradley’s article Darkness in the Struggle for Power, Bradley supports this point when he says, “The blackness of night is to the hero a thing of fear, even of horror; and that which he feels becomes the spirit of the play”(Bradley 41). This quote shows that whatever Macbeth does he acts based on his feelings but without really thinking too much about his conscience or the resounding consequences. Bradley also says that Macbeth acts out of fear and necessity rather than acting on his conscience which Macbeth clearly puts aside and ignores. E. A. J. Honigman also gives bases for this point in his article Macbeth as Victim, when he says, “...we never know quite enough about the hero’s guilt,...” (Honigman 80). The reason why we do not know enough about the “hero’s guilt” is because Macbeth puts his guilt and his conscience aside every time he kills someone so that he does not think twice and can complete the heinous act more …show more content…
When Bradley says, “In these conflicts he showed great personal courage, a quality which he continues to display throughout the drama in regard to all plain dangers” he supports the point that Macbeth shows courage even in the face of wrongdoing. It is Macbeth’s unbridled courage, even when he should not have courage such as when he murders someone, that makes him a villain. Honigmann even speaks to this issue by saying, “...Macbeth’s intentions are more straightforwardly criminal than the Moor’s…”(Honigmann 81). In this context Honigmann is comparing Macbeth to Moor from another one of Shakespeare's tragedies, Othello. Honigman makes the observation that Macbeth is intentionally evil and is considerably worse than Moor. He also is telling us that Macbeth’s ambition and unbridled courage helps him be straightforward with his crimes.
Macbeth emerges as the villain in the play as he knowingly violates his conscience; and his unbridled courage and ambition take full control over him. Macbeth is inherently evil like the rest of the human race due to our sin but what separates him from us is that he will violate his conscience to make his life better overall. Macbeth also uses his unbridled courage and ambition to his advantage so that he may complete any daunting task set in front of him whether it is considered right or wrong. When Macbeth’s ambition