Macbeth Manipulation Scene Analysis

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is a play in which one scene in particular determines the fate of the main character, Macbeth. The manipulation scene, Act 1 Scene 7, is a key turning point in the character of Macbeth as we see him change from a noble man to a man who considers the murder of his own King. This change in Macbeth is due to no fault other than the corrupting nature of his ambition and also his distorted view of masculinity. Shakespeare successfully uses characterisation, key scene and dialogue to show the fate of Macbeth to the audience.
From the beginning of the play it is clear to the audience that Macbeth’s corrupted ambition will only lead to bad things. In the manipulation scene we see the effect that his ambition and Lady Macbeth’s distorted view of masculinity have on him. The scene begins with a soliloquy from the character of Macbeth, this is important as it shows the audience what is going on inside Macbeth’s mind and reveals the doubts he has behind the idea of killing Duncan showing that he still has a moral conscience. Macbeth himself knows that Duncan has been nothing but nice to him and that he is a good King, therefore murdering him would go against God which would result in God punishing him because in Jacobean times they believed that the King was chosen by …show more content…
The character’s fortunes are determined here as it is a major turning point for Macbeth as at the beginning of the scene he is certain that he will not murder Duncan however by the end he is “settled” on the idea of killing the King. In the scene we see that Lady Macbeth is the dominant one in the relationship and that she can easily manipulate Macbeth. Both of the Macbeth’s are hungry for power which ultimately brings them both to their deaths. This scene plays a key role in determining the fate of Macbeth as it shows his fatal flaw: the corrupting nature of