What is Macbeth? Macbeth is a tyrant and murderer. But he did not become such at once. His image opens in the development, dynamics, complexity and contradictions of his inner world. The struggle between pangs of conscience and ambitious motives in the soul of Macbeth and eventually knowing the meaninglessness of his bloody deeds, all distinguishes him from an ordinary villain to a tragic character. Macbeth appears in the first act as a character in a majestic victory over the enemies of Scotland. He is a strong, brave, courageous warrior. Macbeth is good by nature and has a sense of humanity and, thanks to his exploits, he achieved fame. Confidence in his own abilities makes Macbeth desire to become even more majestic and achieve a greater glory. However, the social structure of the time puts a limit on development of his individual, perverted limitless abilities. Thus, Macbeth’s’ valor becomes an ambition, and this ambition drives him to the crime of murdering Duncan to achieve a higher authority. Such change of valor into ambition is characterized by words of the witch from the first scene: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” Macbeth’s actions then become increasingly evil.
The images of witches predicting Macbeth’s fate symbolize his inhuman plans and actions. Witches do not represent any fatal force directing the behavior of the hero. They just express the thoughts that appear in Macbeth’s mind. Macbeth’s criminal decisions are determined by his own will, not a fatal force.
Macbeth transforms from a good and brave person to a murderer and tyrant, with one crime leading to another. Macbeth cannot give up murdering, trying to hold the throne:
All causes shall give way: I am in blood.
Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o’er;
Strange things I have in head, that will to hand;
Which must be acted ere they may be scann’d.
As Macbeth despotism grows, he becomes all alone. All backed away from this tyrant.
Macbeth wants to change fate and intervene in the course of time through the crime. He is afraid of missing something and commits more bloody deeds.
The atrocities of this tyrant cause a reaction. The entire society rises against this murderer. It seems that even the forces of nature went against him – Birnam Wood goes to Dunsinan. But it’s Macduff and Malcolm, warriors who covered themselves with green branches and are moving against Macbeth to crush him.
Having acted against humanity, Macbeth condemns himself to complete isolation, loneliness and death.