Macbeth-A Tragedy

"Out, damned spot; out, I say. One, two,—why, then ’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?" (V.i.30-34)

The above quote of Lady Macbeth exploits her insanity that results from the overwhelming presence of guilt, which is represented in this play through blood and hallucinations. As Lady Macbeth sleepwalks through her castle it becomes clear that the driving, menacing force within her has been "stained with un-washable blood," or guilt, which leads her descent into madness. This descent is shown through the structure of Lady Macbeth's speech, which is no longer in iambic pentameter, but rather in a much less structured form, signifying her inability to control her own mind. In the line, "What need we fear who knows it when none can call our powers to account?" Lady Macbeth searches for the comfort she once found in her husband's power, but fails. Perhaps, Shakespeare is making the statement that power over others in no match for the formidable opponent of guilt. A role reversal is depicted in the above quote. While, Macbeth was distraught after the murder of Duncan he succeeded in carrying out the murders of the MacDuff family and Banquo. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth, responsible for solely the murder of Duncan, finds herself consumed by insanity and guilt. Through this role reversal, Shakespeare presents the point that while a woman may have a tough exterior, a woman is not capable of producing evil without being overtaken by sensitive, rational emotions. Lady Macbeth describes hell as "murky" giving the impression that she is walking towards hell, unable to see clearly as though her vision is obscured by fog or smoke. Her unclear journey towards hell, mirrors the way in which her journey towards guilt is unclear. Lady Macbeth is not directly guilty for the murders in this novel, however it is her scheming and her hunger for power that forces Macbeth to commit these murders. Even though Lady Macbeth's guilt is the result of her husband's actions, her insanity is the proof that being guilty through the use of pressure is often as bad as committing the crime yourself.

Shakespeare creates this tragedy through violence, psychological twists, and whimsical characters. The ominous presence of blood, weapons, and war create the ideal Shakespeare tragedy setting. Simply by association, blood immediately allows the audience to make a connection between the story and death, which is considered by some to be the ultimate tragedy. In order for a piece of literature to be considered a tragedy a person or thing must fall from the height of pleasant emotions and plummet to the lowest of emotions. This fall creates the melancholic emotion necessary to a tragedy. The innocent hunger for power of Macbeth is transformed into the desperate need for power by Lady Macbeth. The beginning of his descent from high emotions is the death of Lady Macbeth, the driving force behind Macbeth's actions. The ever-changing main characters take the audience on an emotional roller coaster allowing the overall message of Macbeth to be understood amidst all of the violence. The themes of gender reversals that break societal standards, the destructive, irreversible effects of guilt, and the power of ambition are not lost due to the presence of complex characters and violence, but rather enhanced. In a history, the theme is enhanced by historical information that allows the reader to relate the past to the present. In a comedy, the light-hearted feel takes the audience for an enjoyable ride to present a point. In a tragedy, however, the author writes with intensity to captivate and audience and target their emotions.

Seeing this play performed live gave me a completely different opinion on this work. I sat in the third row, center section of the orchestra section allowing me to see every detail in the actor's faces and my close proximity to the stage intensified the show overall and made me feel as though I was in the performance. I could compare the feeling I had during the show to the way I felt when I was seven and walked through a haunted house for the first time: while I wanted to close my eyes, the intensity of the performance prevented me from doing so. I really enjoyed the stage performance, and seeing it made me realize what people mean when they say: "Shakespeare is not meant to be read. It's meant to be performed." In reading this play, I lost so much of the artist quality. While reading the play allowed me to have a greater appreciation for the language than watching the show, I found myself unable to be emotionally carried by the characters, and therefore, I feel as though I missed important aspects of the play. Shakespeare's incredible use of the English language adds an element of beauty to his tragedies, which I think is a key component that sets Shakespeare apart from other writers of tragedy. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with the witches. I think their presence in the show added to the mystical feel that is created by the hallucinations and dreams throughout the show. I loved the witches use of prophecies to foreshadow the events to come. Their presence in the play made it feel as though there was an "all-knowing" presence driving every action.