Shakespeare’s works are a genre in itself. His works are a part of all levels of education. For English literature students, it occupies a major portion of their syllabus. Shakespeare’s plays are so delightful that it is still considered among the best of all literary works of all ages. Macbeth is one of the most famous plays of all times. It will be a very interesting to write an essay on Macbeth.
To be able to write an essay on a play, you need to first understand the story line and the characters in it. The themes of almost all the plays written by Shakespeare are very complex, which has only added to its beauty and appeal. The most notable feature of his plays is the beauty of his narration which had made even the most complex plots, interesting and easy to follow.
Macbeth is the last of the four famous tragedies written by the famous playwright. The plot revolves around how Macbeth, a man of most genuine nature, is misguided and led to a life of deceit and selfishness. Towards the beginning of the play we meet the central character Macbeth as a person who is fully loyal to King Duncan. He is selfless in his service to the king.
But everything changes with the entry of the three witches, around whom the entire plot is knit. Their prophecies are misinterpreted by Macbeth, as was intended by the witches. They succeed in convincing Macbeth that he is destined to be the king. The witches skillfully lead Macbeth up the throne and then down to his grave through their constant interference and wicked planning.
Lady Macbeth, who assists Macbeth in his way up to the throne, is also highly influenced by the prophecies of the three witches. Unfortunately, they fail to see the hidden hints in the prophecies which always pointed at his inevitable and tragic end.
King Duncan who trusts Macbeth blindly, never suspects any of his intentions. Macbeth, in a hurry to fulfill the misinterpreted prophecy, murders King Duncan. The play takes a most tragic turn starting from the death of King Duncan. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, shocked by their own cruelty and ruthlessness, live the rest of their lives in guilt. The play ends with the tragic death of Macbeth.
Every single part of the play is so deep and intriguing that essays and research papers could be written on each one of them separately. There are other characters that appear for brief moments, like Macbeth’s closest friend, Banquo, who is also addressed by the witches in their prophecy. Banquo, unlike Macbeth, refuses to give in to the ambition injected by the witches, who proclaim that he is destined to become the father of kings.
The basic story line and the characters should be studied carefully before writing the essay. Even though it is very interesting to read Macbeth, studying the book and writing an essay on it may not be very easy. Make the best out of the complexity of the theme and the depth of characters, to make your essay on Macbeth, an interesting one.
