How Is Evil Portrayed In Macbeth

In this essay I sh every(prenominal) be loo queer at the agency malign is saluteed in Shakespe atomic number 18s play, Macbeth. I will be concentrating on the characters in the play that rear to the evil themes of the play. It is name from the start of the play that the witches argon the main man-made lake of evil. The witches have an enormous effect on the play, not only are they evil, but this is underlined by the heavy tactual sensationings against witches and witchcraft in Elizabethan times. Convicted witches were regularly tortured and even executed. Most people believed in witches and at that place was little opposition against this persecution.This was not helped by the fact hat the queer, mob 1 was besides interested in this superstition, often, he interrogated the accused himself. It is drop off from the start of the play that the witches play a key role. The first thought is the witches fancyning to tinge Macbeth. The setting of this scene is very important they meet on a moor in thunder and lightning. These surroundings portray an evil image the moor is a very l ily, barren and sinister place, fleck thunder and lightning associate with evil. So even at the origination of the play one of the themes is k todayn.The witches language includes rhyming couplets that contradict each other(a) and are very powerful. Fair is foul, and foul is fair Hover with the fog and filthy air This summon tells us about the witches iniquity for all things good, and their love for things that are evil. Shakespeare adds rhyme and rhythm to the witches language to emphasise their evilness. The bit part of this retell adds to their image of universe witches and would have created accent among Elizabethan references. The image of old women with cats and the ability to fly would have floor an audience.The first meeting betwixt Macbeth and the witches is significant as they make 2 predictions to Macbeth, Hail to thee hane of Cawdor and perhaps more significantly, That shalt be king hereafter. These proclamations astound Macbeth cod to their sudden nature. The witches lure Macbeth into a false sense of security. The witches manipulate Macbeth and when he tells Lady Macbeth of the predictions, an evil plan is conceived. Ive done the deed. This deed is the worst realistic crime, kingship Macbeth has arrive ated king Duncan in cold blood.Macbeth, the brave warrior at the starting line of the play has been driven by his ambition to be king. However, the source of this evil deed may not have come from Macbeth himself. Look cargo deck the innocent flower, But be the serpent undert. Lady Macbeth plants the seed of murdering king Duncan in Macbeths mind. The language Shakespeare uses here is significant, the flower is associated with beauty and goodness while the snake is associated with evil. The association with a snake would have been especially strong because in the bible the serpent is seen as an evil being.These comparisons to bible characters would also have shocked Elizabethan audiences, as they believed in heaven and hell. possibly the most famous scene in Macbeth concerns the witches and especially their language. Liver of blaspheming Jew, flick of birth-strangled babe. These disgusting images are the ingredients of the witches spell. The language used shows the exploitation of innocence and photo by the witches and this links in with the theme of the desire to bring all good things to evil. The imagery conjured up in the casts is one of pure evil.In the same scene the witches manipulate Macbeth by using three apparitions. The second of these apparitions lulls Macbeth into a false sense of security. Then live, Macduff what need I solicitude of thee. The apparition, which is a bloody child, tells Macbeth of his fortune, For none of woman born shall harm Macbeth. Shakespeare uses spectacular Irony as these row confuse Macbeth. It is apparent from these words that Macbeth would feel invincible an d that no man could harm him. However, Macbeth fails to see the contradiction between this and the first apparition.This is because Macbeth is unaware of Macduffs birth he was born after his sire had died. It is only at the end of the play that Macbeth finally discovers his fate. After being told that Macduff had been, Untimely ripped from his mothers womb, describes the witches as Juggling Fiends. Macbeth is accusing the witches of deliberately juggling their words so that he could not understand them. This is a brilliant quote as Macbeth has just realised his life is in ruins, but the audience knew this earlier.The witches have changed Macbeth from a brave warrior to an evil, murderous, traitor. By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. This quote is significant as it illustrates the change in Macbeth throughout the play, now even the witches consider Macbeth to be evil. However, when looking at the path of closing that Macbeth has left ehind him it isnt ver y surprising. Just one man driven by his ambition to be king has led to a chain response of murders Stars, hide your fires Let not light see my black and desiresFrom this quote we can see Macbeths true feelings towards king Duncan. It tells us that no one will see the murder due to the disastrousness and lack of light. His dark intentions have imagery due the blackness of the night and evil desires and intentions of Macbeth. The murder of his once best friend, Banquo leads to Lady Macbeth going mad. The brains behind the relationship who conceived the plan of murdering ing Duncan which started the chaos of the whole play eventually commits suicide as she couldnt handle the guilt.Heres the smell of the blood still all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. This is a significant quote as although Lady Macbeth did not kill king Duncan it was her idea, and it could be argued that Macbeth wouldnt have murdered king Duncan without the entrance of Lady Macbeth. The fe ar of the Scottish people is shown in a dialogue between Donalbain and Malcolm. Theres daggers in mens smiles. This metaphor describes how Donalbain feels he can rust cryptograph and that everyone is putting on disguises underneath the smiling faces is hatred and evil.The imagery conjures up pictures of the innocent and pleasant man on the outside but on the inside he is a traitor and a murderer. The quote portrays the scenes of disintegration and chaos in Scotland. In conclusion I designate it is clear the witches mostly portray evil in Macbeth. Not only are the witches evil themselves but their evilness spreads to other characters throughout the play. I think there is little doubt that without the influence of the witches, Macbeth wouldnt have murdered king Duncan.