Fear, this motivates us to domany things no matter if they are right or wrong. In the playMacbeth it was fear that was the main motivating factorthat influenced the outcome of the play.
This can be provedby the subsequent murders that followed after Duncan’s,why were these committed? Because Macbeth was scaredof being caught and having to pay for the wrongs he haddone. Also look at Lady Macbeth, he constant washing ofher hands, sleepwalking and other behaviour like this. Alldone out of fear, and like her husband fear of being caught. The final piece of proof I offer is Macbeth’s actions, theywere all due to fear, not only of being caught but of thewitches’ prophecies, he was scared of them coming trueand tried to stop them from happening. This whole playwas inspired by fear and what it and do to a person. Tobegin, we’ll address Macbeth’s subsequent murders,following Duncan’s.
For Macbeth, he’s just killed the Kingof Scotland and blamed it on his son. It worked and hebecame King, however he remembered the witches’prophecies. They claimed that Macbeth would be King,but it would be Banquo’s children that would follow afterhim. This made Macbeth very angry, he risked everythingto become King and after him none of his family will follow.
Only for them; and mine eternal jewel Given to thecommon enemy of man, To make them kings, the seeds ofBanquo kings! Act III, S I, L 72-75 Here Macbethrealizes that if something is not done to Banquo, then hissons will become King. Macbeth can’t have this, he’salready worried that his soul will go to hell for what he’salready done. His fear become evident in this scene also,”But to be safely thus: our fears in Banquo Stick deep;”Act III, S I, L 53-54 Macbeth then has Banquomurdered, however his son Fleance escapes in the attack. Next Macduff refuses to accept Macbeth as king and fleesto England to join Malcom.
And also the witches tell him tobeware of Macduff, which angers Macbeth and drives himto kill Macduff’s family. More fear of losing the impendingbattle with England, makes Macbeth start doing anythingthat will give him an edge in the final battle. Macbeth’s fearis starting to consume him, he can no longer sleep and isravaged by guilt over what he’s done. As well LadyMacbeth is being comsumed by fear and guilt, she isslowing losing her sanity.
This is a result of her not beingable to handle what she has done to Duncan. As shown inthis quote Out, damned spot!out,I say!One;Two:why, then’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie! a soldierand afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when nonecan call our power to account? Act V, S I, L 32-35 HereLady Macbeth is trying to wash out what she sees as beingblood on her hands. As well she mentions hell an obviousfear of going there for what she has done.
At the start LadyMacbeth was the one pushing on Macbeth to kill Duncanbut as the play goes on she becomes weaker as Macbethbecomes stronger, Macbeth isn’t troubled by what he hasdone to the extent Lady Macbeth is. Her role in the playslowly becomes smaller and smaller as she ends up beingdriven mad by the guilt and soon can no longer take, andends up taking her own life hoping that her torment will endnow that she is dead. “The Queen, my Lord is dead” ActV, S 5, L 18, Lady Macbeth takes her life right before thebattle against the english is about to begin. This taking ofher own life demonstrates her fear and in the end what thatfear can do to a person. Now we come to the witchesprophecies, these are a main source of fear for Macbeth,after all where has he learned everything from.
With eachnew vision, Macbeth falls deeper and deeper into an evilspiral. From the witches first prediction of Macbeth beingking, which made Macbeth kill to become king. As well asBanquo’s children becoming kings, this scared Macbeth asI previously mentioned. Also when he went back to see thewitches he gained some more knowledge, “Macbeth!Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; Beware the thane ofFife. ” Act IV, S I, L 77, well now that Macbeth hasheard this, he believes that he must kill Macduff, howeverhe learns that Macduff has fled to England, so Macbethdesides to kill his family.
Next in the cave Macbeth is toldhe can’t be killed by any man born of woman, well thisgives him confidence that no matter what the English willnot defeat him. And he is also told that he will not bedefeated until the trees of Birnam Wood move towards hiscastle. He has put all his faith in these prophecies, what thewitches say must be true because of the first prediction. Inconclusion you can see what fear can do to a person, itmade Macbeth mad for power which he ended up getting.
But after the first of his crimes the rest became easier forhim, pretty soon he’d just order it and not think twice. Thatwas not the case when he first murdered Duncan. Allthough the play his fear of being caught, and the witchesprophecies coming true make him do all these evil deeds. Fear had become the main movating factor in the play. Hopefully you have a better understanding of the play fromall this.
