Introduction
William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is indeed a dramatic portrayal of the occurrence of uncontrollable ambition, where the consequences are destructive. Everything revolves around the insane and corrupt king who willingly corrupts his crown and swimmers in the blood of his people. Through the masterful use of foreshadowing and symbolism, Shakespeare vividly illustrates how Macbeth’s ambition ultimately consumes him, driving him to insanity. This essay will delve into the depths of Macbeth’s psyche, exploring the role of foreshadowing and symbolism in conveying the tragic consequences of his uncontrolled ambition.
Foreshadowing
In Act 3 Scene 5, lady Macbeth menacingly says,” we are in the initial stage of our youth still” (Shakespeare 3.5.145), which shows us the upcoming of their murderous deeds. The very fact that she expresses such thoughts indicates her strong will and resilience to obstacles. Still, it also manifests the rising ambition of both Macbeth and herself (Shakespeare). The word “young” symbolizes just a starting point and makes us think that the path of violence and suffering in front of them is only a tiny part of the upcoming battles they are destined to make (Stallybrass193). This portended betrayal is the most eminent as it reveals the diminishing zeal for moral and ethical consequences that make the couple cunning from the beginning (Stallybrass197). Thus, Lady Macbeth, to a great extent, shares her guilt about the time of their ambitious activities with the prince, representing an extremely dangerous inexperience that precludes the ability to think about the consequences of their steps into evil.
Symbolism
One of the most impressive symbols in Macbeth’s play happens to be, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” (Shakespeare 5.1.36). This stanza puts Lady Macbeth on such a height that I can never think about this play without remembering Lady Macbeth and the mark of a crime on her soul she could not wash away. This famous phrase conveys the poisonous guilt that Lady Macbeth has been suffering from as she fights the moral dread following her murders (Shakespeare). The “blood stain” she refers to reflects the blood of the victims who fell into their hands, and this visual demonstration is a reminder of the disgusting abuses she has committed with her loving husband in the process of a power struggle (Shakespeare). The constant presence of this symbol, which can be taken as a very illustrative metaphor for the moral degeneration that happens without a systematic suppression of greed, reminds us of that. Just like the stubborn bloodstains that do not seem to be washed away, the evil of the Macbeths and Lady Macbeth diverts them to madness, and they are getting closer to it.
Conflict
In Act 2, Scene 2, Macbeth’s guilt-ridden conscience manifests in his inability to say “amen” after committing regicide: “To me, it seemed that a high voice chanted: ‘Macbeth does not sleep.'” Weird sister’s prophecy becomes a reality, creating not just a succession of visions but also acting upon his frail soul, leading him to commit the crime by the imagery of his awareness to kill the ‘innocent sleep’ — ‘Macbeth murders the innocent sleep’ (Stallybrass191). Through this internal struggle, we see an insight into the mental effects of Macbeth’s greed, which are getting more intense as he struggles with the outcomes of his ambition. When Macbeth can no longer find comfort in prayer, the enormity of his ambition is illustrated, showing how far he has gone, having been so willing to abandon the moral society of his society and eagerly embracing a power-filled lifestyle (Macbeth). The constant struggle between his ambitions to rule the world and the guilt that haunted him crushed the hero’s personal life. Thus, as time passed by, his inner turmoil became the very reason for his devastating story, as it led to his ultimate harm.
Conclusion
In his play Macbeth, Shakespeare turns his focus to the ravaging effect of the considerable unchecked aspirations, using foreshadowing and symbolism to amply and brilliantly bring to the fore the devastating end that overwhelmed Macbeth as he allowed his thirst for power to sweep him into madness. The stage is set on a path of future slaughter by the ominous premonitions of the guilt of Lady Macbeth and the inner torments ravaging Macbeth’s conscience; Shakespeare provides a shocking picture of an individual who is dominated by his ambition. The more Macbeth’s mind races and his grip on reality starts to slip, the more he becomes a warning to anyone who may need to be warned about the substantial harm that uncontrolled ambitions might cause. At the end of Kurtz’s tale, madness and suicide are the only words that await him. For instance, he learns a hard lesson: pursuing one’s whims, even if they are highly tempted, has a painful price, a humble warning against it.
Works Cited
Macbeth: New Critical Essays. N.p., Taylor & Francis, 2008.
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Clarendon Press, 1889.
Bana e Costa, Carlos A., and Jean-Claude Vansnick. “General overview of the MACBETH approach.” Advances in multicriteria analysis (1995): 93-100.
Stallybrass, Peter. “Macbeth and witchcraft.” Focus on Macbeth. Routledge, 2013. 189-209.
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