Essay/Term paper: Macbeth: choices

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Macbeth

Macbeth: Choices


In The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare characters often could
not escape the consequences of their choices. The choices that some characters
made in the play put them in a position which they could not escape. In most of
these cases the character feels remorse for the choice they had made. The
characters that I will be concentrating on are Macbeth, Macduff, and Lady
Macbeth. These characters are the best examples of how characters could not
escape their choices in the play.
The actions of Macbeth during the play sometimes put him in a situation
which he could not escape. An example of this is when Macbeth murders Duncan.
After he does it he regrets it and is afraid to think about it. This is shown in
the quote: I am afraid to think what I've done; look on't again I dare not./(50-
51, Scene 2, Act 2) Another example is after Macbeth had Banquo killed and he
sees Banquo's ghost at the table. He goes crazy and starts yelling at the ghost
and he realizes that he cannot change what he has done so he tries to ignore it.
That same scene Lady Macbeth says: Things without all remedy should be without
regard: what's done is done./(11-12, Scene 2, Act 3) These examples show how
Macbeth cannot escape the choices he made.
Macduff's allegiance to the country of Scotland leads to consequences
which he cannot change. Macduff's allegiance is shown when he left Scotland and
his family to go to England. There he met with Malcolm and started raising a
army to overthrow Macbeth.
The result of this is the slaughtering of Macduff's wife and children by
Macbeth's men.
He blames himself for their death and he knows he can do nothing to
change it. This is seen in the qoute: Sinful Macduff, They were all struck for
thee! Naught that I am, Not for their own demerits but for mine fell slaughter
on their souls. Heaven rest them now!/(224-226, Scene 3, Act 4)
Lady Macbeth cannot escape the consequences of her choices either. She
pressured Macbeth into killing Duncan when he did not want to. She also smeared
the blood all over the guards and put the daggers in their hands. She went along
with the murdering of Banquo and tried to tell Macbeth that he could not change
what he had done in the second quote of my second paragraph. All of the choices
she made had a huge impact on her life and we see what she has become in the
sleepwalking scene. She showed how permanent the killing of Duncan was, in the
quote: /Here's the smell of blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not
sweeten this little hand./(51-52, Scene 1, Act 5) and in this quote about the
murder of Duncan: /What's done cannot be undone./(70, Scene 1, Act 5) The
choices she made chnaged her life and eventually led to her death.
In The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare the choices of some
characters could not be escaped. Macbeth, Macduff, and Lady Macbeth serve as
good examples to show that their choices could not be escaped. In the play the
choices these characters made had a lasting impact on their life. In the case
of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth their choices led to their death. We all make
choices in life, some good, some bad but learn to live with the choices that we
make. Either good or bad it does not matter because man can never escape the
consequences of his/her choices.