The Bloodshed of Macbeth Essay Sample

In William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy Of Macbeth, Macbeth is seen as a violent and cruel person whose ambition drives him to commit murder.

Throughout the play, Macbeth causes a lot of violence and sheds so much blood. Macbeth’s ambition is to get the throne, and in order for him to get the throne he must kill King Duncan, but hesitates. For example, Macbeth says; “He’s here in double trust; / First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; / then, as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself” (1.7.12-16). Macbeth is planning on killing King Duncan, although he hesitates whether or not to kill him, but he knows there won’t be any consequences so he pursues and kills King Duncan and takes the throne. In order for Macbeth to protect and stop the prophecy, he kills Blanqou and tries to kill Fleance because he will feel threatened about Fleance being king. For example, Blanqou’s says; “O treachery! / Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! / Thou may’st revenge - O slave!” (3.3 25-26). These are  Blanqou’s last words before he dies and gets slaughtered by the murderers. While Fleance was with Blanqou, Fleance gets lucky and runs away hoping to get revenge for his father. 

Macbeth suffers guilt over his violent actions of killing King Duncan, and Banquo. For example, Macbeth says; “It will have blood, they say; / blood will have blood”(3.4. 126-127). Macbeth also suffers from trauma after killing Blanqou, he hallucinates and sees a ghost of Banquo. However, Macbeth completely lost himself after committing one murder. Although, he wasn’t the only one who suffered from the consequences and contributed violence, Lady Macbeth gets punished way worse for being part of Duncan’s murder. For example, Lady Macbeth says; “Out damned spot! / I say!”(5.1. 35). Lady Macbeth will suffer worse consequences than Macbeth. 

Therefore, Macbeth contributed violence and bloodshed to take the throne and become king of Scotland.

Work cited

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. (1606). The Elements of Literature: 

Literature of Britain with world classics, edited by Richard Sime, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Austin, 2000, pp. 300-382. 6th course.