Macbeth – the Tragedy of a Scottish King
William Shakespeare wrote some truly diverse works. Of all of this plays, the Tragedy of Macbeth is possibly one of the most interesting. Whilst the play itself is fantastic to analyse and contains interesting topics, the production of the play is just as interesting. People within theatrical circles often believe that the play is cursed – to utter the name Macbeth during production is said to bring bad luck. This is mainly due to the witchcraft depicted in the story.
Within this story, numerous themes and topics are discussed such as:
- The perils of ambition
- Witchcraft
- Fate vs. Free Will
- Guilt and paranoia
- The tragic hero
Macbeth is a thane who serves King Duncan. He actually hears a prophecy from witches that he will become the King of Scotland. From this point onward, he embarks on a self-destructive path in which he claims the throne but then becomes a brutal tyrant who rules through murder. Eventually, both Macbeth and his good lady meet their downfall.
Essay examples about Macbeth usually centre on character analysis. A Lady Macbeth essay, for example, would dissect the character of Lady Macbeth and what she contributed to her husband’s downfall. We have a great selection in our essay on Macbeth category that you can analyse and use as study aids.