Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a dark tale of bloodshed, superstition, and doom. Macbeth, a general of King Duncan, driven by ambition and encouraged by false prophesies, unleashes a series of bloody events, marking his downfall in consequence. This tragic tale tells us how over-ambition can make men and women vicious, to what extremity they are driven just to attain their goals. The story is of joint villainy, for Macbeth is not alone in his evil deeds but is strongly supported by Lady Macbeth. It is she who urges him, chiding when his will wavers. Initially, Macbeth struggles with remorse, but slowly he becomes a cold and vicious bloodthirsty criminal. Interestingly, the Lady’s remorse comes late when their downfall is inevitable. It is fascinating to observe the contrasting male and female psychologies.
Shakespeare’s clever wordplay brings the tragedy to life. The actions and images vividly rise in the reader’s mind as if watching a performance. I could picture the dark, brooding ambience tainted with blood. I could feel the horror. I could picture the mystic atmosphere of witchcraft that lured Macbeth with half-truths. I could also sense the revenge brooding in the hearts of those whom Macbeth had wronged. Shakespeare has dramatized expertly the harm done by ruthless ambition and reliance on superstition. I haven’t watched a performance of Macbeth, but I didn’t feel anything amiss reading it.
Shakespeare wrote Macbeth when James I reigned England. It was important for him to gain Royal favour and patronage. And that prompted Shakespeare to fish material for a tragedy from Scottish history to honour his heritage. I was initially of the view that the play was a complete fictitious creation by Shakespeare. Imagine my surprise when I later learned that there truly had existed a Macbeth, a King of Scotland, and that Lady Macbeth was based on his wife, Gruoch. The historical touch places an additional importance on the play.
I’ve never been too comfortable reading Shakespearean tragedies, always carefully choosing what I would read. Surprisingly, this dark tale engaged my interest. The reason may be the play’s thematic relevance to our times, or I may now have grown bolder to read darker tales. All I know is that Macbeth broke a barrier, easing my way toward more Shakespearean tragedies.
Rating: 4/5
