Macbeth †Character assessment Essay

The 3 witches have told Macbeth that he will become king. He tells this news to his wife, gentlewoman Macbeth . She starts plotting the despatch of Duncan, the king of Scotland. A messenger then arrives at Dunsinane telling her that Duncan will be visiting them that evening. In this scene Macbeth kills Duncan. riding horseThis play takes endow on stage. The play is set in 1600s in the Scottish Highlands. The stage is bare apart from a bench, a set and well, there is a backdrop of the castle at the rear of the stage.Character ProfilesMacbethStunned at what he has just doneAngry with both himself and Lady MacbethBecomes quite hystericalPure shockLady MacbethEvil voiceDeviousCunningCalm through turn up4th witchvery skilful & Very evilA soft blue hop out falls onto the stage with a white spot light on Lady Macbeth, the light including spot light turns green during Lady Macbeths speech.Lady Macbeth sits on bench at stage rear holding a pure caustic cat.(A black cat is connected wi th witches, Lady Macbeth is the 4th witch).Lady Macbeth starts to say her speech in an evil, cold, powerful, crackle of a voice. Here she will be talk to her cat rather than herself.Here she talks of the fatal bellman, this signifies death.An organ is playing in the background (organs are played at funerals, and signify death, a murder has just taken place).Macbeth backs onto the stage very slowly almost in a seize.He turns to face Lady MacbethI have done the deed. verbalise this like in complete shock but realisation as much to himself as to Lady Macbeth.Macbeth Did though non hear a resound?Lady Macbeth The owl scream and the crickets cry (Elizabethans would knowThese things representedDeath)Lady Macbeth Did thou non speak?Quick, Macbeth When?Panicky, Lady Macbeth Now.Shows Macbeth As I descended?Nerves, Lady Macbeth Ay.and. Macbeth listtension Who lies in the 2nd chamber?Lady Macbeth DonalbainMacbeth This is a sorry sight (angry, shouting, he sees the bank line).Lady Mac beth A foolish thought to say (trying to stabilize him whilst putting her catDown).Macbeth is now slumped on the floor with his head in his hands saying lines 21-25. Remaining slumped he says lines 26-30, but this time in a whisper.In these lines Macbeth talks about sleep. Only innocence is allowed to sleep, Macbeth cannot sleep anymore, for he is now evil. Macbeth shall sleep no more Macbeth also talks about not being able to say amen, this is because he is no longer holy.Lady Macbeth stands to his right looking down on him, this shows her power over him. She says Consider it not so deeply. In an impatient, and almost dismissive voice.Macbeth Sleep no more Macbeth does murder sleepLady Macbeth Why have you got these daggers? They must rest byDuncan.Lady Macbeth grabs the daggers.Macbeth is afraid to go back to Duncans chamber, for he cannot bear to look at what he has done.If Duncan do bleed then I shall place the daggers in the arms of theguards, for it will seem their guilt tri p she says this in an evil yetexcited whisper. Exits stage left, running.Her evil and cunningnature has now been full exposed to the audience.(A loud knocking is heard, the knocking comes from speakers all around the theatre, so the audience is surrounded by the knocking).Macbeth Is in complete hysteria cries line 59-60. The blood is represented by long red ribbons attached to his finger tips and his clothes. He walks over to the well and tries to wash the blood from his hands. All Neptunes great oceans could not wash these hands clean. Neptune is God of water, so here Macbeth is saying all the water in the world could not wash the blood away. I hypothecate he was trying to wash away his crime and his guilt by getting rid of the blood, as this was just a visual reminder of the slander he had done. He pretends to throw the blood stained water over the floor.A watery red light appears on the stage floor wavelet with waves.Lady Macbeth appears back on stage with her hands out in fro nt of her, her hands and clothing are soaked with blood (red ribbons). She holds her hands up to Macbeths face, he turns away from her. She starts to speak in an evil, cold, and angry voice my hands are of your colour , but I shame to wear a heart so white.The knocking starts again.Lady Mabeth spins around in a sudden panic, I hear knocking Lady Macbeth says the rest of her speech in the same quick startled tone. This is the only time in the scene where LM shows her nerves.Macbeth in complete hysteria with tears running down his cheeks put forward Duncan with your knocking, I would thou couldst At this point Ms weakness is most apparent, at this point I feel that he would be adjust to confess all.Lady Macbeth and Macbeth exit stage right.Lady Macbeth now calm again, strides off confidently.Macbeth crawls off on his hands and knees.This shows the difference between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Macbeth is remorseful, guilt ridden and hysterical with disbelief. Lady Macbeth on the other hand is confident, calm, excited, and seems completely unfazed by the fact that she has helped murder her king. Her power over him is enormous, and makes you wonder whether Macbeth was in a trance to even be able to comprehend killing his king let alone actually doing it.At the end of the scene the lights suddenly go out the theatre is pitch black.