Macbeth Group

Question:

jamibita
jamibita
Student
Doctorate

What is the theme of Macbeth?

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Posted by jamibita on Wednesday March 11, 2009 at 9:24 PM and tagged with macbeth, theme, tragedy.

Answers:

  1. mshurn
    mshurn Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    The major theme of the play concerns Macbeth, the play's protagonist and tragic hero. From Macbeth's rise, fall, and destruction, a clear idea develops concerning political ambition: The lust for power--unfettered ambition--leads to the destruction of self and of others. In other words, once Macbeth's ambition is aroused, his overwhelming desire for the throne of Scotland leads to his own destruction as well as to the destruction of many other characters in the play.

    As a result of his desire to claim and then retain the crown, Macbeth turns into a liar first, then a murderer, and finally a tyrant under whom Scotland suffers. By the conclusion of the play, Macbeth's actions have resulted directly in the deaths of King Duncan; Banquo; Lady Macduff, her children and servants; young Siward; many soldiers; and finally his own death. Indirectly, Macbeth also plays an important role in his wife's suicide, having been her accomplice, especially in Duncan's murder.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/macbeth-character-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/themes

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    Posted by mshurn on Wednesday March 11, 2009 at 9:56 PM

  2. herappleness
    herappleness Teacher
    Graduate School

    eNotes Editor

    The theme of Macbeth centers on how ambition and greed can overpower morality and overrun human nature. 

    The natural wish of all leaders to increase their power, such as Macbeth, transforms throughout the play from wish to ambition, to greed, to aberration.

    This unnatural desire for power is the force that possesses the main characters consistently and with dire consequences.

    Macbeth is a leader with good qualities. The audience can almost catch itself feeling sorry for his decline towards madness. This shows that ambition is stronger, more powerful and more consequential than Macbeth himself, hence ambition in itself could also be considered character on its own.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/macbeth

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    Posted by herappleness on Thursday March 12, 2009 at 3:22 AM


  3. wwjd Student
    High School - 11th Grade

    Some of the major themes in Macbeth are: ambition, apperarance vs. reality, honour, power, and greed.

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    Posted by wwjd on Tuesday May 19, 2009 at 7:42 AM