Do you feel sympathy for Macbeth in Act 4? Why or why not?
I feel that in Act 4 there is little opportunity to feel any sympathy for Macbeth, unlike in Act 5 where there is some possibility that you can see him as a man who appreciates he has wasted his life and thrown away opportunities. In Act four he abuses his power as king to destroy the family and home of MacDuff. This action goes far beyond the warning the witches gave him to "beware MAcDuff."
Of course, we may feel some sympathy for him in the way that the witches are deliberately giving him half truths and are pulling him away from the right track. But he is still ultimately responsible for his actions, and his actions are completely wrong. It is also notable that he now takes decisions without consulting his wife first, he has become a 'monster' and is not the figure who contemplates his actions that we meet in Act 5.
So very simply, in this scene where we see less of Macbeth and a lot of the consequences of his actions and the misery he is causing, we can have little or no sympathy for him.
Do you have any sympathy for Macbeth in Act 4, Scene 1?
In this scene, Macbeth revisits the witches and asks them for more information about his future. As you read, it is possible to feel some sympathy for Macbeth. He is so desperate to know more about the future, for example, that he is prepared to face any danger, from a toppling castle to violent winds. In addition, Macbeth admits to being plagued by "pale-hearted fear," which prevents him from sleeping at night.
It is important to remember, however, that Macbeth's anxieties are caused by his own behavior. He has succumbed to his ambitions; for instance, he has murdered King Duncan and plans on murdering Macduff and his family. Macbeth is prepared to do whatever it takes to protect his crown. When viewed from this perspective, Macbeth is not a sympathetic figure but rather the architect of his own doom.
Do you feel sympathy for Lady Macbeth after Act 5, Scene 1? Why or why not?
Often our sympathy is measured by how well we know the character and what we know of him/her. Until Lady Macbeth is beleaguered by guilt, all we know about her is her desire to do something evil, and that she calls upon "the spirits" to give her the courage to do that evil. She feels guilt, yes, and wishes she could undo her deed, but one might argue giving into guilt rather than seeking redemption for what she has done is a less moral closure to all of her actions. Think of people who have done dreadful acts and lose their mind afterward because of guilt: do you have sympathy for them? Pity seems a bit removed from sympathy; it requires less connection to the person, less empathy. Perhaps feeling pity for Lady Macbeth would be a bit easier for me than feeling sympathy for her. She lost my good will when she calls on the evil spirits in 1.5.40-55, asking them to make her less of a woman so that she can convince her husband to kill Duncan.
Do you feel sympathy for Lady Macbeth after Act 5, Scene 1? Why or why not?
Personally, I do feel some sympathy for Lady Macbeth. She, at least, has realized her sins. She is tormented by her wrong-doing, and understands that what has been done can never be undone. She cannot bring Banquo back, she cannot erase her part in the murder.
You could definitely play up the other side of it, however. She knew full well what the results of her collusion with her husband would be. Greed was her motivation, so how sorry can we feel for someone who is tormented in life by the deliberate death of another?
By the way, at the link below you can view a modern translation of this scene (and all of Macbeth) side-by-side with the original text.
Do you feel sympathy for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth?
This is a matter of opinion, but I do feel sympathy/pity for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Let me hasten to add that doesn't mean I in any way approve of what they do or think they are not responsible for their actions. However, I do think a playwright of Shakespeare's stature can help us understand and feel for his characters.
I sympathize with Macbeth because I realize how badly he wants to be king. When the witches state the prophecy that he will be king, they are playing on his deepest desire. They have dangled in front of him what he wants most in the world and tell him, essentially, that "it will be yours!" Who wouldn't be deeply tempted in this situation?
Yet despite how they excite Macbeth's desire, he still manages to regain his reason and decide it would be wrong to kill such a good king as Duncan. He shows that his ethics can win out in the struggle over his desire. I pity him at this point for having a wife like Lady Macbeth, who goads him into a murder against his better instincts. I also pity him for what happens to him after he gains the throne: once there, it is nothing like what he imagined, and he ends up a bitter, hollow, and morally bankrupt man.
I pity Lady Macbeth as well. I find it difficult to sympathize with her, but I pity her for lacking the imagination to recognize what the consequences of the path she urges her husband on will be. She talks a courageous talk, but in the end, she cracks under the strain and guilt of the murders her husband has committed. She goes mad and then commits suicide. She is too weak to walk the walk.
Both characters succumb to desire and pay a heavy price for it: I can pity them for that.
Do you feel sympathy for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth?
First, I think that this question would do better under the Discussion board of eNotes. You will find that you will gain far more insight and perspectives there.
As for me, I fail to feel sympathy or pity for either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth. Both characters function as those whom I would place under the category as those who must lie in the beds they made for themselves.
Both characters decided to act as they did. Even though Macbeth was initially pushed by Lady Macbeth, his murderous behavior and mindset continued on past the murder of Duncan.
In the end, both characters simply go mad based upon the choices which each made. They both were in charge of their actions, their morality, and their ambition. Unfortunately, each made decisions which weighed heavily upon their conscious and led them down the path to their demise.
Do we feel sympathy for the disturbed character Macbeth in Macbeth?
Macbeth is a disturbed character because he has visions of things that are not there.
Macbeth hallucinates on several occasions during the play. These instances do not usually make him a sympathetic character. Instead, they reinforce the depravity of his character through the actions he takes.
The first vision Macbeth has is that of the floating dagger. When he sees it, he is not sure if he is sick.
Or art thou but(45)
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? (Act 2, Scene I, p. 27)
This is one point in the play where we might feel sympathy for Macbeth, because he is clearly struggling with the idea of whether or not to kill Duncan. He has convinced himself that Duncan does not deserve it, and it is a bad idea anyway. In the end, Macbeth decides that the dagger is drawing him on, and guiding him. He sees it as a sign. He goes on with his plan.
Any sympathy we had for him is short-lived. Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo, and then has a vision of his ghost during a banquet. His guilt might be getting to him, or it might just be the same madness that led him to kill Duncan in the first place.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.