Editor's Choice
What is A.C. Bradley's interpretation of Macbeth?
Quick answer:
A.C. Bradley interprets Macbeth as a tragedy distinct from romantic tragedies like Romeo and Juliet, highlighting its existential themes rather than focusing on the couple's relationship. He compares it to Hamlet, noting the presence of evil as a supernatural force. Bradley emphasizes the "superhuman" nature of the characters and the play's dark qualities, with pervasive imagery of blackness, enhancing its connection to the supernatural and distinctiveness among Shakespeare's works.
In regard to Macbeth, A.C. Bradley asserts that to count it as a romantic tragedy such as Romeo and Juliet or Antony and Cleopatra would be a mistake, even though it centers around two lovers. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth do not experience a tragedy of their connection but a more existential defeat, where their wills fluctuate and are never truly in sync. The play is compared more closely to Hamlet, approaching the concept of evil as a supernatural force.
In particular, Bradley delves deeply into the character of Lady Macbeth, comparing her to an inhuman force in her perfect presentation and control. She is compared to the personification of will, where will and action have no discernible difference. After the murder, Macbeth becomes willful on his own, and Lady Macbeth's own willfulness fades into a unnerving listlessness.
Bradley has some distinct views on Macbeth in relation to other Shakespearean...
Unlock
This Answer NowStart your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
tragedies. One notion he suggests is the idea that Macbeth is closer to Hamlet in its assertion that evil is a "prodigious force" which is accompanied by a supernatural quality. The linking of both elements, the life force of evil, and its connection to another worldly quality make it closer to Hamlet and distinctive amongst Shakespeare's works. Bradley also suggests that the characterizations presented are almost "superhuman" in their presentation and action, which would be consistent with the otherworldly quality. Bringing to life the play's connection to a realm of the supernatural, Bradley contrasts the opening of Macbeth to the other Shakespearean tragedies. As opposed to opening with hushed conversations, Macbeth opens in the midst of a thunderstorm, with action "bursting into real life" as the sounds of a battle are close behind. Another interpretation of Macbeth that Bradley asserts is the overall dark quality of the work. Bradley notes that the color of black pervades the play, suggesting that Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's "darkest" works: "Macbeth bids the stars hide their fires that his 'black desires may be concealed; Lady Macbeth calls on thick night to come, palled in the dunnest smoke of hell."