'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare is a play in which there are great contrasts between its main characters. “Macbeth” is a tragic play, set in 11th-century Scotland, that explores the psychological and political effects of the eponymous character, who commits regicide to satisfy his own ambition and is ultimately killed due to his tyrannical actions. Macbeth is a profound and exceptional character; in itself, its place at the heart of Shakespeare's work warrants this. The strength of his nature, both positive and negative, is underlined by Shakespeare's comparison with other key characters: primarily his co-commander, Banquo and his wife, Lady Macbeth. Where the relationship with Banquo reveals the weakness of his mortality, the confrontation with his wife and the reflection on his evil deeds make him thoughtful and profound. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay From the beginning of the play, Shakespeare illustrates the contrast in the character and consciences of Macbeth and Banquo. This initial difference in reaction is very important, since it marks the beginning of the different paths on which the two characters proceed in the rest of the work. It is the meeting with three witches that arouses Macbeth's desire for kingship, after they tell him that he will obtain the crown. Entranced by the words they speak, Macbeth urges the prophesying witches to speak further: "Stay, ye imperfect speakers, tell me more" The strength of Macbeth's ambition is shown by the very moments in which the witches speak their prophecy in Act 1 Scene 3. The repetitive use of imperatives here, evident again when he asks them, “Speak, I command thee,” shows Macbeth's enormous interest in what the witches have to say to him. In direct contrast to Macbeth's intense intrigue and his will that '...they had remained', Banquo immediately sees danger in the witches' words. Sensing that their predictions of Macbeth becoming Thane of Cawdor are true, the caution of Banquo is very evident, stating: "What, can the devil speak the truth?" Through his description of witches as "devils", Banquo reveals his distrust; the use of the word "devil" can only imply one thing: the evil of those who spoke the predictions and, in turn, the evil that will result Banquo knows that the witches and their prophecies cannot mean anything good and, more importantly, he is willing to recognize this as a reason. to reject them, despite the attractive rewards they had foreseen for him too. Banquo's initial recognition of the evil present in the witches' prophecies allows him to detach himself from the overwhelming hold they have on Macbeth. Macbeth's ecstatic state is underlined in the following words, in which Banquo comments on him: “See how rapt our companion is”. These words have a dual purpose: the fact that it is Banquo who pronounces them underlines how he managed to escape the lure of the prophecies. , and also reiterate the intense charm of Macbeth. Banquo has managed to detach himself to such an extent from the captivating nature of the witches' predictions - the sense of possibility - that he even manages to comment on the contrasting state of his companion. The contrast between the initial reactions of Macbeth and Banquo suggests that, despite their similar situations, there must be some fundamental difference in the characters of the two men. It is Macbeth's incredibly strong ambition - shown by his immediate fascination with the witches' words - that leads him to defy his king, his God, and his own reason. It is not that Banquo lacks ambition, but that a major force in his character acts to counterbalance it; his morality.Macbeth and Banquo are in no way at the extremes of the moral spectrum; Banquo's treacherous dreams indicate that he is not immune to the force of temptation, nor does Macbeth lack a conscience altogether. Macbeth's conscience is revealed through his reaction to his murderous thoughts, shown in the following lines: "Whose hideous image melts my hair And makes my heart beat to sit at my ribs" The physicality of Shakespeare's description here is incredibly vivid in portray his horror, his self-loathing as a result of the regicidal thoughts he contemplates. The image of his hair standing on end and his heart beating in his chest makes the existence of his consciousness undeniable; he is clearly and amply affected by the prospect of the evil deed he will inevitably commit. The witches' description of Banquo as "Macbeth's lesser and greater" in Act 1 Scene 3 perfectly captures the distinction between the two men. Banquo is "lesser than Macbeth" in terms of the burning ambition that consumes Macbeth, but he is much "greater" in terms of the strength of his conscience. The inevitability of Duncan's murder at the hands of Macbeth is the result of his much greater sense of ambition than Banquo and a much weaker conscience than he. The strength of Banquo's conscience means that he can keep his ambition in check, but only consciously. Banquo's reaction to his treacherous dreams is shown in the following words: "Hold in me the accursed thoughts to which nature gives way in rest!" In his sleep, Banquo's immoral and evil dreams mirror those of Macbeth; subconsciously, without conscience to control Banquo, significant contrast between the characters is non-existent. The use of the exclamation point in this line emphasizes Banquo's horror at his own ambition. Through his confrontation with Banquo and examining his flawed morality, Macbeth presents himself as a weak character. However, it is only through his immoral acts that the audience can witness his true depth; as a thoughtful man, a discerning man and an honest man. As his only co-conspirator in Duncan's murder, Lady Macbeth is the only character with whom Macbeth can truly be compared in terms of her attitude towards the act. It is in this way that Shakespeare highlights his true strength. Macbeth has a depth of thought and foresight that his wife lacks, demonstrated by his recognition of the terrible consequences of the murder. Both before and after killing Duncan, Macbeth recognizes the pure evil and immorality in what he is doing; at no point does he attempt to justify his actions. This recognition is evident in the following words: "Let us skip the life to come... Bloody instructions, which, once taught, return to plague the inventor" As someone living in an intensely religious medieval Scotland, Macbeth would believe in an afterlife and he would be certain of God's power. As God's representative on Earth, the murder of the King is by definition an evil action, and an action that Macbeth - and the society around him - knows will cause him to lose his chances of reach heaven and will consign him to eternal damnation. Therefore, the very fact that Macbeth openly accepts and admits this frankly terrifying conclusion with the words “Let us skip the life to come” is certainly incredibly courageous. At no point does Macbeth lose sight of the pure ambition and selfishness that drive him, nor the pure evil that will surround his kingship; these lines capture his acceptance that he is doing nothing for his country, simply setting a bad example. The words "return/To torment the inventor" highlight another of Macbeth's accomplishments; his regicide to take the crown will likely lead to his ownmurder by another through the example he set. Macbeth knows that he is not only destroying his chances of eternal life, but also his chances of a long life on Earth. In contrast to Macbeth's recognition and consideration of what the act will mean for him, Lady Macbeth focuses solely on its practicalities. . This is most evident in the aftermath of the murder, when Macbeth returns after killing Duncan in a state of horror at his own actions. Lady Macbeth refuses, unlike her husband, to reflect deeply on the immorality of the act and tries to reject it. Her attitude is shown in the following words, in relation to the blood covering her hands and those of her husband: "A little water cleanses us from this act." The sheer practicality of Lady Macbeth's thinking here highlights its superficial nature, as does her reluctance to consider the deeper truths, the deeper implications of murder. Through this line, Shakespeare portrays Lady Macbeth as an incredibly shallow character, and it is through the contrast of Macbeth's comments regarding his bloody hands that shows the depth of the main character. The following words capture his mixed feelings: “No; this hand of mine rather/The multiple incarnadin seas” The concept of the blood of his hands turning entire seas red confirms that Macbeth is not only talking about the tangible substance that covers him, but also about the immense sense of guilt that is engulfing him. The word "multitude" in particular underlines the magnitude of this guilt. The depth of the main character's thoughts is emphasized here, with his deep consideration of their immorality unable to inhibit his actions but still present. The directly contrasting traits of the two characters are effective in underlining the fundamental differences between husband and wife; Macbeth considers the impact on the soul, while Lady Macbeth only considers the real and physical. Perhaps the most significant evidence that Macbeth is, in fact, an exceptional character is not his acceptance of his terrible state, but his prediction of it. Despite the terror his thoughts invoke, Macbeth foresees only what he sincerely believes will be the outcome of his actions, and never allows falsehoods to cloud the clarity of those facts - a rationality of thought that, despite the unforgivable act he commits , it is truly admirable. "I dare to do all that can become a man; he that dares to do more is none" Macbeth's personal perception of masculinity is a challenging concept and is also quite revealing; he does not believe that a man is defined exclusively by his physical strength, but also – and perhaps more so – by his moral strength. The laying bare of such a fundamental belief before Duncan's murder therefore implies that, after murdering him, Macbeth will no longer be able to see himself as a real man: self-loathing that could only lead to ruin. This notion is realized in the rest of the play, in turn demonstrating the way in which Macbeth predicts his own end. The context of Act 1 scene 7, in which these lines are spoken, is particularly important here. Having recently fought bravely in battle, he obtained "Golden opinions from all kinds of people"; it is evident to Macbeth that his reputation as a loyal subject and a respectable man is at its peak, and that further desire can only mean decline. It is in Macbeth's ability to predict his fate that the difference between husband and wife is most evident. Where his wife embraces the strength that evil can bring, wanting it to “undo sex” for her, Macbeth resents what his ambition leads him to; where his wife strives for stoicism and fails, Macbeth..