Duncan Bless Macbeth
"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." (V.V.2527). The famous quote of Macbeth, life: a tale told by an idiot' indispensably proves how Macbeth has fallen into a psychopathic state of nihilism where even after his own wife is dead he feels that it does not signify anything; from a valiant man of prowess to fall and become such a petty pessimist is with no doubt a tragedy can be explained by: observing the beginning of story, inordinate ambition and its affects on Macbeth, and the ending of the story. The initial description of Macbeth completely contrasts with how Shakespeare portrays him throughout the novel. At the beginning the captain returns from the battle and reports to Duncan about Macbeth's accomplishments in the battle, and Duncan bless Macbeth for his courageousness. "For Brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name- Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution, like valor's minion carved out his passage till he faced the slave; which never shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, till he unseamed him from the nave to the chops, and fixed his head upon our battlements/O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!" (I.II.15-24). After the battle Macbeth receives the prophecies and as the he becomes the Thane of Cawdor, his ambitions starts to gain confidence as he discusses the matter and resolving it by murdering Duncan. "My dearest love, Duncan comes here tonight/and when goes hence?/Tomorrow, as he purposes." (I.VI.58-61). Macbeth makes the decision to act on ambition initially at this point of the story. Before the incident, Macbeth deceives himself under the mask that contrasts his appearance versus reality; showing that he still keeps his humane qualities that make him worthy of compliments. What he does not realize is that slowly his appearance becomes his reality. "On