How the Characters of Macbeth and the Duke in My Last Duchess Can Be Considered to Be Disturbed Characters
I am examining the characters of the Duke and Macbeth and how they can be considered disturbed characters. The play, ‘Macbeth’ and poem, ‘My Last Duchess’ both show psychological truths and insights into the characters. While the Duke shows himself to be disturbed straight away in the poem, Macbeth’s mental deterioration takes place and develops as the play proceeds. ‘Macbeth’ written by William Shakespeare and set in 1050 contains themes of status, power and death while ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning written in 1842 shows how status, wealth and the marriage market can affect a man’s life.
Macbeth at first is a well-respected and liked character. He shows himself to be ‘brave’ and is given the position of the ‘Thane of Cawdor’. However when Banquo and Macbeth meet the witches in Act 1, Scene 3, he starts to become obsessed with power, ‘The greatest is behind’. This line suggests that Macbeth believes that he will become more powerful in terms of his social status, establishing that he believes the witch’s predictions to be true. In this scene Shakespeare uses the weather to affect the atmosphere and tone that the scene portrays to the audience. ‘Thunder’ is used to indicate the seriousness of the scene in terms of Macbeth’s future. However the thunder could also be seen as God showing his displeasure with Macbeth’s choice to listen to and believe the witches. In 1050 people believed in witches, but believed powers to see into the future or predictions, like the prophecy from the witches, came from the devil. The belief the witches and predictions were real, led the events that take place later in the play. Macbeth’s superstition show some insight into his mind-set as it was considered unholy to believe in anything but God. People in the 11th century would see Macbeth as disturbed as he believed in a divine intervention that isn’t his God, however now society would consider Macbeth to be troubled for believing in witches.
Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter to
Macbeth at first is a well-respected and liked character. He shows himself to be ‘brave’ and is given the position of the ‘Thane of Cawdor’. However when Banquo and Macbeth meet the witches in Act 1, Scene 3, he starts to become obsessed with power, ‘The greatest is behind’. This line suggests that Macbeth believes that he will become more powerful in terms of his social status, establishing that he believes the witch’s predictions to be true. In this scene Shakespeare uses the weather to affect the atmosphere and tone that the scene portrays to the audience. ‘Thunder’ is used to indicate the seriousness of the scene in terms of Macbeth’s future. However the thunder could also be seen as God showing his displeasure with Macbeth’s choice to listen to and believe the witches. In 1050 people believed in witches, but believed powers to see into the future or predictions, like the prophecy from the witches, came from the devil. The belief the witches and predictions were real, led the events that take place later in the play. Macbeth’s superstition show some insight into his mind-set as it was considered unholy to believe in anything but God. People in the 11th century would see Macbeth as disturbed as he believed in a divine intervention that isn’t his God, however now society would consider Macbeth to be troubled for believing in witches.
Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter to