When it comes to one of Willian Shakespeare’s most popular plays, Macbeth, there are many questions that the reader is left wondering. Some of these questions include why does Lady Macbeth not murder Ducan herself, or do the Witches directly control the fate of Macbeth. However, one question many are left with after reading, or viewing, is Macbeth a villain or victim in this story?
Throughout the play Macbeth commits many terrible acts, however, I believe that he was not destined to be a villain, but rather was forced down that path by the information given to him by the Witches, and by his wife Lady Macbeth.
Before Macbeth was given the information that he was going to be king in act one scene three when the Witches said, “All hail, Macbeth, that shall be king hereafter”. I believe that this quote, and him telling Lady Macbeth about his encounter, are the two pivotal moments in him being forced down a path of violence.
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After the Witches had given Macbeth this information and Lady Macbeth had started pushing him to take action Macbeth and his wife decided to kill King Duncan. Before they have killed him Macbeth says in act two scene one, “Is this a dagger which I see before me…”. This is a hallucination and tells me that Macbeth is already doubting if this is the right thing to do before he has done it. However, he ends up going through with it regardless and kills King Duncan.
After he kills Duncan and returns to Lady Macbeth he is filled with guilt and disgust at what he just did. However, he did not kill Duncan’s servants so they could blame the murder on them, when Lady Macbeth tells him to go back in act two scene two Macbeth says, “I’ll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done”. This further shows why I think that those around Macbeth and the information he was given is the true reason why many see him as the villain. Even after killing Duncan he still feels immense regret and won’t even continue with the plan as he is too ashamed of what he has done.
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When Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he will not go back to finish the job, Lady Macbeth in act two scene two says, “Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead are but as pictures”. This continues to show that it is those around Macbeth who peer pressure him almost into doing these actions and using fear to make him do what they want him to.
Once Lady Macbeth leaves to finish the job that Macbeth wouldn’t, he thinks to himself about what he’s done and why he would have possibly done it. He says to himself in act two scene two, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hands”. He is already asking for forgiveness for his terrible actions and does not want to go on. These factors all point to him being forced into a villain role while not wanting to be in that role. He doesn’t want to murder these people but is being forced into doing so indirectly by the Witches, and directly by Lady Macbeth.
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When looking at Macbeth, and the many questions left unanswered, figuring out if Macbeth truly is a villain in the story is difficult. However, with the guilt that he faces after killing King Duncan, and the pressure he is under from Lady Macbeth, it does not seem that he is in control of his own actions. With all of those factors and his instant regret, I believe that Macbeth is not a true villain in Macbeth, rather a mule for the actions of others.