General Overview of a Successful Macbeth Essay

Almost all the students, especially those, who study literature thoroughly, may face the task of writing an essay or a research project on one of the most famous tragedies or dramas, written by William Shakespeare.

According to the fact that this tragedy is among the top world masterpieces, writing an essay on this topic might contain a lot of various aspects that can help you to explore this literary genre and enjoy your research.

Also Read: How To Write An Essay Outline Successfully

So, in this article we are providing some useful tips, covering the trickiest questions about writing a qualitative Macbeth essay. You are welcome to discover this topic with our professional assistance. We are always ready to collaborate and inspire!

Well, as usual, every essay has got a particular structure and distinctive segregation of the paragraphs. Here is an approximate insight into the main content of an essay:

1. An introductory part − initiate a theme, grant a brief review of the whole essay and attract the reader`s attention;

Also Read: Proposal Essay Topics For Different Areas of Life

2. Descriptive abstracts  − sketch the plot in detail, characterize all necessary features, give some citations or references in order to provide an exact specification of the text and portray the leading points;

3. Analysis and exegesis − introduce your personal understanding, compose the overview and be prepared for a conclusion;

4. A final section − sizing up and summarizing everything mentioned above.

Undoubtedly, it is highly recommended to check out some data about the peculiarities or several additional requirements towards the style of essay writing. Try to deepen your knowledge and read more targeted materials on your topic. It is advisable to consult some professionals or tutors whether it is necessary. 

You may also look through some other samples of Macbeth’s essays. Nevertheless, the essay has to be with no plagiarism so that the only option might be to expand your own sources of acknowledged information, make a trial outline and start creating an original essay.

Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”

“Macbeth” is a play, one of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. The play, remotely based on the real Scottish king Macbeth`s story, often seems an archetypal text about the danger of excessive thirst for power and friends` betrayal. 

The work has got political aims, as it was essential to evolve the Scottish theme, underline the historical mutual unity of England and Scotland and talk about so popular wizards and magicians in those days. The historical occasions and artistic figures were taken from Holinshed`s Chronicles. It is assumed that these facts were partially used in “Macbeth”.

In “Macbeth”, Shakespeare reflected not only the seething and violent political upheavals of that time, in which heroism often went hand in hand with the crime but also a reassessment of all values, a crisis of moral consciousness, characteristic of the Renaissance of Machiavellianism. This feeling is conveyed in the exclamation of the witches (“prophetic sisters”) of the initial scene of the tragedy, which serves as a prelude that creates the gloomy mood of the whole play.

Creating a Macbeth Essay

Actually, this topic is supposed to be quite interesting and exciting, as it combines a lot of storylines, and the storytelling contains diverse emotional coloring. Moreover, the subject lines are saturated and replete with vivid experience, deep, strong, sometimes destructive feelings. The tragedy exposes the moral vice, provoke further reflection and causes deliberation. 

A Macbeth essay is a nice topic to investigate, as it disposes of a great range of opportunities to contemplate, evaluate, deduce inference, etc. There is usually enough valuable information to compare, scrutinize and see into a matter. So, there are not any visible reasons not to launch a literary investigation. 

Characters in Macbeth

The center of gravity of the tragedy lies in the analysis of Macbeth’s emotional experiences, the image of which for this reason completely obscures all other figures of the play, with the exception of his fateful assistant`s image – his wife. From the first seconds of the play, Macbeth is a brave and noble warrior, faithfully serving the king. 

But in the depths of his soul lies the embryo of ambition. Gradually, under the influence of circumstances, exciting impressions and the wife`s exhortations, ambition grows in him and after a difficult internal struggle leads him to crime. But, having made a decision, he no longer retreats to anything. He does not feel any remorse, and, realizing all the horror of what he has done and of what remains to be done, he fights desperately to the end. 

Macbeth` s character in the tragedy is opposed by the following characters` images: Banco (the Stuarts` ancestor), Macduff (the Scottish gentleman, who asserted his patriotic ambitions) and Malcolm. Banco’s character is intentionally idealized by an English playwright. In reality, Banco was Macbeth’s partner in King Duncan`s assassination, while the literary character was an unaware friend who warned the commander against coming into the net of evil.

Two terrible killings in Shakespeare`s tragedy is sufficiently different from reality. In the first case, the famous English playwright highlighted Macbeth`s sharp sinful fall from a faithful nobleman to a despicable killer. In the second instance, the incorporate storm of sins and the desire to continue the witchcraft themes. 

The fact that Banko`s ghost takes Macbeth`s place at the feast is not accidental: he announces the instantaneous commander`s death and observes the vision, indicating the subordination of 3 countries- England, Scotland, and Ireland. 

Making a Brief Outline of “Macbeth”

In the word “Macbeth” in the image of a relentless person, Shakespeare emphasizes the weaknesses of the man, who was overwhelmed by an appetite for the reign. After all, everything that remained was former valor, which had turned into strong insanity. The play “Macbeth” – this is the tragedy of the power in times of internecine warfare through the deterioration of the personality that compromised family, the entire precious life values in the fight for mastery. 

While writing an outline, you may rethink a lot, try to make a deep research and reconsider a piece of literature with great eagerness and diligence. Writing a literary essay is a perfect way to study more about the favorite work and form a personal point of view. According to this fact, the process of creating an essay can be an enormously fascinating activity. 

Coming to a Conclusion

“It’s hard to say anything new or original about” Macbeth”. I will only try to address a few obvious questions related to the three themes in Shakespeare’s play: the theme of murder, the theme of time and destiny, and the theme of three communities, that is, the world of light, the world of darkness and anger, and the world of the human soul, which is somewhere in the middle and gravitates towards both poles”, – these were the words that started the 21st lecture at the New York School of Social Sciences, W.X. Oden, the great Anglo-American poet and essayist. The lecture was delivered on March 19, 1947.

Anyway, “Macbeth” was designed in the traditional genre which has got some peculiarities, such as the dynamism of the plot lines, extensive image system, etc. This may be one of the rationales for the widespread acknowledgment of the tragedy. From Shakespeare`s time to our days, “Macbeth” is a part of the repertoire of many theatres, along with the innumerable adaptations of this masterpiece.

To sum up, every creative task need investment in the form of time, commitment and keenness. And you will definitely be satisfied and delighted with your excellent work. 

We wish you good luck!