Macbeth "’this.......Butcher and His Fiend-Like Queen’ Can Be Debated If It Is a Fair Assessment of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth"

In the play Macbeth by Williams Shakespeare the quote 'This.......butcher and his fiend-like queen' can be debated if it is a fair assessment of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. From the rapid transformation of the characters through out the play, there is a time when Macbeth could be determined as a "Butcher" and Lady Macbeth as a "fiend-like queen". Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are both positioned in an incident which has very altering incurrence towards their personality and actions. Macbeth is named a “butcher” by Malcolm. Malcolm is only one person out of everyone who has a strong opinion about Macbeth.

Malcolm is very personally affected by Macbeth’s actions. Macbeth kills his father Duncan and believes he should be king instead of Macbeth. Macbeth seizes power by force also bringing chaos and destruction to Scotland which is his homeland. Even though it was Malcolm’s opinion it contains some truth. Macbeth did send assassins to murder Banquo, a good friend, and killed Duncan with his own hands. In order to secure his power as King, he kills Mac duff’s wife and son and all the people in the Castle of Fife, this act of violence by Macbeth had little chance of changing his current position, turning it into butchering, brutal unneeded violence. At this point, he is a "butcher".

Macbeth starts with a loyal and valour soldier who sheds blood righteously to maintain peace and order in the country. In Act 1 Scene 2, it says that, "Brave Macbeth Kwith sword steaming with blood, he carved his way forward till he finds the wretch." He hesitates in the killing of Duncan. In Act 1 Scene 7, Macbeth says "We'll go no further in this business. He was honored me recently, and I've won great respect form all sorts of people." In Act 2 Scene 2, after Macbeth murders Duncan, even he himself describes Duncan's death as "a sorry sight". He says that "Look on't again I dare not". On this stage, Macbeth still has conscience. Not until Act 3 onwards, Macbeths becomes a "butcher" that blood is no longer shed righteously. He kills Banquo and all the people in Macduff's castle. All the people suffer under his tyranny. It's not a fair comment for Lade Macbeth. She is not evil at all times. Though she seems to be very perceptive, she shows her fears because of the projection of her guilt. In act 2 Scene 2, Lady Macbeth cannot kill Duncan because she sees her own father in Duncan. She says, "Had he not resembled my father as he slept I hadn't done't". She is conscience-stricken. In Act 5 scene 1, she suffers form sleepwalking which shows her inner guilt. It says "the smell of the blood is still there. All the perfumes of Arabia cannot sweeten this little hand". Though she did persuade Macbeth to kill, her heart is heavy-burdened with guilt. We can see that it's not a fair comment on the Macbeths. They aren't "butcher" and "fiend"