Hamilton V. Macbeth

In most all of William Shakespeare’s literary works, his characters are acting for a purpose. In Macbeth, Macbeth’s purpose is to become king and ruler of Scotland. In Hamlet, Hamlet believes that his role is to avenge his father’s death and kill his brother Claudius. Even in Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 73”, he makes it clear that the author’s purpose is to live life to the fullest. All of the characters are similar in that they are trying to achieve the goal of their particular purpose, although the means in which they realize this and the results that occur, may differ. While the influence of others drives Macbeth and Hamlet to realize their purpose and act, it is the way in which each of them act that lead to their outcomes and ultimate reputations.

Macbeth, in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, realizes his purpose and is influenced to act by two different factors. First, Macbeth meets the three witches who say to him, “All hail, Macbeth, that thou shalt be King hereafter!” (I.iii.50). At first, Macbeth is not sure whether to believe that his true purpose is to become King. He does not know whether the witches are truthful or just a little crazy. Once Macbeth goes home and tells Lady Macbeth about the witches prophecy, however, Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to listen and take matters into his own hands immediately by killing the King, Duncan. Lady Macbeth finally convinces Macbeth to take action and kill the King when she threatens his manhood by saying that “When you [Macbeth] durst do it, then you were a man” (I.iii.50). With both the witches and his wife telling him that he will become King, Macbeth resolves to murder Duncan.

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