Macbeth

In the play Macbeth, we see how people are meant to play a role, and to be placed in an unnatural role (or placed into a role through unnatural means) is to have to eventually suffer the consequences. The main characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth serve as the greatest examples of this theme but many other characters serve as examples as well.

The character Macduff contrasts his role as the noble man he seems to be by fleeing to England without bringing his family along. When Ross is describing Macduff to Lady Macduff he calls his character "noble, wise, judicious" (4.2.16), this is true save for the fact that he did not reveal his leaving to his family and pays the consequences. Macbeth chooses to punish Macduff by killing his family. While it cannot be said that Macduff did not fulfill his role as being noble to the royal family by going to England, the idea that a man would indirectly put his family (which he seems to care for) in danger by leaving them where his enemies remain is unnatural to his character's wisdom.

The character Banquo is one of the wiser characters in the play. We can see this through his doubt of the witches' prophesy, his suspicion of Macbeth murdering Duncan and through his choosing to escape Macbeth's grasp before his disloyalty to him is revealed. The unnaturalness of his role is the he is so wise to see Macbeth as the murderer, yet he does not take actions soon enough to stop his own murder and the risk of his son's life. He could have left the country sooner as to ensure his life and his son's, but he chose to stay until his murder had already been planned out by Macbeth.

In the character of Macbeth, when the three witches reveal that Macbeth is to be king (1.3.67) his role is revealed in the play. The initial thought is that in the moment Macbeth thinks he might be king that Duncan's murder makes its first appearance in his mind. This is only assumed, and the idea is not introduced until is forced onto him by his wife, Lady Macbeth. She forces him to accept the unnatural role of murderer. It cannot be said that Macbeth would not have been an outstanding king. He had the qualities of an honest and courageous man at the start of the play, but his role as a righteous king is compromised by how he attains this position. He gains the throne through murdering Duncan; this action goes against his character and is shown by his guilt before and after the murder. This decision to kill Duncan (an equal part his and Lady Macbeth's) is so unnatural to him that it eventually leads to his downfall as king and the downfall of the good qualities he once possessed.

Lady Macbeth is perhaps the greatest example of her role in the play destroying her character. When