Exploring the Theme of Doubles and Duplicity in Shakespeare's Macbeth

This essay examines the significant role of doubles and duplicity in William Shakespeare's Macbeth. It discusses how the theme of duplicity is woven into the plot and characters, particularly Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The essay highlights the equivocal messages delivered by the witches, the dual nature of Macbeth's character as both a loyal subject and a ruthless killer, and Lady Macbeth's transformation from a power-hungry instigator to a guilt-ridden individual. Ultimately, the essay concludes that the play is saturated with duplicity, evident in the characters' actions and the supernatural elements, showcasing Shakespeare's skill in portraying the uncanny shifts in the characters' natures. Desklib offers this essay as part of its extensive collection of study resources for students.

Running head: ENGLISH ESSAY
English Essay
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1ENGLISH ESSAY
Introduction
The main aim of this essay is to discover the big role that doubles and duplicity play in
the plot of the Shakespearean classic tragedy Macbeth. The entire drama evolves around the
theme of duplicity in both the characters thane of Glamis, Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth
(Shakespeare: 34).
Theme of doubles and duplicity
In the very first scene of the play, the witches appear in the heath and they bear the
equivocal messages in the ears of both Macbeth and Banquo. The equivocal saying of the
witches ‘fair is foul, and foul is fair’ always sends the message that something uncanny would
surely happen in the near future to both of them (Shakespeare: 34). If the beginning of the play is
something of that kind it surely suggests that the ending will never be as the audience would
think it to be. All the things that are in front of the eyes are not like that in reality.
The three witches would begin the proceedings of the play in the duplicitous ways. This
act of duplicitous ways is then carried forward by the two protagonists of the play Macbeth and
Lady Macbeth (Shakespeare: 239). The prophecies that the three witches had made in the first
scene to Macbeth and Banquo eventually led Macbeth to commit the horrific deed of killing the
King of Scotland, the meek Duncan. The series of misdeeds opened its account by this tragic
deed only.
Lady Macbeth could be held responsible mostly for making Macbeth feel that this deed
was so important by spurring it in the ears (Shakespeare: 236). The prophecies of the witches and
later the spirits also proved to be duplicitous (Shakespeare: 367). It is because the sayings of the
three spirits eventually got true but not in the way Macbeth expected it to be. The climbing of the

2ENGLISH ESSAY
Birnam Woods through the Dunsinane Hill could be taken as supernatural but Macduff’s army
really made it look possible indeed (Shakespeare: 239). The two sides of the character of
Macbeth have been shown in the play. The very first being the one where Macbeth has been
shown as a loyal subject to Duncan and a brave warrior who loves his country. The second
character is the cruel one where Macbeth shows no mercy to all the near ones of his. He even
kills his own best friend Banquo. He wants to destroy everyone and everything in his path that
could become an obstacle in his becoming the undisputed king of Scotland (Evil: 236).
Lady Macbeth is shown as a dual identity in the play as well. At first she is shown as a
greedy woman for power who spurs poison in the ears of Macbeth to murder Duncan and
become the King (Shakespeare: 367). However, she becomes repentant of her deed and finally
committed suicide as she began the act of night walking out of her guilty feeling.
Conclusion
As per the above discussion, it can be concluded that the play Macbeth by William
Shakespeare has been full of duplicitous nature. The characters have shown the duplicity of their
natures in their activities. The equivocal sayings in the supernatural ambience of the play have
added to the duplicity theme in the play. The consciously crafted words of Shakespeare to show
the uncanny change of nature in the characters have been successfully portrayed as well.

3ENGLISH ESSAY
References
Shakespeare, William, and Arthur Wilson Verity. Macbeth. at the University Press, 1901.