Macbeth Character Analysis: Macbeth

Summary

This video script offers a deep dive into the character analysis of Macbeth, highlighting the protagonist's initial heroic image and his tragic descent into tyranny. The analysis explores themes of manhood, ambition, and the integration of masculine and feminine traits within Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. It delves into their psychological complexities, insecurities, and the consequences of their actions, ultimately examining how these elements contribute to the play's exploration of the human condition and the corrupting influence of power.

Takeaways

• 🎭 The character Macbeth is portrayed as a complex hero with an integrated masculine and feminine personality at the beginning of the play, which later becomes corrupted.
• 🗡️ Macbeth's bravery on the battlefield is contrasted with his psychological weakness and fear of consequences, revealing a deep-seated insecurity and a desire for validation from Lady Macbeth.
• 🧙‍♀️ Lady Macbeth is depicted as an 'Animus possessed' character, embodying masculine traits and exerting psychological control over Macbeth, pushing him towards tyranny.
• 👑 The theme of ambition in Macbeth is explored through the character's internal struggle between his desire for power and his moral compass, ultimately leading to his downfall.
• 🔮 The witches' prophecies serve as a catalyst for Macbeth's transformation, illustrating the dangers of unchecked ambition and the potential for self-fulfilling prophecies.
• 🤔 The concept of self-knowledge is highlighted as crucial; Macbeth's lack of understanding of his own limitations and strengths leads him down a tragic path.
• 💔 The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is a reflection of the 'Divine marriage' concept, where the union of masculine and feminine principles should bring balance, but in their case, it leads to chaos and destruction.
• 👶 The idea of the 'edible complex' is introduced, suggesting that Macbeth's actions are driven by a need to prove his manhood, possibly stemming from childhood experiences with a disapproving mother figure.
• 🏰 Macbeth's journey from a heroic figure to a tyrant mirrors the archetype of the 'bad father' or tyrant, showing the negative impact of unchecked power and ego on both the individual and the kingdom.
• 🤯 The play emphasizes the importance of heeding one's own psyche and nervous system, as Macbeth's and Lady Macbeth's disregard for their inner warnings leads to their psychological and emotional demise.
• 📜 The script analysis concludes with the notion that Macbeth is a cautionary tale about the consequences of ignoring one's true nature and the importance of balance in one's character.

Q & A

How is Macbeth initially portrayed in the play?

Macbeth is initially portrayed as a heroic figure, a great warrior who uses his bravery and physical strength to help a good king preserve his kingdom.

What is the thesis of the director Trevor Nunn regarding Macbeth's character?

Trevor Nunn's thesis is that Macbeth has a well-integrated masculine and feminine personality, which is later corrupted due to his own weaknesses and the influence of his tyrannical wife.

What does the speaker suggest about Macbeth's character in relation to Carl Jung's concept of Animus and Anima?

The speaker suggests that Macbeth initially embodies a balance of masculine (Animus) and feminine (Anima) traits, which is a sign of a healthy and well-integrated personality according to Carl Jung's theory.

What does Lady Macbeth fear about Macbeth's nature according to the transcript?

Lady Macbeth fears that Macbeth's nature is too full of the milk of human kindness, suggesting he may be too compassionate to seize power through the most direct means.

How does the speaker interpret Macbeth's statement about daring to do all that may become a man?

The speaker interprets Macbeth's statement as a definition of what a good man should be, suggesting that a man should dare to do all that is suitable for a man to do, but crossing certain bounds turns a man into a brute.

What is the concept of the Divine Marriage in relation to the play?

The Divine Marriage refers to the union of opposites, such as masculine and feminine principles, which brings harmony and order. In the play, the corruption of this union leads to chaos and destruction.

What does the speaker suggest about Macbeth's psychological state in relation to his ambition?

The speaker suggests that Macbeth's ambition stems from his insecurities and the desire to prove himself as a man, especially in the eyes of his wife, Lady Macbeth.

How does the speaker describe Macbeth's transformation throughout the play?

The speaker describes Macbeth's transformation as a shift from an integrated personality with balanced masculine and feminine traits to a corrupted state where he becomes all masculine, turning into a murderous tyrant.

What is the significance of the porter scene in relation to Macbeth's character?

The porter scene, with its jokes about male impotence, serves as a reflection on Macbeth's insecurities, suggesting that his bravado on the battlefield may be a compensation for his emotional and sexual insecurities.

How does the speaker connect Macbeth's actions to the theme of manhood in the play?

The speaker connects Macbeth's actions to the theme of manhood by suggesting that Macbeth's quest for power and his violent acts are driven by his need to assert his masculinity and overcome his feelings of inadequacy.

What does the speaker suggest about the role of self-knowledge in Macbeth's downfall?

The speaker suggests that Macbeth's lack of self-knowledge and understanding of his own limitations and strengths contribute to his tragic downfall, as he pursues a path that is contrary to his true nature.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Macbeth's Heroic and Complex Personality

The script begins with an introduction to the character analysis of Macbeth, emphasizing the complexity of the lead character. Macbeth is portrayed as a heroic figure, a brave and strong warrior who uses his abilities to support the king and preserve the kingdom. The video encourages viewers to like, subscribe, and donate for PDFs. The original director's interpretation is highlighted, suggesting that Macbeth initially has a balanced masculine and feminine personality, which is later corrupted due to his own weaknesses and Lady Macbeth's influence. The theme of manhood and the integration of masculine aggression with feminine compassion are discussed, illustrating Macbeth's initial harmony of these traits.

05:02

🔮 The Corruption of Macbeth's Integrated Personality

This paragraph delves into the concept of the Animus and anima as described by Carl Jung, and how Macbeth's personality becomes corrupted. Initially, Macbeth is seen as having an integrated masculine and feminine side, but as the play progresses, he loses this balance. Lady Macbeth's influence is significant, as she is described as an 'edible mom' to Macbeth's 'edible boy,' suggesting a complex psychological relationship that drives Macbeth's actions. The paragraph also touches on the idea of the 'Divine marriage' and the union of opposites, which, when corrupted, leads to chaos and the breakdown of order.

10:04

🤬 Lady Macbeth's Dominance and Macbeth's Insecurities

The script discusses Lady Macbeth's initial dominance and Macbeth's insecurities, which are linked to his desire to prove his manhood. Lady Macbeth is portrayed as an 'animus possessed' character, displaying masculine traits that overshadow her feminine side. Macbeth's fear of his wife and his need for her approval are highlighted, suggesting a psychological complex stemming from his childhood. The paragraph also explores Macbeth's cowardice, both in his reluctance to kill Duncan and his fear of consequences, reflecting his inner turmoil and the struggle between his masculine and feminine sides.

15:06

🏰 Macbeth's Transformation into a Tyrant

This section examines Macbeth's transformation from a heroic figure into a tyrant, driven by his ambition and insecurities. His journey is marked by a shift from a balanced personality to one dominated by masculine aggression, leading to his tyrannical rule. The script suggests that Macbeth's ambition is a mask for his deeper insecurities, and his actions are a result of his psychological makeup. The theme of the 'wrong man for the job' is introduced, indicating that Macbeth's true nature is misaligned with his actions, leading to his tragic downfall.

20:06

👥 The Macbeths' Moral Awareness and Tragic Flaws

The script explores the Macbeths' moral awareness and their tragic flaws, which stem from a lack of self-knowledge. Both characters are described as good people who are in the wrong roles, attempting to do things that are against their nature. Their inability to recognize their limitations and appreciate their strengths leads to their tragic end. The paragraph also discusses the concept of the 'Tyrant father archetype' and Macbeth's passive-aggressive behavior, which is a form of cowardice as he desires outcomes but is unwilling to take action.

25:08

👣 Macbeth's Passive Aggression and Desire for Power

The final paragraph focuses on Macbeth's passive-aggressive nature and his desire for power without action. Despite his initial reluctance to pursue kingship, he manipulates Lady Macbeth into pushing him towards his ambitions. The script uses the metaphor of the 'poor cat in the adage' to illustrate Macbeth's cowardice, wanting the crown but not wanting to risk getting his feet wet. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for viewers to like, subscribe, and consider obtaining PDFs for further analysis.

Keywords

💡Animus and Anima

The concepts of Animus and Anima are rooted in Carl Jung's psychology, representing the masculine and feminine aspects within individuals, regardless of their biological sex. In the context of the video, these terms are used to analyze Macbeth's character, suggesting that he has an integrated personality with a balance of masculine strength and feminine compassion, which is later disrupted, leading to his downfall.

💡Yin and Yang

Yin and Yang is a Chinese philosophical concept describing the dualistic nature of reality, where opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent. The video uses this concept to discuss the balance of masculine and feminine traits within Macbeth, emphasizing the importance of this balance for a harmonious and effective character.

💡Peripatia

Peripatia, or peripeteia, is a term from Aristotle's 'Poetics' referring to a change in fortune or a reversal of circumstances, often used in storytelling. The script applies this concept to the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, illustrating how their initial balanced personalities become corrupted and reversed, leading to their tragic ends.

💡Hubris

Hubris is a Greek term describing excessive pride or self-confidence, often leading to one's downfall. In the video, Macbeth's ambition is identified as a form of hubris, which, combined with his insecurities, drives him to commit terrible acts and ultimately results in his destruction.

💡Divine Marriage

The Divine Marriage is a metaphorical concept representing the union of opposites, often used in literature and mythology to symbolize the restoration of order and harmony. The video discusses how the union of masculine and feminine aspects within an individual can bring about psychological balance, but when corrupted, as in Macbeth's case, it leads to chaos and destruction.

💡Edible Complex

The term 'Edible Complex' seems to be a misinterpretation or a specific usage by the speaker, possibly referring to an 'Electra Complex,' a psychoanalytic concept where a girl's desire to rival her mother for her father's affection leads to psychological development. The video suggests that Macbeth has an 'Edible Complex,' seeking validation from his wife, who is likened to a demanding mother figure.

💡Masculine and Feminine

The video discusses the integration of masculine and feminine traits within individuals, using Macbeth as an example of a character who starts with a balanced personality but becomes corrupted. The masculine is associated with strength and aggression, while the feminine is linked to compassion and nurturing, both of which are essential for a well-rounded character.

💡Nemesis

Nemesis, in Greek mythology, is the goddess of retribution and vengeance. The video uses the term to describe the inevitable downfall that follows excessive pride or hubris, as seen in Macbeth's ambition and subsequent tragic end.

💡Self-Knowledge

Self-knowledge refers to an individual's understanding of their own character, motivations, and abilities. The video argues that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth lack self-knowledge, leading them to act against their nature and ultimately causing their tragic demise.

💡Passive Aggressiveness

Passive aggressiveness is a behavior pattern where indirect resistance or negative behavior is exhibited instead of direct confrontation. The video describes Macbeth's behavior as passive-aggressive, as he desires to be king but is reluctant to take action, relying on his wife to push him towards his ambition.

💡Tyranny

Tyranny is a form of government where absolute power is concentrated in the hands of a single ruler who often governs oppressively. In the video, Macbeth's transformation into a tyrant is highlighted, showing how his desire for power and his inability to handle it leads to the destruction of his kingdom and himself.

Highlights

Macbeth begins the play as a heroic figure, a great warrior with physical strength and bravery.

Shakespeare's portrayal of Macbeth as having an integrated masculine and feminine personality.

The theme of manhood and the integration of masculine and feminine traits in characters.

Lady Macbeth's description of Macbeth as having a nurturing, compassionate side.

Macbeth's psychological complexity, including his insecurities and the influence of his wife.

The concept of the 'Divine marriage' and the union of opposites in psychology and society.

Lady Macbeth's initial masculine position and her role in pushing Macbeth towards tyranny.

Macbeth's transformation from a balanced character to a corrupted, tyrannical figure.

The idea that Macbeth's ambition is a result of his emotional and sexual insecurities.

The motif of manhood and its significance in Macbeth's character development.

Macbeth's moral awareness and his struggle with the decision to kill Duncan.

Lady Macbeth's psychological corruption due to her animus possession.

The concept of the 'wrong man for the job' and its tragic implications for Macbeth.

Macbeth's nervous system's rebellion against his actions, leading to panic attacks and psychosis.

The passive-aggressive nature of Macbeth and his desire for power without action.

Lady Macbeth's role as a catalyst in Macbeth's journey towards tyranny.

The conclusion of the character analysis, emphasizing the complexity and depth of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

Transcripts

hi everyone welcome to Shakespeare

walkthrough Macbeth character analysis

if you find these videos useful please

like And subscribe and if you make a

donation you'll get a complete set of

the PDFs I use in this series see the

description for details not surprising

for a Shakespeare play the lead

character characters are incredibly

complex and there's a lot to say about

them look at all this is what we're

going to say about MacBeth then we get

into Lady Macbeth but as I mentioned

Macbeth Begins the play uh as a hero

he's a heroic figure he's a great

warrior he's announced early on as a

great warrior he's Brave and he's

physically strong and more importantly

he puts that physical power and bravery

to good use to help a good King preserve

his kingdom so the sergeant announces

for brave Macbeth well he deserves that

name disdaining Fortune with his

brandished steel which smoked with

bloody execution like values minion

carved out his passage until he faced

the enemy do you see so there he is we

all love him yay Brave Macbeth

everybody's praising him DC uh I my my

thesis and I think it's the thesis of of

the directors Trevor Nunn was the was

the original director of the version of

that that I think is the best version of

Macbeth it's the 1979 version and that's

these are all the pictures are from that

version I strongly recommend you watch

it and and I think that that we see

Shakespeare's portrait early on here of

a man that's that's got a well

integrated rated masculine and feminine

personality now if you go back and watch

my theme videos okay manhood I believe

is the dominant theme of of the whole

play there's a lot of themes there's 20

of them but this is certainly one of the

most important ones the question of what

makes a good man especially back in

feudal times when wars were were not

uncommon so how do you integrate that

masculine aggressive energy with the

more with the feminine side the

compassionate side well at the beginning

we see that Macbeth does have this

integrated personality it's initially

later on he loses it because of his own

weaknesses and his and his tyrannical

wife but we'll get we'll get there he's

going to unify he's a unified total man

there's a Harmony of masculine and

feminine so we just saw the masculine

down here

uh strength versus compassion the yin

and the Yang the Animus and the anima

now I'm going to talk a little bit about

this in this in this uh in these videos

uh the the Carl Jung identified that the

masculine principle in everybody as the

Animus and The Feminine principle in

everybody as the anima and I think

that's a cool way to think of it uh in

in the Far East it was the yin and the

Yang there's the yin and the Yang you've

got the feminine principle the masculine

principle but within the feminine you've

got the masculine and within the

masculine you've got the feminine and

that makes the total person DC and that

makes so much sense to me that those are

the best people if you're 100 masculine

you're brute if you're 100 feminine

you're just a squishy soft useless mess

do you see what I'm saying and I think

Shakespeare's saying the same thing okay

so this this and okay here's where the

here's where I get that Harmony Lady

Macbeth Macbeth sends the the letter to

Lady Macbeth saying hey hey I heard I

met these witches and they said I'm

going to be king Isn't that cool and

Lady Macbeth says yes it is very very

cool but I do Fear Thy nature it is too

full of the milk of human kindness to

catch the nearest way so what do we make

of this we've just seen this guy can rip

the heads off of enemies do you see and

yet we see his wife who knows him

intimately as wives tend to know their

husbands

describing him in these very feminine

terms milk is a universal symbol of the

feminine nurturing element DC compassion

and nurturing so he's got both he starts

off in a with with this integrated

personality it's really really

interesting how it gets corrupted is

what's interesting to see this does get

corrupted by his insecurities he's a

very very weak man as we're going to

discuss now uh his need now this is even

more interesting perhaps his need to

please his wife mother to prove himself

a real man now I'm going to argue here

that uh that that Lady Macbeth is an

edible mom and I I'm convinced that

that's the case uh and and Macbeth uh is

is an edible boy he probably had if we

could go back into his childhood he

probably had a disproving cold uh

removed neglectful mother and so

psychologically he's

for the rest of his life he's trying to

to to gain the approval of that

disapproving mother uh very very

interesting stuff

now here's another example I just love

this quote here's another example of

that of the integrated personality he

says uh when late when he he cowered in

a cowardly way he talks himself out of

killing Duncan but it's a it's a it's a

wise way too but but it's founded in

cowardice we'll talk about that and and

he and he says to his he says to Lady

Macbeth he says no no I'm not going to

kill Duncan I dared the wall that may

become a man who dares do more is none

now that's a that's a wonderful

statement of what a good man is and I

talk about it in the other theme video

as well I dare do all that is suitable

for a man to do which means this

save a kingdom from it from a from a

from a rebel who's who who's who's bent

on making it a wasteland that's a that's

the manly thing to do but who dares step

over those bounds uh becomes a brute and

is not a man at all so I think that's a

lovely lovely uh um uh description of

what a man should be uh it's it's a it's

also as I mentioned in the Far East we

have this notion as well Carl Young

talked about it in in terms of the

Animus and anima uh it's an old old

notion uh the the Divine marriage in

Romeo and Juliet it's it's the the union

of opposites heals the Wasteland the

cosmos can be divided into the male

principles and the masculine principles

and the union of those two principles

harmoniously is what makes your

psychology grounded okay and ordered and

and and and and harmonized uh and and by

extension it makes the whole world

better do you see what I mean so this is

an old old theme you can just you can

look it up the Divine marriage the the

Wasteland theme uh when when the divine

marriage gets corrupted when the mail

when there's too much male or too much

female it gets corrupted but when it's

working in harmony as I said the the

cosmos is working as it should be the

union of opposites dispels chaos

restores order to the Wasteland that's a

cosmic social and psychological Harmony

that's how comedies end the end in a

marriage for a very good reason it's all

these layers from from the from the the

individual psychology to the Social and

then to the cosmic that's how the world

operated that's how we saw the world

operating back in these days the

Macbeth's however are a corrupt version

of this that the same character in its

male a female corrupted components do

you see

okay so so yeah that's cool he starts

off as this good guy integrated guy

too much

I if you look at this I again go back to

my theme video I talk about this the

peripataya the parapatia is the reversal

Lady Macbeth at the beginning of the

play definitely starts off uh in the

masculine position she she is the one

who is calling the shots as I talked

about in my theme video Macbeth is

asking the questions well what if we

fail that's a weak position to be in

because you don't know what to do so

you're looking to somebody else like a

child looking to the father or the

mother for what to do what if we fail

and then she slaps back like a

disapproving cold mother or father but

screw your courage to the stick in place

we won't fail you wimp do you see how

cruel that is so she starts off

definitely in in this in this uh masking

position so is he as integrated as I

would like to argue

um not quite because he's got too much

of the feminine he is what Carl Jung

called anima possessed which means he's

got the the if you're male perhaps 70 30

masculine feminine if you're female then

70 30 in the opposite direction perhaps

whatever the percentage of the

percentages are I don't know and I don't

really care uh but if you've got if

you're a man you've got too much of the

feminine in you it's it it becomes it

becomes distorted so you're not living

your your true balanced self maybe it

should be 50 50. I really don't know uh

but again it doesn't matter anyway he he

is he is anima possessed he begins to

play in the feminine subordinate

position and ends in the masculine

dominant position so what happens though

is because he's got the too much of the

feminine in him as as he's working this

out throughout the play he becomes all

masculine instead of too much or all

feminine do you see and he and he

becomes corrupted in in and and he

becomes this this murderous Tyrant so

too much of one too much of the other is

not good instead of the integrated

creature we saw up here which is the

which is closer to the ideal man do you

see

uh related to the to the famine in the

week I mean classically traditionally

feminine DC uh he he is also cowardly

he's physically brave but very very

psychologically weak he's afraid of

punishment and he's afraid of public

opinion and he's afraid of his wife he's

terrified of his wife okay and so in his

great Soliloquy in uh act 1 scene Seven

uh when he's talking himself out of uh

of killing Duncan he says if only this

blow with the knife would be the be-all

and end-all here so if only I could just

kill him and then I wouldn't get any

consequences DC that's a cowardly way to

think that's why we love video games

because we can do horrible things in

video games without

without consequences cowardly right I

love video games by the way um and in

that sense I guess I'm a coward too

so here he is he's afraid of punishment

so that's a cowardly thing to be afraid

of and later Macbeth when she when she

reverses when she uh when her peripataya

moment happens she ends up fearful in

the same way but also

any perhaps even more importantly

uh he's afraid of public opinion which

is perhaps even more cowardly DC and he

says and pity like a like a newborn babe

will blow the horrible deed of my uh

killing Duncan into every eye so Duncan

was such a good guy that that my murder

will blow that horrible act into every

eye and everyone's gonna judge me DC so

he starts off in this in this I I would

like to be an integrated position but as

we see it's probably too much of the

feminine and here we see him uh being

quite cowardly okay so let's keep going

as I've already suggested he is very

very insecure I think because of his

edible complex uh emotionally insecure

physically so brave as we've discussed

but emotionally and sexually insecure

and and I I said I I argue this because

of the dominant theme of manhood as

we've discussed it's a motif a motif is

a pattern that's repeated throughout a

work of art and and if you if you go if

you if you do a control F and you find

how many times the word man is repeated

in this play it's it's it's a pattern

it's a pattern as as like those flowers

are just man man man throughout the

whole thing and so that suggests that

that all of the questions about what

constitutes a good man or a bad man are

are open and on the table and being

discussed by Shakespeare absolutely and

one component of being a man is their

sexuality like the same thing for a

woman

so when we get to the porter scene the

Porter is a is the comic relief after a

really really tense uh uh scene and he

he's he's drunk and he's joking about uh

human foibles and and and the corruption

of society and things like that and it's

it's really really funny hilariously

funny and one of the jokes that he makes

is about male impotence he says let your

research so that's lustfulness

lecturiser alcohol provoke so alcohol

provokes lechery and it unprovokes it

provokes the desire for sexual

engagement but it takes away the

performance now that's that's a

reference to male impotence and how

alcohol can can make us attracted to

women but it can take away our

performance uh sexually now again it's a

throwaway joke and fair enough if if if

if if somebody you know if a guy was

sitting in a Tavern and just joking

about these things you wouldn't connect

any specific meaning to it necessarily

but as I've mentioned because of the

motif of manhood and the repetition of

this it becomes significant and so it

reflects on Macbeth DC and so I do think

that he is incredibly insecure

emotionally and and sexually and so what

do men do in that case

they tend to behave like Monsters to

compensate DC and so maybe that's where

he that's where he that's what he does

with his sword DC he goes out on the

battlefield and he's so good in in that

regard and that compensates somewhat for

his his insecurities in other domains do

you see it's really interesting that the

male male psychology female psychology

to the females don't get away with

anything either okay we're all a mess so

don't sort of so don't think I'm ragging

on men uh edible complex I think as I

mentioned I do think he has an edible

complex he craves the validation from

his wife mother and he's too eager to

prove himself a man DC he's enthralled

to the to the to the Animus power to the

Animus possessed Lady Macbeth

he says after she slaps him down and

says man up man up and we're going to do

this and we're going to become king

he says he says he says wow lady bring

forth men children only for thy

undaunted medal should compose nothing

but males well your metal your character

is masculine is what he just said here

Carl Jung had it right she is animus

possessed she's got too much of the

masculine and that's corrupted her

psyche and and we're going to talk about

that when we talk about Lady Macbeth too

and that makes her a monster she's the

monster in the feminine form the the

feminine generally traditionally they

didn't use their physical strength to

become a monster they used their

psychological powers to become a monster

and and and monsters they can become

indeed DC it's a it's such an insightful

play uh Macbeth is one of my favorite

plays

um he is ambitious uh and and that and

that and it's great to be ambitious

everybody should be ambitious go go go

go go of course but uh dare do all that

may become a man or woman who dares do

more is none that's where you you go too

far in ibika and you you you you cross

the line into hubris and hubris is this

overweaning pride and overweaning

confidence and hubris always calls for

us and calls forth Nemesis to take you

down a peg DC uh and so so his his over

ambition his hubristic ambition is the

result of his insecurity I will argue

weak frightened men commit horrible

crimes D.C uh uh Street crimes too you

know humiliation go back and watch my

theme video I talk about the Shakespeare

talks about the origins of evil and one

of the origins of evil is humiliation

weak people not just men but people uh

commit Horrors and Men commit more

violent physical Horrors than women

uh so here's his here's his ambition

here gloms I've got that title Thane of

cador the witches called me that and

then I got it wow that's all happening

the witches also called me king and so

the greatest is coming up after the

Thane of Guam so there's his ambition it

does this this is this is where he hears

this picture here that's where he hears

uh uh the witch's prophecies then you

could be king dude and look at him he's

like a child he's like a little boy

mommy's Gonna Love Me Oh My Goodness

look at those eyes that's Ian McKellen

he's a great actor mommy's gonna love me

if I become king this is going to be

great

sad sad sad okay so what do we got next

more oh yeah this is a great page

morally aware lacking self-knowledge and

the wrong man for the job everything I

say here on this page is true of both

the Macbeth's Lady Macbeth and Macbeth

they're mirror characters by the way

they're they're almost they're the male

female

components of the same character and

they both have the aaronic the ironic

tragic flaw of being good people

doesn't that sound weird it really is

I've argued before uh in other places

that that that

he if you want to kill someone you got

to be a psychopath

because then you can then then you don't

feel it so you don't suffer you just

kill someone you walk away and say yeah

they deserve desire because I deserve to

kill you because I'm me do you see what

I mean that's what a psychopath is they

feel no remorse whatsoever now they they

both Macbeth's feel terrible terrible

remorse the tragedy of the Macbeth's is

the the tragedy of all tragedies I think

is a lack of self-knowledge being the

wrong person in the wrong job in the

wrong life trying to do the wrong things

which it all comes back to the lack of

self-knowledge if they had just stopped

for a moment and said you know what when

I look at Duncan I see a good guy

don't kill him because you because you

know he's a good guy and you know that

you're going against your own nature

when you do violate uh uh that that un

that instinctive understanding of

goodness DC so he's not a sociopath

which is too bad for him it's it's his

tragic flaw that he's not the sociopath

that he should be Iago from Othello

total sociopath

everybody dies his wife he kills his

wife doesn't matter

he'll go through life through the rest

of his life you know on without feeling

it no panic attacks no schizophrenic

crack up no nervous breakdown because

why would he he's got no nervous system

that's what a serve that's what a

sociopath is uh he does both Macbeth

have a strong sense of of what is right

and what is wrong and here he says here

uh besides this Duncan hath borne his

faculty so Meek hath been so clear in

his great office now this is again when

he's he's he's he's coward in a cowardly

way he's talking himself out of killing

Duncan so it is based on cowardice I

have to say but

even though it's based on cowardice

there is a recognition here that he is a

Meek guy he's killing a Christ figure

he's killing the benevolent God figure

he's killing Dumbledore DC if you kill

Dumbledore that means you're Voldemort

do you see and and and fine Voldemort is

literally depicted as a sociopath a

psychopath zero compassion all arrogance

all narcissism DC but if if you if you

can recognize that goodness do you see

uh uh and you do have a nervous

breakdown when you when you destroy that

goodness then you're not a sociopath so

definitely lacking yourself knowledge

they don't understand both of them they

don't understand their limitations and

they don't appreciate their own

strengths he's the hero for goodness

sake and he's just been rewarded with

new domains and new titles he's he's the

hero of Scotland everybody loves them

everybody in Scotland love Banquo and

Macbeth but that's not enough for him he

he doesn't he doesn't uh know his

limitations so the wrong man for the job

again JK Rowling uh I love all of her

her metaphor scores and personifications

and the Hagrid is a great one uh it's

it's the it's the calling Hagrid comes

terrifyingly knocking down Harry

Potter's door and saying come on you're

a wizard here's your path in life here's

who you are follow it now I've been

using this as a metaphor my whole life

about

um as a teacher

uh for for uh for a warning against

following the wrong Hagrid if you follow

someone else's Hagrid and not your true

Hager then you're going to end up

miserable when you're 45 years old and

or you're going to end up dead because

you've killed the king uh so the wrong

man for the job the wrong woman for the

job doesn't matter if you follow the

wrong Hagrid you're going to end up uh

tragically DC acting against the

dictates of your own psychic causes your

nervous system to Rebel your your body

knows now again if you go back to uh my

one of my theme videos I talk about

um the the psyche I can't remember where

I did this we talked about the psyche

the the tip of the iceberg is your

rational self

your body your nervous system is is your

true self and it tries to warn us with

with anxiety and panic attacks and

things so go back and watch that is

actually quite interesting or do the

research yourself so acting against the

dictates of his own psyche causes him

panic attacks and then the nervous

breakdown and and it goes into psychosis

that's how bad the nervous breakdown is

the nervous system knows so pay

attention to your nervous system pay

attention to your dreams too likely to

Macbeth should have okay so here he is

at the beginning he just heard that he

just heard the witches tell him that

he's going to be a king and with the

three you know this was true prophecy

one was true prophecy two was true and

so that convinces him that prophecy 3

will be true and so yeah you should be

happy right but he's not his nervous

system is rebelling here listen my

thought so whose murder is yet but

Fantastical shake so my single state of

man that function is smothered and

surmise he's having a panic attack here

and he's wondering it's like good grief

if this is actually good news why am I

reacting in this way well you're

reacting in this way because your

nervous system is trying to tell you

that you're going against your name

nature you're doing something that you

know is wrong and you're going to pay

the consequences for it Lady Macbeth the

same thing happens to her but it happens

to her much much too late okay so two

more things to say about MacBeth the

Tyrant father archetype and his passive

aggressiveness so as we've seen in human

Affairs we see the universe in terms of

of the the family Dynamic there's the

mother there's the father and there's

the child okay so the universe is is

constructed in in those terms very very

much so and so we've built into our

mythologies and our stories we all love

Harry Potter Harry Potter is not a

religion but we've got the we've got the

dominant we've got the Dumbledore father

figure that's the great father in

religious terms and mythological terms

it's the great father of the universe

which is a projection of our Joseph

Campbell said that that that myth is the

projection of the human psyche onto the

stars and that my human psychic is

comprised of what I encountered as a

child from the earliest age I've got my

my mother in her negative and positive

aspect and I've got my father in the

negative been positive aspect and then I

project that into my myths and my

stories and we see that in Lord of the

Rings we see that in Harry Potter the

good father the bad father well here's

the bad father there's a tyrannical

father so

uh the type so Macbeth obviously becomes

this Sauron

negative aspect of the great father he

he becomes the great father the king

that's what the king is it's the great

father in his negative aspect he's a

narcissist and he destroys his own

kingdom to support his fragile Eagle

that ego that's the definition of of a

tyrant and they exist in the real world

ladies and gentlemen they exist to look

politically look look look it's very

very sad uh and so here's a quote from

Macbeth he says from from so now he's

he's now he's stepped into it all the

way he's gone he's got he's gone Whole

Hog into into his Tyrant mode uh no more

you know the Beloved hero of Scotland he

is the Tyrant and he says for my known

good all causes shall give way that's

the voice of Sauron DC that's that's

that's a Mythic representation a

fictionalized Mythic representation of

what actually does happen you can have a

tyrant father in a family you can have a

tyrant father of a state do you see and

and and none of that is good

uh yeah so so in a weird kind of way

he's passive aggressive maybe I should

have put this up here with the with the

feminine with the feminine because the

the the the feminine

uh the feminine men traditionally could

be more simply aggressive uh but because

uh women traditionally haven't had the

physical strength to overpower men

they've they've become smarter they use

their they use their their their their

their manipulative intelligence DC

psychological intelligence to to to to

dominate if a woman wants to be a a

brute they'll be a brute intelligently

by by using words and and psychological

manipulations uh the Mean Girls thing do

you see uh so in in Macbeth again he

he's he's he starts off in in a in a in

a feminine position and and that passive

aggressiveness he wants things but he

doesn't want to move he doesn't want to

do anything so there's that's a form of

cowardice he wants things to happen but

he doesn't want to act and this is this

is very very it's very very obvious here

look at this he says he says well after

he has this panic attack he says wow it

can be king

but now he gets all afraid and he backs

away and he says well okay never mind

I'm not going to think about it anymore

if chance will have me King why why

chance may Crown me without my stir so I

don't have to do anything I but but then

he writes his letter to Lady Macbeth who

he knows will slap him around and say

come on man we're going to be king so

that's a passive aggressive way to

become king DC it's really really

insightful for Shakespeare Now Lady

Macbeth knows Macbeth very very well and

she says this I and again I talk about

this this quote in my theme video as

well Lady Macbeth says uh when when

Macbeth says no one we shall proceed no

further with this business

she does what he wants her to do he

wants her to force him to become king to

force him to do what he's afraid to do

himself DC so she says which thou have

that which thou esteem is the ornament

of Life the crown

and live a coward in thine own esteem

letting I dare not wait upon I would

like the poor cat in the adage

so we I know you want the crown but

you're going to let your fears override

your desire to take it so that's also

connected to the thought versus action

theme so go back and watch my theme

video again and she says like the poor

cat and the adage and that's very simple

understand that's the cat that wants to

get the fish but the cat doesn't want to

get its feet wet do you see what I'm

saying so that's a passive aggressive

kind of cowardice DC so very very

complex characters uh of both of them

and and now let's look at Lady Macbeth

and that was Shakespeare walkthrough

Macbeth character analysis I hope you

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