How does Shakespeare present Macbeth’s fears?
In the didactic play ‘Macbeth’, Shakespeare explores the fears of Macbeth as
consequences of the actions he takes throughout the play, criticising his hamartia of
ambition and his consequent tyranny as he usurps the crown. Shakespeare ultimately
challenges those in Jacobean England to obey the natural order within society, as
attempting to tamper with fate and the status quo leads to not only endless guilt, as
demonstrated by the construct of Macbeth and his wife, but tragedy as they meet a
cruel yet justified fate.
In Act 1, Shakespeare presents the “firstlings” of Macbeth’s insidious ambition as during
his aside, he says, “Stars, hide your fires: let not light see my black and deep desires.”
Here, Macbeth acknowledges the destructive nature of his mind, and almost berates
himself for doing so – commanding the “stars” to not illuminate his own fatal flaw. By
using imagery of nature, Shakespeare references the symbol of the Heavens and God
through the sky, perhaps to comment on how Macbeth is afraid of his ungodly views on
usurping the crown. Moreover, it could also be argued that he is ashamed of his “black
and deep” desires, as the intention to hide himself from the Heavens aligns him with
morality to not continue further on his pursuit of ambition and the crown rather than the
heinous sin of regicide, and therefore Hell. Ultimately, Shakespeare cultivates
Macbeth’s fears as being borne from his rising ambition, which he realises will sever his
connection to God. Shakespeare could be relaying to the audience that being reckless
and interfering with the natural order is something that leads to a loss of one’s dignity
and pride – an attribute that Macbeth is guilty of having, and foreshadows his fate
throughout the rest of the play.
In Act 2, Macbeth’s fears are intensified when he commits the sin of regicide,
proclaiming “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood” from his “hand”.
Shakespeare alludes to religion with “Neptune”, referencing a Pagan God, which could
suggest that Macbeth has furthered his position as “valiant” and “noble” as he turns
away from Christianity and seeks guidance from another higher power, perhaps to
convey that Macbeth is so consumed by his guilt that he is fearful of being condemned
to purgatory on Judgement day. There is also a motif of hands throughout the play, used
here by Shakespeare to highlight how no matter how much Macbeth begins to manifest
his fears of committing mindless murder by praying to different Gods, he ultimately has
only himself to blame as the symbol of a hand implies that he had the autonomy to
commit the “deed”, and was not forced. Moreover, he also mentions that he “could not
pronounce Amen”, reinforcing this theme of heresy, and it also becomes ironic in a way,
as Shakespeare is aware that being godly is a kingly quality – something that Macbeth
had sacrificed to gain the crown. Shakespeare relays to the audience that by going
In the didactic play ‘Macbeth’, Shakespeare explores the fears of Macbeth as
consequences of the actions he takes throughout the play, criticising his hamartia of
ambition and his consequent tyranny as he usurps the crown. Shakespeare ultimately
challenges those in Jacobean England to obey the natural order within society, as
attempting to tamper with fate and the status quo leads to not only endless guilt, as
demonstrated by the construct of Macbeth and his wife, but tragedy as they meet a
cruel yet justified fate.
In Act 1, Shakespeare presents the “firstlings” of Macbeth’s insidious ambition as during
his aside, he says, “Stars, hide your fires: let not light see my black and deep desires.”
Here, Macbeth acknowledges the destructive nature of his mind, and almost berates
himself for doing so – commanding the “stars” to not illuminate his own fatal flaw. By
using imagery of nature, Shakespeare references the symbol of the Heavens and God
through the sky, perhaps to comment on how Macbeth is afraid of his ungodly views on
usurping the crown. Moreover, it could also be argued that he is ashamed of his “black
and deep” desires, as the intention to hide himself from the Heavens aligns him with
morality to not continue further on his pursuit of ambition and the crown rather than the
heinous sin of regicide, and therefore Hell. Ultimately, Shakespeare cultivates
Macbeth’s fears as being borne from his rising ambition, which he realises will sever his
connection to God. Shakespeare could be relaying to the audience that being reckless
and interfering with the natural order is something that leads to a loss of one’s dignity
and pride – an attribute that Macbeth is guilty of having, and foreshadows his fate
throughout the rest of the play.
In Act 2, Macbeth’s fears are intensified when he commits the sin of regicide,
proclaiming “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood” from his “hand”.
Shakespeare alludes to religion with “Neptune”, referencing a Pagan God, which could
suggest that Macbeth has furthered his position as “valiant” and “noble” as he turns
away from Christianity and seeks guidance from another higher power, perhaps to
convey that Macbeth is so consumed by his guilt that he is fearful of being condemned
to purgatory on Judgement day. There is also a motif of hands throughout the play, used
here by Shakespeare to highlight how no matter how much Macbeth begins to manifest
his fears of committing mindless murder by praying to different Gods, he ultimately has
only himself to blame as the symbol of a hand implies that he had the autonomy to
commit the “deed”, and was not forced. Moreover, he also mentions that he “could not
pronounce Amen”, reinforcing this theme of heresy, and it also becomes ironic in a way,
as Shakespeare is aware that being godly is a kingly quality – something that Macbeth
had sacrificed to gain the crown. Shakespeare relays to the audience that by going
