Shakespeare uses ‘weirdness’ a lot in Macbeth. It is not just the word itself that makes you think of the strange and unnatural, but its antonym as well. Macbeth’s actions and emotions become increasingly disjointed over the course of the drama. Macbeth’s humanity is also lost when he finally loses the ability of feeling emotion.
Macbeth’s death is precipitated by the “Weird Sisters,” who are omnipresent in the entire play. Ross, for instance says: “Threescore And Ten I Can Remember Well: Within The Volume Of Which Time I Have Seen Hours Dreadful And Things Strange; But This Sore Night Has Trifled Former Knowings” (2:4 :1-4). Macbeth is full of ghosts and paranormal events. Shakespeare does use supernatural elements in Macbeth, but not just to drive the story. The weirdness elements help Macbeth to be understood by forcing readers to define “normalcy”. The opening of the play is full of dialectics and paradoxes. The Weird Sisters use phrases like “When a battle is won and lost” (1.1.14) or “Fair and foul are the same” (1.1.12). Macbeth uses a prophetic approach to repeat the paradox. “I never saw a fair or foul day before” (1,3:38). This means that the reader has a tendency to question an opposite of a sentence or scene. Lady Macbeth, for example, asks her murdering ministers if they can un-sex their victim. What is the equivalent of a woman who has not been sexed? What is the opposite of an un-sexed woman? Macbeth’s tragic weakness as ‘weird man’ cannot be defined without defining normal man.
Macbeth’s first acts can help us define the average human. He is described as a valiant fighter and a faithful member of the monarchy. Duncan sums up Macbeth’s qualities by saying “More than anyone can pay is your due” (1:4;21). Macbeth is an emotional man who has a rational mind. His ability to convey emotions is exceptional: “Whose horrid vision doth make me shiver at the ribs? (1:3 136). Macbeth again reveals his intense emotionality when he is afraid of disappointing Duncan. This shows that Macbeth’s character is normal and well-respected by the men at the top of society.
Macbeth being a rational and emotional person, it would seem logical to ask if Macbeth’s emotions are able to influence his actions. A scene in the play suggests that emotions can drive actions. Macbeth responds to Ross, who calls him ‘Thane Cawdor,’ after hearing the Weird Sisters’ prophecy. “The Thane Cawdor is alive; why are you wearing borrowed robes?” (1.3.108-109). Macbeth is still able to link emotions to his actions and words. Shakespeare’s philosophical claim that normal humans (e.g. Macbeth’s early scenes show a dialogue that takes place between body and mind, emotion and actions.
In conclusion, the loss of body/soul connections signals the death of humanity. Macbeth’s tragic hero status is evident in the later sections of the story. Macbeth no longer feels emotions. Macbeth says in a listless manner, “She ought to have died thereafter,” when he is told Lady Macbeth’s death (5:5 :19). He also admits “I’ve almost forgotten the taste of tears.” (5:5;10). Crying is the perfect example of how mind and body are connected. You feel and then tears come. Macbeth has become a ‘weird,’ or abnormal, human if he is unable to cry or loses sensory perception.
Other people have called Macbeth tragically flawed because of other traits, such as ambition, refusal to let fate take its course, depravity, etc. Some of these arguments are valid, but some statements contradict them. Macbeth for instance says: “If luck will make me king then it is up to chance whether I am crowned or not” (1,3:143-144). It’s obvious that Macbeth has surrendered to fate. His refusal to’stir’ suggests a lack rather than an abundance of ambition. Macbeth in the opening act is depicted as a noble and sympathetic man, not necessarily a bad character. Macbeth was born with a tragic flaw, but it wasn’t apparent at first. Something changed to make the flaw evident. It was the change of his becoming a ‘weird’ person.
Macbeth changed because of two external factors: Lady Macbeth and the strange sisters’ prophecy. If the strange sisters had never predicted Macbeth’s kingship, Lady Macbeth wouldn’t have pushed Macbeth into murder. She enters right after Macbeth has said, “I haven’t a spur to prick my sides” (1:7.25-26). She becomes the “spur” by verbal and direct assaults which accelerate Macbeths emotional decomposition. Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth by attacking the masculinity and trustworthiness of Macbeth. She says: “I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, if you had sworn that I would do this, if he was so confident in his face. She is also subtly manipulating Macbeth. She does not acknowledge him as Macbeth until after Duncan’s death: “My Husband!” (2:2;13). This emotional manipulative technique successfully suppresses Macbeth’s emotion and allows him not to feel, or act with humanity.
Shakespeare explores the grey area between philosophy and biology in Macbeth. Macbeth’s tragedy flaw provides insight on how to avoid leaving this world as a “dead-butcher” (5,8:70), someone who has lost their emotions and humanity.
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