This is a play about the philosophy and psychology of evil. We are told from the outset, about the terrifying chain of events about to pass, by the three witches, very real, to a Tudor audience who probably witnessed the persecution of women thought to be so Macbeth begins the play, as a victorious general, honoured by his king and quite happy with the way things are. His wife, unfortunately, has other ideas. The play starts off with a good Macbeth and a bad Lady Mcbeth, and ends with a bad Macbeth and a dead,by her own hand, or so we are led to believe, Lady Macbeth. Events inexorably lead Macbeth to murder and yet more murder, whilst his wife, initially the first to encourage murder is more and more marginalised until,half demented,she takes her own life. Macbeth, hardly noticing, continues with his crimes, convinced once again by the prophecies of the three witches, as to his Achillean invincibility, killing Siward's son in battle until he comes up against Macduff, born by Caesarian section, and therefore not, 'of woman born'. It is Macduff who kills Macbeth. A. C. Bradley says of the play that most of the salient pieces are conducted at night,or in darkness. The whole play is defeatist by nature, all the Macbeth's aspire to,crumbling to dust in front of them.
