Let’s look at a possible essay plan. The bold headings show you the 4 steps in writing and planning, which work with any essay. In this example, I focus on the theme of violence in Macbeth.
3 Part Thesis Statement
Shakespeare wants to explore how violence is necessary in a successful king.
But it brings with it the dangers of bloodlust and normalises assassination.
The two ways to prevent this are Christian morality and increased femininity in men.
6-8 Chronological References
Macbeth saves Scotland through animal violence – ‘lion’ and ‘eagle’ symbolism
Macbeth enjoys the brutality and bloodlust – ‘unseamed him from the nave to the chops’
The weird sisters’ prophecies immediately make him think of murder – ‘unfix my hair’, ‘horrible imaginings’
Lady Macbeth immediately thinks of murder, and symbolism shows that this is an attack on God – ‘oh never shall sun that morrow see’
The act of killing leads Macbeth to madness – ‘is this a dagger I see before me’, ‘Macbeth shall sleep no more’
Violence ruins his friendships as he kills Banquo – and ‘never shake they gory locks at me’ ironically invites the nobles to believe he is confessing to killing Duncan. So violence that he took to save himself leads to his destruction.
Violence ruins his wife, they sleep apart, ‘be innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck’ and to her guilt and suicide – ‘a mind diseased’ and ‘here’s the smell of blood still’.
Bloodlust leads to killing Macduff’s family, which leads to Macduff’s revenge. Macbeth’s nihilism, ‘tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow’ contrasted with Macduff’s feminine masculinity, ‘first I must feel it as a man’
Conclusion
Violence has made Macbeth less than a man, ‘a butcher’, and Lady Macbeth ‘fiend-like’, and they both die childless and heirless to be succeeded in time by King James, and punished with hell.
Outward looking question in the conclusion:
Does the play warn King James not to be violent after the Gunpower Plot? Is this also in keeping with his own more feminine, homosexual masculinity?
For detailed advice on how to write literature essays, you can find my Literature Guide here:
For my guide to Macbeth, click here:
For my playlist of Macbeth videos, click here
So helpful!
Thank you sir!