Free Macbeth Essays: Importance of the Last Two Scenes :: GCSE Coursework Macbeth Essays

The Importance of the Last Two Scenes in Macbeth The last two scenes are a very important part of the play. They are the last two scenes in the play in which Macbeth is alive. They are also a very effective part of the play; the audience will have already realized that something will happen which will decide the ending of the play. This awareness that something is about to happen is made so by the commotion of the two great armies as they prepare to fight and by Macbeth's eagerness and confidence to win. These scenes remind the audience of Macbeth's true character. Early on in the play he was portrayed as a fierce and brave warrior, however, as the play developed the audience began to get the impression that Macbeth was not all that he had been made out to be. He was seen as a selfish man who got what he wanted by murdering his rivals. This was intentional on the part of the playwright as the entire play is focusing in on how a man as powerful as the king of Scotland can do whatever his "vaulting ambition" wants him to. These scenes re-iterate Macbeth's original character. All of the scenes leading up to these two have been advancing the plot in such a way that scenes seven and eight are able to take the audience completely by surprise. For example, the supernatural plays a large role in this play and the audience knows that it will have something to do with the destiny of Macbeth and the outcome of the story. It is this prediction that makes the audience remember what the witches said to Macbeth: "The power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth." These phrases baffle the audience, and so as the end of the play approaches they become interested to find out what they mean. Scene seven begins with a short soliloquy from Macbeth, he says "They have tied me to a stake, I cannot fly, but bear-like I must fight the course." This tells the audience that Macbeth doesn't want to fight, and he doesn't, but later it is revealed that he is very confident to win. The first man that Macbeth fights with is Young Siward. Macbeth soon kills him "for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth." Scene eight follows, with the fight between Macbeth and Macduff.