THE CHAEACTERS OF MACBETH AND RICHARD … CHAEACTERS OF MACBETH AND RICHARD THE ... "removes" without one spark of remorse, ... Macbeth shudders at retrospection, trembles …

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THE CHAEACTERS OF MACBETH AND RICHARD THE

THIRD, ACCORDING TO SHAKSPEARE, COMPARED.

By James Stonehonse, Esq.

21sT MAY, 1857.)

It is curious to observe, in analysing the persona of Shakspeare's works, how skilfully he has moulded them into shape, and how remarkably he maintains, throughout each play, their respective individuality. In examining the characters of Macbeth and Richard III., we find this to be most strongly exemplified. He places before us two men achieving the goal of their desires by treachery, violence, and fraud, standing as it were on the very hill-top of crime ; with dispositions singularly opposite, yet succeeding alike, and dying alike, sword in hand, in the moment of defeat. They are both soldiers, statesmen, and of royal blood. Richard, the incarnation of wrong doing, is bold, crafty, and unscrupulous. Macbeth is the personi­ fication of vacillancy, fear, and boastfulness. Richard is innately wicked, while Macbeth cannot be said to be naturally so. One perpetrates acts of violence, impelled by daring and dauntless ambition, while the other is dragged, or rather drifted into crime, by temptation too potent for a weak and pliant mind to withstand. Here we have two men striving for power > pursuing the same ensanguined path, strewing it with acts of perfidy and violence. Both put aside all that stand between them and the glittering goal of their culpable designs,

" A crown, that bright reward of ever daring minds;"

yet, how unlike in their respective idiosyncrasies.

Let us see, first, of what " perilous stuff" Macbeth is made. He seems conscious of his moral poverty, and want of resolution. He says of him­ self, when compassing the destruction of Macduff and his race, that there must be

" No boasting like a fool, This deed I'll do before the purpose cool."

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Lady Macbeth, who may be supposed to know her husband well, thus strikes the key note of his character

" Yet do I fear thy nature, It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch tile nearest way. Thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition ; but without The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play fulse, And yet wouldst wrongly win."

Lady Macbeth taunts Macbeth with being " infirm of purpose," and he feels, himself, that he is wishful to mount the pinnacle of power, but needs sufficient resolution to tread the slippery rounds of the ladder that leads to it. He says,

" I have no spurTo prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itaelf, And falls on the other side."

With the world generally Macbeth appears, in his early career, to have stood in good estimation, for he prides himself upon having " won golden opinions from all sorts of people." The wounded sergeant from the battle­ field extols his bravery, while the good king Duncan styles him " our valiant cousin," and " noble Macbeth," calls him " a worthy gentleman," and praises him on all occasions, at the same time rewarding him for his faithful services. Macduff terms him " our gallant partner." These laudations of the1 man, it should be remembered, are all uttered previously to his first great crime, so that we may conclude that Macbeth, until it was committed, had shaken hands kindly with the fair world in all his doings.

Richard's character presents a widely different aspect. Richard says of himself, that he is " subtle, false, and treacherous," that he has " neither pity, love, nor fear," and that love " foreswore him in his mother's womb." But proud of his noble birth, he says

" I was born so high Our aiery buildeth in the cedars top And dallies with the wind and scorns the sun."

Conscious of his strong will and determination, he exclaims," I'll climb betimes without remorse or dread."

His mother's description of his course of life from infancy presents a frightful picture. It is certainly deserving of remark that Shakspearo has assigned the task of exhibiting " the innermost man "'of his two heroes to

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two women near akin to them. He seems to have observed that women are good judges of character. The Duchess says to her son,

" A grievous burthen was thy birth to me.Tetchy and wayward was thy infancy :Thy schooldays frightful, desperate, wild, and furious;Thy prime of manhood daring, bold, and venturous;Thy age conflrm'd, proud, subtle, sly, and bloody."

King Henry in the Tower shrinks at Richard's approach with instinctive dread, for he exclaims on seeing him,

" What scene of death hath Eoscius now to act."

Eichard rather boasts than appears ashamed of his aptitude for dissimula­ tion, and says,

" I can smile and murder while I smile, And cry content to that which grieves my heart."

He has no credence in goodness, either in himself or others. Macbeth, on the contrary, estimates the high character of " the gracious Duncan," and assigns his virtues as a reason why he should not slay him. Towards the close of his career we see him desiderating a good name. In his regrets the " milk of human kindness " is found flowing.

-" I have lived long enough. My way of lifeIs fallen to the sear and yellow leaf;And that which should accompany old age,As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends,I must not look to have."

While Macbeth thus exhibits a consciousness 'of the excellence of doing rightly, and trembles while he acts wrongly, Eichard appears to care little what he does, or what men think of him.

In the contrival and committal of the murder of Duncan the whole machinery of Macbeth's character is laid bare. He is always doubting as well as fearing the consequences of his acts. He listens with ready ear to the insidious proposals of his wife, yet reasons with himself as to the base­ ness of the suggested act of treachery. At one moment he declares,

" We will proceed no further in this business, He hath honored me of late ;"

while in a few minutes afterwards he arrives at another conclusion, worked up to a state of false excitement, by the upbraidings and sneers of his com­ panion. We find him then stringing up his loosened nerves with a sort of artificial determination, for he exclaims,

" I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat."

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In committing the murder of Duncan how admirably is Macbeth's irresolute disposition displayed. Fears and doubts are tossing tumultuously within him. Previously to entering the chamber of his victim his agitation is extreme, while his exclamation, " if we should fail," shows how uncertain he is of success. He dreads the very ground he walks upon betraying him ;

" Thou sure and firm set earth, Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear Thy very stones do prate my whereabout."

The very fact of bringing away the daggers from the chamber proves how completely unnerved he was, and how " brainsickly of things" he must have been," when he thought he heard voices upbraiding him, and bidding him ' sleep no more." Look again at his speedy remorse. The ap­ pearance of his " hangman's hands" appals him, while the blood is already wet upon them, and his frantic terror is exhibited at the very thought of revisiting the scene of horror.

" I'll go no more,I am afraid to think what I have done ; Look on 't again I dare not."

Now let us see how Richard feels and acts under circumstances which would be likely to try a man's nerves. He has no " compunctious visitings." He is equally insensible to every tender or generous emotion. Virtue in others Kichard despises, meekness and gentleness he ridicules ; while he appears to abnegate the existence of righteousness either in himself or others. Richard is no hypocrite. He is a rank dissembler. The hypo­ crite makes truth serve the purpose of falsehood. The dissembler is content with making falsehood serve his own particular purpose. Richard dissembles with the Lord Mayor and the city authorities. He dissembles when he refers to Scripture and Sacred things. He dissembles with Buckingham. He dissembles with Lady Ann. He dissembles when he pretends to weep on learning the news of king Edward's death.

" Sorrow's the modeAnd every one at court must wear it now. With all my heart I'll not be out of fashion."

Under similar circumstances Macbeth would have acted the hypocrite. He had neither the wit nor ability to dissemble. Macbeth sickens at the thought and sight of blood. Richard is indifferent whether he sheds it himself, or causes it to flow by the agency of others. Richard considers deeds of violence as necessary to his elevation, Macbeth trembles at the

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very thought of them. Richard is energetic in all he does, Macbeth vacillates and procrastinates. Richard thinks and acts for himself, Macbeth is a mere machine, wound up and directed as it were by a daring, unscrupulous, and impetuous woman, and the apparently super­ natural movers of his destiny.

Richard stabs young Edward, after the battle of Tewksbury, without one grain of remorse; he kills king Henry like a butcher, and jests on the occasion,

" What! Will the aspiring blood of Lancaster Sink in the ground ? I thought it would have mounted. See how my sword weeps for the poor king's death."

He contrives the murder of Clarence without hesitation. He woos and discards Lady Ann without one touch of feeling. He causes the death of the two young Princes in the Tower without a pang of remorse. His greeting of Clarence's murderers is quite hilarious, and contrasts singularly with Macbeth's irresolution in engaging a third ruffian to assist in the assassination of Banquo, for fear that those already employed should not prove sufficient. Richard says to the ruffians,

" How now, my hearty stout resolved mates, Are you going to despatch this thing ? I like you, lads, about your business strait Go ! Go ! Despatch 1"

Richard's reception of Tyrell after the murder of the Princes, shews how callous he is to all human sympathy.

" RICHARD. Kind Tyrell, am I happy in thy news 1 " TYBELL. If to have done the thing you gave in charge

Beget your happiness, be happy then, For it is done.

" RICHABD. But didst thou see them dead ?" TYHEI.L. I did, my lord. >&& " RICBABD. And buried, gentle Tyrell 1 '^*f " TYBELL. The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them,

But where, to say the truth, I do not know. " RICHABD. Come to me Tyrrell soon at after supper,

When thou shall tell the process of their death. Meantime but think how I may do thee good, And he inheritor of thy desire."

No obstacles stand in Richard's way, no difficulties daunt him, nor impede his onward march. Everything and person that oppose him he "removes" without one spark of remorse, regret, or hesitation; while Macbeth shudders at retrospection, trembles at the present, and is ' full of saucy doubts aud fears " for the future.

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The murders Richard commits, it will bo observed throughout, have an especial purpose; but Macbeth slaughters with a blind fury incited by his fears. As, for instance, in his wholesale butchery of Macduffs family, which could by no means advance his fortunes.

In the closing scenes of these two men's lives, we still see in what a masterly way Shakspeare works out their individuality. Although we find Richard somewhat flurried on learning that Richmond is on the seas expecting the aid of Buckingham, with an intention to land and dispute his right to the throne, yet we find him speedily resuming his presence of mind, acting with his accustomed promptness and energy; weighing his chances, making the disposition of his forces skilfully, and issuing his

»orders with precision. As the hour of conflict approaches, he attends to the general as well as particular details relating to the coming battle: and though the visions of the night have somewhat daunted him, he quickly shakes off all despondency, and is soon " himself again."

During the progress of Bosworth fight, Catesby declares that. " The king enacts moist wonclers ^tum a man.

Daring and opposite to every danger, His horse is slain, and all on foot he fights, Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death."

Though the day goes against him, and he is urged to save himself by flight, he spurns the idea, declaring that " I have set my life upon a cast, and I will stand the hazard of the die." Richard abides by that cast, seeking Richmond everywhere in the thickest and hottest of the fight, till at length he encounters him. He meets him as a brave man should do his foe, and then, with courage radiant to the end, the last Plantagenet dies as unyieldingly and as sternly as he has lived.

Let us examine the incidents connected with the death of Macbeth, and his conduct previous to that event. As the time of his fate approaches, he is full of hurry and confusion, vaunting and despondency. Now leaning his slender faith upon the staff of the predictions of the phantoms raised by the wierd sisters ; now boasting that he has " never sagg'd with doubt nor shook with fear," yet almost in the next breath confessing that he is " sick at heart." Now do we see how skilfully Shakspeare exhibits the flowing of the " milk of human kindness" in Macbeth's disposition. He proves that he sincerely loves his wife, for when he learns that she is sick, although encompassed by danger and the difficulties of his position,

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he enquires of the physician, with a tenderness and pathos moat touching " Cans't thou not minister to a mind diseased, Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow ; Haze out the written troubles of the brain, And with some sweet oblivious antidote Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous load Which weighs upon the heart."

Macbeth next exhibits the feebleness of his temper and irresolution in calling for his armour. Although told that " it is not needed yet," he orders it "to be put on," and bids the armorer "despatch ;" yet in the next breath petulantly commands him " to pull it off," and then directs that " it may be brought after him." Any energy he exhibits, is the energy of despair. His is an impelled courage, arising from the distracting state of his affairs, yet here again the milk of human kindness is discernible. He learns at this juncture that his wife is dead, and though he has but just shown some energy in ordering his captains " to hang out their banners," and boasts that " his castle will laugh a siege to scorn," his soul melts at the fatal news, and he utters the fine soliloquy commencing,

" She should have die'd hereafter."

When Macbeth learns that Birnam Wood is moving he becomes panic stricken, and his belief in the predictions of the phantoms begins to waver; he still keeps up some show of courage yet see how his irresolution again manifests itself.

" If this which he avouches does appear, There is no flying hence, nor tarrying here. I 'gin to be aweary of the sun, And wish the estate o' the world were now undone."

He then plucks up heart of grace, and with a despairing effort exclaims" Eing the alarm bell. Blow wind ! come wrack I " >.' Jj;w'' At least well die with harness on our back."

Pressed on all sides, he declares himself like a bear "tied to a stake,'" but consoles himself with the recollection of the prophecy, that " none of woman born can harm Macbeth." His want of determination restrains him from falling " Roman-like on his sword." But how unlike to Richard is he at the last push of his career ? Richard, as we have seen, seeks Richmond everywhere ; Macbeth avoids Macduff throughout the day. When Macduff meets him, unlike Richard who courts instead of shuns the conflict, Macbeth stops to parley, and tells Macduff plainly that of " all men else I have avoided thee;" and even when swords have been crossed he still clings to

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the hDpe of escape by endeavouring to intimidate Macduff by announcing that he " bears a charmed life." Macduff's declaration of his being untimely ripped from his mother's womb drives Macbeth to despair, and he raves over the overwhelming announcement like one possessed. But Macduff still pressing the tyrant to the encounter commands him to yield as a

coward he must yield" And live to be the show and gaze o' the time."

Macbeth then finding words of no avail, with a sort of frantic energy fights without skill or judgment, and meets at length the soldiers

death which he did not merit.Thus Shakspeare, from the first to the last in these two remarkable

plays, works out the characters of his heroes with surprising skill. It should be recollected that while the poet exhibits the two monarchs as deeply steeped in crime, it is a great question whether he has been truthful in doing so Of Kichards extreme culpability there have been doubts raised; while Macbeth, it has been asserted, was a man totally different from what we find him on the stage. In the case of Richard, Shakspeare depicted him the monster he seems to be, doubtless to gratify the prejudices of his royal mistress, whose Tudor blood ran adverse to that of York, and who enter- tamed all the Lancastrian dislike to those who mustered under the standard of the pale rose. Shakspeare in this fully exemplifies his own assertion

in Hamlet " That it were hetter to have a had epitaph

Than the players' ill report."