Macbeth is presented as a mature man of definitely established character, successful in certain fields of activity and enjoying an enviable reputation. We must not conclude, there, that all his choices and actions are predictable. Macbeth's character, like any other man's at a given moment, is what is being made out of potentialities plus environment. No one, not even Macbeth himself, can know all his excessive self-love whose actions are discovered to be - and no doubt have been for a long time - determined mainly by an extreme desire for some temporary or changeable good.Macbeth is pushed in his conduct mainly by an extreme desire for worldly honors; his delight lies primarily in buying golden opinions from all sorts of people. But we must not, therefore, deny him an entirely human complexity of motives. For example, his fighting in Duncan's service is magnificent and courageous, and his evident joy in it is traceable in art to the natural pleasure which accompanies the explosive outgo of immense physical energy, and the relaxation which follows. He also rejoices no doubt in the success that crowns his efforts in battle - and so on. He may even conceived of the proper motive that should energize back of his great deed: The service and the loyalty I owe, In doing it, pays itself.But while he destroys the king's enemies, such motives work but dimly at best and are hidden in his consciousness by more vigorous urges. In the main, as we have said, his nature violently demands rewards: he fights valiantly in order that he may be reported in such terms a "valour's minion" and "Bellona's bridegroom"' he values success because it brings spectacular fame and new titles and royal favor heaped upon him in public. Now so long as these alterable goods are at all comparable with his unreasonable desires - and such is the case, up until he receives the kingship - Macbeth remains an honorable gentleman. He is not a criminal; he has no crimina...
