Macbeth Essay Topics to Deal With a Writing Tragedy

[The topic lists were updated in June, 2019]

These “Macbeth” essay topics were created to help students find the best ideas for writing. You can come up with your own ideas based on these topics or choose one from the lists and write an essay on it. You can easily find a “Macbeth” essay topic by reading through the following lists and then write an essay that will be interesting to read.

Argumentative Essay Topics on “Macbeth”

1. 1. Whom is to blame for Duncan’s death?
   2. “Macbeth” by Shakespeare is a moral play.
   3. Why can’t morality stave off the thirst for power in “Macbeth”?
   4. What is more significant for Macbeth’s fate: the prophecy or his own actions?
   5. Macbeth is the most dynamic tragic hero in Shakespeare’s plays.
   6. Is Macbeth a more tragic hero than his wife?
   7. Manipulation in family relationships in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”
   8. Which of Macbeth’s betrayals is worse: the betrayal of his friend Manquo or his king Duncan?
   9. Is Macbeth actually guilty?
   10. Would Macbeth become a king without the influence of the prophecy?
   11. Do the witches play an important role in “Macbeth”?
   12. Are Macbeth, Macduff, and Banquo all versions of the same person?
   13. Was the technique of elision crucial to the success of “Macbeth”?
   14. Was justice not served at the end of “Macbeth”?
   15. Is “Macbeth” a moral play?
   16. Is blood actually a symbol for something else in the play?
   17. Are the minor characters in the play more important than the main ones?
   18. Did the witch’s prophecy to Banquo reveal anything about his character?
   19. Were Macbeth’s actions primarily motivated by the fear of the supernatural?
   20. Did the historical liberties that the author took in “Macbeth” enhance the story?

Comparative Essay Topics for “Macbeth”

1. 1. Compare and contrast the downfalls in “Macbeth” with Jack from “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding.
   2. Compare and contrast the behavior of Macbeth and Banquo after they’ve heard the prophecy.
   3. Compare and contrast the play “Macbeth” and the cinematic adaptation directed by Rupert Goold.
   4. Compare and contrast the witches from “Macbeth” and gods from the “Iliad.”
   5. Compare and contrast the main heroes from Shakespearean plays “Richard II” and “Macbeth.”
   6. Compare and contrast the role of soliloquies in Shakespearean plays “Macbeth” and “Hamlet.”
   7. Compare and contrast the play “Macbeth” and its adaptation created by Justin Kurzel in 2015.
   8. Compare and contrast the roles of Gertrude in “Hamlet” and Lady Macbeth in “Macbeth.”
   9. Compare and contrast the historical background in “Macbeth” by Shakespeare and “Throne of Blood” directed by Akira Kurosawa.
   10. Compare and contrast the role of phantoms in “Macbeth” and “Hamlet.”
   11. Compare and contrast Macbeth, Macduff, and Banquo. How are they alike?
   12. Compare and contrast the external conflicts in “Macbeth” and “Lord of the Flies.”
   13. Compare the support of Lady Macbeth to Macbeth and the support of Piggy to Ralph in “Lord of the Flies.”
   14. Compare the role evil plays in “Macbeth” and “Lord of the Flies.”
   15. Compare the endings of “Macbeth” and “Lord of the Flies.”
   16. Compare the roles supernatural elements play in “Macbeth” and “Lord of the Flies.”

Critical Essay Topics on Macbeth

1. 1. Macbeth as the antihero in the Shakespearean play.
   2. Senselessness of life as the main idea of “Macbeth.”
   3. The symbolic meaning of blood in the play “Macbeth.”
   4. Darkness as a setting for the play “Macbeth.”
   5. The theme of sleep in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”
   6. The representation of remorse in “Macbeth” by Shakespeare.
   7. Free will and determinism in the tragedy “Macbeth.”
   8. Aristotle’s archetypes in the play “Macbeth.”
   9. What literary devices does Shakespeare use to describe the deterioration of Macbeth’s character?
   10. How do mythological elements contribute to the plot of “Macbeth”?
   11. How did the witches influence Macbeth’s actions in the play?
   12. Are Shakespeare’s women not slaves in the play?
   13. How is the theme of deception presented in the play?
   14. Is Lady Macbeth responsible for Macbeth becoming king of Scotland?
   15. What are the factors that motivate Macbeth’s own ambitions?

Analytical Essay Topics for Macbeth

1. The negative influence of phantoms on Macbeth’s sanity.
2. The role of morality in the play “Macbeth.”
3. Analyze the representation of the supernatural in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”
4. Obsession with power as a driving force of the plot in “Macbeth.”
5.  Why was a fear the main reason for Duncan’s murder?
6. The connection between language and gender in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”
7. Different types of masculinity in “Macbeth” by Shakespeare.
8. The root of evil in Shakespeare’s tragedy “Macbeth.”
9. The conflict between appearance and reality in the play “Macbeth.”
10. The significance of dreams in the Shakespearean “Macbeth.”
11. Analyze the development of Macbeth’s character throughout the play.
12. Obsession with murder in the tragedy “Macbeth.”
13. Different forms of power in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”
14. Dramatic irony as a literary device in “Macbeth.”
15. The role of social hierarchy in the play “Macbeth.”

Essay Topics on “Macbeth” About Women Characters

1. Lady Macbeth is the most evil character in the play “Macbeth.”
2. The impact of Lady Macbeth on her husband’s actions.
3. How does the scene with somnambulism reveal Lady Macbeth’s character?
4. Is Lady Macbeth a typical woman of the 16th century?
5. Are women characters symbols of Macbeth’s fate?
6. Shakespeare’s overall view of women in his play “Macbeth.”
7. Is Lady Macbeth a dominant heroine?
8. Feminist ideas in the Shakespearean play “Macbeth.”
9. How is Lady Macbeth a “perfect wife” for her husband?
10. Why does Lady Macbeth ask spirits to “unsex” her?

Unusual Essay Topics for Macbeth

1. According to your impression and understanding of the text, give the portrait of the best king. Who fits this role better than other figures?
2. Is the main hero of the play “Macbeth” a psychopath?
3. Would Macbeth choose the dark side of the Force if he was a hero of “Star Wars”?
4. Write a narrative essay from the viewpoint of Lady Macbeth after her husband became a king.
5. The seven deadly sins in the play “Macbeth.”
6. Compare Vladimir Putin to the main character of the play “Macbeth.”
7. How are the id, ego, and superego shown in the play “Macbeth?”
8. The character of Macbeth as a good leader.
9. Would Macbeth be successful in modern society?
10. What corrupted Macbeth more: promise of power or power itself?
11. The connection between the tragedy “Macbeth” and Greek myths.
12. The similarities and differences between the characters of Lady Macbeth and Eurydice, mother of Alexander the Great, in the movie “Alexander” (2004).
13. What symptoms of mental diseases does Macbeth demonstrate?
14. Write a narrative essay about the events after Macbeth’s death from the viewpoint of Malcolm.
15. Whose death is the most tragic in the play “Macbeth”?

More Essay Topics on “Macbeth” to Consider

1. Can we call Macbeth conscienceless?
2. What is more important in the play “Macbeth”: supernatural forces or psychological deviations?
3. Whose death seems to be more tragic in the play “Macbeth”?
4. How is “Macbeth” historically accurate?
5. What is Macbeth’s hamartia?
6. Can Macbeth be considered as a hesitant character at the end of the play?
7. Lie as a separate character in the play “Macbeth.”
8. Why has the tragedy “Macbeth” become a classic?
9. Can nobility change human nature according to the play “Macbeth”?
10.  Social issues in the tragedy “Macbeth.”

How We Can Help You with “Macbeth” Essay Topics

The tragedy “Macbeth” was created by Shakespeare in 1606, three years after the death of Queen Elizabeth, and James I’s accession to the throne – the son of the executed Scottish Queen Mary Stewart. The play, based on a plot from Scottish history, was not so much artistic as it was more a political response to the era in which it was necessary to develop the Scottish theme, emphasize the historical friendship of England and Scotland, and talk about witches and witchcraft popular at that time.

Historical events and images that formed the basis of “Macbeth” were borrowed by Shakespeare from the “Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland” by R. Holinshed. At the same time, the English playwright significantly reduced the time of the development of events: he united the uprising of MacDonald and the invasion of the Norwegian king in one historical moment and presented the time of Macbeth’s reign.

We are sure that you will find an essay topic for “Macbeth” for the paper you are going to write. We guarantee that our topics are the best and will help you if you are lacking ideas. Also, it is great that they are divided into types, as this way, you can find a topic for any kind of paper you need. Our interesting “Macbeth” essay topics are what you were looking for.

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