In the extract, and the play as a whole, Shakespeare depicts Macbeth as a character that changes drastically from a once loyal soldier who, after giving into temptation of his “vaulting ambition” and committing regicide, causes chaos across Scotland and loses his once earned respect. Shakespeare does this to warn his audience of the consequences of overreaching ambition and to re-affirm people's view of kingship. Shakespeare starts the play ‘Macbeth’ by introducing the titular character as a brave and loyal soldier. In Act 1 Scene 2, Duncan refers to Macbeth as a “valiant cousin” and the Captain describes how his “sword smoked with bloody execution.” The metaphor exaggerates Macbeth’s heroic acts and the adjective “bloody” emphasises their violent nature. These violent actions were deemed courageous for a warrior in the Jacobean era and a Shakespearean audience would have taken this to view Macbeth as a valiant hero. Duncan, as the king, describing Macbeth would have exaggerated his characteristics and cemented him as heroic. Shakespeare depicts Macbeth as heroic early on in the play to contrast his downfall and emphasise the decisions he later makes as detrimental to his character. As Shakespeare introduces Macbeth further, he criticises his excessive ambition by culminating this temptation in the form of a “dagger.” In Act 2 Scene 1, Macbeth sees a vision of a dagger and asks “Is this a dagger I see before me, handle toward my hand? Come let me clutch thee.” His initial questioning of the dagger, which is his phantasmal manifestation of his desire to kill, shows his unease and knowledge of the negatives behind the crime. However, his immediate dismissal in the imperative “Come” conveys his ignorance and highlights the risks of ambition. This depiction of a man overcome by temptation for personal gain, alludes to the biblical character of Judas who betrayed Jesus for monetary gain, eventually leading to Jesus’ death and later, his own. This portrays Macbeth’s want for power as more of a betrayal of his king, whom he was once loyal to, and, as a result, God who, in Jacobean times, was thought to choose the monarch and be only slightly above them. This allusion also serves to foreshadow his death and show the Shakespearean audience the horrors of regicide. Shakespeare depicts Macbeth betraying the King as a result of his own ambition to warn them of the dangers of a want for power. Later, Shakespeare depicts Macbeth’s tyrannical reign, to present his fall from grace and how his horrific actions affected others. Macduff mentions the effects of Macbeth’s reign to Scotland when he says that “Our country sinks beneath the yoke. It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash is added to her wounds.” The metaphor of Scotland portrays it as “sink[ing]” which effectively shows its descent into chaos and the use of the pronoun “her” depicts femininity which, to a Shakespearean audience, would connote helplessness, vulnerability, and need for protection or rescue.Macduff also exclaims “Bleed, bleed, poor country” which further highlights Scotland as hurt and the repetition of “bleed” presents the idea that time is running out and emphasises the harm Scotland is in. Shakespeare does this to further present the turmoil Macbeth has caused, in the state of tumult that Scotland’s in and to emphasise the consequences of regicide on the entire country. In the extract, Shakespeare presents his relationship with the people under him to portray his loss of respect and by contrasting it with how a king should be treated and how Macbeth is described in Act 1. In the extract Macbeth repeatedly calls for Seyton when he exclaims “Seyton!” “Seyton I say!” and “Seyton!” The repetition presents his lack of control or authority over others and portrays his loss of respect from a “valiant” soldier to an ignored King. Macbeth also has to ask twice for Seyton to “Give [him his] armour”, “Give [him his] armour” which highlights the lack of authority Macbeth has as King. A Shakespearean audience would expect a King to be respected as in Jacobean times the King was thought to be chosen by God and so the depiction of a King that is blatantly disrespected would convey to them that Macbeth is unworthy of the title and doesn’t deserve respect. To conclude, Shakespeare depicts a character who falls victim to his ambition and loses his once-earned respect while causing chaos to Scotland. Shakespeare does this to emphasise the consequences that an actualised want for more power can have on yourself and others to persuade people against it.