Promises, Threats, and Betrayals: A Commissive Speech Act Analysis of Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Abstract

This study explores the role of commissive speech acts—promises, threats, vows, and betrayals—in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, using the framework of Speech Act Theory as developed by John Searle (1975). Commissive acts, which commit a speaker to a future course of action, serve as powerful instruments in Macbeth for expressing ambition, loyalty, deception, and moral decay. Through a detailed analysis of selected dialogues, this research examines how characters such as Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, the witches, and other key figures use commissives to manipulate, persuade, or intimidate. The study reveals that the strategic use and violation of commissive acts not only drive the plot forward but also illuminate the psychological and ethical deterioration of the protagonist. By focusing on commissive speech acts, the research provides a pragmatic lens through which to understand character motivation, interpersonal conflict, and the performative nature of power and guilt in the play. Ultimately, the study argues that the performativity of language in Macbeth is central to the tragedy’s thematic concern with fate, free will, and moral consequence.