...The human nature and political aspect strongly correlated in the play of Macbeth since his impulses and desires greatly affect its surrounding especially while having the authority over a country. Macbeth experienced the fall of his very own ambition which granted him his very own demised. Evil describes Macbeth’s human nature and not only does he experience it, he consults with it too. The witches are highly regarded as a freak of nature which promote evil, as for Macbeth they were his advisors therefore he will make his decision based on the prophecies where they are immoral or virtuous. In consequence of Macbeth’s embracement of his best human quality (Evil) he called upon himself a death sentence. Shakespeare reflected greatly on the position of the king discreetly without stirring up too much controversy particularly on the theory of “Divine right of monarchs”. Though Macbeth attained the power of the thrown he did it through an unorthodox way excluding him from the power of God therefore made him susceptible to any pending attacks. Having Macbeth steal the thrown from Duncan in such a despicable manner is an offense to the Almighty and a violation to the natural order. Shakespeare puts great emphasizes on the legitimacy of his current non-fictional king by creating a psychopath of a king called Macbeth. Macbeth tyrannical decisions lead to his dismiss by others mutinying against him in; seem like Shakespeare borrow some inspiration from the actions of the gun powder...
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...of Macbeth by William Shakespeare centers on the main character Macbeth and a prophecy that changes his life. Macbeth finds out he is to be the king of Scotland. The prophecy shocks and overwhelms him. The story follows his journey to becoming King and the consequences that follow due to the method he used to gain the crown. In his way to becoming king Macbeth changes the order of the kingdom which affects the Macbeth and people around. It even goes to the point of affecting the animals. Social order is an important part of the story because its interruption is the origin from which the conflicts in the story occur. These conflicts help analyze what, by Macbeths doing did he change that caused an interruption. It also highlights what...
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... The Nature of Man To quote Buddha, “It’s a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe that lures him to evil ways.” In essence, this quotation denotes that because every human being has a brain, they also possess the ability to think and act in a malicious and inhumane manner. Considering this, William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies, illustrates that uncivil behaviour will prevail on the adult-free island. In a like manner, Macbeth by Shakespeare gives insight to the lengths people will go to so that one can achieve personal profits at a rapid pace. Through similar fashions, both novels depict the true nature of human beings. Similarities between the characters of Jack from the Lord of the Flies and Macbeth from Macbeth reveal that power and greed is the root of all evil. In addition, the use of knives and representation of blood in both novels plays large roles in the quests for power. Also, similarities in plot structure help to further establish the sinful nature of humans. One can conclude that both Macbeth and Lord of the Flies give insight to the fact that human nature is predominantly evil through the characterization of Jack and Macbeth, symbolism of knives and blood and similarities within plot structure. Initially, the predominantly evil aspects of human nature show through the characterization of Jack and Macbeth. In the Lord of the Flies, the society the boys live in begins to crumble as...
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...Lady Macbeth found via Google - not my own work In typical Shakespearean tragedies, female main characters aren't always treated brilliantly. In Hamlet, Ophelia goes down the "I shall obey, my lord" route. In Othello, Desdemona goes down the "To you I am bound" route. Yet in Macbeth, this isn't quite the case. The most important female figure is Lady Macbeth, a cunning and manipulative woman who is associated with the supernatural. Instantly it can be argued that Lady Macbeth fits in with the later idea of certain Gothic women being 'sinister predators', or 'femme fatales'. | Dame Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth | Lady Macbeth has been the subject of much debate for hundreds of years. Her role in the play is incredibly important and she is the subject of various interpretations. Her first appearance in the play is in act one, scene five. She opens by reading Macbeth's letter; instantly this seems to present her as a typical Shakespearean woman (when I say typical, I mean typical in terms of main female characters in tragedies being passive), since her first words are that of her husband's, as though she is bound to him. Then she stops reading the letter, and we start to realise that she isn't at all typical. She instantly states that Macbeth will be "what thou art promised", which shows a determination and strength of will that we may not have been expecting. She goes on to criticise her husband's nature, since he is "too full o'th'milk of human kindness". A wife...
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...“Significant ideas are raised in plays” Discuss significant ideas in Macbeth Throughout the Elizabethan era, literary work was written for performance on the stage in order to entertain an audience. These performances, known as plays raise significant ideas that are the underpinning issue or idea that propels and sustains the play. As time passes, different generations look at the significant ideas in Shakespeare with new eyes, redefining and reinterpreting as influenced by the political, social and cultural conditions of each era. These significant ideas that are raised in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth (1606) include supernatural, ambition and temptation, and violence. Macbeth introduces an element of fantasy into the normal tragedy narrative through the characters of the witches. The witches are important figures in the play, as their function is both to predict Macbeth’s fate and to signal to the reader what is to come. Far from serving as a distracting element, the witches help focus the audience on some of the darker and more sinister aspects of the play. Shakespeare’s use of this supernatural idea is raised throughout the entire play. If the witches’ prophecy is understood to be imposing a supernatural order on the natural order of things, the natural order can also be understood as responding with tempestuous signs. Following Duncan’s death, Lennox describes the “unruly” night in detail and his personal emotions. Similarly, Ross notes that “the heavens, as troubled...
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...The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare dives into the story of Macbeth, the thane of Glamis who is given a prophecy that he will be the King, which sets the tragedies of the play in motion. Macbeth’s pursuit and possessiveness over the throne, along with the repeated use of nature to describe himself and the events around him, suggests that the innate ambition in humans may shift into an endless greed, which may lead to abandoned morals for a satisfaction that’s impossible to find. During the first part of the play, Macbeth is depicted as heroic in the way he battles and fights for his kingdom. He’s a trusted friend of the King’s, a confidant, and a loyal subject. When he receives his prophecy from the witches, however, he has thoughts of...
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...Despite Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ being a pre-gothic text, a vast range of gothic notions remain present, including those of darkness and concealment. The role of darkness within ‘Macbeth’ forms a vital aspect of the entire nature of the plot, with characters such as Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and even the witches displaying the use of dark acts, such as murder, in order to achieve personal ambition “that wilt raven up life’s own means.” Additionally, concealment plays an equally vital role, with the ‘femme fatale’ of Lady Macbeth strongly displaying signs of duality as she represses her evil nature behind the charade of passive femininity. However, one must consider why and how darkness and concealment obtain a significant device in structuring both the plot and displaying the gothic elements. Within ‘Macbeth, one of the most significant roles of the gothic notion of darkness is to emphasise to the audience the chaos and distress caused by Macbeth’s disruption of the Divine Right of Kings; which Shakespeare highlights through the relentless conflict between dark and light throughout the plot. Although darkness plays a vital role in accentuating the beast within both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, it can be seen as equally significant in the literal sense, with the eclipse which occurs during and after the murder of Duncan - hiding the cruel, dark nature to Macbeth’s acts. Within Act Two, Scene One, Fleance expresses the fact that “the moon is down: I have not heard the clock” which instantly...
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...‘Shakespeare is interested in the essentials of human nature, holding a mirror up to our humanity’ Shakespeare understood humanity in a way that no other playwright before him had ever explored. Harold Bloom, a prominent Shakespeare authority and literary critic, contends that Shakespeare invented personality and human nature as we know it today. Up until Shakespeare, there was a “villain”, a “hero”, a “fool” and an “innocent” and the audience knew right away which was which. Shakespeare didn’t write “heroes” and “villains.” He wrote real people with real flaws, who were all equally capable of committing good and evil. One of the most important themes in Macbeth involves the witches' statement in Act 1, Scene1 that "fair is foul and foul is fair." (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 10) This phrase aptly describes the macabre status quo within the character Macbeth and without. When Macbeth and Banquo first see the weird sisters, Banquo is horrified by their hideous appearances. Conversely, Macbeth immediately began to converse with these universally known evil creatures. After hearing their prophecies, one can say that Macbeth considered the witches to be "fair" when in reality their intentions were quite "foul." Macbeth's possession of the titles of Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland came by foul means. Macbeth became the Thane of Glamis by his father Sinel's death; he became Thane of Cawdor when the former namesake was executed for treason; and he was ordained...
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...his demise.(Tragic Hero as Defined by Aristotle). Macbeth had many noble qualities as well as several tragic flaws. Macbeth's degeneration was caused by the prophecy of the witches, lady Macbeth's influence, and his own long time desire to be king. Macbeth's tragic flaws were his ambition and the way he was easily manipulated. The prophecies of the witches bring out Macbeth's ambitious nature. Macbeth was first established as being of great stature, the captain says “For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name-/Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel”( I.ii. lines16-17). However, after hearing of the prophecy his honorable nature fades. The witches prophecies give Macbeth a sense of security and confidence but prove to be harmful for Macbeth and his interpretation of the truths. In the article “Shakespeare's Macbeth” by Mitchell Kalpakgian she states, “the witches on the heath foretell what Macbeth will gain but never disclose what he will lose or the price he will pay for acting on the insinuations of the witches who only speak half truths.”(Kalpakgian, 2013). Although it is true that Macbeth will become king it is never explained how he will obtain kingship and what kind of life he will lead as King. The witches plant the seed of murdering Duncan in Macbeth's head, but if it were only the witches prophecies that influenced him he would have not committed the murder. Lady Macbeth influences and manipulates Macbeth. She is the driving force that encourages him to...
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...and at the same time, tragedy. It is in human nature that the more power one desires the more corrupt actions one must do to attain it. Throughout the course of history, power has been a concept highly sought. Utilised in a beneficial way, it can lead to extraordinary achievements, correcting wrong doings and changing lives. Unfortunately, the ugly reality is the fact that it is the main cause of corruption in the world and is often taken advantage of. In William Shakespeare’s work entitled Macbeth, the lust for and corruption by power is clearly portrayed specifically through Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth. Firstly, the play commences with King Duncan and Macduff socializing about ‘the good and hardy soldier’ Macbeth, who at that point in time is brave and gallant warrior who exhibits loyalty and devotion towards his King. Macbeth and Banquo cross paths with the witches who proceed to prophesize Macbeth’s future, labelling him as the future King of Scotland. This immediately grabs Macbeth’s attention and is the driving force behind the alteration of his mind and wellbeing and he ponders what needs to be done to fulfill such a prophecy to become of a high power. Secondly, it is clear that Macbeth deals with the concept of power within his personal relationship with his wife. Lady Macbeth can be viewed as a sinister figure in the sense that she subdues her feminine qualities to express her dark emotions. The more infatuated Macbeth is with his wife, the stronger her power is ...
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...In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth experiences a dramatic change in character, leading to her demise. At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is a powerful woman. She is able to manipulate and convince her husband into committing murder for the crown. Throughout Acts I and II, Lady Macbeth’s strength and evil nature overpowers Macbeth. She takes control and plans Macbeth’s first murder. The murder of King Duncan reveals Lady Macbeth’s ruthlessness and persuasive skills. However, by Act III, Lady Macbeth’s entire character changes; she becomes depressed due to her husband’s lack of attention and newly found confidence. He no longer needs her to make his decisions. Guilt starts to consume her, and her mental state weakens. In...
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...The Natural Un-Unnatural William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play about a man whose ambition deems him insane. Through certain acts that Macbeth, the main character, disrupts the balance of nature and the unnatural. The actions that breed from Macbeth’s actions, due to his ambitions, cause unnatural things to occur. Throughout the play, the natural and unnatural balance of nature is thrown off, creating an unnatural atmosphere. Throughout William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, an atmosphere that is unnatural is created through imagery of unnatural birth, animal motifs, and the actions of Macbeth. Throughout Macbeth, images of unnatural births help fuel an unnatural atmosphere. In act four the witches brew up a potion consisting of different parts of living things. One of those things is a “Finger of birth-strangled babe/ Ditch-delivered by a drab” (IV,i,30-31). This contributes to the atmosphere of the play because during the Elizabethan time period, grueling births were not common. The fact that a prostitute gives birth to a baby on the side of the road, foreshadows that the baby will bring evil upon society; ultimately creating an unnatural and eerie atmosphere. Also, the fact that Macduff is “…from his mother’s womb/ Untimely ripped” (V,viii,15-16) plays a role as to how an unnatural atmosphere comes about. Imagery of Macduff’s birth causes a dark and unnatural atmosphere. Macduff is born from a sea section because Shakespeare tries to appeal to the...
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...Macbeth is a notorious script from playwright William Shakespeare. This tale stars Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth during Medieval Scotland. Under King Duncan’s reign, he two lust for power after receiving a prophecy, listing that Macbeth will become the new king. They will do anything for the crown, including murder. Recurring themes, also known as motifs, are laced within Macbeth’s plot. Masculinity presents itself as a struggle to appeal to societal male stereotypes. Aspects of darkness display negativity within Macbeth’s changed lifestyle. Macbeth is a piece that cannot be interpreted from a single viewpoint because almost all context has a deeper meaning, making Macbeth a very heavy-weighted read. Upholding the standard to being...
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...force behind any successful man. However, a woman can also use her strong influence in a negative way. This can be seen in Macbeth, where Lady Macbeth is the evil force behind Macbeth's cruelty and evil doings. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is the main reason that Macbeth is transformed from a noble, respected Thane into a ruthless, murderous character. Lady Macbeth fuels his inner desire for power and brings forth his greed and ambition, which both eventually lead to his downfall. The tactics that Lady Macbeth use to drive her husband to this downfall are manipulation, dominance, and her evil nature. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into believing that he is a coward and a bad husband, which persuades him to agree to the murder of King Duncan. She dwells on the fact that he is a coward, when she says "My hands are of your colour, but I shame/ to wear a heart so white" (2.2.64-65). This instills feelings of embarrassment into his mind, and manipulates him into believing that if he does not murder King Duncan, he will be a weak, cowardly man. Not only is she challenging his manhood, by appearing to be the stronger and braver of the two, but also, by calling his heart "white", she is criticizing his cowardice. The fact that his wife is undermining his masculinity causes Macbeth to want to be stronger, and not to appear weak and timid. When Lady Macbeth yells "Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead/ are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of childhood/...
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...No Roles, No Estate Fate, nature, and identity: in MacBeth, Shakespeare brews these three factors together in a boiling cauldron to demonstrate the dark side of the nature of mankind. MacBeth, initially a loyal general in Duncan’s army, becomes a mad, arrogant tyrant as a result of listening to prophesies of his future – or more specifically, his soon-to-become titles. His prior knowledge of his new titles elicits the inconspicuous avarice within MacBeth, which in return envelops Scotland into disorder and disease. Had he never obtained the ambition to promote his own role as king, Scotland could have remained the way it was under Duncan’s gentle rule; the absence of malicious intent – which had caused the deaths of Duncan, Banquo, and MacDuff’s family – would have most certainly created a different, possibly peaceful, alternative in the direction of destiny. Perhaps Shakespeare may be attempting to demonstrate the importance of roles within a society, as is evident throughout the characters, embedded words, and motifs within the script. Titles and roles create identities for people and establish societal norms, and, in effect, ultimately balance the order of nature. A role defines the identity, and thus the actions and purpose, of an individual. Names and labels are essential in that they are used everyday to recognize other people and oneself. The roles indicate who said, did, and conversed with whom, fundamental to Shakespeare’s literature that involves the interaction...
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