Shakespeares treatment of evil in Macbeth Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares treatment of evil in Macbeth Essay It is clear right from the beginning of the play that the witches play a key role in the play. The opening scene shows the witches planning their meeting with Macbeth. Not only does this scene hold suspense and capture the audiences attention from the start of the play, it sets the atmosphere also. They meet on a moor in thunder and lightening, this portrays an evil image. This is how Shakespeare portrays evil at the start of the play. Shakespeare used rhyming couplets for lovers and magical characters, as well as at the end of a scene to round it off. The Witches speak this certain way to stress their mysteriousness and sense of confusion. Some of their lines contradict each other and this can be very effective and powerful. All: Fair is foul, and foul is fair Hover through the fog and filthy air. (1.1) This is to emphasise the witches hate for good, and love for evil. Also, this would have caused tension among an Elizabethan audience. Witches were believed to be associated with the evil powers of Hell, and that they had diabolical powers and could take demonic power over anybody they chose. The image of them being able to fly would frighten them. In the Royal Shakespeares Companys production, starring Anthony Sher and Harriet Walter, the witches are shown as extremely mentally unhinged and deranged. They run around Macbeth and Banquo as they tell them their prophecies. Their evil is portrayed by the camera shots used, and fuzzy effects that a stage performance could not achieve. This gives them a sense of mystery. The theatre production I saw did not have a very effective or powerful opening. The witches seemed disturbed but I felt they spoke too quickly, this could have been connected with evil forces, but I feel that if the audience did not know the script very well, it could be confusing. Though I felt the parts of the witches were not acted very well, they did depict their power over Lady Macbeth very well. This was achieved in the unsex me here speech in Act One, Scene Five. The witches were shown behind Lady Macbeth in green light, which both created an eerie atmosphere but showed that perhaps they were the evil behind all of Macbeth and Lady Macbeths plans. Maybe they had some control over what was happening. In the witches foul is fair and fair is foul speech, it was sung in a way that made them sound very mentally disturbed. They also did mysterious movements with their arms. Both of these actions made the scene more powerful and interesting for the audience, and also created a feeling of evil and the unknown. The witches were not only in the play to put emphasis on evil; Shakespeare had intended to please King James I, which Macbeth was performed before. The king was very fascinated by witchcraft at the time, but witches were feared by almost everyone during the reign of Elizabeth I, as England was a Christian country, that believed literally in Heaven and Hell and as they thought that witches were associated with Hell, witches must have been evil, and if they were anything to do with them, they were to be condemned to eternity in Hell. Hundreds of people, many women were convicted as witches and tortured and executed. Towards the beginning of the play, King Duncan, his sons, and Lennox meet a captain who was wounded from a battle. Macbeth is well spoken of, and even though the audience have not yet seen Macbeth himself, they are given the impression he is a noble and respectable man. The captain tells of Macbeths victory in having captured the Thane of Cawdor, a traitor to the king. Hearing this, Duncan is overjoyed with Macbeth and gives Macbeth the title of Thane of Cawdor for himself. For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name) Distaining Fortune, with his brandishd steel, Which Smokd with bloody execution, (Like Valours minion) carvd out his passage. Captain (1.2) Macbeth therefore has good qualities at the beginning of the play that makes his abrupt change terrifying. He is simply a human being with human weaknesses, particularly his ambition, which makes him vulnerable when it comes to being tempted be the idea of having power He does not seem evil at all at the beginning of the play, infact he seems very far from it. He is a man who, as Lady Macbeth says: Too full o th milk of humane kindness to catch the nearest way. (1.5) From the opening scene, Macbeth is chosen as a target for temptation by the witches. This suggests that perhaps he was not an evil person, but just a victim of his ambition and moral weaknesses. He is tempted when he first meets the three witches when they say that he was to be king. But when Macbeth is told that he had been made Thane of Cawdor, he asks: The Thane of Cawdor lives, why do you dress me in borrowed robes? (1.3) This seems to suggest that at the stage, Macbeth wants no honour that is not rightfully his? At first, Macbeth does not want to murder Duncan, as his fears were that he would be eternally damned, especially as Duncan was a good king to his country. But eventually, ambition takes over and he does not let his thoughts get in the way. The witches are not the only reason for why Macbeth becomes so unhinged and obsessed with the idea of becoming king. Lady Macbeth was very responsible for Macbeths decision to kill Duncan; it was she, who mocked Macbeth when he did not want to carry on with their plans to kill him. Lady Macbeth says: When you durst do it, then you were a man: And to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man. (1.7) Lady Macbeth is an extremely strong and power craving woman. She is tremendously ambitious for herself and who is astute enough to recognise her husbands strengths and weaknesses, and also ruthless enough to make the most of them, this is shown when as she mocks him when he did not want to murder. The idea of becoming queen is incredibly tempting to her, and she realises that without her, he will never win the Crown. She therefore calls on the powers of darkness for his and her sake. Come you spirits, That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty (1.5) Lady Macbeth describes in violent terms what she herself would be prepared to do in this situation, she explains how willing she would be to kill for the Throne, by stating that she would go as far as murdering her own child if necessary. I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, And dashd the brains out, had I so sworn As you have done to this. (1.7) The idea she expresses here certainly fits perfectly with the fair is foul and foul is fair speech. This shows that appearances may be deceitful. Lady Macbeth seemed like a very feminine, weak lady. This is shown when the murder of Duncan had just been discovered, Macduff says to Lady Macbeth: O gentle Lady, Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: The repetition in a womans ear, Would murther as it fell (2.3) She is also a very cautious criminal; she remembers details well such as in Act Two, Scene two, when Macbeth had just murdered Duncan, he forgets to leave the daggers back to the scene of the crime. Macbeth, at this point, is shocked after what he had just done. He is frightened, and very guilty, he is not in the state to return the daggers. So Lady Macbeth does it for him to cover their tracks. Not only does she influence Macbeth to such actions, but she is ambitious enough to finish off any things he had begun. At this stage, Macbeth still has a conscience, he panics after he had sinned. Ill go no more: I am afraid, to think of what I have done: Look ont again, I dare not. (2.2) But as time passes, he realises he will have to carry on killing people to cover up the truth that it was him who murdered Duncan. One of those people was his friend, Banquo, who knew about the witches prophecies. Banquo was suspicious, as he had always thought the witches were misleading Macbeth in some way. If anyone knew who had killed Duncan, it would be Banquo. Macbeth therefore needed to rid of him, and also his son, Fleance, as it was said by the witches that he would also become king. First Witch: Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Second Witch: Not so happy, yet much happier. Third Witch: Thou shalt get Kings, though thou be none. (1.3) This is the point where Macbeth gets carried away with his ambition. He tries to stop what the witches said would happen. This is proved impossible when Fleance flees from the murders, leaving his father, dying. Macbeth carries on murdering innocent people including Lady Macduff and her son. Macbeth returns to the witches to hear more of what was going to happen, in Act Four, Scene One. His ambition had already taken over by then. He is obsessed with keeping the throne. The apparitions one by one tell him bad news, but Macbeth is over confident and is now almost certain he would not be defeated. The power of man: for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. Macbeth shall never vanquishd be, until Great Birnam Wood, to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him. Apparitions two and three (4.1) Again, not all things are what they seem. This is again, another example of the half-truths that Shakespeare uses. They play a large role in Macbeth, and are what was used to draw Macbeth into doing evil deeds. Evil is also emphasized by clothing in productions and films. In the production that I saw, and in the RSC production, the actors were wearing mostly black all of the time. Lighting was very effective in the live performance; green lighting was used for the witches which gave a supernatural atmosphere. Smoke was also used to create a feeling of mystery in the opening scene. The consequences of evil develops drastically throughout the whole play, starting off with doubts and indecisions, and ending with empty, ruthless cruelty. If Macbeth is viewed as a psychological study of a murderers mind, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both show symptoms of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is defined as a psychotic disorder characterised by loss of contact with the environment, by noticeable deterioration in the level of functioning in everyday life, and by disintegration of personality expressed as disorder of feeling, thought, and conducts. They may also hallucinate, and can not distinguish between what is real and what is not. Macbeth imagines Banquos ghost at the dinner. This scene was done very effectively in the live performance. Banquo appeared onstage, and slipped in and out of the stage through the iron gates, which normally, the actors would have to open to walk through. Stepping through the gate broke the boundaries and gave a very supernatural edge to the scene. Some schizophrenics withdraw emotionally, for example, their outlook on life is deadened and they show little or no warmth. This is exactly what happens to Macbeth near the end of the play. I have livd long enough; my way of life Is falln into the sear, the yellow leaf. I have almost forgot the taste of fears (5.5) Lady Macbeth is so mentally disturbed by what she and her husband have done that she cannot sleep peacefully, resulting in her sleep walking. This signifies that she can not get it out of her head, and she is beginning to become crazy because of it. She is even re-acting some of the past out, including the letter writing, which symbolises the letter that her loving husband wrote to her to inform her of the news that he was to be king. She feels unclean after touching the daggers and the blood of the king. She has hallucinations that her hands are covered in blood and that she cannot remove the smell of blood from her hands either. Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him. The Thane of Fife, had a wife: where is she now? What will these hands neer be clean? Heres the smell of blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. (5.2) She also knows her husband is getting out of control, and she feels that it is all getting unbearable. This is first shown when Macbeth is planning to kill Banquo. Lady Macbeth tries to discourage him, but fails: Lady Macbeth: You must leave this. Macbeth: O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife: Thou knowst, that Banquo and his Fleance lives. (3.2) It is towards her death, when she is seriously psychologically damaged by the events. Shakespeare shows this through the way that she speaks. While throughout most of the play, Lady Macbeth spoke in unrhymed iambic pentameter. At the end when she was sleep talking, she spoke in prose, which showed how disjointed her mind was: Wash you hands, put on your nightgown, look not so pale: I tell you yet again Banquos buried; he cannot come out ons grave. (5.1) In conclusion, I think Macbeth was extremely influenced by the witches. They were the main reason for spread of evil. There is certainly with little doubt, without the witches, and their prophecies, Macbeth would not have murdered Duncan. Though the witches were the main reason, the others was also his ambition, his weakness to temptation, and the power his wife had over him to tempt him to do what his conscience knew was wrong. Lady Macbeth is incredibly determined, and powerful, and eventually, the two of them lost their passion they had for each other because of their evil deeds and desire for control Your hand, your tongue, look like th innocent flower, But be the serpent under t. He thats coming, Must be provided for: and you shall put This nights business into my dispatch, Which shall to all out nights, and days to come, Give solely sovereign swat, and masterdom. Lady Macbeth. (1.5) Upon the sightless couriers of the air, Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which oerleaps itself, And falls on th other. Macbeth (1.7)

The Literature of Romanticism versus the Victorian Essays -- Romantici

In the Victorian era poets are inspired to debate among each other in the heat of enlightenment. The literature of Romanticism versus the Victorian era initially becomes a problematic subject to accept. As a Victorian poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins attacks the conception of religion by questioning the existence of God. Hopkins’ sonnets reflect this issue of an oppress religion and educates people towards the conspiracy of a change era through his magnificent poems. Hopkins stands true to the new and improve era of Victorian by conciliating the absences of divinity. Although others may have disagree that G.M. Hopkins is not directly promoting a riot against religion but rather inspiring the hopeful experience in the rejuvenation of faith, Hopkins does circulate his ideas among the struggle, suffering, and agony of religion depicted in his â€Å"terrible sonnets†. Hopkins is the new omen to the age of reasoning of faith, science, skepticism, and love; he stresses the degree of faith and illustrates the truth of reality about religion, projecting his principle of skepticism. The Victorian era conceived through Romanticism has become a relentless era concerning to the uproar of human development. Poets begin to broaden their understanding about faith to realism given the arrival of the Victorian. The spiritless characteristic of nature suddenly becomes the burden and agony of human sufferings as revealed in Hopkins’ poems, demonstrating of great anxiety and desperation to depart from the old faith, Romanticism. Hopkins’ sonnets are generally pessimistic about the culture of religion. In Hopkins’ sonnet No Worst, There Is None, Hopkins discusses of the deep grief that is semi-related to hell and death. â€Å"No worst, there is none. Pitched pas... ...ave suggest that Hopkins uses his poems and sonnets to awakening the corruption and realization of technology and science, Victorian poets are making a point to reestablish the faith of humanity and that is the independency of mind and nature. A debate is also questioned whether Hopkins’ poems are conveying a satirical piece of work in the changes in the era. Hopkins’ poems can be ambiguous but it is apparent that his works shine the light to those in despair about Religion versus epistemic. The nature of humanity is never satisfy or complacent; the traces in bettering life continues to evolve with everyday changes to everything else. However these changes in time is the beauty of literature, the artwork is never discolored because of this forever evolving world; changes are put together like pieces of puzzles and in responding to paint the world of literature. The Literature of Romanticism versus the Victorian Essays -- Romantici In the Victorian era poets are inspired to debate among each other in the heat of enlightenment. The literature of Romanticism versus the Victorian era initially becomes a problematic subject to accept. As a Victorian poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins attacks the conception of religion by questioning the existence of God. Hopkins’ sonnets reflect this issue of an oppress religion and educates people towards the conspiracy of a change era through his magnificent poems. Hopkins stands true to the new and improve era of Victorian by conciliating the absences of divinity. Although others may have disagree that G.M. Hopkins is not directly promoting a riot against religion but rather inspiring the hopeful experience in the rejuvenation of faith, Hopkins does circulate his ideas among the struggle, suffering, and agony of religion depicted in his â€Å"terrible sonnets†. Hopkins is the new omen to the age of reasoning of faith, science, skepticism, and love; he stresses the degree of faith and illustrates the truth of reality about religion, projecting his principle of skepticism. The Victorian era conceived through Romanticism has become a relentless era concerning to the uproar of human development. Poets begin to broaden their understanding about faith to realism given the arrival of the Victorian. The spiritless characteristic of nature suddenly becomes the burden and agony of human sufferings as revealed in Hopkins’ poems, demonstrating of great anxiety and desperation to depart from the old faith, Romanticism. Hopkins’ sonnets are generally pessimistic about the culture of religion. In Hopkins’ sonnet No Worst, There Is None, Hopkins discusses of the deep grief that is semi-related to hell and death. â€Å"No worst, there is none. Pitched pas... ...ave suggest that Hopkins uses his poems and sonnets to awakening the corruption and realization of technology and science, Victorian poets are making a point to reestablish the faith of humanity and that is the independency of mind and nature. A debate is also questioned whether Hopkins’ poems are conveying a satirical piece of work in the changes in the era. Hopkins’ poems can be ambiguous but it is apparent that his works shine the light to those in despair about Religion versus epistemic. The nature of humanity is never satisfy or complacent; the traces in bettering life continues to evolve with everyday changes to everything else. However these changes in time is the beauty of literature, the artwork is never discolored because of this forever evolving world; changes are put together like pieces of puzzles and in responding to paint the world of literature.

Hunting Snake by Judith Wright Essay

First of all remember that we would never know what exactly the poet is trying to mention and non of the comments can said to be ‘wrong’ Great black snake represents the aborigin people in Australia and the person who gets scared of this snake is an English occupier. The word ‘black’ is simply you can understand that it means black people and snake is a wild animal who lives on their own land but humans are the occupiers and the writer at the same time fears and admires the snake while the snake ‘fled’ which mean the snake is also afraid of the people. As you can understand in present time, English people have started moving to Australia in order to get that place and the aborigins, the original people of Australia is being ignored at the same time we admire them but this admire is so extreme and unnecessary that we make them feel like they’re wild animals. And if you ever go to Australia, you would see that the tour guides would show the local people of Australia, the aborigins with their hands and we would admire them but we will never chat with them or have any talk between as we are scared and this is also the way we treat the wild animals. In the first stanza, we can see a perfect Picture of the atmosphere. The sky is in ‘gentlest’ way despite when the person sees that ‘great’ ‘black’ snake, we can understand that with using the word ‘great’, person admires the snake. But why is the word ‘black’ is used? As you can understand the color black represents darkness which humans fear. Also don’t we talk about racism, the ‘black’ and white people. We treat the black people as the same way, we act like they’re aliens, like they’re different from us and also we show an unnecessary amount of admire which makes them more alienated.

The Link Between Time, Money, and Morality - 942 Words

Money has mould, transformed and created a society where monetary security has triumphed over the essential concept of time and human morality, this correlating relationship has been highlighted in the paper, Psychological Science: Time, money and morality. Freud reinforces this point as â€Å"â€Å"†¦money questions will be treated by cultured people in the same manner as sexual matters, with the same inconsistency, prudishness and hypocrisy.† (Richard Trachtman 1998, http://www.richardtrachtman.com/pdf/moneytaboo.pdf). The paper successfully demonstrates the influence of irrational financial and monetary responsibility instilled onto human ethics and the concept of time through the multiple experiments. Through the various experiments within a†¦show more content†¦Thus it would only demonstrate the mentality and results of a certain age group which â€Å"lead to the unfortunate conclusion that what can be observed reliably is socially meaningless and what is socially meaningful cannot be observed reliably† (Kurt, L 1997). In turn the relationship between time, money and human ethicality would only be representative of a certain age group within a niche of society which has certain needs and priorities from a majority of the population. However, it does display a cohererant and consistent result which reinforced Gino and Moligner’s expriement to prove the link between time, money and morality. This research data has certain usefulness within society as it allow for â€Å"building such bridges between basic research and practical problems† (Mark, S, 1993). With the available information, it could be operationalized into working models for society allowing employers to base policies and strategies to maximise the honesty and motivation for their employees. However with the statistical data and facts obtained it would lose its value within the real world as these experiments are impractical and pose unrealistic situatio n and expectations, thus would encourage foul behaviour. With the underlying evidence from the results of the research, Gino and Mogilner has demonstrated the correlating relationship between time, money and morality. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Link Between Time, Money and Morality Essay979 Words   |  4 PagesGino and Mogilner (2014) have evidenced that the thought of money makes people engage in dishonest behaviour whereas the time leads to self-reflection, which directs people away from unethical behaviour. 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