Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Macbeth Post #3 (for Friday, February 4)
Macbeth is intensely psychological. It allows students to explore one of the most universal and socially relevant themes in Western literature – the consequences of human ambition when it suppresses one’s sense of morality. Consider Macbeth’s downfall and explore what it is, exactly, that can cause a seemingly decent human being to commit immoral and evil acts.
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Macbeth in the beginning was satisfied with his life. When he meets the witches he decides that he can, and perhaps needs more than what his life already offers. This makes him more dangerous, now he wants power and depending on how ambitious he is about it he may commit some unlawful actions. Between his wife and himself the ambition is so high, they kill for the power. Then again he feels that to make his life better he must get rid of something...or someone, Banquo. What causes Macbeth to commit these crimes is his desire and mind. He wouldn't have killed if it was not in his head that he should; then his desire overcomes his rational thoughts and he commits the unthinkable.
ReplyDeleteThe start of Macbeth's downfall was when he met the three witchs, because of a supernatural prediction that he will become king and Thane of Cawdor. I don't think he believed the witches' prediction untill he was Thane of Cawdor. From that point on, Lady Macbeth and himself started to turn evil because then they knew that Macbeth could become king. I think Lady Macbeth had more ambition to kill the king and wanted to have power more than Macbeth, but after Macbeth killed the king, his quest for power became greater, and his rational thoughts no longer stoped him from doing evil and immoral deeds. He then killed his former best friend, which caused his mind to trick him because of his false images of Banquo after he was murdered. The story of "Macbeth" is psychological because Macbeth's whole mind is being molded and changed in every way, from his thought process, to what he thinks he is seeing.
ReplyDeleteMacbeth's downfall is first introduced when he is told he will be king by the three sister witches. this knowledge drives him to fulfill his destiny in any way possible. He then becomes jealous of his friend's destiny, which is to have further successors, so he then becomes obsessed with obtaining his destiny, and will stop at nothing to achieve it. His insanity is his major malfunction and is what drives him to do whatever he needs to get what he wants.
ReplyDeleteMacbeth starts off content with how his life is unfolding until he meets the three sisters. He becomes obsessed with getting his destiny of becoming king, which then leads him to obsess over getting his friends destiny. He started by killing one person, Duncan. Next it was Banquo, obviously Macbeth has little man syndrome and anger issues to top it off.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of Macbeth, Macbeth was very happy with his life. His ambition along with the ambition of his wife leads him to kill the king. The three weird sisters and their prophecy also lead Macbeth to kill the king. As the story progresses, Macbeth got jealous of Banquo (having kids to succeed him, unlike Macbeth) so he decided to kill Macbeth. If Macbeth did not kill Duncan, then he would have never gained the courage to kill Banquo. The weird sisters' prophecies and he/ his wife's ambition is what leads him to his downfall and/or tragic flaw.
ReplyDeleteIn Act I Macbeth was focused on being noble and serving his king. Once Macbeth met the witches Macbeth became focused on how he was going to be king. Once Macbeth put all of its focus on being king, he lost focus on being noble and moral acts. Therefore, he committed treason and did whatever it took to be king.
ReplyDeleteMacbeth was happy with his life and content with being second best and loyal to his king.But then the three witches reveal to Macbeth that he has the potential to become king. It was not until this meeting that Macbeth even thought about killing Duncan. Even though Macbeth realizes that he can be king, it's not until his wife learns of the prophecy that she plans out how Macbeth is actually going to become king. Lady Macbeth uses her womanly emotions to twist Macbeth's feelings to make him think that if he doesn't commit this crime then he will be showing that he does not love her. Macbeth, who is a good person, kills the king because of his dark desires and the desires of his wife.
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Macbeth has a flaw to listening to others when the deeds are clearly wrong or immoral. His wife is a prime example, she persuaded Macbeth to killing King Duncan by questioning his manhood.The witches are to blame as well, if they had not told Macbeth and Banquo, Macbeth would not have gotten the idea to try to go after the title of King.
ReplyDeleteMacbeth begins the play as a noble and loyal character. His downfall quickly begins as the three witches tell him the prophecy. The prophecy is what gives Macbeth the ambition to commit the deeds that he does. He kills King Duncan and Banquo and will most likely kill more characters as the play progresses. Macbeth's ambition which is caused by the prophecy and by Lady Macbeth, causes him to commit terrible deeds. Therefore, he gets a guilty conscience. Macbeth's traits that lead to his downfall are his ambition and the guilt caused by his ambition.
ReplyDeleteMacbeth starts out as a man content with his position in the world. He had power (his thane-ships), but no so much power that he was required to do much more than he wanted to. The turning point in this role is when the three witches tell him that he will be king. Before he had heard that, Macbeth had no thoughts of ruling, but after, he thought about it and wanted it. He had the desire to go up in the world, but did not really want to actively do anything about it. It was his wife than pushed him to act on the prophecy.
ReplyDeleteIn general, people are content with their positions unless they are told that they could have more. Once the seed is planted, most people would do anything to reach that level. The people willing to kill for a higher position are not the majority, as far as I know, but it takes an originally dark personality to take something to such lengths. Macbeth was already a killer, since he was a warrior, so if he could detach himself enough, it wouldn't make a difference. Lady Macbeth, however, was seemingly a good woman, so the thought of being queen is what caused her to kill. Some people just want better things for themselves that they can't even see other people.
Humans are naturally driven to be ambitious. If people weren't ambitious they wouldn't survive. There is a natural need to do, and this need has enhanced into a natural need to improve. Ambiton can fill a person. They can be become entranced by a goal and lose sight of everything else. With just a little push from an outside source ambiton can snowball to make a person do anything. Macbeth is a good example of this. He is naturally ambitious and it has driven him to success already at the beginning of the story, but when he sees an opportunity for even more success, he gets lost in the possibility. He begins to ponder the ways be could accomplish his goal. With a little push from his wife, he is forced by his ambition to kill one of his close friends.
ReplyDeleteMacbeth started the story loyal to the king and focused on being a good nobleman. Macbeth's attitude towards the king changes when he meets the three witches that provide Macbeth with the information that causes him to think illogically. Macbeth's ambition drives him to commit regicide and become king of Scottland.
ReplyDeleteLady Macbeth was the cause of Macbeth's downfall in the play. If it was not for Lady Macbeth's manipulating idea, than Macebeth would have not killed king Duncan. Also I think that the three witches had a part in Macbeth's downfall too. I think that Macbeth would not have had a strong desire to become king if it was not for the witches foretelling his destiny/future to him.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning, Macbeth was content with the life he had and was content on serving his king and protecting his king. When he meets the three witches, all of his morals are clouded by his ambition to fulfill the witches prophecy and become king. Once he morals were clouded he forget all about protecting the king and tryed to kill him to be king.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Macbeth's downfall was caused by the three witches and Lady Macbeth. If the three witches did not tell Macbeth and Banquo prophecies, there would not have been ambition and if Lady Macbeth would not have questioned Macbeth's manhood, Macbeth probably would not have committed immoral or evil acts. Temptation causes human beings to sin and do horrible acts. Every human being's heart is deceitful, which also causes people to commit acts one would not normally expect or acts that other people will disapprove of. Everyone is not perfect and everyone makes mistakes. For example. if you go to school and start chilling with the wrong crowd, you might commit an act of violence, do drugs, or drink alcohol and maybe even smoke. It is about whether or not one approves or disapproves. It is about whether or not one abides by another's expectations. It is also about whether one can be good or be bad.
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