Andrew Lee
Humans involuntarily adhere to the “Great Chain of Being” by placing themselves at the top of the Earthly realm, allowing no other organisms to usurp their position below God and the Angels. Mankind is blessed with “not only existence, life and feeling,” (Page 28, Lines 6-7) as E.M.W. Tillyard states in the novel The Elizabethan World Picture, but also unparalleled cognitive abilities that place humans above the animal kingdom. The human race is also endowed with all of the faculties of earthly phenomena (the 5 senses), and is thus ranked above the “three grades of the sensitive class.” Unfortunately, this blessing bestowed upon the humans by God engenders negative consequences as well; an inquisitive mind and the ability to …show more content…
Although the “Great Chain of Being” doesn’t seem to “control people’s lives” during the 21st century, the concept was very influential during Medieval and English Renaissance times, influencing some of the most lauded figures in the fields of art and literature, such as William Shakespeare. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, “disturbing natural order brings forth chaos” is a central concept that reflects the values of the Elizabethan era, which is reinforced by Macbeth’s eventual downfall after King Duncan’s death. One of the first examples of social mobility and the disturbance of natural order occurs when the “Thane of Cawdor” disobeys King Duncan, a taboo in the chain of being worldview because the king is of the highest order of men. Additionally, since Macbeth is credited with defeating the thane, he is bestowed the title “New Thane of Cawdor,” which exemplifies a rise in social rank, and the king’s ability to appoint new titles. Not only has Macbeth gone against the idea of a world ordained by God, in which positions and status in a hierarchy are determined, but King Duncan has also shown that he possesses the right to raise the social status of another, which illustrates a sense of divinity that only belongs to God …show more content…
Another example of Macbeth’s increase in power occurs after the death of the king. Lady Macbeth’s desire to achieve the highest social rank drives her to throw away her compassion and femininity, as seen in the quote “Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here” (I, v, 44-45).” After attacking Macbeth’s manhood, she successfully convinces him to carry out her plan to murder King Duncan, resulting in the crowning of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as King and Queen, respectively. Following Duncan’s murder, the disturbance of the Great Chain is manifested in the natural world, as a sign of the severe consequences that will ensue after committing such a heinous crime; after all, the King is of the highest order of men, and is supposed to be appointed by God (characters in the play notice a change in the behavior of animals, such as when a hawk is killed by an owl and a horse runs wild, which signifies a disturbance in the chain of being). Wherever evil is present, the natural world reacts accordingly; therefore, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will meet a fateful demise for committing the ultimate act of defiance. Lastly, before Macbeth meets his fate, he witnesses the trees of Birnam Wood inching closer to him, a clear example of the disruption in the Great
Humans involuntarily adhere to the “Great Chain of Being” by placing themselves at the top of the Earthly realm, allowing no other organisms to usurp their position below God and the Angels. Mankind is blessed with “not only existence, life and feeling,” (Page 28, Lines 6-7) as E.M.W. Tillyard states in the novel The Elizabethan World Picture, but also unparalleled cognitive abilities that place humans above the animal kingdom. The human race is also endowed with all of the faculties of earthly phenomena (the 5 senses), and is thus ranked above the “three grades of the sensitive class.” Unfortunately, this blessing bestowed upon the humans by God engenders negative consequences as well; an inquisitive mind and the ability to …show more content…
Although the “Great Chain of Being” doesn’t seem to “control people’s lives” during the 21st century, the concept was very influential during Medieval and English Renaissance times, influencing some of the most lauded figures in the fields of art and literature, such as William Shakespeare. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, “disturbing natural order brings forth chaos” is a central concept that reflects the values of the Elizabethan era, which is reinforced by Macbeth’s eventual downfall after King Duncan’s death. One of the first examples of social mobility and the disturbance of natural order occurs when the “Thane of Cawdor” disobeys King Duncan, a taboo in the chain of being worldview because the king is of the highest order of men. Additionally, since Macbeth is credited with defeating the thane, he is bestowed the title “New Thane of Cawdor,” which exemplifies a rise in social rank, and the king’s ability to appoint new titles. Not only has Macbeth gone against the idea of a world ordained by God, in which positions and status in a hierarchy are determined, but King Duncan has also shown that he possesses the right to raise the social status of another, which illustrates a sense of divinity that only belongs to God …show more content…
Another example of Macbeth’s increase in power occurs after the death of the king. Lady Macbeth’s desire to achieve the highest social rank drives her to throw away her compassion and femininity, as seen in the quote “Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here” (I, v, 44-45).” After attacking Macbeth’s manhood, she successfully convinces him to carry out her plan to murder King Duncan, resulting in the crowning of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as King and Queen, respectively. Following Duncan’s murder, the disturbance of the Great Chain is manifested in the natural world, as a sign of the severe consequences that will ensue after committing such a heinous crime; after all, the King is of the highest order of men, and is supposed to be appointed by God (characters in the play notice a change in the behavior of animals, such as when a hawk is killed by an owl and a horse runs wild, which signifies a disturbance in the chain of being). Wherever evil is present, the natural world reacts accordingly; therefore, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will meet a fateful demise for committing the ultimate act of defiance. Lastly, before Macbeth meets his fate, he witnesses the trees of Birnam Wood inching closer to him, a clear example of the disruption in the Great