Why is Macbeth Unable to Apply the Brakes on his Homicide Problem?
Why does Macbeth, who knows that his actions are evil and will be punished, continue to choose evil?
Piscine Patel in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi once quoted, “It is simple and brutal: a person can get used to anything, even killing”. This quote implies that human nature is pliable enough so that one can easily adjust and bend actions to their will if it will cater to their selfish desires. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is an excellent example for the mentioned quote. Macbeth starts out innocent and loyal to the throne but that is quickly dispelled when he commits Duncan's murder. As he had already done so much evil, doing more harm came easy to him, as it was necessary to commit it to …show more content…
Their apparitions told him that “None of woman born/Shall harm Macbeth”(Act 4, Scene 1), and dispelled his anxieties by telling him: “Macbeth shall never vanquished be until/Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/Shall come against him.” ( Act 4, Scene 1). The witches then tormented Macbeth, stealing his sleep and making sure he was plagued with insomnia. They ensured he would suffer they had invaded his mind with thoughts of royalty and riches and lulled him into a false sense of security that no one would hurt him. They knew it was a great sin to harm the King, a sin that would punish him dearly, and yet they still encouraged it by planting ideas in his mind that had not been there before. He would not have even considered hurting Duncan before he met the witches, and was still hesitant to afterwards. If Macbeth was not told to, “Beware Macduff”(Act 4, Scene 1), Macduff’s son and wife would be alive, as Macbeth had no reason to hurt him before he was forewarned. They inspired him to commit the murder that ensured his seat on the throne, but continued further on to plant the seed of suspicion on many around him, including Banquo and Macduff. Their paradoxes and others convincing only enforced his paranoia that someone would attempt to take his life from him and therefore caused him to take part in more …show more content…
In the first murder, Macbeth was hesitant to perform the deed, and backed out until she angrily spoke: “From this time/Such I account thy love.”(Act 1, Scene 7), which held him accountable to their love. He knew his wife would turn on him with anger, and to diffuse that, he reluctantly agrees. His wife sparked his killing spree and shares equal, if not more credit for the murder of Duncan as she implored Macbeth to do it when he wished not to. She urged him on, insulting his masculinity and bravery when she states: “When you durst do it, then you were a man”(Act 1, Scene 7). The next morning, she promptly faints to keep up appearances, so that even if Macbeth was caught, she could still act innocent. Lady Macbeth is someone who is not afraid of committing grave sins to gain power. In fact, she tells Macbeth that if she were not a woman, she would have killed Duncan herself, and begs the spirits to “unsex me here/And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full/Of direst cruelty” (Act 1, Scene 5). She acts incredibly strong at the scene of the crime, however, in Act 5 Scene 1, the audience is exposed to the amount of guilt she feels for the murder of Duncan. The gentlewoman tells the doctor that Lady Macbeth has light surrounding her at all times, and the audience can infer that it is because she no longer needs the dark, but rather, fears it. Lady Macbeth
Why does Macbeth, who knows that his actions are evil and will be punished, continue to choose evil?
Piscine Patel in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi once quoted, “It is simple and brutal: a person can get used to anything, even killing”. This quote implies that human nature is pliable enough so that one can easily adjust and bend actions to their will if it will cater to their selfish desires. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is an excellent example for the mentioned quote. Macbeth starts out innocent and loyal to the throne but that is quickly dispelled when he commits Duncan's murder. As he had already done so much evil, doing more harm came easy to him, as it was necessary to commit it to …show more content…
Their apparitions told him that “None of woman born/Shall harm Macbeth”(Act 4, Scene 1), and dispelled his anxieties by telling him: “Macbeth shall never vanquished be until/Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/Shall come against him.” ( Act 4, Scene 1). The witches then tormented Macbeth, stealing his sleep and making sure he was plagued with insomnia. They ensured he would suffer they had invaded his mind with thoughts of royalty and riches and lulled him into a false sense of security that no one would hurt him. They knew it was a great sin to harm the King, a sin that would punish him dearly, and yet they still encouraged it by planting ideas in his mind that had not been there before. He would not have even considered hurting Duncan before he met the witches, and was still hesitant to afterwards. If Macbeth was not told to, “Beware Macduff”(Act 4, Scene 1), Macduff’s son and wife would be alive, as Macbeth had no reason to hurt him before he was forewarned. They inspired him to commit the murder that ensured his seat on the throne, but continued further on to plant the seed of suspicion on many around him, including Banquo and Macduff. Their paradoxes and others convincing only enforced his paranoia that someone would attempt to take his life from him and therefore caused him to take part in more …show more content…
In the first murder, Macbeth was hesitant to perform the deed, and backed out until she angrily spoke: “From this time/Such I account thy love.”(Act 1, Scene 7), which held him accountable to their love. He knew his wife would turn on him with anger, and to diffuse that, he reluctantly agrees. His wife sparked his killing spree and shares equal, if not more credit for the murder of Duncan as she implored Macbeth to do it when he wished not to. She urged him on, insulting his masculinity and bravery when she states: “When you durst do it, then you were a man”(Act 1, Scene 7). The next morning, she promptly faints to keep up appearances, so that even if Macbeth was caught, she could still act innocent. Lady Macbeth is someone who is not afraid of committing grave sins to gain power. In fact, she tells Macbeth that if she were not a woman, she would have killed Duncan herself, and begs the spirits to “unsex me here/And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full/Of direst cruelty” (Act 1, Scene 5). She acts incredibly strong at the scene of the crime, however, in Act 5 Scene 1, the audience is exposed to the amount of guilt she feels for the murder of Duncan. The gentlewoman tells the doctor that Lady Macbeth has light surrounding her at all times, and the audience can infer that it is because she no longer needs the dark, but rather, fears it. Lady Macbeth