Betrayal--it is something that quite a number of people dread, on account of its gravity and ability to truly hurt and shake someone to his or her core. A traitor can come in many shapes and sizes, from all walks of life; according to Shakespeare, however, those who are closest to an individual are also those who are most likely to break faith with the aforementioned individual. This is reflected in his quote, “There’s daggers in men’s smiles; the near in blood, the nearer bloody.” In context, this quote is spoken by Donalbain, a prince and a son of the murdered King Duncan, after he learns of his father’s death. Donalbain, after hearing of his father’s murder, converses with his younger sibling, trying to determine the best course of action. They decide to separate ways, in order to be safer; after all, in their perspectives, nobody can be trusted. This quote essentially means that those who are closest to someone are hiding their true intentions behind their saccharine dispositions; they are merely acting as such in order to coax something from the individual that will be of benefit to them. Ultimately, these people who are considered close, whether related by blood or not, will eventually conclude their schemes by committing an act of betrayal that will affect one’s state greatly.
