The theme of violence being used to rule over society has been explored in literature throughout history. Violence can take two primary forms: physical and psychological. In order for a group to maintain rule over a society, both forms of violence need to be used effectively. Two such tales are Macbeth by William Shakespeare and 1984 by George Orwell.
Violence always requires an initiator and an inflictor. Macbeth is both the inflictor and initiator of regicide, murder and tyranny. Winston Smith rebels against the Party due to the psychological torture that he goes through each day: however, he is still the initiator of violence by rebelling against the Party. Lady Macbeth and Julia are influencing factors in both characters’ lives, and affect …show more content…
The despotic leaderships are different: Macbeth has an autocracy, an individual rule over the subjects of his kingdom, while the Party has an oligarchy, with the Inner Party functioning as the small minority that rules over the majority. An autocracy can be toppled easily: Macbeth’s death ends his reign, but if a member of the Inner party dies then another can take their place. Therefore for an autocracy, Macbeth assumes all responsibility and therefore blame for his tyranny: however, the Party can always blame other members of the Inner Party for mistakes or when they become rogue, always allowing them to be free of blame and therefore the hate of the general public. This totalitarian rule is foreboding and seems inescapable compared to Macbeth’s rule, which can be toppled by Macduff and his …show more content…
Macbeth and the Inner Party rule their subjects tyrannically. Threats to Macbeth’s throne are eliminated as are all Party members who dare think against the Party dogma. However, what can justifiably be sacrificed in the quest for such power? The Inner Party and Macbeth himself sacrifice beliefs and values that the reader holds dear: both sacrifice
Not only do the Party and Macbeth sacrifice BLANK, but the applications of such emotions, like relationships. Macbeth kills his best friend Banquo, rationalising it as a necessary sacrifice to secure his throne and power. Likewise, the Party forebode relationships in speculation of the control that it could lose to the emotion connections between
Violence always requires an initiator and an inflictor. Macbeth is both the inflictor and initiator of regicide, murder and tyranny. Winston Smith rebels against the Party due to the psychological torture that he goes through each day: however, he is still the initiator of violence by rebelling against the Party. Lady Macbeth and Julia are influencing factors in both characters’ lives, and affect …show more content…
The despotic leaderships are different: Macbeth has an autocracy, an individual rule over the subjects of his kingdom, while the Party has an oligarchy, with the Inner Party functioning as the small minority that rules over the majority. An autocracy can be toppled easily: Macbeth’s death ends his reign, but if a member of the Inner party dies then another can take their place. Therefore for an autocracy, Macbeth assumes all responsibility and therefore blame for his tyranny: however, the Party can always blame other members of the Inner Party for mistakes or when they become rogue, always allowing them to be free of blame and therefore the hate of the general public. This totalitarian rule is foreboding and seems inescapable compared to Macbeth’s rule, which can be toppled by Macduff and his …show more content…
Macbeth and the Inner Party rule their subjects tyrannically. Threats to Macbeth’s throne are eliminated as are all Party members who dare think against the Party dogma. However, what can justifiably be sacrificed in the quest for such power? The Inner Party and Macbeth himself sacrifice beliefs and values that the reader holds dear: both sacrifice
Not only do the Party and Macbeth sacrifice BLANK, but the applications of such emotions, like relationships. Macbeth kills his best friend Banquo, rationalising it as a necessary sacrifice to secure his throne and power. Likewise, the Party forebode relationships in speculation of the control that it could lose to the emotion connections between