Dear oib class,
We have been having a philosophical discussion on the nature of man and the nature of monsters. We've spoken of monsters before, and of men who wish to be God, but what, then, is a man? How does Shakespeare invite us to answer this question?
The role of a man is something that is questioned several times in the play; there are different aspects to it. Lady Macbeth defines a man as someone who doesn't just speak of his ambition; but someone who lives up to this ambition through action. Indeed, she associates a man to someone who is aggressive and violent, which is why she questions Macbeth's manhood, leading him to act irresponsibility while in doubt of his reputation. At the beginning, she is the only one who doesn't see him as a man. However, before murdering Banquo, Macbeth hides his plans from his loved one which exposes his affection - this makes him a man because he protects her. Nevertheless, throughout most of the play he acts like a coward; not because he doesn't do any actions but because all the crimes he commits are such a dishonest and shady way. Therefore, when he finally takes Duncan's place, he doesn't truly deserve his place. Finally, we can say that Macduff's son, who appears to be precocious, is more of a man than any characters; he is willing to sacrifice himself for his family.
I just wanted to add a little parenthesis to say that in Shakespeare's play, the man becomes a monster. Hoping to become a man to please his beloved, Macbeth evolved into a monstrous being; he went from killing his king to killing his best friend to killing innocent children along with their mother. Macbeth was for brave warrior who received a lot of glory from his battles but as his ambitions and insecurity grew stronger, so did the darkness within him. Now, he is willing to destroy the world just so he could be secure, even when the kingdom is already suffering. In this case, the man follows a reverse evolution and falls lower and lower until he has reached the bottom of the abyss. On the other hand Shakespeare’s play introduces other characters who show their courage in the face of adversity. Both Banquo and Macduff’s son sacrifice themselves in order to save the ones they hold dear. They understand that a man is someone who is unselfish and someone who knows what his priorities are. These two characters emphasize the monstrous and cowardly ways of Macbeth.
The role of a man is something that is questioned several times in the play; there are different aspects to it. Lady Macbeth defines a man as someone who doesn't just speak of his ambition; but someone who lives up to this ambition through action. Indeed, she associates a man to someone who is aggressive and violent, which is why she questions Macbeth's manhood, leading him to act irresponsibility while in doubt of his reputation. At the beginning, she is the only one who doesn't see him as a man. However, before murdering Banquo, Macbeth hides his plans from his loved one which exposes his affection - this makes him a man because he protects her. Nevertheless, throughout most of the play he acts like a coward; not because he doesn't do any actions but because all the crimes he commits are such a dishonest and shady way. Therefore, when he finally takes Duncan's place, he doesn't truly deserve his place. Finally, we can say that Macduff's son, who appears to be precocious, is more of a man than any characters; he is willing to sacrifice himself for his family.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to add a little parenthesis to say that in Shakespeare's play, the man becomes a monster. Hoping to become a man to please his beloved, Macbeth evolved into a monstrous being; he went from killing his king to killing his best friend to killing innocent children along with their mother. Macbeth was for brave warrior who received a lot of glory from his battles but as his ambitions and insecurity grew stronger, so did the darkness within him. Now, he is willing to destroy the world just so he could be secure, even when the kingdom is already suffering. In this case, the man follows a reverse evolution and falls lower and lower until he has reached the bottom of the abyss.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand Shakespeare’s play introduces other characters who show their courage in the face of adversity. Both Banquo and Macduff’s son sacrifice themselves in order to save the ones they hold dear. They understand that a man is someone who is unselfish and someone who knows what his priorities are. These two characters emphasize the monstrous and cowardly ways of Macbeth.