Blog Post 6 - Evil Macbeth
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| August 5, 2013. StOttilien. |
1. Why do people who are not "evil" take the first step into evil? What, for instance, is involved in taking that first step "down the primrose path to the everlasting bonfire" (Macbeth, 2.3)? What are the consequences of the individual choosing evil (particularly the internal consequences)?
Those who take that first step to being evil do so for selfish reasons that come with benefits to one's own desires. We often think why are people evil? What drove them to be the way that they are? The answer is that they all wanted something to benefit their own life. Being evil is not something people are born with. They become evil through their experiences and expectations. Taking the first steps to being evil involves a motivation, a goal, and no other way to reach that goal. For Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, the reason that they became evil and killed King Duncan was because the prophecy said that Macbeth would be the king and they wanted to ensure that this would come true. Once Lady Macbeth found out about the prophecy and the fate that it had planned out for her, she began preparing for Duncan's murder (Macbeth, 1.5).
Lady Macbeth is convinced that the only way her husband will become the king was if they were to kill King Duncan. When Macbeth does not know if he is willing to kill the king or not, Lady Macbeth tells her husband that she would willingly kill her own baby as he was breast feeding so he should not be so cowardly to not kill the king (Macbeth, 1.7). For Macbeth in this case, his wife was a significant motivator in his first steps to evil. She is the one who persuaded him that killing the king was the right choice and made him follow through with the murder.
When becoming evil, many people do not look into the consequences of what will happen after the acts that they will commit. Sometimes there are physical consequences such as punishment for the crimes that have been committed, but other times there are less obvious ones: internal consequences. These consequences are self-inflicted that are caused once an act has occurred based on the true feelings of the person who committed the action. These may include feelings of regret, guilt, and sorrow for the actions that they have taken. At the coronation party for Macbeth becoming king, no one knew that he had killed King Duncan and Banquo, but he was faced with the internal consequence of guilt. The guilt that he felt was shown through the appearance of Banquo's ghost moments after he was killed. No one was able to see the ghost except for Macbeth, but Macbeth was acting as though he was a living person in the room with him. He was trying to convince the ghost that he was not responsible for his death since he was not the one to physically kill him. His attempt to prove that what he did was not wrong, shows Macbeth's guilt for these murders (Macbeth, 3.4).
Not only does this evil make people feel bad about what they did, but they also become paranoid that people will figure out what they did. Macbeth is constantly afraid for the reason that he and his wife will be caught for their murder and they will be punished for them, even though Lady Macbeth constantly tells him that no one will ever know. Through this fear, Macbeth ordered three murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance, the two people who were suspicious of them in the murder of Duncan.
People are not born evil, they need motivation to become who they become. The first steps are the most important, as there is no getting out once they are taken.
I really liked your analysis! I think you did a very good job talking about the internal consequences of one's evil actions. I agree that people not only feel guilt, but also feel afraid of others finding out. I think another consequence could be stepping farther into evil. After one murder, it was much easier for Macbeth to kill more people and do more evil deeds to fulfill the prophecy and get what he wanted. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI liked how you said Lady Macbeth was Macbeth's motivation to become evil. While I agree, I think that the witches could have been an even earlier motivator. Macbeth had killed others in battle before, but he would have never thought to kill someone he was so loyal to. The witches may have been a motivator for Lady Macbeth who was, in turn, a motivator for Macbeth. Macbeth was a bit skeptic of the witches at first, so I think Lady Macbeth had a larger impact on Macbeth than the desire to be king. I really like your analysis of the consequence as well! Fantastic job!
ReplyDeleteI really liked this analysis of why people choice to be evil and the elaboration that it is a choice to be evil and steps are taken to become evil. Along with this you added in Lady Macbeth placing her on the evil side too, which I support because you put her in her place, of being this support and push towards Macbeth becoming evil. I also believe that the consequence section of your blog post was very detailed and well done with the examples that you choose, because the most significant consequence tends to be regret and guilt.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very good and well thought answer to the proposed question. For the majority I agree with you. I do believe that Lady Macbeth was the reason that Macbeth was a changed man. After reading this blog post, it made me come up with the idea that if it weren't for Lady Macbeth, Macbeth probably would have backed down to Macduff when he realized that it was a part of his prophecy to die. He also wouldn't have killed King Duncan and gone on his killing spree. One thing I do disagree with is how people are not born evil. I do believe that there are some things in people that just make them naturally evil, like Darth Vader or Adolf Hitler. Overall, this was a fantastic blog post Christina
ReplyDeleteGrace Copeland: I liked your closing statement that once the first steps are taken there is no way out. While I feel that this was a good close to your analysis of Macbeth, and can be held true for the story and characters of Macbeth, I don't feel that it holds true in real life. I like to believe that there is good in everyone and that everyone has the opportunity to do and be good if they choose to. I also agree with your analysis the Lady Macbeth kind of took Macbeth's first steps into evil for him.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your analysis. I agree that people are not born evil; however, I don't feel that all people choose evil because of greed or motivating factors. I believe it is possible for people to be forced into evil. For example, some may view Lady Macbeth as forcing Macbeth into evil rather than motivating him. Overall, I loved the post.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this analysis, I fully agree that people choice to be evil but I don't feel that everyone person choose evil because of greed. I also think another consequence could the person stepping farther into evil and from that we start to see the change. I like how you also analysis lady Macbeth being the start of Macbeth first step in being evil.
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