William Shakespeare bestowed Hamlet upon the world at a time when his audience was highly concerned with the relationship between religion, politics and the universe. Written around 1600, the play emerged at a tense time in English history when uncertainty loomed regarding the shift of power from Elizabeth I to a new heir. Philosophical studies from the early 17th century tell us that Shakespeare’s audience was focused on issues such as Christian obedience to God, the moral significance of social institutions, and the human fascination with revenge. The Elizabethan audience embraced Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy, utilizing it as a venue to interpret their own morals regarding religious tradition, political corruption and social structures. The play no doubt struck a chord with the audience members’ innermost desires, fears and morals as being very personal, but acting on those emotions can create a domino effect on the outside world. Shakespeare borrowed elements from previous revenge tragedy writers to make Hamlet a very introspective, philosophical drama. Through Shakespeare’s revenge play, the Elizabethan audience was able to explore the notions of revenge and justice between individuals as well as political structures.
Shakespeare followed the standards for a revenge play that were set by Seneca, a Roman statesman and philosopher who lived in the 1st century (Barnet lxvi). Senecan tragedies featured ample amounts of murder and blood followed by a quest to seek revenge on the villain (Kasbekar). Several elements define a Senecan revenge play, and Shakespeare utilized these elements when writing Hamlet. First, the story revolves around a tragic hero whose intentions and inner voice will be self-dramatized (Kasbekar). Shakespeare’s Hamlet is such a character, elaborating on his own philosophical ponderings through lengthy, poetic soliloquies. Second, an obsession with crime and a preoccupation with torture, mutilation, incest and corpses are prominent (Kasbekar). These themes are evident in imagery and dialogue throughout the play. From Claudius’ incestual marriage to Gertrude to Hamlet’s encounter with Yorrick’s skull, symbols of death remind the viewer of the immorality of the characters and the bloody finale that’s ultimately looming. Shakespeare borrowed from another writer of revenge tragedies for the third element of revenge in Hamlet. Thomas Kyd, who produced an earlier version of the Hamlet tale, the Ur-Hamlet, as early as 1589, introduced a revenge-seeking ghost to the mix (Barnet lxvi). In Shakespeare’s version, Hamlet is visited by his late father who informs him that he was murdered by Claudius, and asks Hamlet to seek vengeance for his death. Hamlet hatches a plan to feign madness in order to catch Claudius admitting his guilt. An avenger feigning madness is an element of the revenge tragedy, as well (Kasbekar). The prince orchestrates a play dramatizing events strikingly similar to those surrounding King Hamlet’s murder, hoping that Claudius’ guilt will surface as he watches the performance. While Hamlet is busy scheming against Claudius, the king is doing the same against Hamlet, attempting to have him murdered. A play-within-a-play and double-crossing are both indicative of the revenge tragedy (Kasbekar). Elizabethan audiences loved the heightened emotional drama this formula offered, as it made them consider revenge, death, honor and morality on a both personal and governmental level.
Shakespeare also explores the theme of revenge as opposed to reason through Hamlet’s internal struggle. A university student who is extremely philosophical and contemplative, Hamlet becomes obsessed with the challenge of revenge when he learns of his father’s murder. He wants to seek revenge for his father’s death, but wants to be sure “beyond a reasonable doubt” that his uncle is indeed guilty of the crime. Hamlet ponders the afterlife, suicide, and what happens to the physical body after a person has died, while simultaneously trying to bring himself to kill another human being. The act of thinking actually holds Hamlet back from acting on his desires. This delay of action is a prominent element in the revenge tragedy. But even though Hamlet thinks obsessively, he behaves impulsively, like when he stabs Polonius through the curtain. It is at this point Hamlet’s feigned madness becomes something rather tangible. In this way, Shakespeare makes the case that one can think too much, and excessive introspection can only leave one lost in his own thoughts. It is rather ironic that it is Hamlet’s fear of death which ultimately leads him to his own.
This introspection sends Hamlet into a deep melancholy; he is disturbed by the state of affairs in his own family and in the state of Denmark in general. His father has been murdered and his uncle has been pitted against him as his arch rival. His mother has disgraced his father by quickly marrying his uncle despite popular opinion that incest is immoral. Because of his mother’s actions, he is so disgusted by women that he even shuns and demoralizes Ophelia, a woman he once claimed to love. His spirit is broken, and he regularly contemplates suicide. Because Hamlet is so concerned with his own self-loathing and misery, he spares no time worrying about the stability of Denmark. Even though Denmark is being threatened both from the outside by the Norwegian prince, Fortinbras, and from the inside by Claudius, a murderous adulterer, Hamlet cannot bring himself to set aside philosophical ruminations to act on the single notion of revenge that he set out to accomplish. Instead, the prince’s introspection leads to his inaction, and mayhem, rather than justice or revenge, is the result.
The welfare of the royal family in Hamlet is reflective of the state as a whole. The play begins with a sense of anxiety and dread, brought on by the uncertain transfer of one power to another. Claudius has just taken over the throne, having murdered King Hamlet. Throughout the play, characters repeatedly assert connections between a ruler’s legitimacy and his nation’s health. In the first act, Marcellus announces, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (1.4.90). The late King Hamlet was seen by his kingdom as a strong, capable leader, but once Claudius takes the reins, corruption abounds within the country. The audience is given the message that the state cannot be revitalized until the corruption comes to an end. At play’s finale, Fortinbras declares that Denmark will rise again. Since Shakespeare was writing during the reign of Elizabeth I, it is likely that his intentions were, at least in part, to strengthen the trust between the people of England and the monarchy, even though the tale’s setting is Denmark. Despite the bloodshed and gore on the stage, viewers would go home knowing that their country was secure and that evil would not prevail even in a most unjust world.
While the Elizabethan audience enjoyed Shakespeare’s revenge play, it was their aversion to such morals that enticed them. Neither the church nor the state accepted revenge as a moral reaction regardless of the circumstances at that time. Revenge was simply not tolerated because Christian principles dictated that God was the ultimate judge, and also because it was considered a violation of the political authority of the state for an individual to seek revenge on their own terms (Belsey 234). So, while Shakespeare’s audience enjoyed the notion of revenge, they were well aware that the playwright was pointing out a major character flaw within Hamlet – the inability to distinguish between where introspection ends and action begins. They were also well aware of the immoral implications associated with pondering the act of revenge. Many Christians believe that simply thinking a sin is equivalent to committing a sin. But since Hamlet was thinking about murder to avenge his father’s death, perhaps his sin is canceled out. Would Hamlet’s murder of Claudius been more justified than Claudius’ murder of King Hamlet? True Christian thought would conclude that neither Claudius nor Hamlet should be forgiven for the murder of another human being. If Hamlet had succeeded in murdering Claudius, then his soul should be damned. Failing to avenge his father’s death, and, in turn, dying while still in mourning, Hamlet ends up looking like a tragically heroic martyr. This is something the audience would have appreciated the most, knowing that the soul of the protagonist could still possibly be saved despite his earthly failures.
Shakespeare’s tragedies certainly offered the Elizabethan audience a variety of moral issues to examine. By utilizing the common elements of a revenge play – the self-dramatization of the hero, consistent images of death, a revenge-seeking ghost, the feigned madness of the avenger, a delay of action, and a bloody finale – Shakespeare successfully presented his audience with a plethora of ruminations to consider. At a time when people were concerned with the changing hands of power, religious righteousness, and philosophical introspection, Elizabethan minds were playgrounds for Shakespeare. His brilliance lies in the ability to connect with his audience by dramatizing the moral and philosophical aspects of the world around them.
Works Cited
Barnet, Sylvan. “Introduction.” Hamlet. 2nd ed. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Belsey, Catherine. “From ‘The Subject of Tragedy.’” Hamlet. 2nd ed. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Kasbekar, Veena. Ohio University-Chillicothe. Chillicothe, Ohio. February 2008.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. 2nd ed. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Showing posts with label kasbekar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kasbekar. Show all posts
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Othello's Inexperience with Love
Although it was written around 1604, William Shakespeare's Othello reflects many of the hot-button social issues faced in the 21st century (Kernan lxiii). No issue takes more precedence than that of Othello's race. Set in Venice, Othello the Moor is culturally out of his element. The loyal general's blackness immediately becomes an issue amongst the Venice elite, as Othello has eloped with and married the senator's daughter. As soon as the couple returns to Venice, it becomes clear that a black man, no matter how respectable or valiant, is not welcome to marry a Venician woman. Shakespeare's play is devised to let the viewer decide if Othello's race is to blame for his demise, and many Shakespeare analysts certainly debate this possibility. While it can be argued that Othello eventually becomes the beast that he is accused of being, his race is not an explanation for the ending tragedy. Rather, Othello is ultimately a fallen, self-deluded hero whose inexperience with love, rather than his ethnicity, drives him to murder.
Othello is naive to believe that his life will not change once he shares it with Desdemona. He declares that she will not interfere with his ability to lead, but does not realize that after marriage, his power will no longer be more prevalent than, or separate from, his love. Othello expects love to be a grand addition to his life. He does not expect Desdemona to challenge his authority, and he certainly doesn't think he will have a problem balancing his responsibilities with the love of his life. The cunning and sly Iago is determined to leave Othello with nothing, and he knows that by taking away his love, he will also take away his power. When Othello chooses Cassio for lieutenant instead of Iago, Iago plots against Othello; he is determined to convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with none other than Cassio. Iago knows that Desdemona is his soft spot, and that if he loses her love, it will drive him to madness and he will, in turn, lose his power. In her article, ‘I Wooed thee With My Sword’: Shakespeare’s Tragice Paradigms,” Madelon Gohlke Sprengnether concludes, “Were it not for Othello’s initial vulnerability to Desdemona he would not be susceptible to Iago’s machinations” (193).
Prior to his marriage to Desdemona, Othello was considered a noble military man with the respect of the Venice elite. Once Iago begins to poison the ears of those around Othello, however, that begins to change. Act I begins with Iago and Roderigo in a Venice street. Their goal is to wake the senator, Brabantio, and tell him that his daughter has been taken away by a thief, “an extravagant and wheeling stranger / Of here and everywhere” (1.1.133-134). Brabantio awakes to their loud voices below his windowsill; it is obvious that Iago and Roderigo are determined to cause a scene. When Brabantio comes down to see what the problem is, Iago speaks of “an old black ram … tupping [his] white ewe” (1.1.85-86). He insinuates that Othello's race is shameful to the royal family. Brabantio is easily influenced by Iago and Roderigo's use of the words “thief” and “devil” and Iago's comparison of Othello to a “Barbary horse” (1.1.108-109). As he tries to make sense of the chaos, he deduces that Othello must be an enchanter of sorts. He's simply trying to explain what he perceives to be unexplainable, what he believes to be against the rules of nature. Because Iago and Roderigo are representative of Brabantio's people, he realizes what chaos this union might create within the state. “For if such actions may have passage free,” he says, “Bondslaves and pagans shall our statesmen be” (1.3.97-98). Iago's energy and use of words in Act I influence Brabantio and company to question Othello's nobility. Because Othello is a noble man with few noted failures, Iago must use an irrational element like race to define and humiliate him.
Othello, while valiant and noble, is also boastful, and expects himself to be as successful at love as he is at war. He is certain that his good deeds to the state will outweigh Brabantio's complaints of his marriage to Desdemona. He claims he comes “from men of royal siege” and has a “perfect soul” (1.2.21-30). When called an enchanter, Othello explains that he wooed Desdemona with tales of battle and travel and is only responsible for practicing the magic of love. This proves that he cannot distinguish between his military duties and his romantic life. Othello seems to believe that he can master the art of love as well as he's mastered the art of battle, and that neither can shake him. But while he's well-versed in the rules of the battlefield, he's clueless about the rules of love. “Little of this great world can I speak / More than pertains to feats of broils and battle,” he says (1.3.86-87). It is to be expected that Othello should turn to fellow men for advice in and out of battle, therefore, when Iago speaks to Othello about his troubles with Desdemona, he says Othello should listen to him because he is experienced with Venician women (3.3.201-205). Unfortunately, Iago's advice and prodding only leads to a deterioration of Othello's capacity for judgment.
By the final act, Othello proves that his inexperience with love will surely lead to his demise. While race may have driven Iago's revenge plot, it is not the cause of Othello's tragic fate. Only two characters' opinions of Othello have remained the same throughout the entire play. Iago still hates Othello, but Othello perceives him to be his most loyal friend. Desdemona still loves him, but he kills her. With the two people nearest to him, he is deluded. As Othello and Desdemona argue about his aim to kill her, we see Othello's inexperience with love echoed by his wife's pleas: “That death's unnatural that kills for / loving,” she says (5.2.42-43). Othello, however thinks his actions just: “...maks't me call what I intend to do / A murder, which I thought a sacrifice” (5.2.64-65). Othello's military experience explains why he would not see death as murder. Desdemona, who knows little of “broils and battles,” knows more about love, and therefore, cannot understand her husband's actions. It must also be noted that if Desdemona is inexperienced in military practices, she should never interfere with Othello's business with Cassio nor any other matter involving the state. Desdemona's request for Othello to reinstate Cassio as lieutenant (after being demoted for public drunkenness) comes just as Iago tells Othello of his wife's affair with Cassio. Even though she was oblivious to the plot against her, Desdemona should have never intervened with military affairs. Othello and Desdemona might have made a monumental couple had they been compliments to each other's strong suits. Instead, Othello allows love to influence his power, and Desdemona allows power to influence her love.
In his final soliloquy, just before killing himself, Othello, having learned of Iago's betrayal, proclaims, “…must you speak / Of one that loved not wisely, but too well” (5.2.339-340). He realizes that he loved the wrong person most, that he spoiled his vows to Desdemona by exchanging vows of revenge with Iago, and that his ignorance will cost him his life. He also laments throwing “a pearl away / Richer than all his tribe” (5.2.343-344). Regardless of his race, his love with Desdemona is the greatest achievement of his life. Othello's loyalty to service lifts him up out of slavery, and once he is able to escape the culture that imprisons him, he marries a Venician senator's daughter, a woman of profound sophistication. Until then, his race had not been a factor in his success. Only when he tries to balance his responsibilities with love does Othello falter. He is naive to think his marriage will have no affect on his duties. In the same respect, Desdemona may not be cuckolding Othello, but she does attempt to share in his power. Whether this is appropriate or not, Othello does not expect to have his lover challenge his power. Ultimately, Othello is a fallen, self-deluded hero whose inexperience with love, rather than the characteristics of his race, drives him to murder. His realization of the love he lost subsequently drives him to suicide.
Works Cited
Kernan, Alvin. “Introduction.” The Tragedy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. 2nd ed. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. 2nd ed. Ed. Alvin Kernan. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Sprengnether, Madelon Gohlke. “’I Wooed Thee with My Sword’: Shakespeare’s Tragic Paradigms.” The Tragedy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. Ed. Alvin Kernan. 2nd ed. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Othello is naive to believe that his life will not change once he shares it with Desdemona. He declares that she will not interfere with his ability to lead, but does not realize that after marriage, his power will no longer be more prevalent than, or separate from, his love. Othello expects love to be a grand addition to his life. He does not expect Desdemona to challenge his authority, and he certainly doesn't think he will have a problem balancing his responsibilities with the love of his life. The cunning and sly Iago is determined to leave Othello with nothing, and he knows that by taking away his love, he will also take away his power. When Othello chooses Cassio for lieutenant instead of Iago, Iago plots against Othello; he is determined to convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with none other than Cassio. Iago knows that Desdemona is his soft spot, and that if he loses her love, it will drive him to madness and he will, in turn, lose his power. In her article, ‘I Wooed thee With My Sword’: Shakespeare’s Tragice Paradigms,” Madelon Gohlke Sprengnether concludes, “Were it not for Othello’s initial vulnerability to Desdemona he would not be susceptible to Iago’s machinations” (193).
Prior to his marriage to Desdemona, Othello was considered a noble military man with the respect of the Venice elite. Once Iago begins to poison the ears of those around Othello, however, that begins to change. Act I begins with Iago and Roderigo in a Venice street. Their goal is to wake the senator, Brabantio, and tell him that his daughter has been taken away by a thief, “an extravagant and wheeling stranger / Of here and everywhere” (1.1.133-134). Brabantio awakes to their loud voices below his windowsill; it is obvious that Iago and Roderigo are determined to cause a scene. When Brabantio comes down to see what the problem is, Iago speaks of “an old black ram … tupping [his] white ewe” (1.1.85-86). He insinuates that Othello's race is shameful to the royal family. Brabantio is easily influenced by Iago and Roderigo's use of the words “thief” and “devil” and Iago's comparison of Othello to a “Barbary horse” (1.1.108-109). As he tries to make sense of the chaos, he deduces that Othello must be an enchanter of sorts. He's simply trying to explain what he perceives to be unexplainable, what he believes to be against the rules of nature. Because Iago and Roderigo are representative of Brabantio's people, he realizes what chaos this union might create within the state. “For if such actions may have passage free,” he says, “Bondslaves and pagans shall our statesmen be” (1.3.97-98). Iago's energy and use of words in Act I influence Brabantio and company to question Othello's nobility. Because Othello is a noble man with few noted failures, Iago must use an irrational element like race to define and humiliate him.
Othello, while valiant and noble, is also boastful, and expects himself to be as successful at love as he is at war. He is certain that his good deeds to the state will outweigh Brabantio's complaints of his marriage to Desdemona. He claims he comes “from men of royal siege” and has a “perfect soul” (1.2.21-30). When called an enchanter, Othello explains that he wooed Desdemona with tales of battle and travel and is only responsible for practicing the magic of love. This proves that he cannot distinguish between his military duties and his romantic life. Othello seems to believe that he can master the art of love as well as he's mastered the art of battle, and that neither can shake him. But while he's well-versed in the rules of the battlefield, he's clueless about the rules of love. “Little of this great world can I speak / More than pertains to feats of broils and battle,” he says (1.3.86-87). It is to be expected that Othello should turn to fellow men for advice in and out of battle, therefore, when Iago speaks to Othello about his troubles with Desdemona, he says Othello should listen to him because he is experienced with Venician women (3.3.201-205). Unfortunately, Iago's advice and prodding only leads to a deterioration of Othello's capacity for judgment.
By the final act, Othello proves that his inexperience with love will surely lead to his demise. While race may have driven Iago's revenge plot, it is not the cause of Othello's tragic fate. Only two characters' opinions of Othello have remained the same throughout the entire play. Iago still hates Othello, but Othello perceives him to be his most loyal friend. Desdemona still loves him, but he kills her. With the two people nearest to him, he is deluded. As Othello and Desdemona argue about his aim to kill her, we see Othello's inexperience with love echoed by his wife's pleas: “That death's unnatural that kills for / loving,” she says (5.2.42-43). Othello, however thinks his actions just: “...maks't me call what I intend to do / A murder, which I thought a sacrifice” (5.2.64-65). Othello's military experience explains why he would not see death as murder. Desdemona, who knows little of “broils and battles,” knows more about love, and therefore, cannot understand her husband's actions. It must also be noted that if Desdemona is inexperienced in military practices, she should never interfere with Othello's business with Cassio nor any other matter involving the state. Desdemona's request for Othello to reinstate Cassio as lieutenant (after being demoted for public drunkenness) comes just as Iago tells Othello of his wife's affair with Cassio. Even though she was oblivious to the plot against her, Desdemona should have never intervened with military affairs. Othello and Desdemona might have made a monumental couple had they been compliments to each other's strong suits. Instead, Othello allows love to influence his power, and Desdemona allows power to influence her love.
In his final soliloquy, just before killing himself, Othello, having learned of Iago's betrayal, proclaims, “…must you speak / Of one that loved not wisely, but too well” (5.2.339-340). He realizes that he loved the wrong person most, that he spoiled his vows to Desdemona by exchanging vows of revenge with Iago, and that his ignorance will cost him his life. He also laments throwing “a pearl away / Richer than all his tribe” (5.2.343-344). Regardless of his race, his love with Desdemona is the greatest achievement of his life. Othello's loyalty to service lifts him up out of slavery, and once he is able to escape the culture that imprisons him, he marries a Venician senator's daughter, a woman of profound sophistication. Until then, his race had not been a factor in his success. Only when he tries to balance his responsibilities with love does Othello falter. He is naive to think his marriage will have no affect on his duties. In the same respect, Desdemona may not be cuckolding Othello, but she does attempt to share in his power. Whether this is appropriate or not, Othello does not expect to have his lover challenge his power. Ultimately, Othello is a fallen, self-deluded hero whose inexperience with love, rather than the characteristics of his race, drives him to murder. His realization of the love he lost subsequently drives him to suicide.
Works Cited
Kernan, Alvin. “Introduction.” The Tragedy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. 2nd ed. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. 2nd ed. Ed. Alvin Kernan. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Sprengnether, Madelon Gohlke. “’I Wooed Thee with My Sword’: Shakespeare’s Tragic Paradigms.” The Tragedy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. Ed. Alvin Kernan. 2nd ed. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Use of Supernatural and Unnatural Elements in Macbeth
William Shakespeare's use of supernatural and unnatural elements in Macbeth aid in portray the growing evil, and consequently, guilt, within the tale's protagonist. Written around 1605 for King James I of England, the tale follows a man who commits regicide to become King of Scotland. Macbeth the man is introduced as a noble, brave character who fought for his country, but well-placed instances of supernatural and unnatural imagery throughout the tale help guide him down a dark, evil path of murder and treachery. The supernatural forces also aid in Shakespeare's presentation of Macbeth's moral dilemma. Here, the man is faced with many very real, daunting decisions, but very unreal, supernatural events occur beforehand to test Macbeth's integrity. And time after time, Macbeth makes the most evil decision he possibly can; it seems as though he is destined to make these fantastic visions come true. If he is not destined to do so, he certainly is determined.
In the very first scene, the supernatural makes its debut in the play with the appearance of the three witches, the harbingers of Macbeth's eternal fate. This scene, flush with thunder and lightning, sets the stage for the story's general mood, one of impending doom and destruction. The three weird sisters, who are quite unnatural if not supernatural, prophesy that Macbeth will first be named Thane of Cawdor, and eventually King of Scotland. They also predict that Macbeth's friend Banquo will beget a line of Scottish kings, but will never be king himself. Macbeth struggles with the witches' prophecy from the beginning. “This supernatural soliciting / Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill, / Why hath it given me earnest of success / Commencing in a truth? ... Present fears / Are less than horrible imaginings” (1.3.12). He knows that something about the weird sisters' message is unsettling, and although he feels a pull toward their pronounced visions, announces a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Macbeth knows that the witches are unnatural beings, as he refers to their soliciting directly as “supernatural.” Yet he continues to accept their message as real, natural and entirely plausible. This theme of contradiction and ambivalence, created by Macbeth's inability to distinguish the natural from the unnatural and supernatural, surrounds the entire play.
Macbeth is indeed named Thane of Cawdor, and is first tested just prior to committing his initial act of murder against King Duncan. While outside the king's bedroom, Macbeth envisions a bloody dagger floating in the air. “Is it the bloody business which informs / Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one half-world / Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse / The curtained sleep” (2.1.26). Macbeth is both terrified of and intrigued by the floating dagger. On one hand, he attributes his vision to sleep deprivation, and on the other, to the assumption that it is his destiny to kill the king. He seems very well aware that the bloody act is an immoral one, but finds means to justify himself despite this unnatural warning. He also mentions to Lady Macbeth that a voice cried out to him, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep,” as he killed Duncan (2.2.28). Again, an unnatural message is presented to Macbeth, yet he heeds its warning. This voice could once more be attributed to Macbeth's sleep deprivation, or could be blamed on supernatural influences. Dark and sinister weather makes its appearance once again in this portion of the play, when Lennox describes the night of Duncan's murder as filled with “strange screams of death.” “'Twas a rough night,” Macbeth replies (2.3.33). But while others heard the evening's storm outside, Macbeth's storm raged internally.
The next supernatural occurrence to take place in Macbeth is at Inverness (a picture of supernatural forces at work alone). While hosting many noble guests, Macbeth envisions an apparition of Banquo taking his throne at the dinner table. “This is more strange than such a murder is,” he states while frightening away his confused guests (3.4.53). This vision comes after the fact; Banquo has already been murdered. However, this vision could have deterred Macbeth from continuing his murderous ways. Instead, he stands up to the ghost, banishing it from his home: “Hence, horrible shadow! Unreal mock'ry, hence” (3.4.54)! Here, although visibly shaken by the apparition, Macbeth takes control of the situation, of the unreal forces at hand. He lets the evil inside grow just a little wider in order to vanquish his fears. It's this transformation that reduces Macbeth's likeliness to, in the end, remain an honorable character. As with the other supernatural occurrences in the play, Banquo's appearance is likely attributed to either Macbeth's emotional distress or the fact that Banquo's ghost was actually haunting the protagonist. If Banquo were to haunt Macbeth, it would probably be in attempt to influence him from causing further harm to the kingdom and its people.
Instead of taking Banquo's visit to heart, Macbeth chooses to visit the weird sisters once more for guidance. During his visit, the witches show him a series of demons and spirits. First, he sees an armed head which warns him to beware Scotland's loyal Macduff. Second, he sees a bloody child, who tells him that he shall be harmed by no one born of woman. Last, he sees a crowned child holding a tree in his hand, who tells him he'll be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill. All of these apparitions, presented by the witches, could be considered omens reflecting Macbeth's dark destiny. The armed head obviously represents his own, cut off by Macduff in their final battle. The bloody child resembles one “untimely ripped” from its mother's womb, like Macduff himself. The crowned child is a reflection of Banquo's children to inherit the throne, and the tree he holds is representative of Birnam Wood, which most definitely will come to Dunsinane in the final act.
In Act Three, Macbeth feared for his moral failures: “I am in blood / stepped in so far that, should I wade no more ... Strange things I have in my head that will to hand, / Which must be acted ere they may be scanned” (3.5.56). But after the murder of Macduff's family, Macbeth seemingly has no morals. After his visit with the witches, Macbeth uses the prophecies to continue to protect his kingship. Once he orders Macduff's wife and children to be murdered, his transformation from moral to evil is complete. No longer is Macbeth presented with supernatural visions; for he has surpassed the ability to feel guilty about his actions. Many of the unnatural elements surrounding Macbeth were just that – a representation of his guilt.
The last scene of supernatural note takes place when Lady Macbeth is seen sleepwalking by a doctor and gentlewoman. She emerges from her bedroom repeatedly rubbing her hands together, as if to wash them. “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” she cries, adding, “Who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him” (5.1.82)? Her guilt is obvious, yet she'll not show it during waking hours. This scene portrays Lady Macbeth in a more humane light than the rest of the play. Her inner fears shine through her sleeping conscience, accounting for the only instance where she could be called weaker than her husband. Each time Macbeth commits a heinous act throughout the play, he becomes a little stronger and a little more capable of committing another; Lady Macbeth weakens with each immoral action, perhaps realizing the monster she helped to create. While Macbeth was presented with unnatural images in exchange for performing treacherous deeds, his lady was capable of seeing the reality and weight of the situation. Instead of envisioning the supernatural when evil is done, Lady Macbeth sees the truth behind the evil: “Had he not resembled / My father as he slept, I had done 't” (2.2.27). Instead of a supernatural vision, Lady Macbeth sees the victim as a real human being, which only makes her guilt stronger.
Macbeth was but a mortal man given the permission to see what his future might hold. This tale brings up the free will-verses-fate debate, questioning whether Macbeth acted nobly by ensuring that his destiny was met, or whether he acted foolishly by manipulating a natural chain of events predetermined by fate. The introduction of supernatural messages to the mix makes for interesting analysis. If Macbeth truly believed that it was his destiny to become King of Scotland, why was he so insistent on ensuring his kingship? If it was his destiny, he shouldn't have had to pursue the position actively; the honor should have been bestowed upon him naturally. Instead, Macbeth acts unnaturally to secure a future suggested to him by unnatural forces. Because Macbeth chooses this unnatural path, it is expected that his story will end unfavorably. The use of supernatural images along the way help Shakespeare paint a dark and bloody picture reflecting Macbeth's inevitable fate. By the play's end, it is clear that all of Macbeth's attempts to fulfill this suggested destiny were in vain, and that his death is the only way to bring an end to the unnatural forces at hand.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York, 1998.
In the very first scene, the supernatural makes its debut in the play with the appearance of the three witches, the harbingers of Macbeth's eternal fate. This scene, flush with thunder and lightning, sets the stage for the story's general mood, one of impending doom and destruction. The three weird sisters, who are quite unnatural if not supernatural, prophesy that Macbeth will first be named Thane of Cawdor, and eventually King of Scotland. They also predict that Macbeth's friend Banquo will beget a line of Scottish kings, but will never be king himself. Macbeth struggles with the witches' prophecy from the beginning. “This supernatural soliciting / Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill, / Why hath it given me earnest of success / Commencing in a truth? ... Present fears / Are less than horrible imaginings” (1.3.12). He knows that something about the weird sisters' message is unsettling, and although he feels a pull toward their pronounced visions, announces a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Macbeth knows that the witches are unnatural beings, as he refers to their soliciting directly as “supernatural.” Yet he continues to accept their message as real, natural and entirely plausible. This theme of contradiction and ambivalence, created by Macbeth's inability to distinguish the natural from the unnatural and supernatural, surrounds the entire play.
Macbeth is indeed named Thane of Cawdor, and is first tested just prior to committing his initial act of murder against King Duncan. While outside the king's bedroom, Macbeth envisions a bloody dagger floating in the air. “Is it the bloody business which informs / Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one half-world / Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse / The curtained sleep” (2.1.26). Macbeth is both terrified of and intrigued by the floating dagger. On one hand, he attributes his vision to sleep deprivation, and on the other, to the assumption that it is his destiny to kill the king. He seems very well aware that the bloody act is an immoral one, but finds means to justify himself despite this unnatural warning. He also mentions to Lady Macbeth that a voice cried out to him, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep,” as he killed Duncan (2.2.28). Again, an unnatural message is presented to Macbeth, yet he heeds its warning. This voice could once more be attributed to Macbeth's sleep deprivation, or could be blamed on supernatural influences. Dark and sinister weather makes its appearance once again in this portion of the play, when Lennox describes the night of Duncan's murder as filled with “strange screams of death.” “'Twas a rough night,” Macbeth replies (2.3.33). But while others heard the evening's storm outside, Macbeth's storm raged internally.
The next supernatural occurrence to take place in Macbeth is at Inverness (a picture of supernatural forces at work alone). While hosting many noble guests, Macbeth envisions an apparition of Banquo taking his throne at the dinner table. “This is more strange than such a murder is,” he states while frightening away his confused guests (3.4.53). This vision comes after the fact; Banquo has already been murdered. However, this vision could have deterred Macbeth from continuing his murderous ways. Instead, he stands up to the ghost, banishing it from his home: “Hence, horrible shadow! Unreal mock'ry, hence” (3.4.54)! Here, although visibly shaken by the apparition, Macbeth takes control of the situation, of the unreal forces at hand. He lets the evil inside grow just a little wider in order to vanquish his fears. It's this transformation that reduces Macbeth's likeliness to, in the end, remain an honorable character. As with the other supernatural occurrences in the play, Banquo's appearance is likely attributed to either Macbeth's emotional distress or the fact that Banquo's ghost was actually haunting the protagonist. If Banquo were to haunt Macbeth, it would probably be in attempt to influence him from causing further harm to the kingdom and its people.
Instead of taking Banquo's visit to heart, Macbeth chooses to visit the weird sisters once more for guidance. During his visit, the witches show him a series of demons and spirits. First, he sees an armed head which warns him to beware Scotland's loyal Macduff. Second, he sees a bloody child, who tells him that he shall be harmed by no one born of woman. Last, he sees a crowned child holding a tree in his hand, who tells him he'll be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill. All of these apparitions, presented by the witches, could be considered omens reflecting Macbeth's dark destiny. The armed head obviously represents his own, cut off by Macduff in their final battle. The bloody child resembles one “untimely ripped” from its mother's womb, like Macduff himself. The crowned child is a reflection of Banquo's children to inherit the throne, and the tree he holds is representative of Birnam Wood, which most definitely will come to Dunsinane in the final act.
In Act Three, Macbeth feared for his moral failures: “I am in blood / stepped in so far that, should I wade no more ... Strange things I have in my head that will to hand, / Which must be acted ere they may be scanned” (3.5.56). But after the murder of Macduff's family, Macbeth seemingly has no morals. After his visit with the witches, Macbeth uses the prophecies to continue to protect his kingship. Once he orders Macduff's wife and children to be murdered, his transformation from moral to evil is complete. No longer is Macbeth presented with supernatural visions; for he has surpassed the ability to feel guilty about his actions. Many of the unnatural elements surrounding Macbeth were just that – a representation of his guilt.
The last scene of supernatural note takes place when Lady Macbeth is seen sleepwalking by a doctor and gentlewoman. She emerges from her bedroom repeatedly rubbing her hands together, as if to wash them. “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” she cries, adding, “Who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him” (5.1.82)? Her guilt is obvious, yet she'll not show it during waking hours. This scene portrays Lady Macbeth in a more humane light than the rest of the play. Her inner fears shine through her sleeping conscience, accounting for the only instance where she could be called weaker than her husband. Each time Macbeth commits a heinous act throughout the play, he becomes a little stronger and a little more capable of committing another; Lady Macbeth weakens with each immoral action, perhaps realizing the monster she helped to create. While Macbeth was presented with unnatural images in exchange for performing treacherous deeds, his lady was capable of seeing the reality and weight of the situation. Instead of envisioning the supernatural when evil is done, Lady Macbeth sees the truth behind the evil: “Had he not resembled / My father as he slept, I had done 't” (2.2.27). Instead of a supernatural vision, Lady Macbeth sees the victim as a real human being, which only makes her guilt stronger.
Macbeth was but a mortal man given the permission to see what his future might hold. This tale brings up the free will-verses-fate debate, questioning whether Macbeth acted nobly by ensuring that his destiny was met, or whether he acted foolishly by manipulating a natural chain of events predetermined by fate. The introduction of supernatural messages to the mix makes for interesting analysis. If Macbeth truly believed that it was his destiny to become King of Scotland, why was he so insistent on ensuring his kingship? If it was his destiny, he shouldn't have had to pursue the position actively; the honor should have been bestowed upon him naturally. Instead, Macbeth acts unnaturally to secure a future suggested to him by unnatural forces. Because Macbeth chooses this unnatural path, it is expected that his story will end unfavorably. The use of supernatural images along the way help Shakespeare paint a dark and bloody picture reflecting Macbeth's inevitable fate. By the play's end, it is clear that all of Macbeth's attempts to fulfill this suggested destiny were in vain, and that his death is the only way to bring an end to the unnatural forces at hand.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York, 1998.
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