Compare how the writers present evil and villainy in Macbeth and the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The author of the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is called Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson’s novel adds some aspects of madness and mystery though mostly evil and villainy which was in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. These themes are the same in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In the beginning Macbeth was a good hero however he became overly ambition as a result of the three witches’ prophecy.
A hero, a soldier, a noble man - we are first introduced to Macbeth at the start of the play and it becomes apparent that he is these three things. As the play advances he begins to shine through as revenge seeking, devious and an evil murderer? But why; what makes Macbeth change character and to perform lifes most gruesome act, murder? Of course Macbeth himself had reasons and influences that allowed him to become this way, including his wife Lady Macbeth, the witches prophecies, his need for power and of course his 'fatal flaw'. Lady Macbeth - cold hearted, power, witch-like - is the most reasonable for turning Macbeth into an evil murderer.
The Three Witches are evil and powerful woman who have the supernatural spirit. “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”(1.1.11) The Witches are telling us that there is good and evil, nothing is as it seems. The Witches tell Macbeth that he will be the thane of Cawdor and second that he will be King of Scotland. This puts Macbeth in a position where the Witches tell him to do something about his future, even if it means betraying his own King. “All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!
Banquo illustrated Macbeth’s subconscious belief that he was an undeserved kin, for he has played “foully.” Shakespeare uses Macbeth’s conscience to show how even the idea of power can be strongly manifested in someone’s mind and slowly corrupt any existence of principles and integrity, once again emphasizing the idea that “absolute power corrupts absolutely. “Another example of Shakespeare using Macbeth’s internal conflict to depict the theme, “absolute power corrupts absolutely” was after Duncan’s regicide. After hearing the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth contemplates on committing regicide on the King but once again his conscience constricts him from doing so. However, he is clearly vacillating with the thought of murder when he says, “if chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without stir. His inner conflict is shown explicitly in act 1, scene 7 when he weighs not only the detrimental political consequences of the murder but also the moral values involved.
He also loses reputation due to his fatal flaw. In Act 1 Scene 2, we know that Macbeth is the main character, because of his brave actions in the battle. A tragic hero’s exceptional nature generally raises him above the average level of humanity. “Disdaining fortune with his brandished steel” (Act 1, Scene 2, Line 17) Macbeth’s heroism can be seen by the way Macbeth rejects ‘fortune’ that is personified as a glorious warrior. Macbeth is described as ‘Brave Macbeth’ and also as the servant of the God Valour; he is ‘Valour’s minion.’ This is hyperbole, because a human being can’t fight as if he was the servant of god Valour.
In Macbeth, ambition is presented as a dangerous quality, and can tarnish even the purest of souls. The destruction wrought when ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints is arguably expressed strongest through interaction between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and is the main foundation of Macbeth’s inevitable downfall, and triggers a series of deaths. Lady Macbeth encourages her husband mercilessly to kill Duncan, helped by the malign prophecies of the witches, and urges him to be strong in the murder’s aftermath, but he is said to be too kind, 'Yet do I fear thy nature it is to full o' the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.' (I, v, 14-16). Although a courageous general who holds Duncan in high regard, ‘he hath honoured me of late’ (I, vii, 32) and isnot naturally inclined to commit evil deeds, he deeply desires power and advancement; he kills Duncan against his better judgment.
In Macbeth, Shakespeare transfers the evil from the villains to the hero and the heroine. For example, Macbeth, the hero of the play stands as a perfect embracement of the dissolution of Macbeth under the influence of evil. At the beginning of the play Macbeth is seen as a very successful and highly valued member of a social group associated with honours. In Act 1 scene V, Shakespeare describes Macbeth as a man “full of the milk of human kindness”. We learn of his heroic actions in defence of the kingdom.
Hanna de Villa Ms. Jackson ENG 3U1 - 11 16 May 2008 The Source of All Evil in Macbeth: Women Macbeth is a play full of betrayal, deceit and murder. Generally, men carry out these actions but instead women stir the cauldron of trouble. From the witches’ prophecies that spark Macbeth’s murder, Lady Macbeth’s domineering presence and the exploitation she uses on her husband are the inevitable roots of catastrophe and evil in the play. They do not show any aggression and violence but relies on deception, manipulation and supernatural phenomenon. The Witches and Hecate portray the image and eminence of evil in Macbeth.
Hamlet – Shakespeare’s use of the supernatural to enhance and shape the tragic world of Elsinore The supernatural is something of a keystone in directing the tragic events of the play; Shakespeare employs its over shadowing presence as a device to explore the terrifying world of the unseen, the untouchable and the unknowable. In Act 1 Scene 1, uncertainty and insecurity are crucial elements in the building of tension and the foreshadowing of disaster. The play even begins with a question: “Who’s there?” Bernardo’s terror of what he cannot see or touch, even in the most mundane sense, is deeply significant in this private environment (the battlements) where fears and uncertainties fester and grow without the need to present a picture of poise in the face of the comforting known; Shakespeare’s juxtapositioning of the inherently public court in the following scene serves to emphasise this and undermine the illusion of order presented in the court. The opening scene progresses until the source of the tension becomes evident: a “thing”, a “dreaded sight”, an “apparition”, an “illusion”, an “erring spirit”; Shakespeare’s use of tautology and refusal to call it ‘Ghost’ shapes our understanding of the supernatural: that we do not understand it and its definition is embedded in the perception of each character on stage. Shakespeare’s elusive language also relates to the issue of the morality of this ghost: J.A.
The Rise and Fall of Macbeth In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth’s misinterpretation of the ambiguity and prevarication of the three weird sisters relates to the play’s theme, which states that irrational desire for power often leads to irrational and violent actions, resulting in death and or destruction. After the first of the witches’ prophecies comes true, Macbeth begins to believe in their truth. However, he also believes that their prophecies must all lead to his advantage and empowerment. To the end, he twists the three weird sisters’ words to fit his own purpose, neglecting the possibility that the prophecies might have other, less fortunate meanings. This misinterpretation, committed in pursuit of power, leads Macbeth to perform certain actions which result in the death of the king, the death of Macbeth’s friends, and eventually his own demise.