King Duncan is a good and honorable king. He is good to his people and he is very loyal. He is liked by all of his kinsman. Macbeth has a very hard time killing him because he is such a good and loyal leader. "We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honoured me of late"(1.7.31-32). Duncan's honorable and loyal way of leading his people has made him very likeable. This way of leading, though, isn't a good one if you want to keep power. His loyalty lead him to his death. He had been betrayed before Macbeth too, but still he continued to trust others. "Assisted by that most disloyal traitor the Thane of Cawdor"(1.2.52-53). The Thane of Cawdor betrayed King Duncan and Duncan still didn't change his leadership and this cost him. King Duncan is a good leader, in the sense of being honorable and loyal, but not in the sense of maintaining and gaining power.
I think that Machiavelli would find Macbeth to be a good leader after he kills Duncan. Before killing Duncan he was nervous and indecisive, but after that he became what Machiavelli would consider a good leader. Machiavelli said, "The ends justify the means." Machiavelli has been using any means to gain his power, killing Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff's family. He does anything to become king. Machiavelli also said, ""It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both." Macbeth, unlike Duncan is only concerned about people loving him. Macbeth said he wants to be the devil, he wants to be feared. I think that Machiavelli would find Macbeth to be a great leader.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Act 1 of Macbeth
Machiavelli said that it doesn't matter if you are good, you only need to appear good. Macbeth's wife Lady Macbeth most embodys this idea. When she learns of the prophecy that her husband will be king she plots a way to make this happen. She tells her husband to appear good but be evil. "Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, Your hand, your tongue; look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under't"(1.3.63-64). Lady Macbeth will do anything for power and she wants her husband to be the same. The idea of Appearance vs Reality in Macbeth is seen throughout the first Act. All of the characters must appear good to gain honor and trust, but they must do bad things to keep and gain the power that they want. This is just like what Machiavelli explained in The Prince.
During the time period of Macbeth the roles of men and women were very different. Through Shakespeare's writing we can tell that pretty much all of the power belonged to the men and almost all of the decisions were left to them as well. The women during this era were usually in charge of house duties, such as taking care of the kids and keeping the house in order. In the play, Lady Macbeth wants to do things that usually only men can do, she says that she wants to be unsexed. "Unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty"(1.3.39-41). Lady Macbeth doesn't like that she is a woman because she isn't able to do anything to gain the power that she so badly wants. She tells her husband what to do to gain the power, because he is able to do these things because he is a man.
Loyalty and Honor is a very large theme throughout the play Macbeth. All throughout the play Shakespeares shows us how important it is to be honorable and loyal. People will like you and respect you if you are honorable and loyal, and they will kill you if you are not. Being loyal can sometimes be dangerous though. King Duncan is loyal to Macbeth for being brave and honorable by giving him more power. This makes Macbeth no longer fearful of King Duncan, and it makes him want even more power. While King Duncan and Macbeth are talking Macbeth is plotting to kill him. Machiavelli says that it is human nature to be greedy and fickle, he says that humans will do anything thing for power. If this is true than you really shouldn't trust anyone. King Duncan has made this mistake before when he trusted the last Thane of Cawdor and now he is doing it agian trusting Macbeth. Loyalty and Honor are what everyone wants to be percieved as in Macbeth, but if you are actually these things it will be tough for you to keep your power.
During the time period of Macbeth the roles of men and women were very different. Through Shakespeare's writing we can tell that pretty much all of the power belonged to the men and almost all of the decisions were left to them as well. The women during this era were usually in charge of house duties, such as taking care of the kids and keeping the house in order. In the play, Lady Macbeth wants to do things that usually only men can do, she says that she wants to be unsexed. "Unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty"(1.3.39-41). Lady Macbeth doesn't like that she is a woman because she isn't able to do anything to gain the power that she so badly wants. She tells her husband what to do to gain the power, because he is able to do these things because he is a man.
Loyalty and Honor is a very large theme throughout the play Macbeth. All throughout the play Shakespeares shows us how important it is to be honorable and loyal. People will like you and respect you if you are honorable and loyal, and they will kill you if you are not. Being loyal can sometimes be dangerous though. King Duncan is loyal to Macbeth for being brave and honorable by giving him more power. This makes Macbeth no longer fearful of King Duncan, and it makes him want even more power. While King Duncan and Macbeth are talking Macbeth is plotting to kill him. Machiavelli says that it is human nature to be greedy and fickle, he says that humans will do anything thing for power. If this is true than you really shouldn't trust anyone. King Duncan has made this mistake before when he trusted the last Thane of Cawdor and now he is doing it agian trusting Macbeth. Loyalty and Honor are what everyone wants to be percieved as in Macbeth, but if you are actually these things it will be tough for you to keep your power.
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