Individual Diary on Macbeth

Mehmet Kelleci
29.03.2013
Effectual work of arts such as world classics, or works of great masters are
used as tools to make inspections about the era that they are made. For instance,
Raskolnikov explains and tells too many details about the nineteenth century
of Russia throughout Dostoyevskys Crime and Punishment. As an another
example, Hemingways For Whom the Bell Tolls shows the reader about the
Spanish Civil war with a perspective of an outsider. Just like these examples, it
can be said clearly that Shakespeares Macbeth is more than an ordinary theatre
play. It gives details about how women are seen in Europe, the effects of power
and chair on men, reliability of a mans morality and so on. There will be two
subjects in the play will be pointed out. One of them is the borders of morality
of a honorable man. Second is the place and nature of woman as described in
the play.
In the beginning of the play Macbeth is a victorious general and a loyal lord
to the king. And three witches who makes scenarios and make that scenarios
come into reality decide to make their next meeting with Macbeth. They give a
prophecy about being king of Macbeth and they say Banquo that his children
will have the throne. All the actions start after this prophecy. Before the
prophecy, Macbeth was a loyal and honorable man, but the given prophecy
makes Macbeth a totally different person. After he makes a little discussion
with himself he plans a murder. A critical point is present here. What is the
limitation of being honorable? Can a man change his nature with an enthusiasm
radically? Although the Macbeth play includes magic and witches it has a great
portion of reality. Alteration of Macbeth is not a fantastical issue, it is close
reality. Attractiveness of throne, and a prophecy that tells about a probability
of taking the throne, make Macbeth to go into madness. In criticism is here
that, the border of honor of a man is confined with his desires. Now, imagine a
man, who has wealth, honor, respected by all the people, has a happy marriage
and feel satisfied about his life. This description is Macbeth before the prophecy.
Prophecy shows Macbeth a more satisfactory life. Imagining himself as a king,
changes all the borders of him. In conclusion, it is our aims which constitute
our borders and our nations. If one feels satisfied about his life, there is no need
to do anything else because that one does not imagine himself/herself anything
that is not in his/her hand. But a passionate and eager person does much more
thing to obtain his/her goals. In Macbeth, the reader witnesses the alteration
of a satisfied man in to a man who is in the hunger of power.
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Now lets have the attention on the case of woman in the play Macbeth.
There are two female characters in the play. Both of them dont have their own
name in the play. They are calling with under the name of their man. One of
them is Lady Macbeth, other is Lady Macduff. Their not having their names
on the play may show the reader that women do not have any political force
on their hand independent from any man. But interestingly, their willingness
to obtain more power is stronger than man in a way. Just like the changing of
Macbeth after hearing the prophecy, Lady Macbeth changes in the same way
after she gets the letter from Macbeth. When she reads about the prophecy
and the coming of king to their fortress she immediately wants to turn herself
into a wicked form and plans about the murder of the king. Even the sight of
the power changes her nature totally. The devilry speech that she makes with
herself is remarkable to witness her alteration of nature. Another aspect for
Lady Macbeth is her being loyal to her husband. It would be a controversial
subject that her being loyal is either to power or her husband, she commits a
crime with her husband. She puts her hand under a very heavy stone, and this
needs more than courage. Until this murder everything between the changing
of man and women go parallel but afterwards is different. To the end of the
play, Macbeth becomes a paranoiac, and Lady Macbeth becomes hysterical. In
the case of Lady Macduff, there is not much to say because of the being short
of her role but it would not be unfair to say that reader is seeing loyal wife
and mother. When her child speaks against his father Macduff, she defends her
husband and when the murders attacks the castle she tries to defend her child.
And finally, it is important to make the remark that, in the play, the men and
their wives share similar characters. For instance, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
turn in to evil, Macduff and Lady Macduff stand against evil.
In conclusion the borders of honor has not a rigid shape. The rumors, desires, passions can change the capability and limitations of a man easily. And
even in the era that women have not individual power, they have a great influence on the happenings. Their passions and desires may be much stronger than
men.
References
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. New York, United States:
Oxford University Press, 1990. Print.