Individual Diary on Macbeth

Mehmet Kelleci

29.03.2013

Effectual work of arts such as world classics, or works of great masters areused as tools to make inspections about the era that they are made. For instance,Raskolnikov explains and tells too many details about the nineteenth centuryof Russia throughout Dostoyevskys Crime and Punishment. As an anotherexample, Hemingways For Whom the Bell Tolls shows the reader about theSpanish Civil war with a perspective of an outsider. Just like these examples, itcan be said clearly that Shakespeares Macbeth is more than an ordinary theatreplay. It gives details about how women are seen in Europe, the effects of powerand chair on men, reliability of a mans morality and so on. There will be twosubjects in the play will be pointed out. One of them is the borders of moralityof a honorable man. Second is the place and nature of woman as described inthe play.

In the beginning of the play Macbeth is a victorious general and a loyal lordto the king. And three witches who makes scenarios and make that scenarioscome into reality decide to make their next meeting with Macbeth. They give aprophecy about being king of Macbeth and they say Banquo that his childrenwill have the throne. All the actions start after this prophecy. Before theprophecy, Macbeth was a loyal and honorable man, but the given prophecymakes Macbeth a totally different person. After he makes a little discussionwith himself he plans a murder. A critical point is present here. What is thelimitation of being honorable? Can a man change his nature with an enthusiasmradically? Although the Macbeth play includes magic and witches it has a greatportion of reality. Alteration of Macbeth is not a fantastical issue, it is closereality. Attractiveness of throne, and a prophecy that tells about a probabilityof taking the throne, make Macbeth to go into madness. In criticism is herethat, the border of honor of a man is confined with his desires. Now, imagine aman, who has wealth, honor, respected by all the people, has a happy marriageand 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 constituteour borders and our nations. If one feels satisfied about his life, there is no needto do anything else because that one does not imagine himself/herself anythingthat is not in his/her hand. But a passionate and eager person does much morething to obtain his/her goals. In Macbeth, the reader witnesses the alterationof 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 ownname in the play. They are calling with under the name of their man. One ofthem is Lady Macbeth, other is Lady Macduff. Their not having their nameson the play may show the reader that women do not have any political forceon their hand independent from any man. But interestingly, their willingnessto obtain more power is stronger than man in a way. Just like the changing ofMacbeth after hearing the prophecy, Lady Macbeth changes in the same wayafter she gets the letter from Macbeth. When she reads about the prophecyand the coming of king to their fortress she immediately wants to turn herselfinto a wicked form and plans about the murder of the king. Even the sight ofthe power changes her nature totally. The devilry speech that she makes withherself is remarkable to witness her alteration of nature. Another aspect forLady Macbeth is her being loyal to her husband. It would be a controversialsubject that her being loyal is either to power or her husband, she commits acrime with her husband. She puts her hand under a very heavy stone, and thisneeds more than courage. Until this murder everything between the changingof man and women go parallel but afterwards is different. To the end of theplay, Macbeth becomes a paranoiac, and Lady Macbeth becomes hysterical. Inthe case of Lady Macduff, there is not much to say because of the being shortof her role but it would not be unfair to say that reader is seeing loyal wifeand mother. When her child speaks against his father Macduff, she defends herhusband 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 andtheir wives share similar characters. For instance, Macbeth and Lady Macbethturn in to evil, Macduff and Lady Macduff stand against evil.

In conclusion the borders of honor has not a rigid shape. The rumors, de-sires, passions can change the capability and limitations of a man easily. Andeven in the era that women have not individual power, they have a great influ-ence on the happenings. Their passions and desires may be much stronger thanmen.

References

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. New York, United States:Oxford University Press, 1990. Print.

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