Macbeth's Descent Into Wickedness
What is the primary cause for Macbeth's descent into wickedness?
"Shakespeare's Philosophical Patterns" by Walter Clyde Curry
Summary and Analysis
Walter Clyde Curry discusses that the witches are demonic spirits, not hallucinations and that their main purpose is to bring the nature of evil into Macbeth. Curry states that the witches are just lost souls that belong to the devil, or perhaps even the devil himself although in the form of witches. Inevitably, the roles of the witches are mostly to cause tragedy and affect the entire play but also to show the good versus the evil. The use of their powers also indicates their connection with the supernatural and coming straight from Satan. Other than arguing about the witches' origin, Curry …show more content…
focuses on the demonic aspects of the play. Macbeth's vision of Banquo's ghost and the floating dagger, also Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking were mentioned as being a demonstration caused by demonic forces. It is mentioned that Macbeth and the others' acts are all being caused by spirits and the supernatural but not by their own free will. The characters are being influenced by unrealistic powers although in their mind it is realistic. In accordance to Walter Clyde Curry's point of view, Macbeth is letting himself be influenced and overpowered by the supernatural. From the beginning when the witches told Macbeth that he was going to succeed, he began seeing things that were out of the ordinary. The importance of evil in the story is inevitable, the fact that this story is a tragedy means that there has to be some type of disturbance, which in fact are the witches. Seeing as the witches are evil and they begin influencing Macbeth, the role of good versus evil is not balanced. In the beginning Macbeth is good, but throughout the play he turns evil unwillingly. His drive to succeed in becoming king takes him to the murder of Duncan and even his best friend Banquo. This is one of the primary reasons that causes Macbeth's decline onto wickedness.
"Shakespearean Tragedy" by A.C. Bradley
Summary and Analysis
The main focus of A.C. Bradley's is the predominance that the Weird Sisters and their prophecies had on Macbeth. Though it is only an influence, nothing more, it leads to Macbeth's downfall for actually obeying and letting all of their words get to his head. Shakespeare merely included the witches, the supernatural, to push Macbeth psychologically to fulfill his misdeeds. Bradley also refers to the symbolism of the Weird Sisters and their prophecies. This was all mostly the influential evil that helped Macbeth carry out his deeds. The representation of evil within the witches was an asset to all the occurrences in which Macbeth had caused. Trying to make the Weird Sisters' prophecies true, he wanted to achieve it with his own hands. In taking action, Macbeth eventually harms himself listening to the witches' predictions. Bradley also discusses how Macbeth's so-called fantasies become disastrous. He brings his end onto himself. The way he obsessively tries to make the Weird Sisters' prophecies a reality and listening to how he will succeed, he becomes arrogant. When the evil thoughts overcome him, everything he does is bad, but when he is not all is well. As Macbeth is thirsty for power, he fails to follow his morals and betrays even his best friend, Banquo. According to Bradley, Macbeth does not become evil himself, his manner gets worse towards the end of the play until he finally loses his mind and all is gone. Lastly, Bradley points out that darkness is often used throughout the play. Almost all of the scenes which are important take place either at night or somewhere dark. They include the vision of the dagger, Duncan's murder, and when Lady Macbeth is sleep-walking. Also, the witches danced in the thick air of a storm, and received Macbeth in a cavern. Bradley states that the blackness of night is to the hero a thing of fear, and that is what he feels becomes the spirit of the play. In this article, Bradley basically states that the Weird Sisters' predictions cause Macbeth to lose his mind since he would try to fulfill the prophecies himself. All of his evil thoughts are based upon which prophecies which he wants to accomplish. For example, he kills Duncan to become king. Although, the fact that Bradley says that he does not believe that Macbeth becomes evil is disagreeable, most of the other information seems accurate and very suitable. When he discusses the fact that the most important and memorable scenes are all in the dark, it demonstrates that evil is present, which can either turn out to be the witches, Hecate, or even the devil. Lastly, in agreement to the fact that all of these details lead to the insanity and demise of Macbeth.
"The Shakespearean Drama: A Commentary" by Denton J. Snider
Summary and Analysis
As Snider points out, the Weird Sisters are representatives of the Supernatural World in Macbeth. Their main purpose is to ruin Macbeth's thoughts into being evil and to influence his decisions. All they do is bring in the supernatural into the natural world for them to clash. Knowing that the evil and demonic powers of the supernatural would corrupt the natural, the Weird Sisters influenced Macbeth, Banquo and Lady Macbeth in a way. Snider also mentions Hecate, the queen of the witches, which worsens everything for Macbeth since she has influence on the Weird Sisters. They plainly represent evil and/or the devil. The witches come from the darkness of the Supernatural World but not in their actual figure because it is unknown. The Weird Sisters were nothing but a temptation, not in matters of sex but just to catch Macbeth's curiosity. Snider reveals that the Supernatural is Macbeth's penalization for his misdeeds although supernatural beings caused his actions; like the Weird Sisters and the Apparitions. Macbeth's tragedy has to do with his imagination and the control the witches have over his conduct. It is also stated that the Weird Sisters are influential and when the characters let their conception go uncontrolled, they let the Witches get into them and be even more of a threat. The objective is that the Weird Sisters are also a reality from an unknown origin that can simply evaporate into nothing. Snider makes it very clear that he focuses on good versus evil. The evil overtakes Macbeth and causes his demise. Deception and temptation are used in order to manipulate all of his actions making the play tragic. Not only do the witches take over Macbeth but other characters including Banquo and Lady Macbeth. Snider also made it to seem as if Macbeth could be imagining some of these things and that is what's driving him insane. The supernatural is very influential on the actions taken whether they were in Macbeth's imagination or not. Either way, Macbeth was driven into wickedness by his mind.
Synthesis
Macbeth was told by the Weird Sisters, in the beginning of the play, that he would succeed in becoming a king. This statement eventually makes Macbeth lose his mind since he knows the future and wants to accelerate the process of his triumph. His first action influenced by evil was the murder of Duncan. After doing so, he also kills his best friend Banquo and begins having visions. There is one part that he imagines or sees, we are not sure, a floating dagger.
"Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?
Come, let me clutch thee! I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?" (Mac 2.1)
The fact that he sees this makes it tough to believe that he is well. One could consider that the witches are behind this but not positive. Macbeth's sanity is also in question here, as stated by Denton Snider, these images are possibly in his mind. Evil is Macbeth's main influence on all of his actions. His wife, Lady Macbeth, could also be included with the evil manipulations. She tricks him by accusing him that he is not a man because he would be a coward if he did not kill Duncan. It could be that Lady Macbeth was being overruled by evil and was used as a puppet to control Macbeth. The supernatural forces are obviously taking over Macbeth's mind therefore all of his acts are being done unwillingly. When he is not being overpowered by wickedness, he is normal and is not sure if he has gone crazy but does know that he is not well. The fact that all of these events take place after Macbeth and Banquo go and see the witches have to be accounted for. Since the Weird Sisters know all they could have messed with his mind to cause chaos. Everything could have been planned from the beginning by either the Weird Sisters or Hecate just so they could set off disorder in the natural
world. In between all of the confusion Macbeth forsakes good for evil. Although he begins to carry out malevolent actions, he realizes that they are wrong but is practically forced to do them. Lady Macbeth wants to commit an evil deed to kill Duncan and so that Macbeth would be able to become king. "We will proceed no further in this business". (Mac 1.7) Macbeth if fully aware of what he is about to do and does not want to carry on with it but that is when Lady Macbeth begins to manipulate him calling him a coward and telling him he is not a man for doing not so. "Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valor as thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life and live a coward in thine own esteem". (Mac 1.7) This was the first instance that Macbeth in manipulated to doing something evil. After doing the deed of murdering Duncan, that is when his problem worsens. Macbeth keeps killing although he is aware he is doing so. Sympathy is felt for Macbeth since he can no longer control himself and is doing wicked actions unwillingly. While he is overpowered by supernatural forces to do evil things, one is not sure if he has simply gone mad or is actually being possessed by a malevolent nature. Macbeth is fully cautious of all of his actions but questionable of how and why he is doing such things against his will. Gathering information from the criticisms of Snider, Bradley, and Curry, Macbeth in fact had fallen into wickedness. Lady Macbeth mislead Macbeth to control his actions but they were not her own. She also was being controlled by supernatural powers reluctantly. Now this is when it is asked what is the primary cause for Macbeth's descent into wickedness? There are many factors to take to answer the question but all lead to one. The prime cause for Macbeth's descent into wickedness was as a matter of fact the supernatural. Although it could have been the Weird Sisters' manipulation, they were controlled one greater than them, whether it was Hecate or the devil himself. Although there is no specific "being" per se, just the fact that the supernatural world is trying to cause chaos in the natural world.
"Shakespeare's Philosophical Patterns" by Walter Clyde Curry
Summary and Analysis
Walter Clyde Curry discusses that the witches are demonic spirits, not hallucinations and that their main purpose is to bring the nature of evil into Macbeth. Curry states that the witches are just lost souls that belong to the devil, or perhaps even the devil himself although in the form of witches. Inevitably, the roles of the witches are mostly to cause tragedy and affect the entire play but also to show the good versus the evil. The use of their powers also indicates their connection with the supernatural and coming straight from Satan. Other than arguing about the witches' origin, Curry …show more content…
focuses on the demonic aspects of the play. Macbeth's vision of Banquo's ghost and the floating dagger, also Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking were mentioned as being a demonstration caused by demonic forces. It is mentioned that Macbeth and the others' acts are all being caused by spirits and the supernatural but not by their own free will. The characters are being influenced by unrealistic powers although in their mind it is realistic. In accordance to Walter Clyde Curry's point of view, Macbeth is letting himself be influenced and overpowered by the supernatural. From the beginning when the witches told Macbeth that he was going to succeed, he began seeing things that were out of the ordinary. The importance of evil in the story is inevitable, the fact that this story is a tragedy means that there has to be some type of disturbance, which in fact are the witches. Seeing as the witches are evil and they begin influencing Macbeth, the role of good versus evil is not balanced. In the beginning Macbeth is good, but throughout the play he turns evil unwillingly. His drive to succeed in becoming king takes him to the murder of Duncan and even his best friend Banquo. This is one of the primary reasons that causes Macbeth's decline onto wickedness.
"Shakespearean Tragedy" by A.C. Bradley
Summary and Analysis
The main focus of A.C. Bradley's is the predominance that the Weird Sisters and their prophecies had on Macbeth. Though it is only an influence, nothing more, it leads to Macbeth's downfall for actually obeying and letting all of their words get to his head. Shakespeare merely included the witches, the supernatural, to push Macbeth psychologically to fulfill his misdeeds. Bradley also refers to the symbolism of the Weird Sisters and their prophecies. This was all mostly the influential evil that helped Macbeth carry out his deeds. The representation of evil within the witches was an asset to all the occurrences in which Macbeth had caused. Trying to make the Weird Sisters' prophecies true, he wanted to achieve it with his own hands. In taking action, Macbeth eventually harms himself listening to the witches' predictions. Bradley also discusses how Macbeth's so-called fantasies become disastrous. He brings his end onto himself. The way he obsessively tries to make the Weird Sisters' prophecies a reality and listening to how he will succeed, he becomes arrogant. When the evil thoughts overcome him, everything he does is bad, but when he is not all is well. As Macbeth is thirsty for power, he fails to follow his morals and betrays even his best friend, Banquo. According to Bradley, Macbeth does not become evil himself, his manner gets worse towards the end of the play until he finally loses his mind and all is gone. Lastly, Bradley points out that darkness is often used throughout the play. Almost all of the scenes which are important take place either at night or somewhere dark. They include the vision of the dagger, Duncan's murder, and when Lady Macbeth is sleep-walking. Also, the witches danced in the thick air of a storm, and received Macbeth in a cavern. Bradley states that the blackness of night is to the hero a thing of fear, and that is what he feels becomes the spirit of the play. In this article, Bradley basically states that the Weird Sisters' predictions cause Macbeth to lose his mind since he would try to fulfill the prophecies himself. All of his evil thoughts are based upon which prophecies which he wants to accomplish. For example, he kills Duncan to become king. Although, the fact that Bradley says that he does not believe that Macbeth becomes evil is disagreeable, most of the other information seems accurate and very suitable. When he discusses the fact that the most important and memorable scenes are all in the dark, it demonstrates that evil is present, which can either turn out to be the witches, Hecate, or even the devil. Lastly, in agreement to the fact that all of these details lead to the insanity and demise of Macbeth.
"The Shakespearean Drama: A Commentary" by Denton J. Snider
Summary and Analysis
As Snider points out, the Weird Sisters are representatives of the Supernatural World in Macbeth. Their main purpose is to ruin Macbeth's thoughts into being evil and to influence his decisions. All they do is bring in the supernatural into the natural world for them to clash. Knowing that the evil and demonic powers of the supernatural would corrupt the natural, the Weird Sisters influenced Macbeth, Banquo and Lady Macbeth in a way. Snider also mentions Hecate, the queen of the witches, which worsens everything for Macbeth since she has influence on the Weird Sisters. They plainly represent evil and/or the devil. The witches come from the darkness of the Supernatural World but not in their actual figure because it is unknown. The Weird Sisters were nothing but a temptation, not in matters of sex but just to catch Macbeth's curiosity. Snider reveals that the Supernatural is Macbeth's penalization for his misdeeds although supernatural beings caused his actions; like the Weird Sisters and the Apparitions. Macbeth's tragedy has to do with his imagination and the control the witches have over his conduct. It is also stated that the Weird Sisters are influential and when the characters let their conception go uncontrolled, they let the Witches get into them and be even more of a threat. The objective is that the Weird Sisters are also a reality from an unknown origin that can simply evaporate into nothing. Snider makes it very clear that he focuses on good versus evil. The evil overtakes Macbeth and causes his demise. Deception and temptation are used in order to manipulate all of his actions making the play tragic. Not only do the witches take over Macbeth but other characters including Banquo and Lady Macbeth. Snider also made it to seem as if Macbeth could be imagining some of these things and that is what's driving him insane. The supernatural is very influential on the actions taken whether they were in Macbeth's imagination or not. Either way, Macbeth was driven into wickedness by his mind.
Synthesis
Macbeth was told by the Weird Sisters, in the beginning of the play, that he would succeed in becoming a king. This statement eventually makes Macbeth lose his mind since he knows the future and wants to accelerate the process of his triumph. His first action influenced by evil was the murder of Duncan. After doing so, he also kills his best friend Banquo and begins having visions. There is one part that he imagines or sees, we are not sure, a floating dagger.
"Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?
Come, let me clutch thee! I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?" (Mac 2.1)
The fact that he sees this makes it tough to believe that he is well. One could consider that the witches are behind this but not positive. Macbeth's sanity is also in question here, as stated by Denton Snider, these images are possibly in his mind. Evil is Macbeth's main influence on all of his actions. His wife, Lady Macbeth, could also be included with the evil manipulations. She tricks him by accusing him that he is not a man because he would be a coward if he did not kill Duncan. It could be that Lady Macbeth was being overruled by evil and was used as a puppet to control Macbeth. The supernatural forces are obviously taking over Macbeth's mind therefore all of his acts are being done unwillingly. When he is not being overpowered by wickedness, he is normal and is not sure if he has gone crazy but does know that he is not well. The fact that all of these events take place after Macbeth and Banquo go and see the witches have to be accounted for. Since the Weird Sisters know all they could have messed with his mind to cause chaos. Everything could have been planned from the beginning by either the Weird Sisters or Hecate just so they could set off disorder in the natural
world. In between all of the confusion Macbeth forsakes good for evil. Although he begins to carry out malevolent actions, he realizes that they are wrong but is practically forced to do them. Lady Macbeth wants to commit an evil deed to kill Duncan and so that Macbeth would be able to become king. "We will proceed no further in this business". (Mac 1.7) Macbeth if fully aware of what he is about to do and does not want to carry on with it but that is when Lady Macbeth begins to manipulate him calling him a coward and telling him he is not a man for doing not so. "Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valor as thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life and live a coward in thine own esteem". (Mac 1.7) This was the first instance that Macbeth in manipulated to doing something evil. After doing the deed of murdering Duncan, that is when his problem worsens. Macbeth keeps killing although he is aware he is doing so. Sympathy is felt for Macbeth since he can no longer control himself and is doing wicked actions unwillingly. While he is overpowered by supernatural forces to do evil things, one is not sure if he has simply gone mad or is actually being possessed by a malevolent nature. Macbeth is fully cautious of all of his actions but questionable of how and why he is doing such things against his will. Gathering information from the criticisms of Snider, Bradley, and Curry, Macbeth in fact had fallen into wickedness. Lady Macbeth mislead Macbeth to control his actions but they were not her own. She also was being controlled by supernatural powers reluctantly. Now this is when it is asked what is the primary cause for Macbeth's descent into wickedness? There are many factors to take to answer the question but all lead to one. The prime cause for Macbeth's descent into wickedness was as a matter of fact the supernatural. Although it could have been the Weird Sisters' manipulation, they were controlled one greater than them, whether it was Hecate or the devil himself. Although there is no specific "being" per se, just the fact that the supernatural world is trying to cause chaos in the natural world.