The Two Wolf Macbeth Research Paper

Two Wolves in Macbeth
In “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare a man named Macbeth comes home from a war in Scotland. He meets three witches who confront him and tell him his fate. Macbeth contemplates his options and decides to kill the current king in order to become king. The fable The Two Wolves has a similar connection to Macbeth. In The Two Wolves an old man is talking to a grandchild. The grandfather explains to the child that two wolves live inside of us and depending which one you “feed” you will become good or evil. The fable The Two Wolves applies to “Macbeth” because of the battle inside of him to be evil or good. Act one scene three is the first scene that first mentions a darker and more evil side to Macbeth. Macbeth recognizes the
Darkness finds its way into Macbeth’s heart and he decides “...That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires” (1:4:50-53) The Two Wolves explains “A fight is going on inside of me. It is a terrible fight between two wolves” (The Two Wolves). Macbeth is fighting with his two wolves trying to stay in the light but ends up going into the dark. The fight between the wolves is difficult for Macbeth “The eye wink at the hand, and yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see” (1:4:54-55). As the grandfather explain in The Two Wolves “One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good - he is joy, peace, love hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside of you - and inside every other person too” (The Two Wolves). The boy then asks the grandfather “Which wolf will win” and the grandfather replies “The one you feed” (The Two Wolves) In the end Macbeth must choose between one of the two wolves inside of him and