The Tragedy of Macbeth Essay Summary Example For Students

The Tragedy of Macbeth Essay Summary Macbeth is a story about Good versus Evil on one mans mind. It is a tail about how a brave and intelligent man deliberately murders one of his fellowmen: his friend, his relative, his guest, and his king; as a consequence of his first murder, kill two other innocent men. Macbeth has lust for power and brings absolute destruction on himself and his family. When he cannot turn away from his evil course, it leads him to further appalling crimes and finally to disgrace, alienation, isolation, despair, and a violent death. In Act, one Scene 3, three witches are talking to Macbeth. Macbeth is not quite sure what to think of these prophesies-whether they are good or bad-and struggles with their possible significance. At this point in the play, Macbeth is good nature and finds his thoughts of murder. His mind focuses less on the reality of the present and focuses more on the possibilities of the future, thus his ambition takes over and becomes the single driving force in his life. Macbeths conscious is raising serious doubts as to whether or not he should kill Duncan. We will write a custom essay on The Tragedy of Macbeth Summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now He is worried not only that he may make a mistake and ruin his chance of attaining the throne, but also that Duncans virtues arouse so much pity that damnation will come upon his murderer. Macbeth is definitely not comfortable with killing Duncan. Finally, he recognizes his ambition, and the fact that it may cause him to falter. Act two Scene 1 Macbeths inner struggle and mental anguish is so great that he is now hallucinating, as he sees a dagger before him. He realizes that this dagger is a product of his feverish mind. At this point in the play, evil thoughts and deeds horrify Macbeth. This is shown when the imagined dagger returns, with blood on it. Lady Macbeth says that the alcohol that made the attendants drunk has given her courage. Omens of death wish the king a good night, and Macbeth is going to kill him, as the drunken attendants are unconscious. When Macbeth shows up, she is afraid they woke up and it did not work. She would have done it if Duncan did not look like her fate. Macbeth did it though (killed him). One attendant woke up and said Murder but then they went back to sleep. In Act IV, Scene 2 Lady Macduff is wondering why her husband left. She thinks he was mad, looking like a traitor, loveless and cowardly to leave his family and possessions. Ross tries to comfort her, telling her he knows what is wrong at that moment. Lady Macduff has an interesting conversation with her son Sirrah about what they will do without a father. The messenger tells her to leave, that she is in danger. Lady Macduff does not know where to go, and she has done no wrong. As she realizes that doing well is sometimes a bad thing. The murderers arrive kill the son, but Lady Macduff escapes. Act V, Scene 3 Macbeth is wondering how the prophecy will come true, and tries to remain confident. Macbeth comforts his servant for seeming afraid but is told of the English forces. Macbeth tells Seyton this revolt will either remove or leave him happy, as right now he has none of things due a man of old age. Macbeth asks for his armor, planning to defend himself to the end. Macbeth asks the doctor to cure his wife. The doctor wishes he were not there. Malcolm hopes to regain the safety they once had. Menteith is sure it will happen. Malcolm tells each soldier to cut down a large tree branch and put it in front of him, thereby camouflaging himself. The scouts will think there are less of them that way. Macbeth waits in his castle, his only hope of defense. Though they have hopes of what they want to accomplish, now is the time for actual blows and battle to win. Macbeth says let them come to the castle; he can hold them off. If they did not have his soldiers, then he could have met them on the field and beat them back. .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed , .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed .postImageUrl , .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed , .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed:hover , .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed:visited , .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed:active { border:0!important; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed:active , .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8b6aaa3f8f29902a7a2a084020ff66ed:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Much Ado About Nothing - Do Men In The Play Hate Or Love The Women? EssayMacbeth has forgotten what it is like to be afraid; having as much fear as a man can bear. Macbeth wishes his wife had died later, at a better time. He comments on how life passes at this little speed, with people dying after a futile life. Macbeth says the messenger comes to speak. He should give his report quickly. The messenger, unsure of how to report what he saw, says Birnham wood appeared to move, thus the prophecy is fulfilled. Macbeth starts wishing this were just all over and prepares for death fighting. Macbeth knows he is stuck fighting, and he wonders who was not born of woman. Macbeth tell Young Siward who he is, and Macbeth says he should be not just hateful but fearful to Young Siwards ears. Macbeth says he does not fear any not of woman born and kills Young Siward. Macduff says he must kill Macbeth to avenge his family, and only Macbeth. By the noise of Macbeths armor, he locates him. Siward explains the battle is easy. Malcolm enters the castle. Macbeth asks why he should kill himself when the wounds he might inflict upon himself would look better upon his living enemies. Macbeth says he has avoided Macduff and does not want to kill him after killing his family. Macduff says he will speak with his sword instead of words. Macbeth says that Macduff will not hurt him. Macduff then reveals that he was ripped from his mothers womb while she died. Macbeth is angry to discover that the prophecy will come true and only provided him false hope. Macduff tells him to give up and explains he will be put on a pole and displays as a tyrant. Macbeth says he will try despite the prophecy rather than yield to Malcolm. Malcolm wishes no one had to die, but Siward says it is necessary and the cost was not that high for such a good day. Ross tells Siward that Young Siward, who just became a man in fighting, died. He tells him not to have sorrow, though. Siward says he died well. Macduff hails Malcolm as king holding Macbeths head. Although Macbeth started out as a good character evil became a factor. He listens to the prophecy and not to his heart, which lead him in the wrong direction. Power is a big factor through the whole play. That is all the characters fight about, and in the end, Malcolm becomes king and Macbeth losses his head. Therefore, which is more important, power or your life That is for you to decide.

Wide Sargasso Sea Essay Example

Wide Sargasso Sea Essay Example Wide Sargasso Sea Paper Wide Sargasso Sea Paper Wide Sargasso Sea is a novel set by a woman in the time when females were obviously being marginalised and seen as one of the least important roles in society. Many different views of womens role in the 1960s . The style written gave the impression that women were becoming aware of the feminist ideas. This grew out of the civil rights and the black movement. The women were especially active in these times. Also one note to be made is that reviews on this novel speak of Rhys style of writing is to do with women who need a man in order to live through the struggles of life looking and discussing this through my essay this concludes that this is true. The novel of Wide Sargasso Sea tells you what it was like to be a woman in these times, and a majority of the novel is written in the mind of a woman. The first relationship of the male and female is between the main two characters Mr Rochester and Antoinette. The most significant thing about this relationship is that the roles of power change. Instead of taking an inanimate object and bringing it to life, Shaw takes a lower class woman and passes her off as high-class royalty. While some of the audience at the time may have considered this as being brought to life, Shaw uses his play to show that the only real difference between classes is education and the way someone speaks. Yet his attack on the system is not an obvious overt critique but cleverly, woven into the story of Eliza the lower class woman forever concerned about her character, and Higgins the upper class educator who stubbornly will not change his ways and believes he is always right. Whist he abhors the idle upper and chattering middle classes more than the working class. This is obvious by his comparison between Elizas father and Freddie, describing Doolittle as the most original moralist in England (Shaw Pygmalion Act 5 p88), someone who Higgins is cautions when arguing with as he on several occasions has found himself losing ground, whilst Freddie is referred to as that young fool (Shaw Pygmalion act five p104). Pygmalion is not dissimilar to Cindirella, where the poor and lowly girl is transformed into a princess and marries her prince. Again, Shaw disappoints the audience by not giving them the fairy tale ending which was commonplace at the time, instead making Eliza a strong independent woman who does not want her prince (Higgins) and he does not want her. The show ends with them as equals yet both giving ground more out of courtesy than subjugation. Higgins telling Eliza to order a ham and gloves only to find that she is one-step ahead of him. While Higgins needs Eliza to organize his life, she needs him for financial support. Pygmalion is divided up into five acts in which the characters are introduced, the plot unfolds, and then an ending is produced, and contains stage directions for the characters to follow. Yet it does not describe the characters in to much detail apart from their attire. She is not at all a romantic figure she is perhaps eighteen perhaps twenty, hardly older Her features are no worse than theirs, but her condition leaves something to be desired, and she needs the services of a dentist. Shaw, Pygmalion Act 1 Page 10) While the novel WSS is played out in three parts of unequal length, the first part is narrated by Antoinette, then her husband, and finally by Berth, who is Antoinette, but by now has changed so much that she has almost become a ghost of someone else. Whist the change Eliza makes is dramatic from her first appearance, she is and remains the same woman we first are introduced to yet has become stronger, more confident, more alive and full of colour than her initial drab bawdy character. Antoinettes transformation into Betha takes the opposite approach and the colour and life being portrayed is that of her surroundings, while she becomes the drab grey figure in the attic. The narration in parts one and two portray vivid surroundings, sights and smells that contrast greatly against Pygmalions grubby beginnings waiting for a cab outside St Pauls standing on the veranda I breathed the sweetness of the air, cloves I could smell and cinnamon, roses and orange blossom. And an intoxicating freshness as if all this had never been breathed before (WSS p44) whilst the most description we receive from Shaw is of Elizas character She wears a little sailor hat of black straw that has long been exposed to the dust and soot of London (Pygmalion Act one page 11). The description in Pygmalion is only to assist those producing the play; the eventual look and feel of the set will be decided by someone other than the writer. Whilst WSS descriptive passages assist the reader, imagine in their minds wonderful tropical islands of scent and sunshine. These two pieces of work at first would seem worlds apart, yet under closer examination reveal similarities, both works examine the lives of women who go through dramatic changes in their lives, although Elizas changes are at her request, she approaches Higgins asking for lessons I want to be a lady in a flower shop. (Pygmalion act two P26/27), Antoinettes changes are mainly brought about by other people, her father dying, mother marrying then going insane, being trapped in a world between two cultures that do not accept her, and yet having no sign of her trying to escape this world. The change in Elizas language gives her power towards the end of the play, where she is able to converse at Higgins level putting them on an equal footing, which had been impossible before due to the language barrier, Eliza started out a comical figure for the audience, who then transforms into one of them. While in WSS, language is also a barrier to Rochester as the locals speak Patios and he has difficulty understanding them. Then she looked at me, shook her head, and muttered in Patois before she went out. WSS p64) This language barrier causes distrust between Rochester and Antoinette. Language is also an issue for the reader at the start in this book, where we have Godfrey, and Christophine, who have different dialects and speak in ways the reader would not easily understand. This makes us stand back from what is going on, and is only with the help of Antoinettes first person narrative that we are brought into this world. Another comparison between the two are the challenging of preconceived ideas regarding people. WSS challenges 1960s ideas regarding race, values, gender and colonialism, specifically regarding the Creole, and black community, but also making the reader think about the colonial past, with characters who do not understand their surroundings such as Rochester or Mr Mason who does not understand how dangerous the locals can be even with Annettes warnings. His assumption Theyre too damn lazy to be dangerous. (WSS page 16) shows Mason is a typically of the time stiff upper-lipped Englishman. When Annette responds that they can be cruel for reasons you wouldnt understand (WSS p16) he confirms his inability to comprehend the locals No I dont understand at all (WSS P16), he is also at this point telling us he does not understand Annette and her in his mind irrational fear of the locals, and perhaps also pointing out issues within society at the time regarding immigration. While Shaw deals with challenging womens place in society, by supporting equality and education for all as a means of bringing about change to the poor. Wide Sargasso Sea, also contains parental rejection that influences the main characters, Antoinette is rejected by her mother especially after her brother dies, the rejection between mother and daughter is an emotional experience, Antoinette initially receives the attention she has craved from her mother only to be rejected No No No, and then flung me from her (WSS page 26) that moment casts a shadow over the rest of Antoinettes relationships throughout the book. We also have Rochester who has been rejected by his father, and married off whilst his brother inherits the family fortune. Whilst Rhys had no real influence with this as Bronte has already given us this part of Rochesters history, Rhys re-emphasises this. We then have Daniel claiming to be Antoinettes brother, abandoned by his white father and causing trouble between Antoinette and Rochester. We also encounter in both books the selling of family, in WSS Daniel is asking for money in a malicious way from Rochester after exposing secrets from Antoinettes past, while Doolittle in Pygmalion is selling his daughter in an almost comical situation. Higgins and Doolittle barter, haggle and ague about who should keep Eliza, initially Higgins is revolted at the thought of someone selling their daughter, as would have been the audience of the time, however Doolittles response that he can not afford morals works with Higgins, and makes him questions his initial judgement. WSS has the narrator through out giving a voice to the story, with its voice changing reflecting different sides to the story helping the reader look at all view points. Shaw has also given his play a voice for the social messages he wishes to get across, in that of Elizas father. Here is a character the play could easily do without, he serves no real purpose to the plot, but he does act as Shaws own moralistic orator throughout, he spouts views from the working mans perspective, perhaps giving the audience its only real insight into a large portion of the population (Pygmalion page 47).