Macbeth: Choices
In The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare characters often could
not escape the consequences of their choices. The choices that some characters
made in the play put them in a position which they could not escape. In most of
these cases the character feels remorse for the choice they had made. The
characters that I will be concentrating on are Macbeth, Macduff, and Lady
Macbeth. These characters are the best examples of how characters could not
escape their choices in the play.
The actions of Macbeth during the play sometimes put him in a situation
which he could not escape. An example of this is when Macbeth murders Duncan.
After he does it he regrets it and is afraid to think about it. This is shown in
the quote: I am afraid to think what I've done; look on't again I dare not./(50-
51, Scene 2, Act 2) Another example is after Macbeth had Banquo killed and he
sees Banquo's ghost at the table. He goes crazy and starts yelling at the ghost
and he realizes that he cannot change what he has done so he tries to ignore it.
That same scene Lady Macbeth says: Things without all remedy should be without
regard: what's done is done./(11-12, Scene 2, Act 3) These examples show how
Macbeth cannot escape the choices he made.
Macduff's allegiance to the country of Scotland leads to consequences
which he cannot change. Macduff's allegiance is shown when he left Scotland and
his family to go to England. There he met with Malcolm and started raising a
army to overthrow Macbeth.
The result of this is the slaughtering of Macduff's wife and children by
Macbeth's men.
He blames himself for their death and he knows he can do nothing to
change it. This is seen in the qoute: Sinful Macduff, They were all struck for
thee! Naught that I am, Not for their own demerits but for mine fell slaughter
on their souls. Heaven rest them now!/(224-226, Scene 3, Act 4)
Lady Macbeth cannot escape the consequences of her choices either. She
pressured Macbeth into killing Duncan when he did not want to. She also smeared
the blood all over the guards and put the daggers in their hands. She went along
with the murdering of Banquo and tried to tell Macbeth that he could not change
what he had done in the second quote of my second paragraph. All of the choices
she made had a huge impact on her life and we see what she has become in the
Some will argue that all the choices made by Macbeth were continuously his own, that he had these opportunities as a man to put his foot down and say no, and be able to draw the line where things should come to an end, the
he was able to come to the realization that he is not as honest or brave as he
June-May fulfills her mother’s name and life goal, her long-cherished wish. She finally meets her twin sisters and in an essence fulfills and reunites her mother with her daughter through her. For when they are all together they are one; they are their mother. It is here that June-May fulfills the family portion of her Chinese culture of family. In addition, she fully embraces herself as Chinese. She realizes that family is made out of love and that family is the key to being Chinese. “And now I also see what part of me is Chinese. It is so obvious. It is my family. It is in our blood.” (Tan 159). Finally, her mother’s life burden is lifted and June-May’s doubts of being Chinese are set aside or as she says “After all these years, it can finally be let go,” (Tan 159).
Having already been through public disgrace, when her own father, Oedipus found out that he was to fulfill a prophecy; he would kill his father and marry his mother, and this caused Antigone to be full of resentment toward her city. Both of her brothers die in a battle and, Creon, the king of Thebes forbids the burial of one of her brothers, Polynices. This must have driven Antigone to follow her moral law. Considering the love she had for her family as well as her God, she felt that you react upon morals not upon the laws of man. That morale law was to honor her brother and give him the respectful and proper burial that he deserved just as her other brother was given. The love she had for her family was the only thing she had left to honor. Ismene, Antigone’s sister was more fearful of the king’s law then the way her heart was leading her. Her values were slightly distorted.
`Act 1- The three weird witches meet and they are planning on when they are going to meet again to talk to Macbeth. In the next scene King Duncan talks to the injured captain about the battle against the invaders, who are under the command of Macdonwald. The captain tell King Duncan how he saved Malcolm and Macbeth was very violent and fought with great force. Then the Captain is taken away by the servants then Ross enters and he tells Duncan that Cawdor has been beaten and the Norway army retreated. Then King Duncan comes to the decision to kill Cawdor and then Macbeth will "become Cawdor". Then Duncan sends out Ross to go tell Macbeth about what had happened at this time. In scene three the witches approach Banquo and Macbeth when they were on their way to Forres. The witches inform Macbeth and Banquo about what had happened in the kings court and they tell him he is the Thane of Cawdor and Glamis and that Macbeth will eventually become king. Then Banquo is told riddles that his children will be royal and he will not. After the witches disappear then Ross and Angus come up to them and Ross informs Macbeth the news which he just heard. Then Macbeth contemplates whether he will have to spill blood to become king, then when he is done they all continue to Forres. Then Duncan finds out that Cawdor dies because his son killed him. Then Ross, Angus, Banquo and Macbeth arrive. Then Malcolm becomes the heir to Duncans throne and Macbeth has Duncan dine at his castle that night so he rides to tell his wife. When Macbeth gets home he tells his wife the news and she starts to plot the murder of Duncan and Macbeth fallows. Then Duncan and the Scottish lords arrive and they are tak...
... Macduff, was able to figure out that Macbeth was behind the murders. He went to England to get help from King Edward to overthrow Macbeth. When he gets back to Scotland he confronts Macbeth and then kills him. The truth of his acts caught up with him and he got what he deserved. This play is a prime example of why people need to think about the reality of their actions and think about how it will affect them in the future.
He acts as if he doesn't have a care in the world. He then starts to
After Macbeth had committed the crime he felt that his soul could never be cleansed no matter what he did. He said
No person can go through life without facing the consequences of their actions. In fact, it is generally believed that every action must have a reaction. This belief is exhibited in Shakespeare's Macbeth. In the play, Lady Macbeth was the push that led her husband, Macbeth, to kill their king. This murder causes a series of consequences for both characters, which ultimately lead to their downfall.
In Sophocles’ Antigone, the most prominent theme is the concept of divine law versus human law. The play opens with the debate between the sisters Antigone and Ismene concerning which law comes first- the devout obligations of citizens, or civic duty. Antigone requests for Ismene to assist her in burying their brother Polyneices, though the new king Creon, has prohibited burial on pain of death. It can be argued that Creon’s edict, which deprived Polyneices of his funeral rites, is understandable. The young man had been killed perpetrating the most atrocious crime of which a citizen could be guilty, and Creon, as the responsible head of state, naturally supposed that exemplary punishment was the culprit’s right...
MACBETH's affirmation of this is reciprocated in Act I, Scene III, when he echoes the witches words, "So fair and foul a day I have not seen."
“I did not intend to pay, before the gods,/for breaking these laws/because of my fear of one man and his principles.”
To construct Saint Peters Basilica, Archbishop Albert borrowed money from the Fuggers (wealthy banking family). To pay for this loan Pope Leo X gave permission to Archbishop Albert to sell indulgences in Germany. An indulgence is a way to reconcile with God, by confessing your sins to a priest and perform a penance. By the later Middle Ages people believed that indulgence removed all their sins and ensured entry to heaven. The selling of indulgence troubled Luther, he thought people were ignorant to believe that they didn’t have to repent after they bought an indulgence.
Act I of Shakespeare’s Macbeth serves as the beginning and exposition for the story to come, a tragedy filled with deceit and dishonor. This is made clear through the introduction of the titular character, Macbeth himself, and the dichotomy that develops within him. Before Macbeth ever enters the act, he is spoken of by a Scottish captain as among the bravest and most valuable soldiers in the army under King Duncan. After hearing of this account, Duncan has the utmost respect for Macbeth, exclaiming that he is “smack of honor” (ii. 61) and rewarding his courage with the title of Thane of Cawdor. At this point in the play, Macbeth is not only appears as a noble and worthy subject, but every indication suggests that this is the reality of his