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the witches role in macbeth's downfall
the witches role in macbeth's downfall
macbeth character analysis short essay
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We see in the play Macbeth that when the motivation to succeed in life becomes overpowering, other people may easily influence one and elements and one may decide on wrongful actions to achieve a goal. Some of the influences on Macbeth include the witches and the apparitions, Lady Macbeth, and lastly Macbeth's own insecurities and misguided attempts to control his future.
The witches and their prophecies are the first major influence on Macbeth's actions. Macbeth seems happy and content with himself until the witches tell him he will be king. He begins immediately to consider murdering Duncan. "If good, why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, / Against the use of nature?" (I, iii. 144-147). Macbeth immediately writes Lady Macbeth. "'They met me in the day of success; and I / have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in / them than mortal knowledge." (I, v. 1-3). He obviously has great faith in the witches' words. Later on, the apparitions, called by the witches, influence Macbeth by making him believe he is invincible. "Rebellion's head, rise never, till the wood / Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth / Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath / To time, and mortal custom." (IV, i. 106-109).
Lady Macbeth is a second major influence on Macbeth. As soon as Lady Macbeth learns of the witches' words from Macbeth's letter, we learn Macbeth is c...
First they gain his confidence by making predictions that come true, then the underlying true is seen through. In Act I, Scene 3 they refer to Macbeth as "Thane of Glamis," which he is, and as "Thane of Cawdor," which as far as he knows, he is not. When he is later given the news that the king has made him Thane of Cawdor, he naturally believes that the witches know the future and that he can trust them. His thoughts then move to the other prediction the witches made: that he will be king. Macbeth seeks out the witches for more information and assurance. Then, once coming across the Three Witches, Macbeth then asks them to give him some clarification on his future to hold. The Witches then show Macbeth three apparitions. The second apparition that Macbeth is shown, the bloody child, tells Macbeth that "...none of woman born shall harm Macbeth"(Shakespeare 4.1.81-82).This apparition brings confidence into Macbeth by giving him this security that he basically should have no fear about men because he cannot be killed. Unfortunately, where the false part comes into play from the false security, is the man not born of woman turns out to be Macduff, whose mother delivered by him by what we now call a C-section he was born out of a body. Thus, he was not born of woman. The third apparition appears and tells Macbeth to take courage, as well giving Macbeth
July 2, 1964 Lyndon B. Johnson gave a speech about equality for all through the eyes of god. He talks about how many Americans are denied equal treatment and even their guaranteed rights. His purpose of the speech was to achieve equality for all races and give freedom to all Americans no matter the color of their skin. This speech was given using rhetorical devices and techniques. Johnson used a lot of pathos such as “I am taking steps to implement the law.” He repetitively urges and keeps his point very simplistic. He believes that differences between race are irrelevant. All of these strategies and the fact that he was a white President of the United States contributed to a successful speech.
Throughout history, women have always fought to gain equal political rights, but conventional roles kept women from getting enough political representation. Many suffrage groups founded by women challenged the conventional roles of women during 1840 to 1968 with the dream of obtaining equal political representation. In 1919, the nineteenth amendment, drafted by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton was passed. The 19th amendment has been desired by many women for years. Although the 19th amendment passed and women thought that they were able to be equal in politics, many women did not get equal political representation due to their conventional roles at the time period. Women were not able to achieve high roles in politics, shown through the fact that there has never been a woman president in the history of the United States. The presidency of women did not occur due to the perceptions that generally, women should be protected and hidden, not out in the open and leadin...
women started serving on school boards and local bodies, and more women began to become
Both socialism and democratic socialism overlap and interact with a few different ideologies. The most notable are the intersection between democratic socialism and liberalism. Both liberals and social democrats advocate for a relatively large welfare state, in order to take care of the poor and offer a social safety net. Both ideologies also believe in a sort of collective responsibility to society. They believe the purpose of people is greater than just the individual. Socialism and Liberalism also both see flaws in capitalism and have strategies to address them. Whether it’s replacing them or preventing the downsides.
In fear of losing this power to his friend Banquo or his son Fleance, whom of which the witches said would be king after Macbeth and would yield a long line of kings, Macbeth had them murdered in the woods while they were out horseback riding. This proves that he truly believes in what the witches have to say about him and his future, which leads him to back to seek out more of the witches half truths to see what else would come of his future. The next set of prophecies that the witches had to offer were shown in a set of three apparitions. The first said “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife,” the second apperition then spoke “none of woman born can harm Macbeth,” the third aperition then said “Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him”(Shakespeare,168-170). Some say it was the witches fault for Macbeth’s actions next, but in reality it was Macbeth’s and Macbeth’s alone. Due to these three prophecies Macbeth’s level of arrogance went up along with his hunger for power as well, his level of common sense was decreasing faster and faster. Macbeth’s lack of common sense caused him to make rash decisions without thinking them through. Such as when he says “From this moment the very firstlings of my
On January 25, 1972, Chisholm announced her candidacy for president. She stood before the cameras and in the beginning off her speech she said, “I stand before you today as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the Presidency of the United States. I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women’s of this country, although I am a woman, and I am equally proud of that. I am not the candidate of any political bosses or special interest. I am the candidate of the people.” Though Shirley did not win a single primary during the 1972 presidential election, she captured over 150 votes on the first ballot and later said her campaign had been a necessary “catalyst for change.” Shirley went on to serve for ten more years in the House and retired in 1982 after seven terms in congress.
Throughout the history of the United States, racial discrimination has always been around our society. Many civil rights movements and laws had helped to minimize the amount of discrimination towards every single citizen, but discrimination is something that will not ever disappear. On March 15, 1965, Lyndon Baines Johnson gave a speech that pointed out the racial injustice and human rights problems of America in Washington D.C. He wanted every citizen of the United States to support his ideas to overcome and solve the racial injustice problems as a nation. Throughout the speech, Lyndon Johnson used several rhetorical concepts to persuade the audience. He is speaking to all the citizens in the nation and
All hail, MacBeth, that shalt be king hereafter! (Line 47-50) These prophecies throw into his mind the possibility of further advancement to the highest level of the nobility. If the witches had not told MacBeth of their prophecies, there is little chance he would have thought about them himself, and even less chance he would have murdered king Duncan. In Act Three, Scene Five, the witches talk to Hectate, the goddess of demons, about MacBeth.
Macbeth is first introduced as a war hero, slayer of the Norweyans. He is then introduced to prophesy by three witches. They prophesize how he will become first Thane of Cawdor and then king. "All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!...Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter." (Act 1 Scene 3). Macbeth becomes thane and starts to believe in the prophesies if the witches. What first started as inquisitiveness and doubt, soon became fate and truth as the Bible is to Christians. Macbeth began to believe the next prophesy. In fact, not only would he become king, he made it his personal obligation and responsibility to see that it became so. With a little bit of nagging (that is the best term to use) from Lady Macbeth, Macbeth chooses to fulfill his de...
The witches have a strong effect on Macbeth's character; they highly influence him in his accomplishments and awake his ambitions. They give Macbeth a false sense of security with their apparitions of truths. Instead they prove to be harmful for Macbeth who takes too much comfort and confidence in his interpretation of the truths. They are the ones who plant the actual idea of killing Duncan into Macbeth's mind. But if it were only the witches prophecies, then Macbeth surely would not have murdered the king. 'When you durst to do it, then you were a man,' (Macbeth, Shakespeare Act 1 Scene 7) Lady Macbeth's constant harassment pushed Macbeth and made him commit all this evil. When you reason things out by yourself you tend to now what is right and what is wrong, a conscience. But with the outside influence from the witches he thinks that that is his destiny and he must do everything to fulfill it. One can wonder if Macbeth ever had a chance of doing what was right after he met with the witches. He is overthrown and killed. Through his own ambitions, the ambition of his wife and the witches' prophesies, Macbeth has caused his own destruction and downfall. We can now clearly see that ambition not achieved through our own ability leads to destruction. 'Hail Thane of Glamis and of Cawdor and shalt be King hereafter'. (Act 1 Scene 3) These prophecies from three strangers are taken without question and probably without good judgment. Just the thought that he may be King clouds his thoughts and ambition takes over. The witches can predict the future, they can add temptation, and influence Macbeth, but they cannot control his destiny.
"Women Get the Vote." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Et Al. Vol. 3: 1920-1929. Detroit: Gale, 2001. U.S. History in Context. Web. 7 Mar. 2014.
Before the 1920s men and women were thought to have two separate roles in life. People believed women should be concerned with their children, home, and religion, while men took care of business and politics. In 1920 there were significant changes for women in politics, the home, and the workplace. When the 19th amendment passed it gave women the right to vote. “Though slowly to use their newly won voting rights, by the end of the decade women were represented local, state, and national political committees and were influencing the political agenda of the federal government.” Now a days it’s normal for women to be involved in politics and it’s normal for women to vote. Another drastic change
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth’s desire and ambition leads to her eventual downfall. When Lady Macbeth hears of Macbeth’s prophecy she dreams of the glory and high-standing that awaits being queen. She cannot withhold her ambitions and she is willing to manipulate fate to bring about Macbeth’s prophecy. She invokes evil spirits to be filled from head to toe with cruelty to do the evil actions necessary to make Macbeth king and to remove all remorse and pity for her action from her heart. She is initially able to be involved in the treacherous deeds that are needed to bring about the prophecy quickly, but as the play progresses the weight of the merciless deeds fill her with remorse. The remorse and pain she feels for her wicked ways cause Lady Macbeth to lose control of her life and wither away until the weight of her deeds causes her to die. Lady Macbeth’s wish is partially granted, her mind becomes evil and enables her to do horrific things, but her soul remains pure and unsure of her actions and her remorse for her wicked ways leads to her destruction.
According to Abraham Maslow, human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs, and the certain lower needs must be satisfied before higher needs can be fulfilled. The Hierarchy of needs must be met in order to reach self-actualization. Maslow identifies four different levels before one comes to full self-actualization.Self-actualization is to have all of the needs fulfilled and be where you need to. These levels are, in order, the psychological needs, safety, love and care and esteem needs.The first three needs in Maslow 's triangle are considered essential to all humans at all times. However, to reach true self-actualization,individuals must take care of their lower needs. I believe my mother and I both have our physiological needs met. As my mother grew up both my grandparents supported her with food, shelter, and a loving home which they made sure she was comfortable and secure. Although my mother did not have what she has provided me and my siblings with, she did have a secure childhood. I know that my need in terms of security have been fulfilled because my parents have provided me with security and safety. I also believe that my mother and I both have our love and belonging needs met. I grew up very close to my family. We are very supportive of one another which I am thankful very thankful to have. As for the self esteem aspect of Maslow 's needs, I believe we both have rather high self esteem, however my mother might have much higher self esteem than I do. Although I believe I am confident, I am also an introvert by nature. My mother is an extrovert and loves being the center of attention and the life of parties, which reflects her high score on the (BFT). I believe that both my mother 's and my needs have been met on Maslow 's Hierarchy of Needs which results in making us similar having all our needs met. Maslow 's Hierarchy of Needs has provided me with