The Power Of Children In Sir Isaac Newton's Macbeth

On a constant basis, we experience Newton’s Laws of Motion, but do not know it. In 1687, Sir Isaac Newton formally published his three immortal Laws of Motion into one of his greatest works. The third and shortest of these scientific marvels, relating to momentum, states that every action force has an equal and opposite reaction force, which is true in both science and life, although we can barely detect certain hypothetical reaction forces. An exemplary instance of this is when parents educate their children, then children then educate their parents in return, a barely detected “reaction”. The power of children are also shown in classic literature, especially the works of The Bard, William Shakespeare. The jinxed “Scottish Play”, Macbeth,

Duncan believes children show nobility, Macbeth is jealous of many people’s children, and Malcolm, a child of Duncan, shows independence. First, in the perspective of Duncan, children symbolize inherited traits and nobility, as his son Duncan bears in the early stages of the play. When Macbeth slays the Thane of Cawdor in a bloody battle, he gains that title as well as the Thane of Glamis. The day prior to when Duncan visits Macbeth’s castle for a royal banquet, he pronounces that he “will establish our estate upon our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter The Prince of Cumberland; which honor must not unaccompanied invest him only, but signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine on all deservers” (1.4.43-48). Here the sovereign of Scotland insists that his son is not only inherently noble due to their regal blood, but that his son’s royal traits are contagious to all of those deserving such traits. Despite being a nepotist in terms of appointing his successor to the throne, he realizes that having Malcolm as the monarch of Scotland will create a noble nation out of his estate. As Duncan notices his children possess these inherited qualities from their father, he

In Malcolm’s opinion, children symbolize independence and interdependence; he shows both of these themes. After Macbeth commits regicide and treason towards Malcolm’s father, the son of the overthrown sovereign is independent enough to realize the danger in his home nation and flee towards England. As a result, Macduff reports Malcolm and his younger brother Donalbain to be “stol’n away and fled, which puts upon them suspicion of the deed” (2.4.36-8), which means that the locations of the two regal brothers are unknown. Here Shakespeare demonstrates Malcolm’s independence from both Duncan and Macbeth by showing that he can rely on himself in order to detect danger and flee. He utilizes his freedom to continue his royal pursuits in the court of England, under the command of King Edward as opposed to Macbeth. As Malcolm demonstrates his independence because of his maturity and royal status, he believes in his youth and royal blood showing his freedom. However, the Prince of Cumberland demonstrates interdependence in Scene 4.3 upon Macduff’s arrival in the royal court of England under King Edward. His mission of treason is to convince Malcolm to fight the terrorism committed by Macbeth and seize the crown from Macbeth to gain the promised