From Harmony to Havoc in Macbeth

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Chaos is present where there are conflicting forces. In Act II of Macbeth, it certainly is existent, especially after the killing of Duncan. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a distinguished nobleman, who has a good reputation as a captain. He is loyal, courageous, and well respected by others, including the king. However, from the moment Macbeth hears the witches’ prophecies, disarray becomes progressively noticeable in Macbeth’s disposition, between the characters, in nature, and in the human world.

By murdering the king, Macbeth’s state of mind plummets. He experiences hallucinations, which can be seen as products of his paranoia. On the night of Duncan’s death, Macbeth sights a floating dagger before him. Questioning his judgment, Macbeth asks, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?” (II, i, 33-34). It reveals Macbeth’s swaying resolve to go through with the plan to kill Duncan. He also tells the “sure and firm-set earth” to “hear not [his] steps” out of fear that the stones would tell the world what he is about to do. Moments after Duncan di...

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