“Then the liars and swearers are fools, for there are liars and swearers enow to beat the honest men and hang up them.” Through Lady Macduff’s son, William Shakespeare implies a piece of social commentary in Macbeth and that being there is more foul than fair in the world. Regarding good and evil, Shakespeare introduces the idea that evil triumphs good in the end. Roman Polanski’s version of Macbeth further emphasizes Shakespeare’s idea that unfavorable events occur to all people regardless of whether or not they are innocent.
Throughout the beginning of the scene, Polanski chooses to display innocence through both character actions and film techniques. In the opening part of the Lady Macduff scene, Polanski chooses to display children playing
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Polanski, agreeing with Shakespeare, adds on to this idea that foul prevails over fair in the end regardless of circumstance. One of the many decisions that support this reasoning in the film is when Ross motions to the Porter for the murderers to come through the gate. Ross is now depicted as evil and no longer an innocent figure. This is not the case in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Ross is viewed as an innocent and loyal gentlemen, not a malicious character. Polanski situates this idea in the audience’s mind that evil is present even within the righteous. Furthermore, every character who was slaughtered in the Lady Macduff scene was innocent. They were all images of purity and innocence. Polanski emphasizes Shakespeare’s commentary through all of these significant choices. Together, this scene sends a strong message that evil is ubiquitous.
Both Polanski and Shakespeare clearly agree that even the innocent and pure suffer in the hands of evil. Shakespeare reveals this in his play while Polanski takes what Shakespeare has written and completely brings it to a whole other level by visually emphasizing Shakespeare’s idea that foul is always present. Both Shakespeare and Polanski present evil as omnipresent in their works. Next to innocence, they bring some type of evil to outweigh the
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In all beginnings of innocence ending with it being destroyed, Polanski shares his beliefs that the innocent and pure are weak and vulnerable. This would be the reason for why he displays the horrific events of the scene. Overall, Polanski’s unique and uncanny choices are exceedingly powerful. Not merely does he do a great job of highlighting Shakespeare’s meaning, he connects with the audience and provokes this idea that evil is inescapable. Perhaps Polanski’s choices are so effective because they remind us of the awareness of existing fear within all of us, the knowledge that we are susceptible to the evil that is existent in our world. By viewing this fictional film of that fact, we are forced to recognize and contemplate this universal fear. This strange, yet memorable connection to the audience brings about such a basic, but deep cogitation that evil is not only existent within us, but also completely surrounding us in our world today. Despite the explanations of many religions worldwide, maybe evil is just that perplexing. Polanski shows the most well-known forms of innocence and purity in the opening of the scene only to completely demolish all of it in the end. The contrast of good and evil shown here unquestionably displays that evil outweighs good.
Although presented in different
Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" is considered one of his great tragedies. The play fully uses plot, character, setting, atmosphere, diction and imagery to create a compelling drama. The general setting of Macbeth is tenth and eleventh century Scotland. The play is about a once loyal and trusted noble of Scotland who, after a meeting with three witches, becomes ambitious and plans the murder of the king. After doing so and claiming the throne, he faces the other nobles of Scotland who try to stop him. In the play, Macbeth faces an internal conflict with his opposing decisions. On one hand, he has to decide of he is to assassinate the king in order to claim his throne. This would result in his death for treason if he is caught, and he would also have to kill his friend. On the other hand, if he is to not kill him, he may never realize his ambitious dreams of ruling Scotland. Another of his internal struggles is his decision of killing his friend Banquo. After hiring murderers to kill him, Macbeth begins to see Banquo's ghost which drives him crazy, possibly a result of his guilty conscience. Macbeth's external conflict is with Macduff and his forces trying to avenge the king and end Macbeth's reign over Scotland. One specific motif is considered the major theme, which represents the overall atmosphere throughout the play. This motif is "fair is foul and foul is fair."
... 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.
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, “Fair is foul, foul is fair”, sets the paradoxical tone of the play (I.I.12). The paradox between loyalty and cowardice dissimulates the true nature of masculinity in the play. Macduff proves his masculinity during Malcom’s test of loyalty to state rather than the tyranny of Macbeth. Though he is not the protagonist, Macduff’s integral role in the murder of Macbeth proves his sense of ambition in the play. Despite Macduff's responsibility for his family's murder, his loyalty to both family and country conveys his valiant nature.
Ross says, “I am so much a fool, should I stay longer, it would be my disgrace and your discomfort. I take my leave at once” (Shakespeare 4.2). This quote shows that Ross has no evil-minded due to the fact he leaves Lady Macduff and her child to die. Still, this shows Macbeth cruelty by sending the soldier to kill Macduff’s family. Macbeth says, “The castle of Macduff I will surprise, seize upon Fife give th ’edge o’th’sword/ his wife, his babes, all unfortunate souls” (Shakespeare 4.1). The significance of this quote shows Macbeth cruelty thinking about his plan on how to kill the Macduff’s. Since Macduff’s family are not a threat to him, but his mind led him to worsen the situation. Macbeth says, “Time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits: / the flighty purpose never is o’ertlook/ unless the deed go with it” (Shakespeare 4.1.). This quote shows that Macbeth is talking to himself about time so he can make up his plan instantly. He promises that from this time on if dreams the plan, he will act on it and carry it out for a purpose. To conclude with paragraph 3, Macbeth has no innocence over the people that do not have a threat to him. So Macbeth’s morality finds its way to justice which has to be solved.
Many would perceive madness and corruption to play the most influential role in Hamlet. However, it could be argued that the central theme in the tragedy is Shakespeare's presentation of actors and acting and the way it acts as a framework on which madness and corruption are built. Shakespeare manifests the theme of actors and acting in the disassembly of his characters, the façades that the individuals assume and the presentation of the `play within a play'. This intertwined pretence allows certain characters to manipulate the actions and thoughts of others. For this reason, it could be perceived that Shakespeare views the `Elsinorean' tragedy as one great puppet show, "I could see the puppets dallying".
The meaning of evil has changed throughout history. In today’s world, evil has become a hazy term. What is evil? Who is evil? Men like Osama Bin Laden have been described as the term 'evil' for their atrocities against humanity. Now it seems evil has an exclusively human meaning; when a person violates the rights of others on a massive scale, he or she is evil. In Shakespeare's time, the Renaissance period, evil had a similar, but altered meaning for people. Evil was a being that violated Christian moral codes. Therefore, a man such as Claudius, from William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, a murderer and a ruthless manipulator, who uses "rank" deeds to usurp the thrown is in direct violation with the Elizabethan societal rules, and he is evil. Greed,
Summarising, throughout the play we can see that “foul is fair, fair is foul” is shown recurrently throughout the play Macbeth. The concept shows that nothing is as it seems and many things in life may appear foul on the outside, but they really are fair on the inside. Many examples such as, the battle Scotland was in against Norway and the Scottish rebels, how Lady Macbeth is preserved and how she tells Macbeth to act, and Macbeth killing King Duncan, show how important this theme is to the play. In life the quote “don’t judge a book by its cover” may be a recurring message. Just like “foul is fair, fair is foul” things that happen in life may not be the way they can be perceived at first glance, the real and true part of it just needs to be revealed.
Initially, the Elizabethan audience consider Macbeth as a respectable and well like character. We do however learn that appearances can be deceptive which corresponds with the main theme; 'Fair is foul, Foul is fair' which is referred to a lot throughout the play. This theme is first introduced in Act I, Scene I where the witches foretell the struggle between the forces of evil and good in which Macbeth is to be involved. It is also an indication that all will not be as it seems. This portrays a character as being much worse if the audience's first impressions of that character were positive.
Perhaps the most fundamental theme of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the inherent corruptibility of even a seemingly good man when ambition turns to greed, and Macbeth himself exemplifies this concept throughout the play. While at the outset he is seen to be loyal to his king, generally considered trustworthy, and displaying numerous other laudable qualities, Macbeth ultimately succumbs to the influence of those around him and becomes unequivocally evil, setting aside all his previously held morals and coming to be driven only by his lust for power. This transition is brought about by a wide variety of factors and plays an integral role in the development of the plot. In his tragedy Macbeth, William Shakespeare employs
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, first published in 1606, is an endearing tale outlining the dangers of unchecked ambition and moral betrayal. In the subsequent centuries after first being performed, Macbeths critics have been divided upon whether Macbeth himself was irrevocably evil, or if he was guided by the manipulation and actions of the women in the play to his ultimate demise. Although Lady Macbeth and the witches were influential with their provocations in the opening acts, it is ultimately Macbeth’s inherent immorality and his vaulting ambition, that result in the tragic downfall. It was Macbeth’s desire for power that abolished his loyalty and trustworthiness and led him down a path of murder. It is evident through his actions and words
Innocence is a quality that few people take to their grave, although all are born with it. At some point in one's life, an event or circumstance removes that shield from both moral and legal guilt, whether in one's own eyes or in the eyes of another. In such a case, innocence is cast off, or innocence can be stolen. Both are true of Macbeth in William Shakespeare's tragic work Macbeth. The hero's innocence and naïveté make him vulnerable prey for those who feel completely at home in a subhuman realm of malice and disintegration - the witches and Lady Macbeth. Inevitably, Macbeth is eventually worn down enough to be pushed into this dark and evil abyss by his wife, Lady Macbeth, who leaps frantically in after him to join the witches where they are most at home.
In The Tragedy of Macbeth, the motif of appearance vs. reality is constantly present in every scene of the play. Right from the beginning when the three witches are conspiring together to meet with Macbeth they say in unison “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (1.1.10). This short phrase is perchance the most famous line of the play and it foreshadows the overall theme in the play. In this circumstance ‘fair’ has a connotation of magnificence, beauty, or allure. Whereas ‘foul’ has an association having to do with anything bad, malevolent, or evil. Also, the interchanging of these lines signify the blurring between choosing what is right and what is wrong, creating chaos inside of whomever might be trying to do so. Immediately from the start of Macbeth, we get the idea that nothing is as it seems and perhaps everything that seems to be ‘fair’ is actually corrupt and dishonest. Since the three witches say this line in unison at the end of the first scene in act one, it leaves the reader with an eerie suspicion for the next scene to come. Secondly, Macbeth having just had a victorious day at battle says “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (1.3.38). This line brings back the idea of everything seeming to be one way but is really the complete opposite. ...
Thus, among those of better birth, there are those who might beget an evil nature and noblemen can do wrong because they are free to choose. Though gentle birth predisposes man to virtue, it is not necessary to virtue. It cannot be uniformly maintained that where there is a high birth, there is virtue. In the play, Shakespeare has portrayed neither Nature nor Art as perfect but as having a complex relationship where one is reflected in the other. While Nature calls forth the authoritative power of Art to correct it, Art can descend to, and even sink below, the level of Nature.
Every individual is born pure and innocent but without a doubt it is inevitable that they will become evil by being exposed to the real world. Most innocent characters in Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, die due to the corruption that King Claudius bestowed upon them. It all began when King Claudius took over the throne. His crimes lead to a chain of events that affected many people around him, which caused them to develop corrupt characteristics ultimately leading them to their death and the fall of the kingdom. For example, Claudius can be described as dishonest and manipulative.
...by wickedness. William Shakespeare demonstrated this theory throughout the entire play. We noticed that because of Claudius’s evil plan it affected Gertrude to commit an unrighteous act which made Hamlet more revengeful to kill his father’s murderer. It did not only affect Hamlet and his mother, it also affected Claudius because Claudius ended up falling into his own evil trap. It is visible from the play that no matter how ethical our character is, there are so many evil traps in our way which still can make us do sinful works unless we are very thoughtful about our actions. In conclusion, we must always be careful about what we do, think about the outcome of our action in order to upgrade our moral character.