Shakespeare's Macbeth Vs. Old Siward

In William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Macbeth and Old Siward express differing levels of concern at the news of the death of their relatives, showing a waning of family values and kinship, through the contrasting reactions, the meter the two characters speak with, and the motifs each character relates to in grieving. Likewise, Jack Bauer and Charles Solenz in 24: Redemption react differently to the deaths of both a young boy at the school they run and another teacher at the school, also showing a waning of family values in society.

When news is heard of the deaths, Macbeth and Old Siward differ greatly in the words they use to describe these deaths as Macbeth uses very bleak and plain language, while Old Siward exclaims boldly the heroics of his

son. As Macbeth contemplates the shriek he heard, he exclaims, "The time has been my senses would have cooled/to hear a night shriek" (Shakespeare V.v.12-13). Macbeth, though seemingly calm at the shriek he heard, remembers a time when fear could contain him. Although it seems that Macbeth relives his fear, Jan Blits in The Insufficiency of Virtue: Macbeth and the Natural Order, argues “What he feels, however, is not such a fear but its absence” (Blits 182). By seeking apparitions from the witches, Macbeth gets rid of fear completely from his life, but the horrors he filled his live with through the slaying of Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff’s family brought horrors so great that he cannot describe fear any more. On the other hand, Old Siward, with news of his son's death, worries, "Had he his hurts before?" (V.viii.53). Through this quotation, Old Siward inquires if his son died a coward or a man. He exhibits genuine concern at this topic as he is a hardened general with a family history of wars. In reaction to the death of his wife, Macbeth exclaims, "And all our yesterday's have lighted fools/the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!" (V.v.26). The use of words such as a "dusty death" and the blowing out of a candle represent the bleak outlook Macbeth has for life. Macbeth also foreshadows his own failures as his premonitions represent the yesterday, showing him, the fool, the way to a death that he cannot escape.
While Shakespeare typically used iambic pentameter in most of his poetry, the variance in meter throughout both characters' reactions signify differing levels of shock and fear at the news where Macbeth displays a stoic attitude with his constant meter, whereas Old Siward speaks with a varying meter, with a roller coaster of emotions.

At first news of the death of his wife, Macbeth mourns, "She should have died hereafter. /There would have been a time for such a word. /Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow/creeps in this petty pace from day to day" (V.v.20-23). In the grieving of his wife, Macbeth remains a very stoic being, using very constant meter and plain words. Macbeth conveys more than sorrow by using In addition, at the news of the placement of his son's wounds, Old Siward rejoices, "Why then, God's soldier be he!/Had I as many sons as I have hairs, I would not wish them to a fairer death;/And so his knell is knolled" (V.viii.55-58). The meter in this line changes from short, to normal, to short, signifying Siward's excitement at the news. However, his words and excitement exhibit the waning of family values through the joy he expresses in spite of his son's death. Old Siward even goes as far as wishing he had more sons to die like Young Siward did, showing how honor and loyalty caused a reduction in the value of society and

kinship.
Although both Macbeth and Old Siward allude to the glory of God in life in their reactions, the two bring up differing motifs to describe the deaths of their kin as Macbeth emphasizes the darkness surrounding Lady Macbeth's death, while Old Siward praises the loyalty Young Siward possessed.

At news that Lady Macbeth died, Macbeth rants, "And all our yesterdays have lighted fools/the way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle! /Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player" (V.v.25-27). These lines contain several references to light and dark, like lighting fools, the candle, and the shadow. The lighted fools rely on the past, or yesterday, to lead them. As I stated before, this foreshadows Macbeth's downfall as he relies on the past, yet it leads him to a dusty death. Likewise, the candle alludes to Matthew 5.14-16, which states "You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden, nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father" (The New American, Matt. 5.14-16). The bible verse states that our lives are a light and we must be able to show our light wherever we go. However, Macbeth uses this representation of life as light to show a death, as a candle extinguishes, so does all life in Macbeth's statement. Upon knowledge that his son died an honorable death, Old

Siward rejoices, " Why then God's soldier be he! /He's worth no more. / They say he parted well and paid his score" (V.vii.54-55…61-62). Old Siward employs the motif of loyalty and honor in mourning of his son. The use of this theme conveys how little Old Siward cares that his son died, rather he worries whether or not he died honorably, showing the wan of family values in society.