Belief Systems in Macbeth - 1619 Words

Belief systems play an important role in the lives of humans as they govern a person’s thoughts, words and actions and often reflect the predominant values of a specific period in time. In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, three different belief systems are present: belief of the Supernatural, the Great Chain of Being and Divine Justice. Belief in the Supernatural is the belief that factors such as fate, astrology and nature determine the path of a person’s life and may become self-fulfilling prophesies. The Great Chain of Being is the belief in hierarchical systems that once disrupted will result in chaos. Lastly, Divine Justice is the belief that all actions will be reciprocated, either though punishment or reward. Each of these systems share†¦show more content†¦Her guilt is evident when she is sleepwalking and says, â€Å"Here’s the smell of the blood still. All\ the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little\ hand.† (5.1.50-52) Shortly after, during the attack on Macbeth to claim the throne for Malcolm, Macbeth hears a woman’s scream and questions, â€Å"Wherefore was that cry?†, Seyton responds, â€Å"The Queen, my lord, is dead.† (5.5.15-16) Lady Macbeth kills King Duncan, and this reveals that while she does capture the throne, her days as the sovereign queen are short-lived. The disruption continues when Macbeth follows through with his wife’s plans and kills the King of Scotland. He says to Lady Macbeth, â€Å"I have done the deed.† (2.2.15) Unbeknownst to Macbeth, the witches placed a spell on him preventing him from being able to sleep if he killed the king. Sleep shall neither night nor day Hang upon his penthouse lid. He shall live a man forbid. Weary sev’nnights nine times nine Shall he dwindle, peak and pine. (1.3.19-23) Unable to sleep, Macbeth is unable to function properly, and starts to see the ghost of Banquo, who he had just had murdered by assassins. Avaunt, and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with! (3.4.94-97) This suggests that Macbeth is feeling guilty for killing his friend and suffers mentally as a result. The disruption ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Grendel And Macbeth 915 Words   |  4 Pagesand sadness† (Herrera). In Grendel, tragedy and confusion is seen throughout the story. The theme in the story of Macbeth is tragedy and pain. This early literature exemplifies evil through these themes. The philosophers whose theories support these themes through British literature are Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Sigmund Freud and Fred Alford. Throughout the stories of Grendel and Macbeth, evil is displayed differently as well as the theories that contribute to the evil seen. Although their philosophyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare’S Macbeth Remains As A Crucial Play1705 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Macbeth remains as a crucial play in understanding the central concepts that shape modern Western civilization. The novel dramatizes the mental and physical impacts of those pursuing political power. For centuries, medieval and Renaissance civilizations were assured of a harmony between political and religious ideals. Audiences during Shakespeare’s time were familiar with kingdoms that incorporated religious aspects into their political systems. In Scotland and England, theRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1425 Words   |  6 PagesMacbeth Just Can’t Wait To Be King Everyone has a quality that they do not like about themselves. Some people struggle to be social, others may be too controlling of people. 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Because of his change of character from good to evil, Macbeth s attitude towards other characters, specifically Duncan, Banquo, Lady Macbeth, and the witches, is significantly affected. In a larger sense, the theme of bad versus good kingship, embodied by Macbeth and DuncanRead MoreMacbeth s Order Of The Universe944 Words   |  4 Pagessuperiority. This order coincides with all religious beliefs as well as the political system. All inhabitants of earth are ranked in the following order: God, angels, king, man, animals, plants, inorganic material, and lastly, chaos. The king is similar to a God on earth, so any ill-willed acts against the king is a direct attack on God. In â€Å"The Tragedy of Macbeth† written by William Shakespeare, there is a breakdown of order throughout S cotland when Macbeth kills King Duncan. This destruction is visibleRead MoreThe Historical And Cultural Value Of The Ancient Mesopotamia1442 Words   |  6 PagesNarrative† written by Babylonians, is undoubtedly the crystallization of Sumerian culture. From the content of the story, one can see ancient Sumerian’s early civilization, society, and religion culture. Comparing this poem to modern plays such as â€Å"Macbeth† by William Shakespeare, this ancient narrative epic still has an important historical and cultural value so far. The Gilgamesh story took place in ancient Mesopotamia, where developed the earliest human civilization. Mesopotamia means the â€Å"landRead MoreWoven Messages Of Shakespeare s Macbeth1460 Words   |  6 PagesWoven Messages in Shakespeare s Macbeth Megan Ball 16 June 2015 Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn ad cauldron bubble. (Macbeth, 4.1.10)King James I s obsession with witches and the supernatural sparked Shakespeare’s creation of his most famous tragedy Macbeth. Macbeth illustrates the story of the General, who ruthlessly murders the King in order to gain power which he did not deserve. Along with being an entertaining piece of literature, it also serves as a successful piece of political