[Aside] Two truths are told,As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme.--I thank you, gentlemen.
Aside
Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor:
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature?
Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings:
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man that function
Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is
But what is not.(Act 1 Scene II)
William Shakespeare's Macbeth delves into the realm of decision and possibility, illustrating the implications of fate and corruption of humanity. The tragedy of Macbeth lies in the knowledge he gains from the witches at the beginning of the novel. Just as with other literary characters who encounter the prophesy of their fate(remember Oedipus?), Macbeth initiates his own destruction. Upon hearing he "...shalt be king hereafter!" Macbeth immediately contemplates the limitations of his ambitions. Would he have considered yielding to his dark ambitions had the witches not introduced the idea initially? I think the primary characteristic of Macbeth as a tragic figure originates in the immense internal struggle he grapples with. In this passage Macbeth first addresses the rising desire to become king, which perhaps existed prior to encountering the witches, in the above passage. The beginning of his internal struggle is exemplified by Macbeth's repetitive use of rhetorical questions. He questions himself: "Why hath it given me earnest of success/Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: If good, why do I yield to that suggestion/Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair/And make my seated heart knock at my ribs/Against the use of nature?" It is here that Macbeth attempts to rationalize with himself. Shakespeare creates a sort of paradox in the first line "Cannot be good, cannot be ill/if ill why hath it given me earnest success...?" in response to the prophesy of the witches. Macbeth realizes what his motivation for power may lead him to do, yet defends that the result of the news is innocent. He is granted the title thane of Cawdor without lifting a finger; the witches were right about that, so how can anything else they prophesied be bad? This passage serves as a foreshadowing of what is to come. The expected excitement of the moment is decreased by Macbeth's suspicion of the unnatural nature of his newly acquired knowledge("Against the use of nature"). He wishes to enjoy the moment but is shaken by the corruptive nature of his ambitions. Macbeth is shocked by the his thoughts, presumably those plotting the death of the king and is horrified at the minute transformation this prophesy has cause in him. "My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical/Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is/But what is not." At this point in the play, Macbeth has not lost his sense of morality. Shakespeare depicts the deterioration of Macbeth's conscience, due to Lady Macbeth's cunning control over him, and identifies this loss of morality as tragedy. This passage demonstrates the initial integrity of Macbeth, highlighting the tragedy of his eventual degradation, which, had he not encountered the witches, could have been prevented.
Commentary on Genre:
When the word tragedy is used in proximity to Shakespeare, one automatically thinks of two- absurd-dead-teenagers. However, Shakespeare redefines tragedy in Macbeth. The character orchestrating a great whole of the murders is the tragic figure. Can you say irony? Macbeth is a victim of fate. He discovers his destiny and is driven to seek it. The tragedy of Macbeth truly lies in his discovery of fate, in his inability to deny that which has been prophesied. When reading this play, the reader is forced to question: would any of these events have occurred had Macbeth not encountered the witches? Could he have become king another way? Was there any escaping this appointed fate? Macbeth is truly a victim of circumstance, eventually destroyed by himself. The witches only disclose his completed fate after Macbeth has acted upon their first prophesy. This in itself is innately tragic because it is possible that Macbeth wouldn't have pursued the first prophesy had he known his ultimate fate. I find the difference in Shakespeare's tragedies extremely interesting. Richard III or The Tragedy of Richard III does not inspire sympathy for the main character. While Macbeth does commit despicable acts, just as Richard, the reader is drawn more to Macbeth. Shakespeare accomplishes this difference in reactions primarily by depicting Macbeth's transformation. At the beginning of the novel he is regarded as noble by all who encounter him, yet he is gradually corrupted by the knowledge of his potential and the urgings of his wife. He then progressively is dehumanized. Richard, however, is introduced as a heinous individual, devoid of all morality. Shakespeare manipulates the reader's perception by depicting these individuals in different stages of dehumanization. Richard seems as though he was born evil. Macbeth, perhaps like all humanity, was born with the capacity to be evil and eventually embraces it. If one believes in the Lord of the Flies/Heart of Darkness notion that all of mankind possesses an inner "darkness," it is because Macbeth yields to this inner darkness that perhaps the reader is able to relate and sympathize with him more readily than Richard.
Personal Reflection:
I first read Macbeth in 5th grade and even though I loved it then, my understanding of the dimensions of the circumstances were extremely shallow. While I'm certain there are still aspects of this play that I do not understand, I really enjoyed reading it. Even though I have read endless books dealing with fate in my high school career, I never really can get enough of them. It is a topic which fascinates me, and I change my mind nearly ever time I read another interpretation of it. As with all of Shakespeare's plays, I would much rather see a performance of the play than read it. While the language alone is incredible, I feel like I am missing a lot which would be provided by the dynamics of the actors.
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