Macbeth 1
The last time I read Macbeth was in the 10th grade and I remember absolutely loving it. This time has proved to be no different thus far. Shakespeare so adeptly gives character descriptions based on the dialogue and before the first act even ends, the reader has personal opinions on the characters. Lady Macbeth has always been just an awful person and wow I still hate her so much. I end up sympathizing with Macbeth initially because he sort of represents the inherent evil that most people typically have but never actually use. Lady Macbeth uses her power over him, that seems mostly sexual, by basically saying that he isn't a man if he does not follow through with the king's murder. He is not one to act on his "ambition," which if it were not for his wife, would only have been ambition and nothing more. At this stage, if I were Banquo I would be pretty worried for my own fate and it seems that no one else is putting it together how much Macbeth, who has killed before as he was in war, could gain from murdering the king. They just let him invite the king to a sleepover at his castle with virtually no protection.
I also read MacBeth in the 10th grade, and enjoy seeing familiar lines again! Though I do not like it as much as King Leer or Hamlet, it is still a very good play in my opinion. Lady MacBeth is the worst. She is only made so much worse by how smart she is. Your point about MacBeth representing the inherent evil that everyone has but nobody uses is an awesome point. A Hobbesian world-view, but definitely a lot of insight in that statement. I am not sure if all the power she uses is sexual, but she definitely challenges his manhood. If I was the king, I too would definitely avoid the sleepover.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time reading Macbeth, and I definitely agree with you on just how well these characters are fleshed out, especially Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth's statements about wanting to become more cruel and unforgiving cause her to want to leave behind/get rid of some of her womanly characteristics such as her "milk" and compassion, which I honestly cannot decide whether this is a social critique of men or of women. Is she saying that to be a man is to be cruel and unforgiving, which is obviously horrible, or is her craftiness and desire for power for her husband a function of her womanly deceptions and sexuality, which is obvious terrible and a criticism of women?
ReplyDeleteLady Macbeth is literally the worst in this play, I totally agree wit you. But I think it's Shakespeare's misogynistic attitude reflecting on her character. It's interesting how he twists the female characters to be inferior but also makes them the most powerful characters in the play.
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