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People who, at first, are not considered evil are usually
coaxed into earning a high reward before they take the first steps into
becoming evil. A high reward can be anything that will give an individual a
greater status than their previous one. From money to prestige to ultimate
power, these types of rewards are guarantees, and they can either be tangible
or intangible. Money, for example, is tangible while power is shown through a
commanding presence or tone, making it intangible. However, it takes strong
convincing and persuasion to turn someone wholesome into a corrupt and evil
individual.
In the play Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, this type
of persuasion is seen in Act I with the prophecy told by the three witches. The
prophecy that is told first shows Macbeth becoming a thane before becoming
king, then shows Banquo’s offspring gaining the crown. The prophecy is told to
both Macbeth and his colleague Banquo, and the witches start by chanting, “All
hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis…All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be
king hereafter” (Macbeth, 1.3). The third witch at the end of the chant states,
“Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none / So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo”
(Macbeth, 1.3).
The witches’ prophecy is an important example of strong
convincing. After this prophecy, Macbeth’s head suddenly becomes filled with the
need to become king while Banquo seems to just accept the prophecy. Macbeth’s
need is then increased with Lady Macbeth’s plot to kill King Duncan so Macbeth
can further his goal of gaining the crown. Lady Macbeth states that Macbeth
must appear “like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t” in order to
kill Duncan so he can become king (Macbeth, 1.5). Macbeth ultimately follows
through with Lady Macbeth’s plan, and in Act III, Macbeth is crowned king. However,
also in this Act III, Banquo is murdered by murderers hired by Macbeth.
The prophecy told by the witches never stated that Banquo
needed to be killed in order for Macbeth to be crowned. The persuasion from the
witches, guarantee of the crown, influence of Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth’s own
sudden need for power are what causes Macbeth to order Banquo to be killed. His
morals seem to have disappeared after he accepts his fate and agrees to kill
King Duncan. Altogether, Macbeth has shifted into an evil individual whose own
need for power has forced him to disregard his morals and commit heinous crimes.
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Hauppauge: Barron's Educational Series, 1985. Print.
**Happy Birthday Mrs. Genesky!**
I completely agree that there is a reward involved when a good person turns evil. Greed is a powerful thing that causes the downfall of many, especially in literature. I like that you incorporated Lady Macbeth's role because she definitely played a huge part. I wonder how many other ways there are for people to become evil. Good post!
ReplyDeleteThis a great post Kirami! I can definitely agree from first hand experience that when a reward, whether tangible or intangible is guaranteed, it unlocks all type of evil that good people may not have known they had in them. Also, to add to what Amy said, you never realize how much greed you have in you until you offered something that you know you want more of, especially when it come to money. I also agree with Amy in that Lady Macbeth played an important role in the downfall of Macbeth and his desire to kill. Great job faaaam!
ReplyDeleteIt's cool that you chose to focus on the prophecy as being what turned Macbeth evil rather than Lady Macbeth's rudeness. That's definitely something that influenced the whole ordeal anyways. I think it's true that the prophecy clouded Macbeth's judgment. He went off the deep end after the opportunity presented itself. I would say evil is the result of a culmination of Macbeth's inner turmoils as he realizes that the role of King is just a little out of his grasp.
ReplyDeleteKirami,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I loveeeee the picture as well as title. It really hooks the reader in which is something we tend to forget about when writing these posts. As far as the content for this entry, I enjoyed how you chose two elements and really went in depth about them. Also, I think that your textual evidence really supported your argument and furthered the idea that greed and outside pressures can cause someone to take a step down the path of evil.