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Tag Archives: reality
The witches in “Macbeth”
“Macbeth” is a very intriguing play that brings tension between predestination and free will, appearance and reality. The action starts with a storm what introduces dark, ominous atmosphere that will continue through the play. The first characters we meet are three witches – “the weird sisters.” Shakespeare uses these figures to open the play and lead us into this complicated, mysterious world.
The witches, as was observed in the class, replace the chorus, but instead of clarifying things for the audience, they add to the overall confusion and mystery in the play. The witches represent supernatural forces, they come and go and at times we are not sure if they are even real. They speak in riddles and rhymes. As they exit the scene the witches chant: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (1.1. 12). It is a paradox, one word contradicts another. These words reflect the perversion of values throughout the play. Things are not always
clear and easy, not always black and white, but sometimes complex and not immediately
visible. It is very interesting to note that the first words that Macbeth speaks in the play are: “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (1.3. 37). We can interpret his words literally; he calls the day foul because of the bad weather and it is also fair for him because he won the battle. However, these simple words carry a lot of deeper meaning and reinforce the message that things are not always the way they seem. The fact that Macbeth and the witches use the same words suggests that they have some sort of spiritual connection. The witches awake Macbeth’s ambition and create the suspense in the play. Their prophecy leads to a series of tragic events and to Macbeth’s demise. Or maybe it isn’t what it seems and the witches are projections of Macbeth’s imagination; they are personification of
his inner thoughts and desires.
Posted in Macbeth
Tagged appearance, fair, foul, free will, Macbeth, predestination, reality, the witches
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King’s Dilemma
The Chorus apologize the audience because of the limitations of the stage what makes it difficult to present the events as they really are. It encourages the viewer to imagine the reality and see things that are only mentioned by name. It makes me think how often in real life we skew the facts to work according to our needs or to excuse certain decisions we make.
King Henry a noble man is expected to be a soldier. He knows that English man do not accept his rights to the throne and one of the best ways to keep the people on his side is to go to war and gain the recognition and power. Henry spent his young years in the tavern befriending lowlifes and drunks. When he became King he changed his life style as well as priorities and abandoned his old friends. He presents himself as a responsible, good king, who thinks carefully weather to invade France. Because of his background Henry understands the people and recognizes the devastation of the war to the country and the citizens. I think that despite of his dilemma Henry wants to invade. He knows the benefits that the successful war can bring for him, at the same time he is reluctant to take the responsibility for his decisions. In act I scene I and II we see that Henry welcomes all the arguments that encourage him to proceed with the war. The King asks the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Ely for the honest and truthful advice concerning his rights to the French throne. The conversation between the Ely and Canterbury in Act I, scene I reveal what is going on behind the scenes. The clergy is corrupt and has little regard for the good of the country. Canterbury and Ely manipulate the King in order to keep their wealth. The advisors with sole intent of guarding their own interests recommend the King to go to war. Once the King gets blessing from the clergy, he passes the responsibility of his decision onto the Church. In act I scene II Henry gets insulted by the French ambassador and he once again finds the reason to excuse his actions.
Just as the audience cannot see the events as they are because of the limited capabilities of the scene, the same way Henry cannot see true motives of his advisors because he follows his own interest. However, Henry recognizes that it is wrong that’s why he delegates the responsibility to others. He thinks that he has the support and dedication of all English man but in fact everybody follows they own needs clergy want to prevent the passing of the bill that will lead to confiscate of its land. Cambridge, Scrope, and Grey conspire against Henry in order to get money from the French, even Pistol, Bardolph, Nim are going to war to steal and rob. The reality is far from what chorus is promoting and what King bases his decision on.
