“MECBRTH” READING REAPORT《麥克白》
"Macbeth" is the last of the four tragedies written by Shakespeare, Shakespeare depicted how Macbeth, who was once a powerful hero, sank into a tyrant bringing calamity to the country and people. That reflected his individual ambition and lust for power, which destroyed human nature and showed us the essence of anti-humanity caused by the extreme individualism.
First,the following is the main idea of “Macbeth”. Macbeth, a Scottish general, on his way home after defeating the rebel, the merciless Mocdonwald , believed in three witches, who gave him some blurred predictions . As what he trusted, The prediction that Macbeth became “thane of Cawdor” was fulfilled. Macbeth was not sincerely grateful for that, but coveted with the highest prophecy----being the king of Scotland. With the instigation of Lady Macbeth, they plot together to murder Duncan, the king of Scotland, and put the blame on two housecarls. Unknowing the murderer, two princes escaped to England and Ireland to protect their safety. However, the nobilities believed the two princes is murders! On the other hand, Macbeth ordered three assassins to killed the insider, Banquo. No long later, what Macbeth done had been discovered. Two princes and Banquo’s son came back with England army. End up with Lady Macbeth’ suicide and Macbeth was killed by Banquo’s son.
Macbeth’s prospect should be bright, as what Duncan, the king of Scotland, said, “thou art so far before that swiftest wing of recompense is slow to overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved, that the proportion both of thanks and payment might have been mine! Only I have left to say, more is thy due than more than all can pay.” “I have begun to plant thee, and will labour to make thee full of growing. ”
Comparing with Banquo, facing to Duncan’s recognition, Banquo said that like this,
“There if I grow, the harvest is your own.” However, when Duncan declared that established their estate upon he eldest, Malcolm, whom they named hereafter the Prince of Cumberland, Macbeth Aside that, “The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step on which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be,which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.”
according to this contrast, Macbeth is very care about the prediction. However, Lady Macbeth gave a description of him like this,
“Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be what thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, that wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, and yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'ldst have, great Glamis, that which cries 'Thus thou must do, if thou have it; and that which rather thou dost fear to do than wishest should be undone.”
These words were extremely apropos to Macbeth. Also, Lady Macbeth’s intensive analysis gave Mecbeth great courage to murder the king. Of course, what aroused Macbeth’s psychical devil was his innermost being. This was the inner factor. In term of external factor, I think mostly lied on Lady Macbeth’s urging.
“Hie thee hither, that I may pour my spirits in thine ear; and chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round, which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
to have thee crown'd withal. ”
Lady Macbeth was so fierce and antagonistic that , after Duncan was killed, she still kept calm to deal with problems arising from an accident. As what she said,
“I have given suck, and know how tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, and dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this. ” proved that.
All of above was one of the tragedy. The second one was that, since Macbeth had killed Duncan, and had been the king himself, he killed Banquo, the unique insider, to consolidate his kingship. In fact, he had not necessary to do this. As a man of mark, he would work hard on government affairs, it was not far for kingship’s strengthening. Contrarily, he had done what he should not do. End up with implacable hatred between he and Macduff , Malcolm, Donalbain.
The third tragedy was Macbeth’s full conviction on the predictions. He was eager to know what would happen in the future, exactly, to nip an evil in the bud. So, he found out the witches and listened to them, “Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.” “Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him. ” Macbeth was smug and complacent for this, thinking that nobody could kill him.
However, the story developing was not like what he thought. Two princes, Malcolm and Donalbain,
and Macduff came back with England army. “Let every soldier hew him down a bough and bear't before him: thereby shall we shadow the numbers of our host and make discovery err in report of us.” Malcolm ordered. On the other hand in the castle, the messenger said, “As I did stand my watch upon the hill, I look'd toward Birnam, and anon, methought, the wood began to move.” And Macbeth said, “If thou speak'st false, upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive, till famine cling thee: if thy speech be sooth, I care not if thou dost for me as much. I pull in resolution, and begin to doubt the equivocation of the fiend that lies like truth.”
When the army arrived the castle, the prediction “none of woman born shall harm Macbeth” as well as proved to be a lie.
In term of the witches’ predictions, “That keep the word of promise to our ear, and break it to our hope. I'll not fight with thee.” Macbeth caused his own tragedy. There exists inner certainty in Macbeth's tragedy, which is the ambitious desire, the sense of guilty for vicious circle and unfounded persistence and confidence. Macbeth's tragedy was not only the tragedy of disposition, but also the society. I have always felt that some of the real-life tragedy of our own making. We live in a world full of temptation, we are conscientious about the scale of swing, I would be a wrong step in life through the ages into hate.