Honor and Dishonor in "Macbeth"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how, apart from being a well-crafted story, William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" enlightens the audience as to the possible psychological ramifications of unchecked ambition and an overweening desire for power. It looks at how the play shows how even such a virtuous, honorable character such as Macbeth may transform into not only a cold-blooded murderer, but also the party responsible for his own destruction and great detriment to his state.

From the Paper:

"The first scene of Act I provides the audience with a hint that Macbeth's honorable character will soon be transformed into one of dishonor; the witches announce that "fair is foul and foul is fair/hover through the fog and filthy air" (I:I:10). This line is quite prophetic, as it deals with the inversion of the world, or that characters who seem to exhibit certain traits will be unmasked, revealed to bear the opposite, underlying character. Upon Macbeth's entrance in the third scene, he corroborates their prophecy, yet not yet knowing the full import of the witches' words; he observes that "so foul and fair a day I have not seen" (I:3:38). Although the audience may be aware of the apparent contradiction of Macbeth's words, viewers will soon learn what the play offers the title character."

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