Macbeth and Materialism

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer explains that in Shakespeare's world, extreme wealth and comfort were enjoyed at their ultimate peak generally only by royalty. The writer relates that people today, like Macbeth in Shakespeare's play, are realizing that material wealth is, after all, not the ultimate pathway towards true happiness. The writer discusses that Macbeth wants the power of being king so badly that he would do anything to fulfill the prophesy, even if it means sinking to levels that are out of his character. The writer concludes that while spirituality takes a different form in the modern-day world than in Shakespeare's time, there is still the separation of pure materialism from the higher, inherently human values.

From the Paper:

"True to the prophesy of the above words, Macbeth destroys both his security and power by succumbing to the illusion of security. The appearance of extreme wealth and power blinds him to the true danger around him and to the false promises of the witches. In this way the play acts as a warning for the audience: wealth and power are likely to bring more grief and danger than they are worth. They also destroy any meaningful connection that might exist between the human being and the divine."
"In modern-day works of art, the same warning is issued, although in a more light-hearted, redeeming fashion. Furthermore, material wealth and the divine come closer to each other than in Shakespeare's play, suggesting a new paradigm of wealth and its relationship to divinity. Aristotle's assertion in terms of modern humankind may therefore hold less truth than may have been the case for the average Shakespearean audience."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Howard, Ron. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". 2000. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170016/
• Led Zeppelin. "Stairway to Heaven" Lyrics available online: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/led+zeppelin/stairway+to+heaven_20082076.html
• Shadyac, Tom. "Bruce Almighty". 2003. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0315327/
• Shakespeare, William. "Macbeth". 1602. Available online at: http://www.william-shakespeare.info/script-text-macbeth.htm

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