Vital Balance

Suspense. Adrenaline. Action. Are these not the most important ingredients that make up a thrilling and capturing novel, movie or play. This weekend I went to see a movie like that, but by the end realized that it just fell flat. It did not plunge. It did not soar. It did not plummet. And it did not rocket. It was just flat and empty, although it possessed thrilling action scenes. It was dry because the movie made no point, did not bring forth a thought and did not have a theme that tied the whole movie into one and breathed life into it.

Macbeth on the other hand is a rollercoaster ride, that takes our breath away, makes us curious to see what we will encounter after another turn and the reason for this, is the fact that it is penetrated with so many themes, thoughts, points and purposes. One of the themes that I found interesting and applicable to me personally, partially because I did a big part of my AP English work on it, is balance.

The theme of balance in Macbeth is presented using the contrast between the unreasonable and sociopathic Macbeth and the sensible and consistent Banquo and Macduf. When Macbeth is facing a choice he sees only two solutions: all or nothing. Macbeth does not adapt to the situation he is placed in, he cannot find compromise, because he forgets about the existence of compromise or misinterprets compromising as settling for something that is beneath him. For example, Macbeth wants all the prophecies (become thane of two cities and king as well) to come true. He is not content upon receiving his second title, he is not satisfied knowing that he could have more, he cannot reason and see what is good for him and reasonable to accept and what things he should just lay aside. In another case, Macbeth wants to be king and safely thus, or not at all. First of all, this is something he should have thought about before committing regicide, secondly if he sees that he is in a insecure position he should value his safety and flee for his life. But again he is not able to balance his priorities, find the golden middle and eventually this costs him his life.

Although Banquo is another character that loses his life in the duration of the book, but at least he did not assign the death penalty to himself. He finds balance in his life, is content and satisfied with himself, so when he hears the prophecy about his kids becoming kings, he makes a levelheaded decision to leave it to be and let it worry about itself.

Another character that shows sound judgment and a balanced mind is Macduf. Although he desperately wants and needs Malcolm to fight, he decides to fighting just with his own strength which could cost him his life and many other men's lived, when he learns of all Malcolm's "vices", rather than saying "fight with Malcolm or not fight at all".

Although both Banquo and Macduf suffer and go through many hardships, they are the ones to live and to die in a sane state of mind, content, satisfied and balanced, while as Macbeth, who gets to be king and possess great power, lacks the art of balancing and weighing decisions and dies insane, terrified, desperate and deserted. 

Are You Informed?

"The service and the loyalty I owe

In doing it pays itself. Your highness' part

Is to receive our duties, and our duties

Are to your throne and state children and servants,

Which do but what they should, by doing everything

Safe toward your love and honor." (Act 1, Scene 4)

The deception in Macbeth’s words is quite apparent once you remember the thoughts he was having just a couple pages ago, as he witnesses the first of the witches’ prophesies come true. He has imagined himself king and believes that now that this has been promised to him it must he what he deserves according to his merits. As these thoughts fill his head, we can with certainty deduct that he develops antipathy to the present king, Duncan, who is sitting on Macbeth’s throne-to-be and stealing the precious and priceless minutes of his reign. Hearing words of praise from a dislikable person stirs up distaste and hostility in the listener whether he is a just a kid or Macbeth himself. When feelings of despise feel one, his answer will be, no matter how sugar-coated or savory they sound, will have ugly sub-contexts buried underneath that rot with time and make the words with time reveal themselves as mockery. Macbeth’s words sound reverent, humble and pleasing to Kings Duncan’s ego, because they build him up, exalt him above humdrum mortals and largely because he is ignorant of the thoughts and images the witch prophecy stirred in Macbeth. Obviously Kind Duncan’s bait, which caught him on the lethal hook of treachery and deception, is flattery. And this made me wonder, “What is my bait that will attract me to the deadly hook?” and I hope it makes you wonder, “WHAT IS YOUR BAIT?” Because as one reporter said, "You can either be informed and your own rulers or you can be ignorant and have someone else, who is not ignorant, rule over you."

Paradox or Not? That is the Question!

“Nothing is what it is not”, said Macbeth. Was he being profound or deceived? Did he know what he was talking about or was he sputtering nonsense? Upon this depends whether this is a paradox or an equivocation, whether he is uttering truths or speaking lies.

I think that what Macbeth is talking about is his present state, the fact that he finds his illusions, fruits of his imagination, more real and relevant than the real and physical things around him. He finds meaning and great pleasure not in the things that exist in reality,which he can actually obtain, but in those that exist in his mind only and are unreachable for him. At this moment he realizes this vice and admits to himself that lives in the imaginary terrain. This means he is speaking truth when utters these famous words. Therefore the words of Macbeth are a paradox.

This paradox carries a deeper meaning that you can discover when you transfer these words out of these specific consequences in to everyday life. In everyday life we dream and fantasize of things that might seem unrealistic, but they are so much more enjoyable and entertaining. As long as we stay realistic and hold on to the truth and reality and not let our fantasies rule our actions, we should be safe and sane.