Literary Essay: Macbeth and the chain of beings

             There is a great plan in which life is laid out, a great chain of beings that is descended from God, to create order and harmony among us. As the myths go, our order goes from God directly to the kings of our countries, and then they delegate all duties to those below them. If this chain shall be broken disorder and chaos will be known to all within the world. In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, the plan for the universe was shattered leaving only disorder and chaos, this started when the prophecies were told by the witches, then with the murder of Duncan and the crowning of Macbeth, to where order was finally restores with the rightful crowning of Malcolm, in the end.
             In act 1 scene 1 the three famous witches of Macbeth are introduced, already showing their plot to create chaos for Macbeth and in return creating chaos for Scotland and the chain of beings as well. In scene 3 of this act, Macbeth and Banquo encounter the three witches on their way to Duncan's castle. They great Macbeth with chants saying:
             "First witch: All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis!
             Second witch: All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!
             Third witch: All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter." (1:3:50-54)
             With each prophecy the witches spouted, a new vision arose in Macbeth's mind, and with these visions he stripped away the chain of beings. He had already become the Thane of Glamis due to the death of his father in the war; prophecy number one had come true. Also though it was yet to be his knowledge he was soon to be known as the Thane of Cawdor, making the second prophecy true. With all this running through his mind he suddenly began to have thoughts of making his third prophecy come true, by killing Duncan, the king of Scotland.
             "Macbeth: ... When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two
             ...

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Literary Essay: Macbeth and the chain of beings. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 17:57, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/25887.html