Explore Shakespeare(TM)s Presentation of Lady Macbeth Essay

In the time Shakespeare was writing Macbeth there were many new ideas and concepts coming forward and the country was changing. There was growing tension between parliament and the King, resulting in many debates about kingship and what makes a good king and growing tension between Protestants and Catholics, resulting in plots and rebellion like the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. There were sharp divisions between rich and poor and society at the time was dominated by men. The church was very influential. Plays at the time often reflected political situations and taught moral lessons, and Macbeth, written in the early 1600s, echoes all the changes and tension present in the country at the time. In particular, Shakespeare focuses on the issues of kingship through Macbeth’s struggles to, and on, the throne but it is Lady Macbeth that demonstrates how women were perceived in the male-dominated culture and the links between good and evil that are subtly examined by Shakespeare throughout the play. The way that women were perceived in Shakespeare’s time is shown by widespread belief in witchcraft. Witches were believed to be women who had sold their soul to the devil in exchange for doing evil deeds. This suggests that women at the time could not be too powerful or independent and that women were maybe the inferior sex as they were easily coaxed into evil. The widespread belief in the supernatural is repeated often in Macbeth, often in the form of the three witches. The opening scene features the three witches hinting that there is lots of wrongdoing to come in the play. The three witches are also all women, showing that women were often behind evil-doing. How women were perceived and expected to behave is further suggested when Lady Macbeth receives Macbeth’s letter recounting his encounter with the witches. At the beginning of the scene Lady Macbeth is seen to be acting conventionally, reading a letter that has been sent by her husband whilst he is away in battle. This is how women were expected to behave – to wait patiently for their husbands to return and to care for the home and family. So far she is acting as any women should but after reading the letter, Lady Macbeth’s attitude quickly changes. Instead of acting conventionally, she begins to show more masculine traits. She thinks that Macbeth is â€Å"too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way† which is not how a conventional women would think. She is thinking of murder which would be too ruthless and brutal for a conventional woman to contemplate. This also shows that Lady Macbeth is taking the manly role rather than Macbeth, as Macbeth is described as being too kind, a trait that is more womanly than masculine. Her unconventional behaviour continues when she decides to persuade Macbeth to kill to fulfil the witches’ prophecies. â€Å"Hie thee hither, that I may pour my spirits in thine ear† she commands of the absent Macbeth. She is seeking to control Macbeth and give him orders, but wives of the time were expected to obey their husbands. There is also a suggestion that she is evil and supernatural, as she has ‘spirits’ to pour into Macbeth but this may be a suggestion that women were perceived as being manipulative. The letter itself is an important part in demonstrating what is going on inside the characters’ minds. The letter is written in prose; Shakespeare uses prose for low characters or character with an abnormal state of mind. This suggests that either Lady Macbeth or Macbeth are not thinking how they should, which links back to the fact that Lady Macbeth is acting eccentrically, or that they are planning to perform a low deed – the murder of King Duncan for their own gain. The language used by Lady Macbeth further suggests the mindset that she is in. She commands â€Å"come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here† which uses harsh and unpleasant language, showing how Lady Macbeth is acting. It is also in the imperative, so she is making an order which is not a feminine thing to do. Once Macbeth enters, Lady Macbeth takes control of the situation. â€Å"Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t† she commands Macbeth whom she should be obeying, not ordering around. The line itself is a biblical metaphor which brings in the idea that Lady Macbeth is like Eve in the Garden of Eden – she places temptation and evil in front of Macbeth which he otherwise would not have contemplated doing. Lady Macbeth takes complete control of the situation when she excluded Macbeth from any of the planning of the deed – â€Å"Leave all the rest to me†. She is not acting like a woman here as she is being stronger in spirit than a man and she is disobeying her husband. Lady Macbeth’s masculinity is further explored when she manipulates Macbeth into agreeing to the murder by questioning his masculinity. â€Å"When you durst do it, then you were a man†, she is saying that when he thought up the idea of killing the king he was being manly but now, when he is backing out of it, he is not. The idea that violence equates to masculinity is shown by Macbeth’s adoration of Lady Macbeth’s masculine qualities. After she says that she would have â€Å"dash’d the brains out† of a baby if she had said she would, Macbeth says â€Å"For thy undaunted mettle should compose nothing but males† as he believes that she is so masculine inside that she cannot even create anything feminine. Due to this, Lady Macbeth cannot be acting as a woman should be as violence and aggression were not feminine qualities. The language she uses in the scene is taunting as she is mocking Macbeth. She likens Macbeth to â€Å"the poor cat i’ the adage† making him an object of pity and stupidity and so ridiculing him and undermining his masculinity. A woman of the time should not be acting like this as they were expected to be obedient to the husband’s wishes and not to manipulate them as Lady Macbeth is doing. As Lady Macbeth says that she would dash a baby’s brain out, this brings to mind the idea of witches, as typical ingredients to a potion or spell may include objects from innocent children. It may have also been believed that witches stole and killed infants and as Lady Macbeth is willing to do so, it suggests that she is a like a witch. Her lack of a child with Macbeth might also have made her more willing to suggest that she would kill a baby as she would not have any maternal urges towards sheltering any babies. Macbeth goes to commit the murder whilst Lady Macbeth stays behind wondering how he is faring. At this point, Lady Macbeth can be said to act conventionally as she is waiting for her husband to return from doing an unpleasant act that was deemed unacceptable for women to do. Her streak of femininity is continued as she begins to worry. â€Å"Alack, I am afraid they have awaked† she says to herself showing that she is worrying about either the plan or Macbeth. If she is worrying about the plan failing, that could be argued to be a feminine trait as typically women worry more than men. If she is worrying about Macbeth and his safety, this would mean she is acting as a conventional wife as she is showing concern for her husband, as a wife should do. Some vulnerability is shown by Lady Macbeth as she tells of her reason why she could not have committed the murder herself. â€Å"Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done ‘t† she says, demonstrating that she has a feminine side as she was obviously fond of her father – affection being a feminine trait. Once Macbeth returns from the deed however, Lady Macbeth’s masculine traits return as she takes control of the situation to ensure their plan goes without a glitch. When Macbeth seems to regret killing Duncan, Lady Macbeth chastises him; when he thinks that the blood on his hands is a sorry sight she tells him â€Å"a foolish thought, to say a sorry sight† as she believes that it was not a bad thing to commit the crime. This means that she has returned to being masculine as a women would be shocked at the thought of murder and would be jolted by the blood on Macbeth’s hands. The idea of witchcraft comes up when Macbeth says he â€Å"could not say â€Å"Amen,† when they did say â€Å"God bless us!†. Being unable to say a prayer was said to be a sign of being bewitched, so Macbeth could be under Lady Macbeth’s spell as he is committing the murder against his will and it is only due to her manipulation that he is doing it. It could also be said that Lady Macbeth is acting like Eve as she has placed the temptation of a bad deed in front of Macbeth and coaxed him into doing it, like Eve did to Adam in the Garden of Eden. While she is trying to calm Macbeth she uses lots of imperative language. â€Å"Consider it not so deeply† she commands him. Once again it is Lady Macbeth doing all the commanding when it should be Macbeth that should be commanding her. Shakespeare uses stagecraft to show the audience Lady Macbeth’s contribution to the murder. She takes the daggers from Macbeth once he refuses to, showing the audience that she is in control and that she has an equal part in the murder as Macbeth and suggests that she will suffer the same consequences for the deed. After the murder has taken place, others find out that the king is dead. To protect both her and Macbeth, Lady Macbeth uses her femininity. With the others discussing the murder, she pretends she knows nothing of it and the horror of it makes her swoon; â€Å"Help me hence, ho!† she cries as she faints. Earlier on, Macduff had said that the news of the murder would kill a woman instantly, so Lady Macbeth is fulfilling this stereotype that women were unable to cope with bad news. This also helps to divert the suspicion from herself and her husband as it is showing the news of Duncan’s death is new to her. Her manipulation of the situation and of the men present shows how she may be perceived as evil as she seems to be innocent when she in fact is guilty. This links back to the perceptions of witches who would take normal human forms but be evil beneath the innocent faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade. With the king murdered, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth take the throne. Their perceived superiority is shown by the use of the Royal ‘we’. â€Å"Ourself will mingle with society† Macbeth says to his guests at the banquet he throws in his honour, suggesting he perceives himself to be royalty, although it is not rightfully his. At this time, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are acting conventionally – he is being the perfect host, while she is behaving as a woman should, staying out of the way until her husband summons her. â€Å"Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time we will require her welcome† Macbeth says to his guests, suggesting that he is in control of what Lady Macbeth does. This shows that Lady Macbeth is acting as a wife of the time should be. Nevertheless, Lady Macbeth soon begins to act unconventionally when Macbeth begins to lose control of the situation and draws suspicion towards themselves of the murders that they have committed. As Macbeth hallucinates and believes he is seeing the ghost of Banquo, Lady Macbeth tried to persuade him into acting normally. â€Å"Are you a man?† she questions him, taunting his lack of masculinity at his fear of his own imagination. This is not how women of the time should be acting as they should be comforting their husbands rather than mocking them; it was their duty to care for the home and the family. Throughout the play, Lady Macbeth is shown as a strong and masculine character but after the murders, she begins to lose her mind. A doctor is summoned as she is sleepwalking; this is â€Å"a great perturbation in nature, to receive at once the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of watching†. This is saying that it is unnatural to sleep and walk and this links back to the idea of witchcraft. People who were bewitched or possessed would act unnaturally, suggesting that Lady Macbeth is bewitched. To show the audience that Lady Macbeth is losing her mind, Shakespeare changes the language that she uses. During her sleepwalking speech, Lady Macbeth talks in prose, rather than blank verse to show to the audience Lady Macbeth’s descent into madness. Shakespeare also employs stagecraft to show the audience what Lady Macbeth is feeling. While she is sleepwalking, she performs the action of washing her hands – ‘Yet here’s a spot†¦ Out, damned spot! Out, I say!’. This is to show the audience that she is trying to wash the blood off of her hands and so wash herself free of the guilt she feels for the murders. Through the entire play, Lady Macbeth is shown to have two sides, to have a seemingly innocent side and then to have a masculine, manipulative and evil side. With this manly and sinful streak, Lady Macbeth managed to influence her husband into committing crimes that he would not have committed on his own willpower. Because of this, Lady Macbeth could be said to be the one to blame for all the crimes that her husband committed; Macbeth can be said to be a â€Å"butcher† and Lady Macbeth his â€Å"fiendlike queen†. Rarely does Lady Macbeth act as women should act and this could be Shakespeare showing that women have an immoral and controlling side which they do not show.

Homeless o Harvard

Homeless to Harvard This movie is about a little girl,Liz Murray who transformed her life. She became homeless by the times she was 1 5. Her parents were both drug-addicted,and her mother was also an alcoholic. But she became the top of her school and finally got in to Harvard,one of the greatest universities in the world. As for me,my family is a typical middle-class family I have every reason to fight ,to be someone great,but yet I have every reason to not to I can still live comfortable anyway .But everyday I aka up in the morning and I feel like I am struggling in a way that not everybody can see. I feel like I have so many visions for my future and I want to accomplish them so badly,but there's always a noise in my head that keeps telling me that the things I need to do can wait till later. Everyone knows that we can't keep telling ourselves later,but we Just kept doing it. I had many great experiences,l know what it feels like being far beyond excellent ,and being top of the cl ass.I know how It feels of trying my aridest,but in the same time I know how it feels being like a loser,l know how it feels like,when everyone In the room is Judging you. With all the experiences I had,there are far more than Just two sides of me what are fighting. I can't divide myself Into simply two sides,the good side of me and the bad side of me. The choices I make are not always Just alternative. After seeing this movie I know that I can't keep talking to myself about past and spend all my days regretting. I have myself and I have to look forward. ‘ can't keep pushing away taking, stepping Into my life In the biggest sense.People say that look Into your failure so that the next time you won't do the same,but we can't always look for blames and keep asking ourselves why didn't It work out. We should step forward and move on,tell ourselves that nothing happened In the past counts. We should ask ourselves what next and be up for It,we are only responsible for what will hap pen and what Is happening. I realized that I don't have to be stuck In this situation I'm In. I am going to figure out what's holding me back,and unblock let. That's what this movie taught me, my life Isn't later. It Is now.

Death rituals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Death rituals - Essay Example I have seen that the death rituals have remained the same over the years. These have comprised the gathering of near and dear ones to make sure that the affected family feels that they are not alone in their tough times (Gilbert, 2011). The close family members and friends come up and meet the concerned family and tell them what they thought of the deceased individual. They showcase how good or strong the person was who had passed away. It implicates for empathy on their part that they understand the situation and are ready to be a part of the death rituals that the family is undertaking at the present. I believe these death rituals will almost be impossible to change as time moves ahead. This has been seen in the recent past when one of my dearest aunties had died. We exhibited the same death rituals that were present at the time of my niece’s passing away some 4 years back. The death rituals did not change at all, and this strengthened my belief that the same steps and processes were going to be followed whenever someone is going to pass away in the family. However, there would be minor amendments within the death rituals as and when required but on the whole the basic agenda would more or less be what I experienced at the time of my aunt’s death. She was close to us and we loved her dearly. I noticed that nearly all the women in the family wore white clothes to pay homage to aunt’s soul (Hazan, 2004). They sat together, spoke at length about her qualities and the manner under which she used to help people around her. This was quite an enlightening experience for me since I learned that the best way to pay respects was to talk about the deceased itself rather than the worldly events that people usually talk about. The death rituals in my family will always change as and when there is a need but the bottom line remains the same – there is immense respect for the person who has died so that his/her soul rests in peace. I am

Name Changes in the Book of Genesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Name Changes in the Book of Genesis - Essay Example Sarah was a half sister to Abraham, and the Bible describes her as beautiful (Genesis 12). For example, when Abraham and Sarah went to Egypt, the Egyptians saw her as beautiful, and they praised her beauty to the household of Pharaoh (Genesis 12:14). However, God was not happy with Pharaoh, and He did strike the household of Pharaoh with plagues (Genesis 12: 14-17). That is when Pharaoh discovered that Sarai was Abrahams wife, and he demanded that Abraham should leave Egypt immediately (Genesis 12: 18-20). Abraham died at the age of 175, and he was buried by Isaac and Ishmael, his sons. Jacob was a grandson of Abraham through Isaac. God also changed his name to Israel, meaning may God prevail (Genesis 32: 28-29). This paper analyzes how the changes in Abraham, Sarah and Jacob’s names shaped their characters. Abram to Abraham: In Genesis chapter 17 verses 4 to 6, God enters into a covenant with Abram. God made a promise to him, that he will become a father of many nations, and his name shall not be called Abram anymore, but Abraham. God also promised to make Abraham fruitful, and from him, Kings would descend. God’s conversation with Abraham began in Genesis Chapter 12 verses 2. In this verse, God promises Abram that he will make him into a great nation, and will bless him. He also promised to make his name great.The name Abram refers to the exalted one and this is a name that his father Terah gave it to him. However, this name was an embarrassment to Abraham, and this is because he was unable to get children. This is despite Abraham possessing great wealth (Shooter's Bible, 18). From the scriptures, we can denote that Abraham had other sons apart from Isaac and Ishmael. These children were born with him to his wife Keturah. Keturah gave Abraham six sons, and through these children, God was able to fulfill his prophecy of making Abraham a father to many nations. For example, Ishmael formed the generation of the Ishmaelite, while Isaac formed the ge neration of the Israelites. This is through his son Jacob, whom God renamed Israel. It is important to denote that the Abraham lived a blessed life, as a result of God’s blessings to his life. We find that Abraham, true to the words of God became a great man, and he had enormous wealth. Genesis chapter 17 verses 23 to 27 denote that Abraham had possessions, and this included male servants, born of his household, and those that he bought by his own money. This was a symbol of wealth, and it is because poor people cannot afford to have servants within their households. After a change to this name, we find that Abraham began to have angelic visitors. For instance, in Genesis chapter 18 verses 1 to 2, we find that Abraham was visited by three angelic visitors. Because of the stature of Abraham before Gods eyes, God revealed to him what He was about to do to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18: 16-19). This is because God had chosen Abraham to become a father to many nations, and on th is basis, he also allowed him to intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18: 22-24).  

Exploring the Integration of Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions Dissertation

Exploring the Integration of Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions Within Supply Chain Management - Dissertation Example It was able to attain this position through vigorous investment in technology to ensure that its continuous improvement is not only based on intent but founded on empirical data as well. Tesco’s direction is on the right path towards its goal by using the latest of what Information Technology can offer to assist it in gathering historical data of its operation and at the same time being provided real time reports of its operation. The ability to move its inventory as efficiently as possible to all its stores either from the owners of the labels or from its own distribution center is one of the lifeblood of Tesco thus its employment of a Supply Chain Management System is mandatory. However, it is also imperative that information technology should not only assist its operation it is also essential for Tesco to be ahead of its competitor by ensuring that its information is built into an essential knowledge base for use in developing its business intelligence framework. Integratin g an Enterprise Resource Planning Solution into a Supply Chain Management System would provide the infrastructure to achieve this. The integrated system would be able to project demands and issue orders ahead of time to ensure that the shelves of Tesco’s retail stores scattered all over the United Kingdom do not go empty. To stay ahead of its competitor within the same industry the knowledge that will be built in the integration of the two systems would translate to the provisioning of valuable information to label or product owners. Information such as demands based on geography and time will aid label owners on how to time their production and delivery to Tesco stores. Introduction Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions have considered and taken into consideration all information that can be gathered pertinent to the operation of the organization and convert them into knowledge that companies can use to meet the demands of the industry (Monk & Wagner, 2012). Supply Chain Ma nagement system takes into account all relevant information that can be collected for purposes of making the production and inventory process efficient, cost effective and responsive to market demands (Hugos, 2011). The implementation of both solutions would enable the company to meet its production targets while at the same time it will be informed in real time of the operational position of the organization including its financial situation (Karni & Shtub, 2009). Tesco plc is a retail and general merchandise organization headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom (Tesco, 2012). The nature of business of Tesco requires that it keeps track of all inventories to a point wherein it is aware of when an item in its inventory is received up to the time on when it is sold. A Supply Chain Management System would be able to track inventories in this same manner as described. An Enterprise Resource Planning System would be able to provide Financial and Controlling systems, Human Resource Mana gement, Production Planning, Treasury systems and the planning of all other company resource.

Chose an ecosystem, analyze the impact of human activity on the Essay

Chose an ecosystem, analyze the impact of human activity on the ecosystem, and provides guidelines to help preserve your chosen - Essay Example Saving these rainforest ecosystems and rehabilitating forest lands is critical to ensure clean air and a healthy environment for all. Tropical Rainforest Ecosystems An ecosystem is a community of living organisms, as well as the non living components in their environment, on whom they depend for their needs. Nutrients and energy that are obtained from the environment are used so as to maintain an ecosystem. An ecosystem consists of various species and each of them has a relationship with other species that cohabit the ecosystem. Ecosystems are of various types and are determined by the prevailing climatic conditions which in turn define the vegetation and the variety of life forms found there. Examples of ecosystems are rainforests, grasslands, deserts, and water ecosystems like marine or freshwater ecosystems. Ecosystems can be divided into their biotic or living components like primary producers that are green plants, herbivores, carnivores etc; and the abiotic or non living compon ents like sunlight, temperature, moisture and so on. ... The Amazon rainforest, also known as Amazonia is the largest rainforest in the world. It is sometimes referred to as the lungs of the planet, due to its capacity to recycle large quantities of carbon dioxide into oxygen. Situated in South America, the Amazon rainforest covers more than half of Brazil and is the drainage basin for the Amazon river and its tributaries. Its proximity to the equator ensures plenty of heat and sunlight, which in turn generates rain that provides the moisture. High temperatures, and abundant rainfall throughout the year, results in a climate that is warm and humid. These are ideal conditions for the growth of all types of vegetation including a wide variety of trees, plants shrubs and other vegetation, which attracts innumerable birds, insects and animals. Hence rainforests are rich in their biological diversity and home to myriads of animal, bird and insect species. Biodiversity is important to the environment because it increases productivity in an ecosy stem, where every species, no matter how tiny, contributes to the health and well being of the ecosystem. As Ban Ki Moon (2010) rightly points out â€Å"Biodiversity underpins the functioning of the ecosystems on which we depend for food and fresh water, health and recreation, and protection from natural disasters.† (Ban Ki Moon, 2010) The Amazon rainforest consists of four layers, the emergent layer, the canopy, the shrub layer and the forest floor. The emergent layer consists of the tallest trees, some that are over 50 meters in height. The leaves of these trees are smooth and waxy and taper to what is known as a drip tip to allow water to drip off it to the layer below. The canopy is below the emergent layer and is a sea of leaves. Since the tallest trees and the canopy of

Marketing Philosophy and Strategy Research Paper

Marketing Philosophy and Strategy - Research Paper Example The research conclusions assert that while, technological advancements such as the Contemporary Marketing Practice (CMP) framework, Hybrid Distribution Systems and Demand Change Remediation have significantly aided the effectiveness of marketing practices, ethical and legal issues such as concerns regarding consumer online privacy and targeting children via marketing efforts still need to be addressed. The paper also assesses the product launches of Sony BetaMax, Colgate Kitchen Entrees and Pepsi-Kona to determine the challenges in new product development in the marketing landscape of today. Marketing Philosophy and Strategy The dynamism of the marketing landscape requires a comprehensive understanding of the issues and concerns related to the development of new products and the impact of the global economy on the marketing philosophy and strategy of a business. The purpose of this research paper is to employ the findings of prior literature and scholarly articles to examine the chal lenges that are involved in the development of new products thereby, assessing the impact of technological advancements in assisting the effort of new product development. Furthermore, the paper conducts extensive research into prior literature to fulfill the objective of addressing the legal and ethical implications of marketing efforts. ... products is highly influential, such that the volatility of the worldwide business environment extends to the individual characteristics of consumers including patterns of consumption which increase the need for organizations to engage in practices that encourage the creation of products that can appeal to the specific tastes and preferences of the target market. In their article, Ogawa and Piller (2006) highlight the problem that is associated with the commercialization of new products that has led to the staggering failure of more than 50% of new product launches. Certainly, the pivotal challenge being faced by businesses in the economy of today is a failure to recognize the needs of customers (Chaturvedi & Rajan, 2000; Ogawa & Piller, 2006). Research into the failure of Pepsi-Kona, the launch of which was essentially inspired by Starbuck’s triumph in reviving the declining demand for coffee suggests that Pepsi did not undertake effective marketing testing and continued with the launch of the beverage even though initial results did not predict a successful product launch (D. Pitta & E.Pitta 2012). Ogawa and Piller (2006) note that developing sales forecasts and expected sales volume for new products is becoming a highly challenging task, this notion essentially asserts that the accuracy and preciseness of determining customer needs and creating sales forecasts during the extended period that is prior to the development of new products is a vital challenge. According to Jhang et al. (2012), extensive product innovation during the process of new product development and decisions regarding brand extension must be finalized once the product is aligned with the consumer product category expectations, products such Colgate Kitchen Entrees and Cosmopolitan Yogurt