Comparing Macbeth 'And Porphyria's Lover'

Throughout history, the prevalence of evil and its good counterpart has become increasingly evident; beyond that, the physical and emotional conflict between the two has led to many controversial and brutal internal and external conflicts. This phenomena is made clear in several selections of various media-types, such as Macbeth by Shakespeare, “Porphyria’s Lover” by Robert Browning, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling, and "How One Notorious Serial Killer Got Caught" by Charles Monaldo. In each, characteristics of individuals are clearly altered through the influence of evil, yet in most cases, good ultimately overcomes these new-bred flaws. Oftentimes these evil characteristics that the individuals come to possess are masked
Evil may have conquered good in the beginning, but as its power grew and its presence became evident, good forces rallied and took out the source. This similar concept, twisted with a different ending, is shown by Porphyria’s Lover in his descent through evil and the murder of the individual he claimed he loved. “That moment she was mine, mine, fair, perfectly pure and good…” (36-37). This particular scene implies that he has immense love for her, and gives off a very safe, innocent tone in which it is believed that nothing is wrong and evil isn’t a factor. However, it is quickly revealed that this is not the case whatsoever as the speaker rambles on about his latest actions; “Perfectly pure and good: I found, A thing to do, and all her hair, In one long yellow string I wound, Three times her little throat around, And strangled her” (Lines 37-41). While it is initially believed in this quotation that good forces are still present, these beliefs are shut out immediately as a dark and eerie tone took over within a matter of seconds. The reader spoke of how he essentially murdered her without hesitation, and evidently evil took over his conscious in a split moment. While this is a different ending than Macbeth’s, we still see the battle of good versus evil, and while they each took a victory, in Porphyria’s Lover we still see
However, they both dealt with it in ways that were drastically and entirely different, as Lord Voldemort chose to seek revenge instead of bettering himself and being a better man than his father ever was. In this case we see evil ultimately take over the situation and win. Yet, in a sense he is still fighting for good – he is fighting for his mother who did absolutely nothing wrong – but the method in which he’s fighting is evil to the very root of its motive. In the last selection, an article written over the life and death of Ted Bundy, a notorious serial killer, the battle of good versus evil and the sheer mass that this clash affects is brought out of the shadows. The expression brought out of the showers must be taken quite literally, as “Ted Bundy was attractive, smart, and had a future in politics. However, he was also one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history who confessed to the brutal murders of 36 women, although it is believed that he killed many more” (2). Nobody would’ve ever suspected that a man of such intelligence, promise and potential would have committed such heinous acts and murdered so many innocent people. However, it is common for the natural eye to see and favor the good in people rather than the bad, and as a result society as a whole was blinded by his positive attributes, neglecting all of the signs that