Macbeth's Descent Into Wickedness
What is the primary cause for Macbeth's descent into wickedness?
"Shakespeare's Philosophical Patterns" by Walter Clyde Curry
Summary and Analysis
Walter Clyde Curry discusses that the witches are demonic spirits, not hallucinations and that their main purpose is to bring the nature of evil into Macbeth. Curry states that the witches are just lost souls that belong to the devil, or perhaps even the devil himself although in the form of witches. Inevitably, the roles of the witches are mostly to cause tragedy and affect the entire play but also to show the good versus the evil. The use of their powers also indicates their connection with the supernatural and coming straight from Satan. Other than arguing about the witches' origin, Curry …show more content…
Come, let me clutch thee! I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?" (Mac 2.1)
The fact that he sees this makes it tough to believe that he is well. One could consider that the witches are behind this but not positive. Macbeth's sanity is also in question here, as stated by Denton Snider, these images are possibly in his mind. Evil is Macbeth's main influence on all of his actions. His wife, Lady Macbeth, could also be included with the evil manipulations. She tricks him by accusing him that he is not a man because he would be a coward if he did not kill Duncan. It could be that Lady Macbeth was being overruled by evil and was used as a puppet to control Macbeth. The supernatural forces are obviously taking over Macbeth's mind therefore all of his acts are being done unwillingly. When he is not being overpowered by wickedness, he is normal and is not sure if he has gone crazy but does know that he is not well. The fact that all of these events take place after Macbeth and Banquo go and see the witches have to be accounted for. Since the Weird Sisters know all they could have messed with his mind to cause chaos. Everything could have been planned from the beginning by either the Weird Sisters or Hecate just so they could set off disorder in the natural
"Shakespeare's Philosophical Patterns" by Walter Clyde Curry
Summary and Analysis
Walter Clyde Curry discusses that the witches are demonic spirits, not hallucinations and that their main purpose is to bring the nature of evil into Macbeth. Curry states that the witches are just lost souls that belong to the devil, or perhaps even the devil himself although in the form of witches. Inevitably, the roles of the witches are mostly to cause tragedy and affect the entire play but also to show the good versus the evil. The use of their powers also indicates their connection with the supernatural and coming straight from Satan. Other than arguing about the witches' origin, Curry …show more content…
Come, let me clutch thee! I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?" (Mac 2.1)
The fact that he sees this makes it tough to believe that he is well. One could consider that the witches are behind this but not positive. Macbeth's sanity is also in question here, as stated by Denton Snider, these images are possibly in his mind. Evil is Macbeth's main influence on all of his actions. His wife, Lady Macbeth, could also be included with the evil manipulations. She tricks him by accusing him that he is not a man because he would be a coward if he did not kill Duncan. It could be that Lady Macbeth was being overruled by evil and was used as a puppet to control Macbeth. The supernatural forces are obviously taking over Macbeth's mind therefore all of his acts are being done unwillingly. When he is not being overpowered by wickedness, he is normal and is not sure if he has gone crazy but does know that he is not well. The fact that all of these events take place after Macbeth and Banquo go and see the witches have to be accounted for. Since the Weird Sisters know all they could have messed with his mind to cause chaos. Everything could have been planned from the beginning by either the Weird Sisters or Hecate just so they could set off disorder in the natural