Is Macbeth Relevant Today

William Shakespeare’s plays have been analysed and studied for hundreds of years. They are an iconic aspect of human history and are considered by many, even today, to be timeless classics. But how is it that stories written centuries ago continue to maintain so much relevance in modern society? Hello and welcome to today’s public forum; Shakespeare – its relevance in our world today. Shakespeare’s ability to capture the essence of the human condition, the key characteristics and ideals that compose the essentials of human existence, in his works is a testimony to his own successes. Today, we will be looking at how the themes and concepts presented in Shakespeare’s Macbeth are able to transcend time and place, maintaining relevance in the 21st century, through his accurate representations of the human condition itself. This will be completed through the extended analysis of the destructive nature of ambition presented in the play Macbeth and finding parallels between this concept and its place in modern society using a contemporary case study; the story of Bernard Madoff. In the very beginning of the play, Macbeth’s ambitions and desires towards power are untouched and concealed. He is portrayed as a righteous and noble man whom has stood for Scotland and its people for quite some time; there is no mention of any overarching desires to ascend to the throne. However, immediately following the prophecies of the witches that reveal Macbeth is to be crowned king, Macbeth chooses

In Macbeth, Shakespeare explores the theme of moral decay produced by the temptation of power. When Macbeth hears the witches’ prophecy (1.3.45) he does not understand how he can become King of Scotland; the only way to attain the crown would be through committing the grave and unjustifiable sin of regicide. Despite this, Macbeth ignores his conscience (1.7.80) and when presented with the opportunity, aided by Lady Macbeth, he murders Duncan (2.1.62). Although he immediately regrets his actions and is filled with compunction (2.2.55, 2.2.63-65), Macbeth decides that there is no going back and “things bad begun make themselves strong by ill.” (3.2.55) Macbeth’s allows his inherent lust for power to completely outweigh his moral conscience.

“Macbeth” and “Macbeth retold” by Mark Brozel, share many comparisons yet have many vital differences.

In today's world, there are clear political and societal issues that can be compared to Macbeth, which is hundreds of years old. Americans, for example, are challenged to this day over the same political issues that arose during the time Macbeth was written: Macbeth rises and becomes a Tyrant, Lady Macbeth being an influence on Macbeth’s decision making, and even the Weird Sisters can all be compared to modern day issues. Several of the issues America faces today includes fake news, family troubles, and foreign dilemmas. Even though the play Macbeth was written hundreds of years ago, it seems as if history will repeat itself, and throughout lifetimes people will experience the same troubles.

What makes Cosby’s case a complete let down is how his moral character appears to have only been an acting role that eventually had a final curtain call exposing the alleged inner weakness of his humanity to the world. His disgrace let down an entire generation of people who looked to him as a compass of moral integrity and advocate against injustices. It is my opinion that his silence fueled his downward spiral. After decades of offering moral advice, he had nothing to say when trouble visited his world. Regardless of whether he was innocent or guilty, his PR team should have helped him craft a standard response to use when engaging in interviews. Many people looked up to him and his silence only sent a message of confusion and lack of accountability and responsibility for one’s actions. Cosby’s public image was one of a fatherly role model and it would have never crossed the minds of Americans that he could possibly be a sexual predator (Bailey, 2017). That’s why a brief statement without providing too many details would have been better for the credibility of his public image over brewing suspicions stewed in silence.

I Malcolm, the new king of Scotland, was crowned right after the death of Macbeth. Macbeth was a cruel king and made everyone suffer during his reign. I believe that I was good king and after my crowning, I had noticed that many people were still unhappy and going through a tough time from Macbeth. The whole world has changed since Macbeth came into power. What Macbeth did was cruel and I had to go through a few steps to restore the peace. I did what any good king would do, which is to be close with everyone. I did not think it was going to be this hard to get back to the happiness they had. I really did gain their trust and made everyone smile again. He had restored peace and order, but there also were some challenges to face. I had feared that people would try to kill me for the throne. Just like Macbeth, he would kill the king to take the throne. I did not trust anyone around me, even my most dearest relatives and friends. I had trouble

“Shakespeare’s plays contain themes that are still relevant today. Macbeth is no exception”. Discuss with reference to at least 2 themes form Macbeth.

In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the main character’s goal is to become the king. Macbeth seeks to gain as much power as he possibly can and this ultimately leads to his demise. He hears the prophecy of the witches and becomes so obsessed with fulfilling the prophecy because it states that he will eventually become king. Having this information, Macbeth goes out of his way to force the prophecy to come true. He becomes so power hungry that he tries to force fate leaving him with an undeniable guilt for his actions, the loss of love from the people who once loved him, and a harsh death in the end.

In life, there are two types of people: those who do the right thing and those who don’t. In the play Macbeth, by Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth is given a prophecy by three witches that says he will become king; however, there is no descending line of kings of his own blood. With the knowledge of the Witches’ prophecy, Macbeth’s ambition, and manipulation from his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth is quickly dragged into a never-ending, bloody murder rampage to obtain the crown and get rid of those who stand in the way of obtaining it as well. Macbeth constantly battles with his moral dilemmas; however, he easily falls victim to influences that go against his morals. Influences on major characters emphasize how easily one’s decision making can be negatively affected, resulting in one going against his or her morals/integrity.

Modern culture does not love only the anti-hero; modern culture loves nearly anything it finds praiseworthy. This encompasses a

This section of celebrities, for Gabler, have a story which the people are interested in and are willing to follow. It does not matter whether they are good or evil in their personal lives until they have something fascinating to share. Taking an example of O.J. Simpson , who was an athlete and then turned into an actor, is well known although he was involved in a murder because people are prone to follow those who have an thrilling journey, with ups and downs, without considering the character of the

There are many heroes, but there are those who sit back and question what or who makes a hero in today’s society. It has never been a set standard for heroes. In this modern world, there are many types of heroes. In today’s media, there is a contrast between million dollar sports figures, glorified celebrities, and the normal people we call heroes. Some heroes receive no recognition and others receive hero status with ease. However, it has yet to be determined whether our meaning of heroes has changed due to this influence. We have known about the

We all experience a moment in life where there was an urge of wanting something that you couldn't get easily, for a kid purchasing an iPhone 7s plus for the price of $1049 plus tax. Possibly even try to personate a role that someone is already in, like co-captain of the basketball team wanting to take the head of the captain place on the team. Some would take drastic measures into ensuring that they get what they want and are satisfy with themselves. At that moment the only thought running through a person mind could be what is the possible outcome of you taking the easy and fast lane to get what you want? However, the ending result can leave a person feeling culpable for their action. In this generation we live in earning and accomplishing

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, there are many issues that may have had an affect on the play. The complex marriage between the power hungry Macbeths, lady Macbeth’s dominant character directing Macbeth in the murders, the role reversal during the murders, Macbeth’s reaction to his wife’s death, and male and female marriages for authority. When analyzed these issues help describe the Macbeth’s relationship. They are the very issues that eventually lead to the “Great Tragedy”.

The play that was performed on 12th September 2017 at State theatre Company South Australia was taken on Kimberley Martin’s Macbeth’s original vision. This play was every interesting play because it's wasn’t easy to understand to the storyline, but at first it was hard to say what actors were playing which character. As the performance went on it came clear what actors played which character. As this was my first time seeing Macbeth and not seeing the original movie of Macbeth it will be challenging because for me to see what they have changed or added. This play was a standout performance because the director, Geordie Brookman, he wanted Shakespeare mentions, when Macbeth loses a child soon after she births. The idea of what tragic can do to us. AC Bradley says, ‘appears to have actually taken pains to make the natural psychological genesis of Macbeth’s crimes perfectly clear’.