To be, or Not to be.....EVIL

By: Jasmine Flowers

http://disneyxd.disney.com.au/

Evil: Profoundly immoral and malevolent 

It has been asked how someone so righteous and morally cognizant, like that of Macbeth, could begin to step into the realm of evil. The notion that someone's ideals could travel from one side of the spectrum to the other in such a short period of time is both mind boggling as well as frightening. This question of morality can be answered through an analysis of the character Macbeth in a play written by Shakespeare entitled Macbeth. Based on this character, there are two forces that cause someone to take the first step into evil, or "down the primrose path to the everlasting bonfire": Curiosity and peer pressure (Macbeth, 2.3).     

1. Curiosity: This natural human characteristic acts as a double edged sword as it can cause the rise or the fall of a person. In Macbeth, when the three witches were informing Macbeth of the prophecy, he became extremely curious. This foretelling of events excited Macbeth as the thought of being King sparked an entirely different outlook. Macbeth's newly formed curiosity could be seen following the witches informing him of his new position,"Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more" (Macbeth 1.3). Just by knowing this little piece of information, Macbeth longed for the witches to stay, however, moments later, they vanished. Following their disappearance, Macbeth constantly thought about what they had said which ultimately led him to killing the King, thus stepping into evil. 
2. Peer pressure: This is definitely one of the most obvious, yet strong forces that cause someone to venture into the world of evil. Having people that seemingly love and care about you telling you to do certain things, is much more convincing than that of a stranger. In Macbeth, after finding out about Macbeth's possible fate, Lady Macbeth is determined to have to husband in power no matter the cost. She essentially brainwashes him into believing that he must kill the current king in order to fulfill the prophecy. She even tells him things like, "To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it" which essentially means he doesn't have what it takes to get the power he desires (Macbeth 1.5). This deeply played with Macbeth's mind, as he not only cared about his wife's opinion, but he also wanted to prove her wrong. 

Following Macbeth's step into evil, there were numerous consequences in response to his negligent and   inexcusable decisions. These consequences can be seen as universal as they are common effects of someone choosing to make the wrong decisions: Paranoia and feelings of guilt/recklessness. 

1. Paranoia: This emotion is often a direct result of guilt as seen in Macbeth. The character of Macbeth has taken part in sever heinous acts which result in these hallucinations of sorts. The most memorable hallucination can be seen in the banquet scene following the ordered killing of Banquo and his son. Macbeth is sitting at the dinner table surrounded by his men exclaiming,"Prithee, see there! Behold! Look! Lo! How say you? Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too"(Macbeth 3.4). Macbeth is completely convinced that the ghost of Banquo is sitting in his usual chair. Ultimately, this causes everyone to question Macbeth's sanity and his ability to be king. 
2. Guilt/Recklessness: It can be said that after someone does so much wrong, they begin to feel as though there is no turning back or no way of ceasing their destructive behaviors. This can be seen when Macbeth states, "I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er" (Macbeth 3.4). By mentioning "blood" Shakespeare was able to convey the immense guilt felt within Macbeth followed by the phrase, "wade no more", which indicates Macbeth's defeated as well as reckless attitude. 

Overall, curiosity and peer pressure cause people to enter into the realm of evil while paranoia, guilt, and recklessness are the direct effects. It is important to avoid dark curiosity (curiosity killed the cat), as well as negative peer pressure. Being a strong willed individual is so important, as it is so easy to become like Macbeth, to an extent. Stay strong...and definitely "to not be EVIL"!