William Shakespeare s Macbeth And The Human Condition

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 choosesShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Othello And The English Language1649 Words   |  7 PagesPoet, playwright, actor and dramatist, William Shakespeare is one of the most influential and greatest writers up to this day in poetry and the English language. Known, for his many acclaimed works such as his famous plays, â€Å"Othello,† â€Å"King Lear,† and â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† etc. More than four hundred years have passed and William Shakespeare’s work still alive as if it was during the early ages of Shakespeare work. Shakespeare influenced ranges from literature, theater, films and even the English languageRead Moreshakespeare influences16068 Words   |  65 Pagesï » ¿ RESEARCH TOPIC An Analytic Review Of Shakespearean Influence On Faulkner s Tragedy RESEARCH QUESTION How Shakespeare tragic patterns influenced on William Faulkner s writings? NAME: SYEDA AMBREEN FATIMA FATHER’S NAME: SYED HASAN AKHTER SEAT NO: 1315793 ENROLMENT NO: 2013/ENG/M.A(LIT)/15681 DATE OF SUBMISSION: 28TH NOV 2013 SUBMITTED TO: MISS SAMREENRead MoreAudience Response to Macbeth1203 Words   |  5 PagesThe human condition has been explored throughout time and its study has primarily allowed us to learn from our past and develop as people. The Elizabethan era is very different from the world today as our values and beliefs have changed to suit our level of knowledge and intelligence. These differences become clear when exploring an audience s response to William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, from the Elizabethan era and today. The text was written in 1606 and was set in Scotland. The tragedy construesRead MoreShakespeare Major Paper2833 Words   |  12 Pagesï » ¿Marissa Coe EN 360 Shakespeare I Major Paper 04/20/14 Throughout many of Shakespeare’s plays, one of the central themes with which he provides his readers is the topic of madness and insanity. In Karin S. Coddon’s, â€Å"Such Strange Desygns†: Madness, Subjectivity, and Treason in Hamlet and Elizabethan Culture, the author depicts the reasons behind the psychosis of Shakespeare’s characters and what led to their insanity. 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For example, In his drama The Tragedy of Macbeth, his love towards the beauty of humanity expressed through the multidimensional characters of Macbeth. By illustrating t he transformation of Macbeth s change in mind, from a loyal servantRead More Locating Macbeth at the Thresholds of Time, Space and Spiritualism 2629 Words   |  11 PagesWritten in the late twentieth century, his work is a treatise about the wider cultural effects produced by a policy of confinement of the social outsider. Three centuries earlier, William Shakespeare completed and staged what are now considered the greatest and most evil of all his tragedies, the tragedy of Macbeth. Themes of witchcraft, infanticide, suicide and death pervade the fabric of the play, which possibly contributes to the theatrical superstition that surrounds its production to thisRead MoreMacbeth9435 Words   |  38 Pages------------------------------------------------- Macbeth From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about Shakespeare s play. For other uses, see  Macbeth (disambiguation). A poster for a  c.  1884 American production ofMacbeth, starring Thomas W. Keene. Depicted, counter clockwise from top-left, are: Macbeth and Banquo meet the  witches; just after the murder ofDuncan; Banquo s ghost; Macbeth duels Macduff; and Macbeth. Macbeth  is a play written by  William Shakespeare. 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The author, William Shakespeare, depicts a different type of insanity in the play, one that seems ambiguous but also feels eerily similar to ones that still affect others to this day. Shweta Bali, author of Mechanics of Madness in Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear, reiterates this by stating, â€Å"Insanity—real or obfuscated—is integral to the fiber of many of Shakespearean plays. Apart