Macbeth Group Presentation: Individual Write-up

Macbeth Group Analysis Oral Presentation Reflection: Act 5 Scenes 1 to 3

The essential question “How does power corrupt?” connects to my scenes because in scene 3 Macbeth is talking to the doctor who is caring for his wife. The doctor tells Macbeth that Lady Macbeth is mentally unstable. In response Macbeth simply tells the doctor to just fix her and goes on with planning for the coming battle. It is obvious in the beginning of the play that Macbeth cares for and respects his wife, but now she is sick and he can barely even give a moment of his time to even think of her. He has been so corrupted by power that he is too busy thinking of ways to keep and get more power that he can’t be bothered with caring for his wife anymore. I selected this essential question because when I read this part of the play how coldly he dismisses his wife's health really shocked and upset me.

The essential question “Is ones self worth constant or ever changing?” is very well addressed in the first scene of this act. Lady Macbeth’s self worth is shown to rapidly deteriorate over the course of the play until she kills herself. At the very beginning she acts as if the prophesy gives her the right to be queen and she will do anything to achieve it, but then the first blow to her self worth is when she tries to murder Duncan. She is unable to so Macbeth does it. After this she is haunted by nightmares and fears. When she suspects that Macbeth had Banquo murdered her self worth is harmed even more by the fact that she caused these things to happen even without doing them herself. I chose this essential question because it is something we should all be aware of. Lady Macbeth lost all of herself worth without even noticing or figuring out why. This is very scary when you think about this happening to yourself or one of your friends.

I learned a bunch of things when I did this presentation. I found that it was much more obvious in the play than in the movie how uncaring Macbeth becomes during the end. I also learned that some things make much more sense in the play than in the movie or vice versa, such as at the end of the scene where they find Duncan dead Lady Macbeth fainting is much clearer and less abrupt in the play than in the movie.

While working in groups I found that it made the work easier if you make a plan in class so that every one knows what is happening and don’t try to make anything too elaborate for the time constraints you are given. I found that it worked well to work with people you knew and could comfortably discuss with. I don’t think I would do anything differently next time. I do feel that the work was evenly distributed because everyone did everything they were able to do.

I am proud of how well we planned our presentation and how we all decided on what we were doing and did it well.

Macbeth Journals: Final

Journal #1:

This last day has been the most peculiar and unsettling that I have ever experienced. After leading my forces and defeating the scoundrels who were rebelling against our noble king Banquo and I encountered beings of a most supernatural nature. Three weird women who made the most startling predictions. They said that I would be Thane of Cawdor and even more ridiculously that I would be king. They also tell Banquo that he will not be king, but that his children will be kings. After giving us these unsettling predictions they vanished strait into the air. This must be some joke or the ramblings of old women because such things can not be possible, but I still can't help but wonder if maybe there is truth in what they say. No, there can not be, it was merely the fantasies of three crazy old ladies.

Journal #2:

Truth, those witches spoke truth. When the kings men met Banquo and I they hailed me as the thane of Cawdor. The previous thane had been found to be a traitor and would soon be put to death. In gratitude for my part in putting down the rebels the king had awarded me with the title. Of course I can not help but think of what this means for the rest of the predictions the witches made. Will I truly be king? We are rushed to the kings side so he may congratulate us himself. After the congratulation though he makes a most disturbing announcement. He has named Malcolm as his heir. That title is mine by right, it has been foretold. The king and his son will have to be disposed of, but he has honored Banquo and I. He has rewarded my service so greatly. Oh, what am I to do?

Journal #3:
Earlier I was so sure of my course of action after speaking with my wife, but now I begin to doubt my decision. The king is at this very moment feasting to the table of my house and I am considering murdering him, it is not right. He has named an heir even though it is I who am supposed to be king. Surely fate is mocking my position. Oh, but my absence has brought my wife from her guests. I will tell her that we can’t go through with this rash course of action. I, a coward, this woman dares to call me a coward and mock my manhood. I can’t allow her to dismiss me in such a way, but now she is telling me of her plan for the king. It is perfect, we will kill the king with his servants daggers and they will be blamed for the death. No suspicion will fall on use and I will be king!

Journal #4:
Oh, this night is I will never be able to wash from my memory. First I met Banquo in the courtyard only to have him tell me that he doesn’t think I have the right to be king. Then after he leaves a dagger appears in the air before me. I know it can’t be real yet it still mocks me and the deed I did this night. The ghostly dagger disappears from my sight when I am called by the bell that is my wife's signal that the time is right for the murder of the king. Then, oh, I did what I had to do and killed the king with his servants daggers, but on leaving his chamber a ghostly voice tormented me with warnings and prophetic mutterings of doom. I fled to the chamber where my wife awaited me in a state of panic. I was a fool though and had brought with me the daggers I was to have placed with the servants. My wife ran to return them, but with one foolish move I had almost ruined my chance to be king. My wife returned, but with her a knocking started on the door.

Journal #5:
The knocking was Macduff and Lennox, who it appears that the king asked to awake him at this hour. While I am listening to Lennox Macduff goes to the kings chambers. He soon returns yelling that the king has been murdered. I run to see the king for myself to show them my innocence. I tell them of the blood covered grooms and how I killed them in my grief for the king to ensure that the blame falls completely on them, it seems though that this was in vain for as soon as my back is turned from the supposed “heir” and his brother they slip away. I will be king soon though and then they won’t be able to do anything.

Journal #6:
I have, this night, taken grave steps to protect my kingship. Any other would have hesitated in this course of action, but I am king and better that those. Even now as I prepare for the coming banquet those two fools I hired are about to if they haven't already gotten rid of Banquo and his son Fleance. I just wish that my confidence in sleep as it is in wakefulness. It is most troubling that my wife and I find sleep and increasingly hostile thing. We spoke of the coming banquet and how important it is that we keep the mood of celebration and joy this evening. I wish to tell her of the brave and courageous thing I have done to protect our position, but her mental state is not well enough as it is. I should not worry her further with such things.

Journal #7:
I had such hopes for this nights banquet, but alas they were dashed and broken against the floor. My wife and I had just finished welcoming our guests and were preparing to eat when one of the idiots I had sent after Banquo tells me that though Banquo was good and dead they had foolishly allowed his son, Fleance, to escape. Then after returning to my guests the horror appeared before me. It mocked me, this apparition. It was Banquo, so surely dead and yet standing before me. I could not help myself and raged at its appearance aloud discomforting our guests greatly. It disappeared just as suddenly as it had arrived. Just as my wife and I had calmed ourselves and our guests it approached me again. I fear that its appearance was too much for my mind and I started raving forcing my wife to dismiss our guests. These disturbances of the mind are growing more and more horrible, but I suppose in time they will fade, they must. I have decided to seek out the witches again and demand that they explain this to me.

Journal #8:
Joy, I am glad that I chose to seek out the weird women. Finding them was not difficult nor was convincing them to answer my questions. Their masters answers thrill me greatly too. I must be immortal for they say I can only be killed by a man not born of women and I will fall when Birnam Wood walks to my castle. Both of these things are of course impossible. They also said that I must beware Macduff, but why should I do such a thing when he has no way of defeating me. What troubles me though is their answer to my last question about Banquo and his heirs. They showed me a vision of child-kings all walking in a row followed by Banquo. The children were of his get, looking all like him. This matter not though for I can’t be defeated. I am more than a man, much more. I do not feel the need to continue this silly journal for journals are for mortal men and I am not that.

comment

Jodie
You were off to a great start with your first two journal entries. What happened to the rest?

Tragic Hero Writing Composition

Macbeth by Shakespeare is a play that deals with human nature in all it’s aspects. It is about Macbeth who is hailed by three witches as the thane of Cawdor and as King after winning a great battle for his king. The king names him the thane of Cawdor in reward for his courage. He tells his wife of the witches proclamation and with some prompting from his wife kills the king. He then hires people to kill his friend Banquo who the witches said would be the father of kings. After going mad when Banquo’s ghost appears to him he finds the witches again. They tell him that he should fear Macduff, will never be harmed by any man born of women, and that he won’t be defeated until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. As Malcolm, the kings son, and Macduff plot in England Lady Macbeth goes insane. Malcolm and his army approach under the cover of branches they have cut from Birnam Wood and Macbeth is told that his wife has killed herself. The battle begins and after learning that Macduff was not “born” of women, born by C-section, Macbeth is killed by Macduff.
Macbeth, the “hero” of this story, has a great belief in his own freedom, protests vigorously, and a powerful sense of commitment. All of these characteristics are clearly evident in the play and make Macbeth fit the description of a tragic hero. “A Tragic Hero is a character who falls from a great height because of a character flaw.”
Macbeth believes in his own freedom. This belief can be seen when he says after killing Duncan, the king,

Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood

Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather

The multitudinous seas incarnadine,

Making the green one red.

(II,ii,77-80)

In this quote Macbeth expresses not the need to wash the blood from his hands, as would be expect if he regretted his choice, but the desire to make all the seas red with the blood on his hands. This shows that he not only has the faith and courage to accept the outcomes of his choices, he even revels in his choice and the outcome of it.
Vigorous protest is also seen from Macbeth several times over the course of the play. The most notable point being when Banquo’s ghost appear at a feast Macbeth is holding and only Macbeth can see him. At his appearance Macbeth tells him “Thou canst not say I did it: never shake/ Thy gory locks at me.” (III,iv,63-64). Macbeth is saying that Banquo can’t blame his death on Macbeth as he did not kill Banquo himself. This is how he tries to reason himself out of the situation. Later in the same scene Macbeth exclaims that “Blood hath been shed ere now, i’ the olden time, (...) Than such a murder is.” He is wondering why even though men have been murdered countless times before none of the murderers except for himself has seen the ghost of someone he has killed.
Commitment is often used as a positive attribute, but for Macbeth it is what drives him to keep killing. Before going to kill Duncan Macbeth has these lines:

I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.

Here it not, Duncan, for it is a knell

That summons thee to heaven, or to hell.

(II,i,69-71)

With this phrase Macbeth show not only his intent to kill Duncan, but also his commitment to this act. He is saying not only that Duncan will die, but that he does not care if he is sent to hell for killing him because he has decided what he wants.
In the play Macbeth the main character, Macbeth, is a tragic hero because of how much he believes in his freedom to choose, his protest when things go wrong, and his commitment to his choices. Of which there are numerous examples of within the play.

Macbeth Journal #2

Truth, those witches spoke truth. When the kings men met Banquo and I they hailed me as the thane of Cawdor. The previous thane had been found to be a traitor and would soon be put to death. In gratitude for my part in putting down the rebels the king had awarded me with the title. Of course I can not help but think of what this means for the rest of the predictions the witches made. Will I truly be king? We are rushed to the kings side so he may congratulate us himself. After the congratulation though he makes a most disturbing announcement. He has named Malcolm as his heir. That title is mine by right, it has been foretold. The king and his son will have to be disposed of, but he has honored Banquo and I. He has rewarded my service so greatly. Oh, what am I to do?

Macbeth Journal #1

This last day has been the most peculiar and unsettling that I have ever experienced. After leading my forces and defeating the scoundrels who were rebelling against our noble king Banquo and I encountered beings of a most supernatural nature. Three weird women who made the most startling predictions. They said that I would be Thane of Cawdor and even more ridiculously that I would be king. They also tell Banquo that he will not be king, but that his children will be kings. After giving us these unsettling predictions they vanished strait into the air. This must be some joke or the ramblings of old women because such things can not be possible, but I still can't help but wonder if maybe there is truth in what they say. No, there can not be, it was merely the fantasies of three crazy old ladies.

Macbeth Journals

For the Journals I will be Macbeth because I feel he will have more complex and interesting motives behind his actions.

Identity Presentation Part 2: The Write Up

1. “You’re not what you do. You’re who you are.” (“Brother Dear”)

This quote helped me to better understand Greg’s identity because it shows what he has learned since leaving home and what he wants Sharleen to know too. I selected the picture of the people with the run away fork lift because we all do things that we later regret and wish we knew about them to begin with, like how Greg wants Sharleen to know that “You’re not what you do. You’re who you are.” before she makes the same mistake he did. To me this image represents that mistakes are important to learn from and it is important to tell others what you have learned from your mistakes so they will do the same for you. The author further reveals the characters identity by using these words because it shows that he cares for his sister and does not want her to make the same mistakes. This connects to identity for me because I also care about my family and friends and want to help them avoid mistakes that I have made.

2. “The race of man is suffering/ And I can hear the moan.”(“Alone”)

This quote helped me to better understand the narrators identity because it explains why she feels so alone and why she feels that none of us can make it alone. I selected the image of a man on fire to go with this quote because he is suffering and we can see it, but can’t help which is similar to the feeling of helplessness the narrator of this poem is feeling. This image represents to me the feeling of helplessness you get when you can not help someone you care for when they are in pain. The author helped to reveal the characters identity with this quote because it shares the pain she feels when she can’t help others in pain. This is connected to identity for me because I also feel horrible when I can’t help a friend in need.

3. “And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,/ Went home and put a bullet through his head.” (“Richard Cory”)

This quote helped me to better understand Richard Cory’s identity because it brings home how unhappy he was despite what people thought of him. I selected the image from a water gun manual explaining not to point it at your face because no one took the time to explain to Richard Cory how much he meant to them, they were to in awe of him to notice his unhappiness. The image represents to me how we all are sometimes misguided and do things we shouldn't. The author revealed how misunderstood Richard Cory was and how alone he was by using these words. This is connected to identity for me because how we handle misunderstandings is a big part of who we are.

4. “Mama always said dying was a part of life, but I sure wish it wasn’t.” (“Forest Gump”)

This quote helped me to better understand Forrest Gump’s identity because it showed his strong connection with his mother and his innocent and clear sighted view on life. I selected an image of someone slipping in a pool of water because sometimes bad things happen to us and there is nothing we can do even if we are warned of them. To me this image represents the inevitable mistakes we make even if we are warned about them. Forrest’s identity was revealed by this quote because it shows his pain of his mother’s and Jenny’s deaths. This is connected to identity for me because when we care about someone we can also be hurt the most by them.

5. "My momma always said you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes, where they going, where they've been.” (“Forest Gump”)

This quote helped me to better understand Forrest Gump’s identity because it shows his trust and love for his mother. I selected a shoe because in this bit of wisdom from his mother it says you can tell a lot about people by their shoes. To me the image of the no high heels sign represents that some times before you can move past something you have to take off your “high heels”. The author helped to reveal Forrest’s identity with this quote because his mother was an important part of his life and with these mottoes of hers he can feel close to her even after her death. This is connected to identity for me because sometimes we have to change and adapt to new circumstances, we have to “change our shoes”.

6. "Dear God, make me a bird, so I could fly far. Far far away from here.” (“Forrest Gump”)

This quote helped me to better understand Jenny’s identity because it shows her fear of her father and her wish for a better life. I selected and image of a bird for this quote because Jenny wants to be free like a bird. To me the bird represents both freedom and vulnerability because of all the times Jenny was hurt while she was trying to be free. With this quote the author revealed the desperate hope Jenny has to be free. This is connected to identity for me because for every one at one point or another we wish to be free.

7. "She tells me I'm just fine the way I am, and a few weeks ago, I started to believe her." (“Brother Dear”)

This quote helped me to better understand Greg’s identity because it shows both his love for his girlfriend and his joy of being free of having to live up to his fathers expectations. I selected a picture of a girl giving a boy a smiley face because his girlfriend showed Greg that the only way he can be happy is if he stops trying to be who his father wants him to be. For me this represents the fact that sometimes you have a hard time seeing and understanding problems that are too close to you and you have to listen to others to find the truth. The author used this quote to help reveal Greg’s identity because it encompasses every thing he has been trying to tell his sister and himself. This is connected to identity for me because we all have to learn about ourselves and what we want from life.

How does what I know about the world shape the way we view ourselves?
This Essential Question connects with my visual because "There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance." (Socrates) and as we learn more about the world the more we are forced to know about ourselves. In “Brother Dear” Greg only starts to understand what he wants from life after he has left home and spent time in university.

Identity Project Part 1

Feedback

Well done. You understand the quote . I like the insight you have brought to this answer. The idea of connecting what he says to the painiting was very original and helped express your point. Next time inorder to go deeper, how do you see this connecting wih ones identity? Overall, you have good insight and a strong grasp of the topic.

Identity Song

Lady Gaga's Born This Way

I chose this song because it tells you that who ever you are to just be who you are no matter who that is.

Poem Responce

The poem that meant the most to me personally was "Alone" by Maya Angelou. It is, as the title suggests, about feeling alone. This connects back to my previous blog entry about Frida Kahlo and how her paintings express the universal secret that no matter who we are or who we are with we will still feel alone. "Alone" expresses this feeling also, but takes it a step further and talks about the paradox of being alone, "but nobody can make it out here alone".

The group of "I am" poems resonated with my own experiences because they were so simple. Some of the things mentioned in these poems I could easily relate to and if I were to write a similar poem would include too. There were also things that I could relate to, but it would never occur to me to identify myself with that thing. There were also a few things that I couldn't understand at all, what they meant or why they were important.

Ralph Waldo Emerson Quote Response Redone

"To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, -- that is genius."
"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string."
~R. W. Emerson


I believe both quotes to be true, but they are very hard to take truly to heart. We only know our own feelings and thoughts, and often the thoughts and feelings of others are much harder to comprehend.  Many of the paintings of the female painter Frida Kahlo express the feeling that we all feel, that we are alone and in pain. I believe that this is what Emerson is talking about when he talks about the genius of "believing that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men". It is very difficult for us as human beings to accept that anyone else is feeling what we feel especially when we are in pain, of any variety.

The Little Deer, 1946 by Frida Kahlo is a good example of this. In this painting she, after suffering of a personal nature, painted her head on the body of a wounded deer expressing her pain and loneliness.


What I don't agree with though is that he says to believe that makes you a genius. Maybe when he wrote this the word had a slightly different practical meaning. Genius now means some sort of outside acknowledgement of your success not the completely individual and private success that realizing this would give.

I AM... Collage

Collage

Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes Response

"To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, -- that is genius."
"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string."
~R. W. Emerson


I believe both quotes to be true, but they are very hard to take truly to heart. We only know our own feelings and thoughts, and often the thoughts and feelings of others are much harder to comprehend.  Many of the paintings of the female painter Frida Kahlo express the feeling that we all feel, that we are alone and in pain. I believe that this is what Emerson is talking about when he talks about the genius of "believing that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men". It is very difficult for us as human beings to accept that anyone else is feeling what we feel especially when we are in pain, of any variety.

The Little Deer, 1946 by Frida Kahlo is a good example of this. In this painting she, after suffering of a personal nature, painted her head on the body of a wounded deer expressing her pain and loneliness.