Shakespeare’s Legacy: Macbeth

(To catch up with the 31 day challenge, I’m writing my Day 1 and 2 on the same day.)

I am an English Major. I study at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines which is situated at Manila. Today is the last Thursday of my 3 week Christmas Vacation. It is for this reason that I started to do my workloads.

I have just finished reading Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

My copy of Macbeth

I need to study this novel because I am the script writer for our Shakespearean Literature’s play. Since my classmates know that I love classics and writing, they have entrusted me to make the script. At first, I was quite hesitant to do it. In my previous post, I have told you that I have some inferiority issues. That explains why I was hesitant at first.

As I delve and devote my time in reading Macbeth, I had learned some life lessons:

As a leader, greed and selfish ambition should not have a place in your heart.

At first, Macbeth was a noble man. He was able to defeat the King of Norway and the Thane of Cawdor at the same day. This heroic act of him brought him prestige and honor. But his nobility was tarnished when he upheld the prophecies of the Three Witches. He easily believed these prophecies when the prophecy about his new title was fulfilled. This built contempt in his heart which pushed him to murder King Duncan for him to become the new king and his loyal friend, Banquo so that no one will cut his lineage to the throne. Because of his greediness in power and his selfish ambition to build this line to the throne, he was able to commit a series of crimes.

Things that are hidden will never be secreted for a long time; moment will come that it will be disclosed and revealed in public’s eye.

Lady Macbeth revealed the crime that she had committed with Macbeth through sleep talking and walking. She and her husband, Macbeth ordered that the wife and children of Macduff be killed. Together, they plotted the treacherous murder of King Duncan while he was at their castle. Because her conscience was stricken with guilt, she unconscious confessed these crimes to her pillows and she was witnessed by the doctor and her gentle woman. They were able to record it because the doctor had written everything that she said. Macbeth’s series of killings revealed his real intentions which pushed the mob to revolt and fight against him.These were just some of the proofs that all that is hidden will be disclosed in its appropriate time.

No man is an island; our relatives and loyal friends are there to share with our troubles.

When King Duncan was murdered, his sons, Malcolm and Donalbain flee from the castle where they were staying. They went to England and Ireland respectively. Malcolm found a refuge in the house of his uncle, Siward and he found a loyal ally in the person of Macduff. Together with these nobles, the young Malcolm was able to dethrone and kill Macbeth. He took what originally belonged to him and he promoted the entire nobles and kinsmen to become the first Earls of Scotland. Without the help of his Uncle Siward and Loyal Thane Macduff, he will never be successful in avenging his father’s death and free Scotland from Macbeth’s tyranny.

These were just some of the lessons that I have learned from Macbeth. I had some goose bumps while I was reading the book. I never thought that Shakespeare’s work can be as interesting and as beautiful as Macbeth. I’m looking forward to finish the script to see my block mates to perform each character. Cheers for Macbeth! I rate it with 10 out of 10 stars.