Despair In Macbeth
In Macbeth, despair produces the need to keep one’s titles, take one’s life, and avenge one’s family. Macbeth is the longest lasting example for unhappiness. Lady Macbeth’s desolation is short, but never ending. Despite her depressive emotions abrupt cessation, Lady Macbeth felt her despair deeply until her swift demise. The pain of Macduff is possibly even shorter than that of Lady Macbeth. His pain is resolved relatively sudden. Although, no matter the cause or the duration, despair is pervasive within Macbeth’s plotline.
Macbeth’s despair is materialistic. His desperation is the least personal of any character, not concerned with his own life or others. He is so overwhelmed with desire over positions and titles that, even though he eventually …show more content…
Familial despair is the most common, having to do with the loss of those closest to a person. The anguish over losing his wife and children is short lived. He is able to turn that devastating loss into anger and focuses on slaying Macbeth. He wants nothing more than to avenge the family he lost. “Macduff: Oh, I could weep like a woman and rant with my tongue! Bring this fiend of Scotland and myself face-to-face! Put him at a sword’s length before me. If he should escape, we’d both need heaven’s forgiveness.” (Shakespeare 171) The regularity of his despair also means that it is the least affectual. After he kills Macbeth, his sorrow all but vanishes. He completes the singular task initiated by his grief and is able to accept his family’s death. He is able to put aside any lasting feelings of despair and continue on.
Despair drives the action in the plot of Macbeth. It forces Macbeth to become consumed by his greed. It convinces him to murder his way to the throne, and subsequently kills him. His overconfidence makes him believe that he is invincible to Macduff, pushing him towards battle. Death and despair go hand-in-hand throughout the plot, but emotions control the finality of the choices people
Macbeth’s despair is materialistic. His desperation is the least personal of any character, not concerned with his own life or others. He is so overwhelmed with desire over positions and titles that, even though he eventually …show more content…
Familial despair is the most common, having to do with the loss of those closest to a person. The anguish over losing his wife and children is short lived. He is able to turn that devastating loss into anger and focuses on slaying Macbeth. He wants nothing more than to avenge the family he lost. “Macduff: Oh, I could weep like a woman and rant with my tongue! Bring this fiend of Scotland and myself face-to-face! Put him at a sword’s length before me. If he should escape, we’d both need heaven’s forgiveness.” (Shakespeare 171) The regularity of his despair also means that it is the least affectual. After he kills Macbeth, his sorrow all but vanishes. He completes the singular task initiated by his grief and is able to accept his family’s death. He is able to put aside any lasting feelings of despair and continue on.
Despair drives the action in the plot of Macbeth. It forces Macbeth to become consumed by his greed. It convinces him to murder his way to the throne, and subsequently kills him. His overconfidence makes him believe that he is invincible to Macduff, pushing him towards battle. Death and despair go hand-in-hand throughout the plot, but emotions control the finality of the choices people