Macbeth - Supernatural Forces Cause the Fall of Man in Macbe

In Shakespeare s Macbeth supernatural forces create a suspenseful atmosphere. The use of the supernatural in the witches, the visions, the ghost and the apparitions provides the backbone of the climax and excuses for Macbeth s change of character. Because conscience plays such a central role in Macbeth s tragic struggle, many critics use spiritual and supernatural theories to illuminate the drama s character development. The play opens with the use of the supernatural when three witches encounter Macbeth on his way home from a battle and proceed to predict his fate. This gives the audience a glimpse of the path the play will follow. The witches plan to meet again, When the battles (battle is) lost and wonÂ… (I. I. 1-4). This†¦show more content†¦Banquo s ghost is yet another paranormal experience Macbeth encounters, and also the one that sent Macbeth over the edge. Author Ludwig Jekels felt that the poet dramatizes, with wonderful clarity, the fear of the son (Banquo) now the father, upon confronting, in his own son (Macbeth), the same hostility that he (Macbeth) had harbored on his own father (Duncan). (Jekels 227) Banquo s ghost returned to torture Macbeth indefinitely. Eventually, the ghost drives Macbeth to his own, unintended, self-destruction. In act 3, scene 4, lines 112-115 Macbeth says to Lady Macbeth, Can such things be and overcome us like a summers cloud, without our special w onder? You make me strange even to the disposition that owe (my own nature). (3.4.112-115) After all Macbeth has been through at this point, the witches and apparitions, he still can t grasp his connection to the supernatural. This proves that Macbeth fell under the influence of the supernatural without knowing. Accredited author J. L. F. Flathe quotes, But we are constrained to ask, what devil gives the devil such power over this poor devil Macbeth that he is so immediately led astray, while we see, in the case of Banquo, that any man who chooses can easily withstand the devil? (Flathe 200) Any given person s human nature tempts them to take an easier path if shown the way. Some people exhibit more hardworking and honest traits than others. Macbeth was deceitful and dishonest, therefore following

Consumerism - 1100 Words

1.Whats consumerism ? Consumerism is defined by the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods . Good morning/afternoon fellow classmates , today I’ll be discussing how the powerful images conveyed in Bruce Dawe’s texts Americanized and Abandonment of Autos, and a cartoon by Clay Butler, raise issues and concerns about consumerism. | 2. To start off, Bruce dawe’s text Americanized effectively portrays negative views on consumerism. Dawe uses an extended metaphor which involves a mother and a child symbolizing America and less powerful countries. The significance of using a mother and a child effectively conveys how the less powerful countries constantly need guidance from America. | 3.Throughout the poem, it is†¦show more content†¦To start off, Bruce dawe’s text Americanized effectively portrays negative views on consumerism. Dawe uses an extended metaphor which involves a mother and a child symbolizing America and less powerful countries. The significance of using a mother and a child effectively conveys how the less powerful countries constantly need guidance from America. Throughout the poem, it is shown that the mother has power over the child which represents how America dominates them. This again shows us that the smaller countries cannot look after themselves and are heavily influenced by the American lifestyle. the quote â€Å" today, I’ll let you play with mummy’s things â€Å" portrays how the less powerful countries use American products and that the products are constantly seen as a necessity. Dawe effectively uses the idea that the countries will lose their culture and identity through consumerism. Another text by Bruce Dawe, ‘Abandonment of Autos’ suggests many ideas about consumerism. The poem is a response to the abandonment of a consumer item, a car. The quote â€Å" It is the urban arab’s farewell to his steed† is used by Dawe to represent a man abandoning his car. The car is personified as the man’s steed which shows that the man treats and values the car well. The significance of this is that it portrays how people value their possessions more than family and friends. Another quote showing this idea is ‘final affectionate pat’ which shows the man patting theShow MoreRelatedDisadvantages Of Consumerism1154 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"The study of consumerism in world history does not provide a definitive balance sheet on whether the long-term results are favorable or unfavorable. But it does provide perspective, allowing [a] greater understanding of what consumerism involves, and perspective...offers a greater capacity to choose...rather than being swept away by the latest enthusiasm† (Stearns, 159). Peter Stearns’ book â€Å"Consumerism In World History: The Global Transformation of Desire† offers an extensive perspective on theRead MoreConsumerism Essay1620 Words   |  7 PagesConsumerism – Bruce Dawe Poetry || 2009 Every society has mythology. In some societies, it’s religion. Our religion is consumerism. As we are constantly exposed to mass media and popular culture in our modern society, the insidious nature of consumerism has allowed it to penetrate into every aspect of our lives, dictating our very beliefs, values and wants. Nearly every individual in our society subconsciously conforms to the shallow and superficial mindset that characterises our consumerist cultureRead MoreEssay on Effects on Consumerism742 Words   |  3 Pages Consumerism is a description of society’s lifestyle in which many people embrace to achieve their goals by acquiring goods that they clearly do not need (Stearns, 7). The idea that the market is shaped by the choice of the consumers’ needs and wants can be defined as a consumer sovereignty (Goodwin, Nelson, Ackerman, Weisskopf, 2). This belief is based on the assumption that the consumer knows what it wants. Contrary to this logic, marketers convince us that the consumer does not know what theyRead MoreThe Problem Of Extreme Consumerism926 Words   |  4 Pagesextreme amount of consumerism, but why exactly? What are the possible causes of extreme consumerism? Some of the few possible causes contributing to mass consumerism would include: the want for consumption, the need for consumption, and possibly even hoarders. Although many of the possible causes listed above tie together, it’s quite interesting exploring these causes of extreme consumerism and being able to shine a small light on the subject. As mentioned, extreme consumerism is what makes theRead MoreConsumerism Is All Around Us747 Words   |  3 Pagesto carry out the day-to-day happenings of our lives, the people of the 21st century cannot seem to escape the ever-powerful grasp of corporate consumerism. While many are aware that consumerism is all around us, few understand the true extent to which it impacts our lives. With constant exposure to advertising it’s hard not to get sucked into consumerism. The advertisements we see influence our spending habits by convincing us that certain material possessions will improve our lives. This is problematicRead MoreModern Society and Consumerism Essay1035 Words   |  5 PagesConsumerism is defined as â€Å"the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable† (â€Å"Consumerism†). Its primary motivation is the idea that if one does not have all that money can buy, then he or she cannot be happy. This school of thought has beco me an integral part of modern society not only in the United States, but internationally as well. While the exact source of this term and ideology are debatable, it is certain now that consumerism is here to stay, intertwining withRead MoreConsumerism : The Great Gatsby, And Harrison Bergeron1441 Words   |  6 PagesConsumerism is defined as the increase in the consumption of goods. It is the theory that buying more goods will ultimately lead to economic advantages. Consumerism has destroyed the concept of the idealistic nuclear family in America, in favor of materialistic chaos. American society used to be content with the little things in life, up until the rise of consumerism, starting during the industrial revolution, but reaching its peak after World War II. Americans have become more occupied with theRead MoreEssay The Effects of Consumerism on Adults and Children1085 Words   |  5 PagesThe Effects of Consumerism on Adults and Children Consumers are creatively successful when designing a persuasive advertisement for increased profitability. In a normal household, it’s the parents who have the financial obligations; therefore, it would be wise to grab their attention. On the other hand, it takes less than a strategic mind targeting children because the simplest things fascinate them. Businesses have been perfecting commercials to be effective on the viewers, for years. AlthoughRead MoreConsumerism And Free Market Economy1509 Words   |  7 Pagescommercialism as essential in the enhancement of capitalism and free market economy. It can also lead to innovation competition of companies in meeting the needs of consumers. However, Commercialism can lead to an increase in wasteful consumption or consumerism. It can also lead to the depletion of natural resources in trying to meet the consumption needs of the people. Although commercialism have it draw backs, it is not all bad; commercialism promotes capitalism and free trade both of which are veryRead MoreHow Consumerism Changed The City London2342 Words   |  10 Pagesabriel and Lang (1995:3) define consumerism as a life â€Å"excessively preoccupied with consumption.† Individuals who are at the extreme end of the spectrum could be referred to as shopaholics. According to Bocock et al (1993) at the heart of consumerism is a belief that â€Å"goods and services specifically provide fun and enjoyment† for the consumer (Bocock et al, 1993, cited in Troy, 1995). It is a very important factor in our daily life as we are confronted with numerous products to choose from (Beer

Critical Argument Analysis free essay sample

One of the most hot topic issues of late is how the music industry influences our youth, and whether it is detrimental to our society. This hotbed of debate has been strongly reinforced by a thousand fold thanks to the presence of Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem. There are two essays that have polar opposite opinions as to whether Mathers is blight or a champion in the music industry. Lloyd Eby wrote, â€Å"Why Eminem is a Problem† for The World and I. Obviously, he is very concerned with the reach of influence that Mathers has. Honestly, in terms of citations and outside research to the subject, I do not think he did a very good job of informing his opinion. All Eby seemed to do was actually just mainly write up the history of rock music before even getting to mention Mathers. He spoke about Tipper Gore trying to head the advisory committee to rate music, and Charlton Heston being disgusted with Ice-T’s â€Å"Cop Killa† without really correlating why Eby himself thinks that Mathers is truly a problem. Eby says that children are copying Mathers in terms of language and attitude, but there was no mentioning of where he got this information. Eby is fond of saying how Bill O’Reilly â€Å"understands† this by citing O’Reilly comparing Mathers to Elvis Presley. At least O’Reilly actually attempts to give some sort of testimony as to how evidently Mathers is destroying the very delicate fabric of society by citing anecdotal evidence of two anonymous schoolteachers who have claimed to witness such behavior. It is thin, but at least there is an attempt. Eby really just cites his opinion as to why Mathers is a problem. Again, he goes in the whole history of the PMRC. It is a very thorough write up of the organization, but during this whole history lesson he does not mention whether he feels the organization was a good idea—and why. Eby just recounts it. Same with recounting Charlton Heston reciting the lyrics of â€Å"Cop Killer† to the shareholders of Time Warner. He does not commend, or condone, Heston of doing this act. He just recounts it, and does not transition all of this into the point he is making with his issues with the music of Marshall Mathers. It would not surprise me if he has only listened to a couple of soundbytes from certain songs that make him all concerned about the artist. In contrast, I can believe that Maury P. McCrillis did a lot of research in his opinion in â€Å"Why Eminem is Important†. McCrillis does give the same history censorship history lesson that Eby gives, but he takes the time to take Lynn Chaney, Tipper Gore, and etc., to task about their views with Mathers and the music industry in general. McCrillis does this by giving different interpretations of Mathers’ lyrics as well as explaining the history of Socrates and Plato; while enveloping his interpretations with their works to the topic of Mathers at hand. McCrillis does seem to be a bit unwieldy with his research, but at least he attempts to make a bridge between what he researched, and the topic that he is writing about. Whereas Eby seemed to give a history lesson, and then just went straight to saying Mathers is a problem. In terms of being unwieldy, this is what I mean: â€Å"Those who are concerned with the degeneration of cultural values seem to find supportin the Socratic/Platonic concern with the potentially corrupting influence of imitative art largely because of a dissatisfaction with the Aristotelian notion of catharsis. The notion that art helps to purge emotions which might otherwise manifest themselves in everyday life is interesting but not convincing enough to quell the anxieties of those who fear declining moral standards. Arguing that human beings by nature â€Å"learn or infer† through imitation, Aristotle moved to  rescue art from Socratic suspicions about its moral effects and instead claimed that â€Å"poetry is a higher thing than history because poetry tends to express the universal, history the particular. † This move was also an attempt to pay homage to Socrates’s theory of mimesis. That is, at its worst, art can still help an audience to purge itself of destructive tendencies. At its best, it can portray things as they â€Å"ought† to be; it can be morally instructive. To me, this just revisits the idea that art is good or bad with respect to the extent to which it is in accordance with facts. After all, art can protray things as they ought not to be as well. The notion of catharsis may give art enough integrity in such instances to protect it from being banned or maybe even censored, but ultimately such works become relegated to the dustbin of low art, where they are subjected to social and intellectual suspicion until they are forgotten. Only the art that can be deemed to provide the right moral instruction has the opportunity to be counted as high art, where it can receive serious intellectual consideration and perhaps real, lasting appreciation  and admiration. What McCrillis is saying here is that there are many different artists throughout the times that have been challenged with the accusations of vulgarity, and are now artists that are cited in today’s text. Is he saying that Mathers is going to be on that level? Maybe. He does concede that where he can think some of Mathers’ lyrics can be a bit too blue, but he does point out that Mathers writes what he thinks in terms of irony, and uses Aristotle as an example. A bit much, but that is more than Eby did with his essay.