Macbeth Essay Final Draft

     A typical man. Strong, brave and kind, but he does not own a lot of power. Then one day, he immediately becomes the King and ruler of a whole country. No work was needed, overnight he just received the power to rule every human being in his country. "Macbeth" by Shakespeare is about a man who gains this amount of power in one night. Fate said he was the deserver of the power, but he quickly finds out he is not ready for such a huge responsibility. He makes bad decisions and has to kill people to keep his kingship, only to be executed, taking down with him all of his closest family and friends. The novel "Macbeth" written by Shakespeare portrays that acquiring great amounts of power too quickly makes a person incapable of controlling it, even when fate says they should have the power,  because the strenuous path to gaining power is mandatory to teach them how to control it.
       The second Macbeth became the King of Scotland was when he murdered King Duncan in his sleep. And that same second is when Macbeth started to fall in a downward spiral. He wasn't one to take shortcuts and kill people, until he was King. "I'll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on't again I dare not." (2.2.51-3) Macbeth regretted his actions immediately. After killing King Duncan, he realized what he had done to become the King of Scotland, and he didn't approve of it. He feared the consequences of being caught so much that he was willing to do anything. He wanted to keep his power, but the power was what was making him do these things. "Who wore our health but sickly in his life, Which in his death were perfect." (3.1.106-7) Newly crowned Macbeth was still on his toes. He was nervous that people knew what he did, especially Banquo, one of his best friends. Friends, enemies, strangers. They all weren't safe around Macbeth. Anyone who was suspicious of knowing Macbeth's truth was on the kill list. He acquired too much power without knowing the responsibility, which made him out of control.
     Towards the middle of the book, Macbeth started to lose control of all his power. It portrayed how he was not ready at all for the pressure of being King. The killing did not stop. In fact, murders started to occur with larger amounts of people at a time. Fate told Macbeth to beware Macduff, so he took matters into his own hands and decided to kill Macduff and his family. "Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee? But yet I'll make assurance double sure, And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live," (4.1.82-4) Beware of Macduff is all fate said. It never stated that he knew Macbeth's deep secret. But the secret Macbeth was hiding was the only thing on his mind. He assumed Macduff knew and had to be kept silent. Evidently, Macbeth was not suitable for a great amount of power. He was nervous and hesitant about every situation. Also, he was not trained to be a King and hadn't been through the tough trials leading up to King. Maybe he would've been better if he had gotten it rightfully in time, but when he killed King Duncan, he did not deserve the kingship. A rightful King has to be put through challenges. One specific person had been put through tragedies, Malcolm. "But Macbeth is. A good and virtuous nature may recoil, In an imperial charge." (4.3.18-20) Malcolm reveals that he knows Macbeth killed his father. He became so scared for his life that he fled to England. But the murdering of his father pushed him to become the rightful King of Scotland. He was going through hardships as a King should before being crowned. Unlike Macbeth, Malcolm gained power slowly in a controlled way.
       Malcolm still needed to complete his quest to become King. His last task was to kill Macbeth, who was tainting Scotland with evil. "Cousins, I hope, the days are near at hand That chambers will be safe." (5.3.1-2) Malcolm immediately became a leader for the battle against Macbeth, which is an important trait of a King. Everything started to come in place for Malcolm. His hardships through his life brought him to where he was that day. The murdering  of his father, the murdering of his friend's family, and now the fight against Macbeth all taught Malcolm how to be a great ruler. Macbeth didn't learn any of this, making him an unexperienced and awful possessor of power. "My thanes and kinsmen, Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland" (5.7.91-2) The difference between Macbeth and Malcolm was that Macbeth did nothing good during his ruling. Before even being crowned, Malcolm made an order that benefited the country forever. Their productiveness in being King corresponds directly to how they became King. Macbeth took the easy way out and failed to be a good ruler. Malcolm fought through battles to finally get his crown and he made the country better immediately. Macbeth's loss of control was the death of him.
       In conclusion, power isn't something to be taken lightly, it's a dangerous thing to have. Giving it to someone unworthy results to bad happenings of misused power. Macbeth was unrightfully given too much power at once which made him lose control. He killed people to keep his power and let his wife die in the process. His mind was set on keeping the crown, nothing else. Power made him crazy and oblivious to what he was doing. A better King has to mature while going through hardships before gaining power. Malcolm did exactly that. He didn't take shortcuts or the easy way out, he fought and fought striving to be a great King one day. The journey to power is just as important as the power itself.

LOTF Journal Reflection

       I back up Ralph all the way! He was picked to be the chief and he should be able to tell Jack what to do. All Jack does is hunt which hasn't been very helpful until lately. His hunters were supposed to be keeping the fire going and they let it go out, right when a boat passed by. Ralph should've beat up Jack, especially after he pushed me and broke my glasses. I was furious. Ralph just doesn't understand how to use his power. He lets Jack get away with too much things. If I had Ralph's power Jack wouldn't be here anymore.
       Being rescued should be the first thing we have in mind, not catching pigs. If Jack had done his job, we would have been on that boat on our way home. Now I'm still stuck on this island where no one listens to me and I have to be around Jack. I just want to be rescued so I'm going to do anything I can to get myself saved. If only someone would listen to my ideas and help me. Everyone thinks I'm one of the little kids that play all day. Giving everyone names? What kind of job is that? Being rescued is my top priority on my list.
      Lately, things haven't been going smoothly on our island. Ralph lets Jack talk back to him. The choir boys just want to hunt and leave the fire. And all of the little kids are scared of the snake beast that was seen. But the only boy that saw it is missing now. I don't know why they listened to him. Well, I'm still a nobody in this tribe. Even though I found the conch shell and they use my glasses to make fires. Honestly I hate this island and I need to get off of here. It's not a place for a short fat boy with asthma.

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