Manliness in Macbeth, Shakespeare

Manliness in Macbeth, Shakespeare Manliness should not be considered a quality that can be possessed only by men. It is a set of values which can be possessed by anyone whos determined to live as a strong, moral and free person. All of the characteristics such as strong identity and free will can be considered positive if they are in a harmony with making the community a strong unit. William Shakespeares Macbeth brings several characteristics which supplement the manliness, making it even a stronger ideal connected not only to the single person but to the whole community as well. In the play the king who represents the whole country is murdered by his bravest soldier Macbeth. Thus the society and the nature shake and they lose their stability. After this betraying act the other noble lords try to restore the broken order by dethroning Macbeth and his wife. In this dramatic play the author shows that manly means to fight for the interests of the nation and it also symbolizes the strong volition and the belief in ones own ability to maintain control over their life. According to Shakespeare manliness means to make things right in harmony with the natural and social order. One of Shakespeares ideas about manliness is the idea of the man fighting for fairness and having the strength to oppose the evil. In the play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth often times threaten the social order and shake the stability of the country. The first action which reveals which qualities are manly and which are not is the murder of King Duncan. He was a person who was naturally given the right to rule Scotland because after his assassination it is revealed that the earth/ Was feverous and did shake (2.3.60-2.3.61) The nature reacted to this brutal act in order to show how unmanly this action is. The king is Scotland and he represents the whole nation. Killing the leader of a community means ruining the whole community and destroying all social norms. Macbeth interfered with the rules of nature while a real man has the ability to follow the laws dictated by God and the supreme power, because they are relevant to the survival of the whole nation. A man does not have a sick ambition to break the order, as Macbeth does. In fact with every new crime something dies inside him. The Thane of Cawdor can be definitely characterized with the phrase of the witches that Fair is foul, foul is fair., because he is double-faced (1.1.10). One real man would never pretend to be someone else and he would be sincere and honest. Macbeth breaks the sacred loyalty; he is a betrayer which certainly does not make him a man. Manliness characterizes only a person who is trustworthy, a person like Macduff who sacrifices his whole family in order to reestablish the peace and order in Scotland. This action requires a lot of strength which is not only physical but psychical as well. To abandon the family means putting the society as a number one priority. In general all of the people who oppose Macbeth can be considered manly. All characters who kept thinking that Duncans murder was a breach of the nations stability risk their lives in order to return the fairness. Young Siward has paid a soldiers debt: / only lived but till he was a man; which shows that they are very selflessly devoted to succeed (5.8.39-5.8.40). Another thing that this quote shows is that in Macbeths society even the children are taught that saving of communitys strength is a major moral value. Previously Macbeth was also considered selfless, as he nevr shook hands, nor bade farewell to him (Macdonwald),/ Till he unseamed him from the nave to th chops, (1.2.21-1.2.22). Maybe he was also taught in such a way as Siwards son. It seems that as the play goes on Macbeth transforms from a person who fights the betrayers to a person who becomes a betrayer. The Thane of Cawdor is not a real man, because he opposes the natural order and he also does not posses steadfastness. Another characteristic of manliness is not to succumb to the influence of other people, which can make a person do rash things. One can possess many moral values, but if one does not have the strength to keep them one will break them. That is what happens with the character of Macbeth as well. He deserved once to be called a worthy man because of his bravery but his credulity made him take the wrong way. Macbeth believed in the prophecy of the witches and their words started feeding his sick ambition. If he was manly, however, he would not believe in it so credulously. One of the etymologies of the word man comes from the root men- to think. That is why one of the characteristics of manliness is the process of thinking sensibly. But Macbeth was so enchanted by the words of the witches that he also says Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more :( 1.3.70). In contrast to Macbeth, Banquo says wisely The instrument of darkness tell us truths,/ Win us with honest trifles, to betrays/ In deepest consequences. (1.3.124-1.3.126).That makes Banquo a real man because he is a realist who depends only on his own strength. Banquo also does not allow the witches to brainwash him and he does not believe them so credulously. A real man like him should be able to distinguish between what is good and what is bad, i.e. what is fair and what is foul. On the other hand Macbeth keeps on believing in the prophecy and we see him as he goes to the witches by himself and asks them for his destiny. The Thane of Cawdor depends not only on his abilities, but he also expects help from the witches. A real man would rely only on his strength because this shows that he is certain about his abilities. Another fact that proves that Macbeth has a very weak character is that he is very easily manipulated by his wife. In the seventh scene of act 1 Lady Macbeth says From this time/Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard/ To be the same in thine own act and valor/ As thou art in desire?(1.27.38-1. 7.41)This shows that the change in Macbeths behavior is due to his weak spirit. He is not able to control his volition as he is mostly affected by the will of his wife. The man is the stronger sex and he should have the power to act according his own outlook. In contrast Macbeth does not know himself because he has lost his identity: To know my deed, twere best not know myself.(2.3.72). A manly deed can be considered again the act of Macduff who sacrifices his family in order to maintain the welfare of the whole nation. In fact in Macbeth all men except Macbeth are real men because they do not weaken and they save their ability to control their lives only by their volitions Shakespeares play Macbeth brings the topic of manliness. The progressing action in the play makes the characters face different difficulties and their different reactions bring the contrast between what is manly and what is not. The manly qualities which are presented in Macbeth enrich the readers view of life and how it has changed during the centuries. Morality has changed and the values of the communities have changed. In conclusion what William Shakespeare tries to teach the reader is that manly is not a word that describes only men, but manliness is a moral value that makes one combine the ability of being an individual with the ability of being a social efficient member of a community.

The Voice You Hear Within

Oden 1 Jessica Oden Dr. Willis English Comp II February 20th 2013 â€Å"The Voice You Hear When You Read Silently† There are many works or art and literature that deal with one of the most intriguing and mysterious phenomenons in the world, the human mind. Like death, and the content of the heavens, it is a secret that can not be unlocked, and possibly the most personal and valuable secret. The mystery lies in the uniqueness of the individual brain with specific dreams and ideas that can not be copied or compared. This constant inconsistency makes stunning the mind basically impossible. There could be rooms filled with charts, diagrams, studies, and experiments to due with the human mind, and probably are, but there is no control group and therefore no definite answer can be reached. Even if an answer could be found, what is the question? The human mind is infinitely and simultaneously complex and simple, much like the poems of Thomas Lux (â€Å"Thomas Lux†). In Lux's poem â€Å"The Voice You Hear When You Read silently† he attempts to corner and identify one aspect of the ever mysterious mind. That voice heard only in the mind. The voice that remembers everything, that reflects integrity or lack there of, and finally that explains the world to one person only, forever. The conversation between the mind's voice and mind's eye is an intimate one that can not be overheard. Perception is the transfer of information from the senses to the brain, and that ever present inner voice is narrating the whole process. Everything seen, smelled, tasted, etc†¦ is recorded into the brain, and this information provides the basis for the connotation of everything perceived from that point on, Oden 2 so that the perception of the world changes constantly and in direct relation to how much exposure there is to new and unfamiliar things. Therefore the voice of the mind is constantly growing and expanding and developing a character all of its own. This character of the mind is what Lux is harping on in his poem, by explaining that no voices can be the same. He explains that this internal monologuer has the ability to see situations in jaded way and therefore the person will see them that way also. Chelsea Craig defined this phenomenon in a very accurate and descriptive manner: â€Å"This powerful and moving voice is enriched by my past, declares my present, and may even foretell what is to come. †(Craig 3) She gave this comment after reading Lux's work and ignoring it for some time (Craig 3). When she revisited the poem, she found that it contained an inherent truth about herself and every other human (Craig 3). Where does this voice of the mind reside? It seems to be rooted in the subconscious, which is the area of the brain that processes our perceptions and makes them real ideas that we can call upon and that sometime reveal themselves randomly to us in flashes and dreams. When these ideas cross over from the sub- to the consciene, there is a voice there to explain it all to the perceive. Lux refers to this part of the mind as a ‘dark cathedral† seeming to compare the human subconscious to a holy vessel of information that must be valued and cared for, and so out of this cathedral comes knowledge of a world that is difficult to understand even still. Reading is on of the best ways to stimulate the mind and feed your subconscious with the images and feelings revealed from the book. The feelings invoked my the writer, the images portrayed by the poet, are all decipher by a private, bias critical voice inside the mind. This voice is very selective and controlling. It will take the information provided and run it through many filters before opening it up to the rest of your mind, which is does with bias and judgment and opinion. This may seem unfair, but a person directly controls what their subconscious observes by controlling how much Oden 3 of the world they are willing to be exposed to. The example that Lux gives in his poem to illustrate the differences in the mind from over person to the next. The barn to one person could be a symbol of free time from kids running around an empty field with an abandoned building, that brings feelings of curiosity and intrigue from the children who saw it, to the parents of the children who see the barn as dangerous and ugly. The dreamers and seniors will have yet another idea of what a barn is. The expression Lux uses, â€Å"a sensory constellation is lit† explains how that voice takes in everything that is perceive by all the senses and makes since of them, like the figurative lighting of a light bulb above the head when an epiphany is reached or an idea is conceived (Lux). The sound of the voice of the mind, though a figurative idea, is also important and directly related to the person who owns that voice. In the first part of the poem, Lux repeats the word ‘say' in different forms, emphasizing with repetition that the mind can actually ‘hear' this voice and that the tone of it reflects and illustrates the connotation of the words being ‘said' (Lux). Each inner voice has its very own unique timbre, with its own unique accent derived from the experiences and actions of the person who conceived it. The poet used a noun to explain this idea, but alluded to the effect of ‘stronger' words of a sentence such as the verb or the subject. To take this part of the equations deeper, consider that the subject and verb makes the sentence. So to expand, if just the word ‘barn' can mean so many different things to different people, look at the entire sentence. Such as, for example, â€Å"She was taken into the barn. † This is a very simple sentence with neutral words, but the inner voice can interpret it as the actions of a hero or a villain. On the one hand, a farmer could be carrying a pregnant goat into the barn to be warm while she gives birth, on the other a stranger could be carrying a young girl into the barn with evil intentions. None of this is given to the reader in the sentence and so this inner voice uses Oden 4 what it knows to guess at the meaning of the sentence. The point of this poem is to uncover some of the mystery of the human mind, but seems to only illustrate that fact that it is infinitely mysterious. There is no way to ‘hear' another person's inner voice or understand the conceptions of another entirely. There are phrases such as â€Å"I know how you feel†, or â€Å"I can relate† that seem to imply otherwise, however these phrases are generalizations, and in and of themselves subject to the connotation given them by the inner voice. Does the person really understand or are they being sarcastic? Do they really have a clue what the other person is feeling? No, it is impossible to completely put their thinking cap on and hear the voice that whispers to them, interpreting the world and everything in it, individually for that person. Oden 5 1.Works Cited Lux, Thomas â€Å"the Voice you hear when you read silently†. ed. Vivian Garcia Edgar V. 2.Roberts Lehman cCollege The City University of New York Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, fifth compact edition, Longman 2012 Print. 3.â€Å"Thomas Lux†. Poetry Foundation. Chicago, IL 2012 http://www. poetryfoundation. org/bio/thomas-lux Web. Craig, Chelsea. 4.â€Å"Slow Down to Hear Your Inner Voice† University of Wisconsin. 2012 Http://liberaleducation. uswa. edu/scholarship/2ndAnnual/Chelsea_Craig. pdf Web.

Early Emotional Attachment On Attachment Parenting

People can and do get the [attachment] theory confused with attachment parenting. The result of this may be that some parents, thinking that attachment parenting is too consuming and also because western society has a need for independence and separation, may then look for alternative methods that do not involve any form of attachment â€Å"methods†. The purpose of researching these theories is to gather information about attachment theory for those involved to make informed decisions that do not involve a speciï ¬ c parenting philosophy that may not suit their family’s needs. Attachment is the method through which people acquire specific positive and close emotional bonds with others. In mature relationships, people may be equal attachment figures. However, this is not the case in a relationship between the child and parent. The child-parent attachment is a tie based on a need for safety, security and protection, paramount during infancy and childhood when the developing individual is undeveloped and weak. As a result, infants unconsciously attach to their caregivers. This paper will further discuss the importance of early emotional attachment in development as well as progressive concepts and empirical foundations. Infant Attachment The earliest derivation of attachment theory is found in Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of development. Freud was the first to suggest a theory of human developmental stages. Oral stage, the first step of his theory, sees infants become attachedShow MoreRelatedMy Point Of View Attachment Theory1033 Words   |  5 PagesMain Post Attachment theory is defined as the characters associated with the long term associated of human beings. From my point of view attachment is a lasting, secure and positive bond between a child and a caregiver, a reciprocal relationship. John Bowlby who used his knowledge in developmental psychology, psychoanalysis, ethology, and data processing to base his principle of the theory developed attachment theory. John Bowlby believed that attachment theory was on of the four essential behavioralRead MoreChildhood Development And Childhood Stages1633 Words   |  7 PagesChildhood, is a period characterised by significant cognitive, emotional, social and biological development. This discussion will consider the significant aspects of childhood development and experiences that contribute to children’s longer-term well-being, however, its primary focus will be socio-emotional development. Longer-term well-being refers to physical, social and emotional health over a continuous period of time. However, it is important to consider that this a relatively broad definitionRead MoreDevelopment Of The Psychosocial Concept Of Socialization947 Words   |  4 Pagesmost detrimental early into the lifespan when the child is in the home setting with the primary caregiver, often times this parental figure is not consciously aware of their vital role in the child’s developing social processes. As the child grows, other factors influence their social development such as peers, cultural norms, gender norms, and ideas about morals and ethics. When one examines certain criteria of the socialization process to include aspects of parenting and attachment styles, facetsRead MoreThe Emotional Link Of Attachment1661 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Attachment is one of the developmental milestones that begins during conception and remains throughout one’s life. It is defined as the â€Å"strong affectionate tie we have for special people in our lives that lead us to experience pleasure and joy when we interact with them and to be comforted by their nearness in times of stress† (Berk, 2011, p. 264). When an individual meets the child’s needs, an attachment begins to form. The primary caregiver, preferably the mother, is considered toRead MoreThe Attachment Of Children And Their Influence On Children1686 Words   |  7 PagesAvoidant Attachment in Children Parents are a vital factor in the development of their children. Many parents fill various roles as teachers, playmates, caregivers, and disciplinary figures; but one of the most important roles that a parent can hold is that of an attachment figure. The attachment between a child and their attachment figure is a strong predictor of the child’s later social and emotional wellbeing (Benoit, 2004). John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth worked together to come to the principleRead MoreBandura s Social Learning Theory And Attachment Theory1260 Words   |  6 PagesQuestions 1: Social Learning Theory and Attachment Theory Bandura’s social learning theory and Bowlby’s attachment theory. Each of these theories has similarities and distinctions regarding the mechanisms that underlie the impact of child abuse. This essay will examine these competing theories to determine which mechanisms are most strongly supported for families at high risk for child abuse and/or neglect (Begle, Dumas Hanson, 2010). Social Learning Theory Social learning theory suggests thatRead MoreThe Theory Of Attachment Theory795 Words   |  4 Pageschapter 1 that I chose was attachment theory. Attachment theory, coined by John Bowlby, is a concept in developmental psychology that concerns the importance of attachment in regards to personal development. It states that the ability for an individual to form an emotional and physical attachment to another person gives a sense of stability and the means necessary to take risks, branch out, and grow and develop as a personality. One of Bowlby’s main points in attachment theory is â€Å"separation anxietyRead MoreFamily Systems And Culture Influences Family System1742 Words   |  7 PagesAttachment patterns are defined to be the tie or bond made between the children and parents. To what extent are attachment patterns culturally determined? Attachment patterns are influenced by family systems and culture influences family systems. This being said, culture affects attachments a great deal when looking across the board of a variety of cultures. While this is the case, in the specific culture, the way parents attach to their child is considered â€Å"normal† to that family unit. Culture isRead MoreSylvia And Deborah Case Study1187 Words   |  5 Pageshippocampus, the major region in the brain that inhibits the HPA axis (Sherin Nemeroff, 2011, p. 267). This causes Sylvia to have dysregulation to coping with stressors throughout her life. With the death of her partner Judy, she tended to express more emotional grief and loss. On the other hand, Sylvia experienced debilitating migraines when attempting to go back to work and they subside when delaying going back to work. These chronic pain reactions relate to the somatization aspect of her complex PTSDRead MoreParents Anxiety About Their Children Starting School1261 Words   |  6 Pageswith 1 in 4 parents saying there is little information. Additionally, the article argues the importance of childr en’s social, emotional and communication skills, and that regular early communication between schools and parents could help families prepare for these skills which are vital to children’s development in school. In addition, it emphasises the importance of early year childcare providers and states that the reception year is important for helping children to prepare for and adjust to formal