Sophomore Portfolio: Semester Two

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Macbeth Final

The good is rewarded while the bad will be punished. In the play, Macbeth, it consists of a man named Macbeth that believes that he is destined to become king. But once he does become king, his thirst for power begins. He gets paranoid and sees everyone as a suspect, and starts to murder many innocent people. Only at the end, karma strikes back as he faces his death. Macbeth by William Shakespeare is about karma because any destiny or prophecy predetermined for you does not matter, if you do a good deed, good things will come in your way and vice versa for doing something bad. 

Macbeth did not start off power hungry but when the three witches gave him a fuel to start a fire, he didn’t think twice to start the flame. There was a prophecy stated to Macbeth that he will rule Scotland and that skyrocketed his ego. “All hail, Macbeth, who will soon be king.” (1.2.50) When presenting the prophecy to Macbeth, the witches were not specific on how or when he will be king, so Macbeth took it upon himself to kill King Duncan in able to claim the crown for himself. “Can all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood from off my hand? No. This hand, instead, will dye the huge and mighty seas crimson, turning the green ocean red.” (2.2.60-62) Macbeth is not born evil, so for him to feel remorseful towards his actions towards King Duncan is not a shocker. But, that doesn’t excuse his brutal actions for selfish reasons. As punishment for his bad deed, he lost his sanity and an increase of paranoia showed through his behaviour.

Lady Macbeth is the wife of Macbeth; she takes part of the blame of King Duncan’s death, basically the mastermind of the murderous plan. “Asleep like swine, their alcohol-drowned senses numb as if in death--- what can’t we two do then to the unguarded Duncan? What blame can’t we attach to his drunken servants, who will be held guilty of our great murder?” (1.7.60-72) Anyone in the right mind would not spontaneously think of a way to kill someone, Lady Macbeth obviously suffered a mental illness and her husband killing numerous people did not help her situation. Lady Macbeth only intended to kill King Duncan for the place onto the thrown, she was not expecting Macbeth to act out and kill other people because his fear of losing his title. In the end, Lady Macbeth could not overcome the pressure and chaos surrounding her, and she ended up taking her life away. “The queen, my lord, is dead.” (5.5.16)

Malcolm is the sole successor of Scotland, he was lawfully the soon-to-be-king but Macbeth (temporally) took that away from him. When King Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, found out about their fathers death, the two sons separated and one darted to England and one fled into Ireland. “To show an unfelt sorrow is an office. Which the false man does easy. I’ll to England.” (2.3.144-145) Malcolm is one of the few characters in the play that did no wrong deed. In the prophecy, it was stated that no one naturally birthed could kill Macbeth but Malcolm was premature, meaning the prophecy could not apply to him. “He's worth more sorrow, and that I'll spend for him.” (5.8.20) Malcolm, in the end, kills Macbeth for everyone’s sake and is rightfully crowned as king.

All Macbeth ever wanted was power, but he didn’t earn it, he stole it. He took away many lives, and to keep the balance of karma, Macbeth ended up dying. Lady Macbeth could not help her condition but Macbeth could’ve helped her instead of being a ‘yes man’ towards her. She could not overcome her guilt for the lives she cost and she too, ended up dead at the end. Malcolm on the other hand is the saviour of the kingdom and ended Macbeth’s life to keep everyone safe. He found a loop whole towards the prophecy of Macbeth to store balance between the good and the bad. Overall, everyone in the play got what they rightfully deserve.

Macbeth Rough Draft

The good will is rewarded while the bad will be punished, and that is what the play Macbeth is about; a man named Macbeth, he was “destined” to be king but that superior title led him to fear to lose it to the point where Macbeth inflicted inhumane acts towards anyone who came between his crown and himself. Macbeth by William Shakespeare is about karma because any destiny or prophecy predetermined for you does not matter, if you do a good deed, good things will come in your way and vice versa for doing something bad. 

Power should be handled with caution because too much of it will result into destruction, and that was what Macbeth had not known. “To be king is nothing, unless one is safely king. / My fears about Banquo is deep-rooted. / There is something kingly in his nature / which is threatening to me.” Once Macbeth grasped the power everyone can only hope for, he was genuinely terrified to lose it. He was not designated to be king, but he and Lady Macbeth found a loophole into the thrown. It was wrong for him to kill for power, and he didn’t realize that until it was too late.

Lady Macbeth was the fuel to the fire. “We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking place, and we'll not fail.” In the beginning, it was not presented that Lady Macbeth was not well but later in the end; we find out that she suffers from some sort of mental illness. There were scenes where it foreshadowed she was not well, and one of them is where she encouraged to kill an innocent human being for power.  Lady Macbeth is not completely heartless since she felt remorseful for the death she was responsible off. But, unfortunately she was too weak to fight off her demons and ended up killing herself.

Malcolm was proof that not all the characters in “Macbeth” were evil. He was the sole heir to the thrown but the death of his father had driven away from fear, but he was the hero that every one needed.  He conquered his fear of Macbeth to save his kingdom. Macbeth has found a way to be king by doing a sinful act but karma works in both ways, Malcolm is the light in the darkness Macbeth created. Although he slayed Macbeth, it was for the better.

In conclusion, Macbeth took advantage of his power and took away lives

for selfish reasons which lead him into his death because all he did while king was murder anyone who stands in his way to retaining the crown; but Malcolm doing good deeds was rewarded to be the heir to the thrown. Macbeth by William Shakespeare is about life handing what you deserve.

Literary Check #3

Create theme thesis & character thesis

Theme Thesis:

• "Night" by Elie Wiesel is a novel that is constructed to let the audience know that even enduring the worst times in life, their struggle will have a long-lasting effect in the future. 

Character Thesis:

• Eliezer suffered through the Holocaust in the novel "Night" by Elie Wiesel but came out alive, but he had to sacrifice a lot along the way.

Literary Analysis #2

Literacy Check #2

1.

a) Dehumanization: Deprive of positive human qualities

b) Many prisoners strongly believed in their God but they slowly start loosing their faith because of the harsh conditions they went through during the Holocaust.

c) He started to loose faith in God and eventually not believes in their God anymore because of the deaths he witness millions of death occurring every day at the camp. He questioned his faith because he could not understand how his God would let them suffer through this tragedy.


2.

a) "Blessed be God's name? Why, but why would I bless Him? Every fiber in me rebelled. Because He caused thousands of children to burn in His mass graves? Because he kept six crematoria working day and night, including Sabbath and the Holy Days? Because in His great might, He had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many other factories of death? How could I say to Him: Blessed be Thou, Almighty, Master of the Universe, who chose us among all nations to be tortured day and night, to watch as our fathers, our mothers, our brothers, end up in the furnaces? Praised be Thy Holy Name, for having chosen us to be slaughtered on Thine altar?"

Literary Analysis #1

Critical Stance: 

Wiesel made sure Jews kept a positive mindset despite of the awful situation they are put through. He also valued his family and made sure to never be separated with his father at all cost. 

Dialectical Journal Entrees: 

"Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never."

Eliezer strongly believed in his God but is slowly losing faith because of all the deaths occurring around him. After being tormented and people dying one by one, he is wondering why God is allowing for these brutality to happen to innocent people.