Witch-Slapping

1. Why do people who are not "evil" take the first step into evil? What, for instance, is involved in taking that first step "down the primrose path to the everlasting bonfire" (Macbeth, 2.3)? What are the consequences of the individual choosing evil (particularly the internal consequences)? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.

First of all, I believe that all people, at least at birth, are not evil. So no-- I don’t think that Rhoda from Millbrook’s latest fall play could truly be a “bad seed.”  However, I agree with Brian Masters, a professional researcher on mass murderers, in his conclusions that all people are capable of evil acts. This is seen in many points throughout history when people eagerly committed murder or other crimes when encouraged by society. (for example, young boys who grew up in the Hitler Youth Organization in Nazi Germany)

In order to truly answer this question, I first believe that I need to set parameters for what I am
considering to be evil. To me, someone who is evil is a person that commits horrid acts, such as
murder, torture, etc, with malicious intent. Even though they might give justification to their
malicious intent-- as we see Lady Macbeth doing in Macbeth-- I would consider committing these
evil acts purposefully and for one’s own self gain malicious. 

So when do people begin to dip their toes in evil and why? I think that in order to commit evil acts,
one must be strongly tempted by either internal or external forces. The internal forces would come
from suppressed desires. Suppressed desires are located in the id portion of our mind, otherwise
known as our unconsiousness. This could explain Lady Macbeth’s actions in convincing Macbeth
that they must kill Duncan, as she could have a suppressed desire to hold as much power and
authority as possible. When looking at the context of the time period Macbeth was written in this
also makes sense, as women were given very little authority in society and were not supposed to
seem greedy or needy when it came to wanting authority.  A natural desire for wanting power could
compound if the desire is consistently suppressed over a long period of time, which could most
certainly be the case for Lady Macbeth. If Lady Macbeth did have a desire like this that was greatly
suppressed, then this would explain why the nature of her actions was so extreme, and why she
jumped at the chance to get power when it was presented to her. 

External factors could be a person, group of people, or situations that influence someone. In
Macbeth, we see external factors pushing Macbeth to commit the evil act of murdering Duncan.
This is seen when Lady Macbeth convinces him that they must kill Duncan, despite Macbeth’s
doubts, which is seen when Shakespeare writes, “Wouldst thou have that, which thou esteem’st the
ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem, letting ‘I dare not’ wait upon ‘I would,’...?”
(Shakespeare, Macbeth, 1.7) 

However, later on in the play, Macbeth beings to become more evil by committing even more evil
acts, though this time these acts are tempted and pushed mainly by internal factors. This is mainly
seen through his paranoia that he will lose his power, which leads him to kill Banquo and attempt to
kill Fleance. (“I require a clearness; and with him, to leave no rubs nor botches in the work, Fleanace
his son, that keeps him company… must embrace the fate of that dark hour,” (Shakespeare, Macbeth,
3.2))

Committing evil acts like those that Macbeth commits in this play does not go without consequences. 
This is seen as Macbeth suffers from extreme guilt after killing Banquo, even to the point where he
hallucinates a ghost of Banquo in the middle of an important feast. 

However, there is another theory that supports the idea that people who commit evil acts get what they deserve. This is simply the “what goes around comes around” theory, otherwise known as karma. While I might not personally believe in this theory, I think it is important to mention as it is clearly illustrated in Macbeth. This can be supported by the fact that Macbeth, after killing Duncan and Banquo maliciously, gets punished by the madness that consumes him in the form of Banquo’s ghost. When looking at the context and reason why Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, we can see the importance of this idea of karma. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth as a way to give subtle critiques of King James I, who was the king of England and Scotland at the time this play was written.  King James I was notorious for killing people he believed were witches or possessed a supernatural element, even though these people were almost certainly innocent. Shakespeare, who did not agree with Jame’s tactics on this or religious intolerance, used the character Macbeth and Macbeth’s flaws to symbolize King James I. Therefore, by having the idea of karma present in Macbeth, Shakespear is essentially saying that King James, by committing evil acts, will eventually get punished since what comes around goes around.