Please finish reading "Macbeth" Act III and complete the 13 study questions in your journal.
I would like you to do a little research and find examples of real life Macbeths and Lady Macbeths. Look for world leaders who abused their power through ambition. It need not be murder (though, sadly, that has happened more times than we can count).
How has financial greed caused an abuse of power? This can be seen in companies that started off with a worthy goal, and then ended up allowing money, greed, power and ambition take over.
In the following blog post, please share a real life example of a person or entity that resembles the downfall of Macbeth. Please include a link to the website, so we can see your work. Also, include at least 1-3 direct quotation(s) from Macbeth that shows the direct parallel to your example.
I look forward to your responses.
Mr. P. ;)
In my opinion, there was a Macbeth-like figure in the White House. Richard Nixon, the infamous 37th president, held office from 1969-1974. First, both Macbeth and Nixon were involved in warfare. While Macbeth was a general for Scotland, in 1942, Nixon served in the US Navy during World War II. Macbeth and Nixon also rose up in power before their undoing. Starting as a member of Congress, he became the senator of California in 1950 and eventually president in 1969. In a similar fashion, Macbeth was the Thane of “Glamis, and [then] Thane of Cawdor!”(23). Furthermore, like Macbeth after murdering Duncan, Nixon was very paranoid. When Macbeth returned to Lady Macbeth, “There’s one did laugh in’s sleep, and one cried “Murder!” That they did wake each other. I stood and heard them…”(55). The deed was done only minutes ago, yet Macbeth is anxious and frightened that someone would find out. As an extension of his constant worrying, Nixon had a group of investigators dubbed the Plumbers that dealt with people who he mistrusted. They were essentially Nixon’s henchmen. Their job was to expose those who Nixon felt threatened or endangered by. Their actions included burglary, threats, and other illegal activities. And like the murderers, who, in Macbeth’s words, “sweep [Banquo] from my sight”(85), they did Nixon’s dirty work for him. Finally, and the biggest similarity, is what began both Nixon’s and Macbeth’s downfall. Their desire for power becomes their own ruin. In murdering Duncan, Macbeth would bring about his own destruction with guilt and paranoia. When Nixon ran for his second term, members of his committee for re-election broke into the Watergate hotel and stole documents from Democrats that were currently residing there. Like Macbeth, “false face must hide what the false heart doth know”(45), Nixon tried to keep it under wraps for as long as possible with money. Though this would not immediately affect Nixon, it would eventually catch up to him. After a report from the Washington Post regarding the robbery, more began to question Nixon. Suspicions only grew when he tried to hold onto tapes of his discussions from court. This continued until he finally resigned, becoming the first president to do so and possibly one of the most hated leaders of the United States.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.nixonfoundation.org/37-fascinating-facts-about-americas-37th-president/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Plumbers
http://www.history.com/topics/watergate
-Sabine Haskell
When asked for a real life example of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, the first name that comes to mind is Joseph Stalin (1878-1953), dictator of the Soviet Union. His life eerily resembles Macbeth’s. After the death of Lenin, Stalin emerged as the leader of the USSR. Leon Trotsky, Lenin’s right hand man, questioned Stalin’s ideas and in response to this, Stalin led a propaganda counterattack against Trotsky, banishing him. Stalin was still so paranoid that after years of Trotsky living in exile, he sent Ramon Mercader, a Spanish Communist to murder Trotsky with an ice pick. During his reign, Stalin continued to spiral more and more into insanity, similar to Macbeth. He murdered Trotsky because he feared that Trotsky would challenge and replace him. This act resembled Macbeth during Act 3, when he sent the murderers after Banquo because “his royalty of nature reigns that which would be feared” (81). During Stalin’s reign, he made awful decisions that affected his country. From the 5 year plan to industrialize, where he set impossibly high expectations that couldn’t be met, to the Great Purge, where he eliminated anyone who threatened his power, Stalin became more and more power hungry and continued to kill innocent people. As Macbeth puts it, “better be with the dead, whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy” (89). Stalin was so paranoid, and he killed all those people because he thought that their death would bring him peace.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/stalin-banishes-trotsky
https://www.biography.com/people/joseph-stalin-9491723
-Vivian Tang
Bernie Madoff and Macbeth both deceived people and caused destruction in the pursuit of power. Madoff was the man responsible for the Ponzi scheme, one of the greatest financial frauds in U.S history. Just as Macbeth was hailed as a “worthy gentleman”(I.II.XXVI), Madoff revered as a financial wizard. Bernie Madoff started the illegal activity in order to impress the higher-ups in Wall Street, but soon things got out of hand and he was unable to maintain his charade. When the FBI detained him, it is estimated that he swindled investors out of 18 billion dollars. Like Macbeth’s betrayal of King Duncan, Bernie Madoff also took advantage of people's trust. Many elderly people had invested their lives savings only to have it be stolen. They both struggled with incredible guilt. Macbeth describes his guilt for killing Banquo saying“
ReplyDeleteBlood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time,
Ere human statute purged the gentle weal;
Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd
Too terrible for the ear”(III.IV. LXXVIII). They both had to face the terrible consequences of their terrible actions. Like Macbeth, Madoff’s actions led to the death of loved ones. Macbeth had his friend Banquo killed and Madoff’s son Mark hanged himself after the news of his father’s arrest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Madoff
https://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/bernie-madoff-interview-104838
A modern day example of Macbeth could be Tonya Harding. Tonya Harding was an olympic figure skater in the 1990's who was very jealous of her opponent Nancy Kerrigan. Nancy, being in 3rd place while Tonya was below 10th, clearly had a lot of potential and was much more talented. Tonya believed that Nancy was in her way, but instead of working to better her skills as a figure skater to get to the top, she took up a more sinister plan. Tonya allegedly hired her bodyguard to destroy Nancy's knee with a baseball bat, rendering her unable to compete. Tonya to this day has tried to justify and explain the reasons behind her actions, perhaps to satisfy her own guilty conscience. Tonya is like Macbeth in the way that she was willing to harm another person because she believed that they were in her way. For Macbeth it was Duncan standing in the way of his kingship, for Tonya it was Nancy standing in the way of her olympic title. They both were willing to hire someone else to do their dirty work, like when Macbeth hired the murderers to kill Banquo, and they both suffered from a lot of emotional turmoil that played with their minds before and after the acts took place. Tonya Harding's demise was a classic case of toxic ambition, just like Macbeth. When Macbeth is trying to justify his idea of killing Duncan to himself he says, "If chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me, without my stir." (page 25) i feel like this is something similar that Tonya could have said to herself when she was deciding what action to take to get herself to the top. Another similarity is that many believe Tonya's family or coach convinced her to go along with this plan, just like Lady Macbeth convinced her husband: "be so much more the man. Nor time nor place did then adhere, and yet you would make both. They had made themselves, and that their fitness now does unmake you." (page 43)
ReplyDeletehttps://simply-macbeth.weebly.com/modern-day-parallels.html
https://www.biography.com/people/tonya-harding-9542583
I believe that Kim Jong Un is a real life example of Macbeth. I believe this to be the case since both Kim's Father was the Dictator of North Korea before him and he was very ruthless to the people to remain in power and Macbeth will do anything to remain in power because he killed Duncan to get that power and he hired people to kill Banqou and his son Fleance so that Banqou's son's cannot become king and he doesn't have a son left to even try to get his position. Both Kim and Macbeth were fated to become leaders since Kim's Father was dictator and the three sisters whose prophesied that Macbeth will become king and they had been accurate in their previous prophecies. They both had someone pushing them too strive for that power or Kim Jong Un it was his Father and for Macbeth it was Lady Macbeth.
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Deletehttps://www.biography.com/people/kim-jong-un-21125351
I believe Augusto Pinochet is a real life example of Macbeth. He was the head of the military dictatorship of Chile between 1973-1990. He was brought into power backed by the CIA. Once in power Pinochet used his power to illegally trade drugs and arms, embezzle government funds, and imprisoned, tortured, and murdered thousands of people. Pinochet used his power to make people do his dirty work. Since he was a military leader he would have his army kill people who did him wrong, like Macbeth did when he had 2 murderers go to murder Banquo and Fleance.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Augusto-Pinochet
As soon as I saw the question "How has financial greed caused an abuse of power?" I knew that I had to write about Ajit Pai, the Chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission. Currently, everyone who has access to the internet has an equal opportunity to everything it offers, this is called net neutrality. What Ajit Pai wants to do is get rid of that entirely. This means you will have to pay for certain parts of the internet to be able to use it. This also means that internet service providers will be able to slow down the connection on certain sites or services. Let's say Netflix didn't want to partner up with Comcast, in response, Comcast could slow down the speed of Netflix for Comcast users. Despite "83% of overall voters favoring to keep the FCC rules, including 75 percent of Republicans, 89 percent of Democrats and 86 percent of independents." (Neidig), Ajit Pai still wants to go through with abolishing net neutrality, even if it is against the people's will. Because of Ajit's greed, he is ignoring what the people want. As a way to laugh in the face of everyone that opposes him, he made a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFhT6H6pRWg) that doesn't even address the main concern people have with getting rid of net neutrality. The main point of this video is to tell you that once net neutrality is abolished, you'll be able to do exactly everything you could do before on the internet. Ironically, he says that this plan will "restore internet freedom". Just like Macbeth, you can see how Ajit Pai is using his ambition in a negative way. I remember Macbeth once claimed that there was no reason to thank him for what he did on the battlefield because it was out of the loyalty to his king, saying "The service and the loyalty I owe, in doing it pays itself. Your Highness' part is to receive our duties; and our duties are to your throne" (29). Ironically Macbeth kills the king later. Just like Ajit claims that abolishing net neutrality is for the good of the people, but in reality he is going to stab everyone in the back.
ReplyDeleteBibliography:
Neidig, Harper. “Poll: 83 Percent of Voters Support Keeping FCC's Net Neutrality Rules.” TheHill, 12 Dec. 2017, thehill.com/policy/technology/364528-poll-83-percent-of-voters-support-keeping-fccs-net-neutrality-rules.
One modern day example of Macbeth is Adi Amin, the President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Adi started from humble origins, a cook and quickly rose through the military ranks. His first move was to stage a military coup in 1971, overtaking and killing someone that he had worked with and had received help from. He ruled as a one man dictador, ignoring delegation of power. Like Macbeth he resorted to killing people to get what he wanted. To obtain rules he killed the president, like killing King Duncan. To stay in power he would kill any potential enemies, like Macbeth killing Banquo. Macbeth is willing to use violence, “Till he unseamed him from the nave to th' chops,And fixed his head upon our battlements.”(1:2) Amin is similar, he is responsible for the deaths of almost 300,000 people. He did anything to win the support of the people, including the deportation of Asians which lead to the collapse of the economy. Amin put him staying in power over the what was good for the country. Macbeth had no reason to kill the king other than his own personal ambition, I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other”(1:7). This is the same with Admin, he took over because he wanted to have power, not make Uganda better. When people become leaders of countries because of personal ambition, it tends not to end well. Due to the collapse of the economy and an inept government, a black market took over and dishonesty was the only means of survival.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Idi-Amin
https://www.britannica.com/place/Uganda/Tyranny-under-Amin#ref1163112
-Conor Walsh
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ReplyDeleteA debatable modern day example of Macbeth is George W. Bush. Although it does feel strange putting him under that category, I definitely do see some similarities between the two. Bush won the election illegitimately in 2000. He followed in his fathers footsteps. Some may say that George W. Bush gained power because he was destined for it, like Macbeth was described as a “worthy gentleman”(1.2.26). By the end of his term, George's presidency downfalled and he wasn't quite sure how to respond to that, like Macbeth.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/george-w-bush/
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ReplyDeleteComparatively, one man in particular is the king of the Scots, Mac Bethad mac Findláich, known in English as Macbeth, was born in around 1005. King Macbeth's (c.1005 - 1057) rule was marked by efficient government and the promotion of Christianity, but who is best known as the murderer and usurper in William Shakespeare's tragedy. [If this does not sound similar or even matches him, I honestly don't know what is...]
ReplyDeleteTimeline [starting in August 1040], he killed the ruling king, Duncan I, in battle near Elgin, Morayshire. Macbeth became king. His marriage to Kenneth III's granddaughter Gruoch strengthened his claim to the throne.
[1045], Macbeth defeated and killed Duncan I's father Crinan at Dunkeld. For 14 years, Macbeth seems to have ruled equably, imposing law and order and encouraging Christianity.
[In 1050], he is known to have travelled to Rome for a papal jubilee. He was also a brave leader and made successful forays over the border into Northumbria, England.
[In 1054], Macbeth was challenged by Siward, Earl of Northumbria, who was attempting to return Duncan's son Malcolm Canmore, who was his nephew, to the throne. In August 1057, Macbeth was killed at the Battle of Lumphanan in Aberdeenshire by Malcolm Canmore (later Malcolm III).
Macbeth (c.1005 - 1057), http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/macbeth.shtml
A real life example of Macbeth would be OJ Simpson. He was a huge public figure and was at the height of his career. He then murdered his wife in the middle of their divorce. It is said that he murdered her based off their financial status. When the divorce finalized, OJ would owe Nicole (his ex wife), a very large sum of money. After about two years, it was possible that Nicole might be wealthier than OJ- based solely of the money he would owe her for child support and other factors in the divorce. Driven by the ambition to keep his wealth and status, he murdered his wife. This murder has parallels to Macbeth's own crime because the same ambitions come into play. Macbeth even says, "only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other"(1:7). it was ambition for wealth and power which drove both of them to murder, making OJ Simpson a real life Macbeth.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-o-j-simpson-trial-where-are-they-now/
ReplyDeleteAn abuser of power that I immediately thought of is Kim Jog Il. He has used his power to obtain women into being his personal concubines. Kim has reportedly been known to dispatch military commandos south to kidnap women, including movie stars. He also is believed to have nine children with mistresses, not including five offspring who have acknowledged to being the result of multiple marriages. Kim ruled over a police state that still keeps as many as 200,000 people in prison camps. But following a famine in the late 1990s that by some estimates killed up to a million people, Kim lost control over private markets that have sprung up around the country.
ReplyDelete-Sarah Walsh
https://www.biography.com/people/kim-jong-un-21125351
A modern day example of Macbeth lies within Grigori Rasputin. Rasputin was the lover of Tzar Nikolas II's wife, Tzarina Alexandra, whilst he was at war in WWI. He first rose to power through the families son, Alexei, as he helped "heal" his severe hemophilia by constant aid and attendance. As he won the heart of both Alexandra through his constant patronage to both her son, and his said therapeutic religious powers which he used to put her at ease, his power in the Tzars Family grew. This is paralleled with that of Macbeth, for after the war, Duncan exclaims to Macbeth, "Would thou hadst less deserved,/ That the proportion both of thanks and payment / Might have been mine!" Duncan is praising Macbeth with constant prowess for his actions toward his name. Just as Macbeth accepts this grace, Rasputin as well, took to mind and heart the power that came with Alexandria's praise. In a second comparison, Rasputin aswell as Macbeth abuses his power, as it goes to his head. After Tzar Nikolas II went to war, Russia was left to the hands of Rasputin in power. As his title and power grew, so with it grew his power lust. He appointed the Russian cabinet to men under his choosing, which was seen as very unpopular by the public. As more and more uneducated reforms and regulations were passed in a time whence Russia was already in a mid war crisis, his eventual assassination on December 29, 1916 capped his rule, and tarnished the Royal family. We can see this eventual downfall, and power lust within Macbeth in Act 3, scene 2. When Macbeth is plotting against killing Banquo and Fleance alike, Lady Macbeth suggests against it, for it is unnecessary, and further complicates the matter. "Lady Macbeth: You must leave this. Macbeth: O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know'st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives" Macbeth's perpetual killing will soon lead to his downfall, it is his fatal flaw. He is internally fighting his own state of safety; if anyone remains alive whom may question his powers, he must kill them. This lust for power, and eventual downfall is a defining characteristic of the two.
ReplyDeletehttp://rasputin-corruptionofpower.blogspot.com/
Deletehttps://www.biography.com/people/rasputin-9452162
Fidel Castro could represent a modern day version of Macbeth. Castro was born to a semi-wealthy family similar to Macbeth who was a thane and therefor had reasonable power and comfort. Both of them wanted more power and both overthrew the ruler of their respective countries to get the seat of the leader, king and president. They both cared more about their own goals than their peoples needs. Macbeth went crazy caring only about maintaining his throne and power. While Castro did do things to benefit his people, these things are often overshadowed by his firm stance on the preservation of communism. Fidel suppressed resistance in Cuba by fighting free speech similar to Macbeth killing anyone who threatened his power, "and in such bloody distance That every minute of his being thrusts Against my near'st of life" (85). Macbeth made an enemy of Macduff who appealed to England to fight Macbeth, "Thither Macduff Is gone to pray the holy King upon his aid", and Fidel Castro made a big enemy of the United States by siding with the Soviet Union and supporting the spread of communism.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/fidel-castro
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ReplyDeleteAn example of a Modern Day Macbeth is Tanya Harding. She may seem harmless, she was a professional figure skater. She was good, but she wasn't number one. Nancy Kerrigan was a very good skater who Tanya grew jealous of her which turned into anger. She then decided to hire her bodyguard to beat Kerrigan in the knee with a baseball bat so she wouldn't be able to perform. Its hard to think about why she would hire someone to beat someone better than you. She could've just made Nancy Kerrigan her role model and worked to be better than her instead of physically harming opponents in order to work your way up. This relates to Macbeth because in order to become the heir to the throne, he killed King Duncan so he could be closer to being the king.
ReplyDeletehttps://simply-macbeth.weebly.com/modern-day-parallels.html
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ReplyDeleteAn example of a real life Macbeth is Benito Mussolini. Mussolini was an Italian politician who eventually became the Dictator of italy. At an early age he showed defiance and passion for socialist politics, he eventually became popular among socialists from many countries which actually got him kicked out of Switzerland. He also became a huge supporter of World War One after realizing how it could give Italy great power and even joined the military for a time before returning to politics. After the Treaty of Versailles he thought of the Italian government as Weak which is what caused him to from the Fascist party. In his rise to power he got rid of Democracy, used threats and scare tactics to get rid of rivals, and said that only way to restore order was for him to take power as a Dictator. It wasn’t until Winston Churchill and Franklin D Roosevelt decided that Mussolini needed to be stopped and marched troops up the Italian Peninsula that he was forced to resign and was later arrested. Germans ended up freeing him and me moved to Switzerland however he when he later tried to escape he was captured by Italians and he along with his mistress were executed and their bodies were displayed in a Milan Plaza. Mussolini saw the Italian government as weak while Macbeth viewed Duncan as weak. This ,along with opportunity, is what caused both of them to use violence to gain power as well as maintain power and get rid of threats.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.biography.com/people/benito-mussolini-9419443
An example of a modern day Macbeth would be Kim Jong Un. He uses fear as a way of staying in power and controlling his people. He kills people who oppose him and what he stands for and is overall very paranoid. Kim Jong Un, like Macbeth, views himself as better than everyone else and doesn’t like to associate himself with people lesser than him. They are both quite people. A difference is that Macbeth fell from a place of honor and good statues where as Kim Jong Un was never really good and has always been ruthless to everyone. - Evan Arhelger
ReplyDeleteAn example of a real life Macbeth would be Ivan Grozny(Or also known as Ivan 4). Ivan Grozny was a king of Russian Empire during 15th century. Grozny has known the rule that without fear you can't control people. He used it in all different ways, he publicly killed his own people, he attack others country which help him to have good attitude because everyone was afraid to deal with him. He was a paranoid person, he was afraid that all people around even his wife want to kill him to reign Russia Empire. Grozny's style of leading was the same as Macbeth's, but unlike Macbeth Grozny become a king because he inherited his father. Also Grozny was known for his weird history, people that know him were saying that he did unknown rituals, went to the fortune-teller to know his future, doesn't it sound familiar? -Roman Shepeliev
ReplyDeletehttps://www.rbth.com/arts/history/2016/10/14/7-facts-about-ivan-the-terrible-the-first-russian-tsar_638895
DeleteI also used information what I had studied about him.