1983. From a novel or play of literary merit, select an important character who is a villain. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze the nature of the character's villainy and show how it enhances meaning in the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.
Villains are an essential part of most any work. Apart from their obvious role in plot creation, they reveal and propel the author’s message. Lady Macbeth is exactly this type of character. Complex, ambitious, and definitely evil, she embodies the themes of gender identity conflict and insanity that permeate Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth acts as the driving force behind Macbeth’s ascension through her ruthless ambition. So determined is Lady Macbeth to become queen, she attempts to purge herself of any empathetic and “feminine” characteristics. She equates her femininity with mothering qualities, declaring to herself that she would bash in the skull of the infant she nursed. Notably, she and Macbeth appear to have no children; symbolically Lady Macbeth is incapable of nourishing life, she is too consumed by her own ambition. Lady Macbeth’s campaign against the stereotypical “delicate” qualities of females extends beyond her own gender. When she needs to goad Macbeth into action she attacks his masculinity, calling him a woman when he hesitates to kill King Duncan.
Although she is capable of dealing with Macbeth’s growing insanity in front of guests, Lady Macbeth eventually cracks under the guilt of her actions. The appearance and obsession with the unreal is mirrored in speeches of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. While he is immediately guilt stricken, he hallucinates a dagger. Her reaction is delayed, but more impressively insane; Lady Macbeth’s guilt manifests itself in blood she cannot rid her hands of and she eventually kills herself. Insanity becomes a form of atonement; only through her death can she clean her hands of her part in treason.
Lady Macbeth, arguably the true villain of Macbeth, becomes the play. Through her manipulation and ambition she develops the themes of gender conflict and insanity. Her death marks the end of Macbeth’s bloody reign, once the driving ambition was gone, his tenuous claim to throne evaporated too.
I thought your intro here worked well, giving you a lot to work with and setting the rest of the essay up nicely. Your details work well, and you don't just summarize - you connect the examples to your thesis well. If I were to be pickier, I would say that you might want to connect the villainy and gender identity conflict and insanity a bit more. Your examples are clearly those of villainy, but it would help my understanding a bit if you were a bit more explicit. Again, I think that's being pretty picky, but I'm supposed to try and help and I feel pretty useless if all I say is "Nice Job!".
ReplyDeleteYour introduction is very well done! However, I would urge you to put the concept of "nature of villainy" in your thesis, because you definitely explain this part of the prompt in your paper. I think that will help the grader know you plan on touching on this aspect. Also, make sure to use literary techniques in your argument. The use of techniques is what will create the effects that will tie into your meaning. This you do not have to outright state, but make sure you add them in. Finally, while you don't only use plot summary, it does tend to overtake your essay. Be careful to not overload your content with plot. Otherwise well done! Your writing is always interesting and enjoyable to read.
ReplyDeleteI think your thesis needs to address how Lady Macbeth's villainy came about.
ReplyDeleteA few of your sentences would work better if they were reworded. "Gender identity conflict and insanity" read like a three-part list without commas. Otherwise, it read easily and you answered the prompt with a well-chosen villain. Great conclusion, too.