Power: Test Question

            "Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely". A human would always invest what's in their best interest. When  in a position of power, it is hard for someone to think about who they are ruling and some times make drastically selfish decisions. After all selfishness is a human trait. This trait could backfire us. That is a lesson that the main protagonist, Macbeth,  in Shakespeare's Macbeth would learn.
            Macbeth gets absolutely corrupted due to his power. Before he became the king, he was just a humble thane, always loyal to king, Duncan. Soon after the witches told him that he was going to become king, he murdered his way to obtaining the crown. He then acquired the power of a king. But things got complicated for him. Fearing that he would lose his crown, his ambition to stay in power got the best of him. He made sure to get every possible chance of him losing his crown out of his way, putting more blood in his hands. Things got out of hand because of the power. 
           Macbeth would have probably let things flow itself if it wasn't for Lady Macbeth. Her thirst for power made her talk her husband into committing his first dirty deed. Macbeth was skeptical about the plan of killing Duncan to become king. But Lady Macbeth's ambition was bigger than his. She manipulated Macbeth by telling him that he was weak, that he was not manly. By Lady Macbeth approaching a chance of absolute power, she lost her sense of humanity and dignity. 
            In the world history this also happened with a man by the name of Luis XIV. While he did manage to make France rise as a global power, during the end of his career his thirst for blood and war caused his downfall. Through his countless wars trying to expand France and using funds to keep up his and his court's lavish lifestyle, he nearly ran France to bankruptcy. His expenses such as the Palace of Versailles hurt the credibility of future monarchs. During the reign of Luis XVI he was so corrupted that it sparked the french revolution, where he was executed by his people.
            As one can see, power could be the downfall of someone. Once you see you have all the power in your hands, you could lose your sanity. As Macbeth, his desire for power led him to become the darkest human being. Lady Macbeth also forgot the difference between wrong and right. Her ambition took over her sense of humanity, leading her to contribute with Macbeth's murders. Even though this is fiction, we could still see how power can corrupt someone in real life, like it happened to Luis XIV. It is not about how much power you have, it's about what you do with it. 




 

What do you think?

Describe the process you took to present your scene.  What went well? Not so well? What would you do differently next time you had to do a scene?

To present my scene, we had to start by editing the text. We decided what parts of the scene were essential. Then we cut down the lines that we decided to keep. We decided where the stresses and pauses were going to be. Lastly, we decided how we were going to be standing on the stage and where. I liked what we did in front of the class, how we were dressed, but I think we failed at playing along when we forgot our lines and we did it a little too fast. Next time I would practice more with my group. 

Weakness

Who is weaker? Macbeth or Lady Macbeth?  Why?

I believe Lady Macbeth is weaker than Macbeth. Macbeth fought until his very last breath. Even though she did not show it, Lady Macbeth was carrying a heave weight on her shoulders. When she was sleep walking, she showed her weakness. She felt so guilty about the murders, she was even talking about it in her sleep. I think she demanded the light next to her at night because she was afraid of spirits showing up while she slept, like when little kids are scared of the dark. 

Paranoia

Are Macbeth’s paranoia due to his own weakness or a consequence of what he did?


Macbeth's paranoia is a consequence of what he did. He obviously feels guilty for killing someone. His conscious won't leave him alone because of the weight that he carries. You can't always expect someone to do something bad and not feel guilty about it. Even though he did what he did, he still has a conscious.

Make and explain your prediction:

What will Macbeth do about Banquo? 


Banquo suspects that Macbeth cheated his way to the crown. This may become an obstacle for Macbeth so he might try to eliminate Banquo.

Directors

What are the factors that influence how a director presents a scene? Why do you think different directors see things so differently?

Some of the factors that may influence how a director presents a scene is the mood that the story may convey. A director won't present a happy scene with a sad plot. A character's personality also influences. I think directors see things differently because it's a matter of perspective, how they see the story. Everyone may not picture the same thing when they read a story.

Manliness

• Discuss the question, what does it mean to be a “man”?  Do you agree with Lady Macbeth’s view? Or do you think Macbeth’s consideration is more “manly”?

I think Macbeth's consideration is more "manly". He has a conscious. Despite he's ambition, he has a heart because he's not just thinking about just killing Duncan and getting the crown. Unlike Lady Macbeth, he is actually thinking about the pro's and cons of it. But he also seems like a fearful man. Macbeth is scared of what may happen when he meets with Duncan in the after life, like he's afraid of Duncan.