Milford High School - Oak Lily and Ivy Yearbook (Milford, MA)

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THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. 19 THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH: ITS ETHICAL CONTENT. Every work worthy of the name of literature deals with human behavior. And human nature, at its best or worst, droll or tragic, is at all times interesting, and its study is often enlightening. So literature gives pleasure, but literature also emphasizes and points to a better standard of behavior—a standard stressed by the author in such a way that the reader profits by participating in the world experience depicted by the writer, without making the experience himself. It is against human nature to accept direct moral advice, and we do not like to have its application made personal. But in literature we see the moral energies of society acting upon ideal persons, and the lesson we receive is more impressive and beneficial because we accept it at our freedom. So Shakespeare, the greatest English writer of all times, in his stupendous tragedy “Macbeth,” offers us his moral advice through a convincing portrayal of the possibilities of crime and punishment in a human being. It is in Shakespeare’s method of characterization, although sometimes be¬ wildering, that lies the chief source of his charm and interest. Upon an old plot he focuses all his astounding interest in human nature, and his characters be¬ come magnificent portraits of human conduct, containing a wealth of material for study. Shakespeare shows us tragic deeds followed by their necessary con¬ sequences, and thus arouses our pity for the well intentioned tragic character, and terror if his mistakes are such as we should commit under like circumstances. Aristotle held that tragedy purifies the spectator by showing him how his feel¬ ings and convictions will result when carried out. And such a revelation must needs have its effects in establishing a more wholesome standard of behavior. Hence “Macbeth,” with its central theme of criminal ambition and its con¬ sequences, becomes fit material for tragedy and the contemplation of it purges the emotions through pity and terror. Macbeth, a general in the army of Duncan, king of Scotland, is not satis¬ fied with the honor and prestige bestowed upon him for his military exploits, for his ever-mounting ambition has brought him thoughts of the kingship. Although Duncan is beloved and “his virtues plead like angels, trumpet-tongu’d, against the deep damnation of his taking off,” Macbeth plans to murder the king to satisfy his love of power and wealth. His aim, which becomes slightly weakened in the face of the crime, is made fast by his equally ambitious but more strong- willed wife. Macbeth murders Duncan when the latter is a guest at Macbeth’s home, and with Duncan’s two sons fled, Macbeth becomes king. After some years, however, Macbeth realizes that Banquo and Macduff, both generals in Duncan’s army, are suspicious of him, and realizing their danger to his safety, Macbeth has Banquo murdered as well as the entire family of Macduff. Fleance, the son of Banquo, whom Macbeth had meant to kill, escapes. The ghost of Banquo appears before Macbeth at a banquet which Banquo was to have at¬ tended. Meanwhile Macduff and the sons of the murdered Duncan plot to de¬ pose Macbeth and place Malcolm, the rightful heir, upon the throne. The castle of Macbeth is besieged by Malcolm and his followers, and Macduff kills Macbeth. Lady Macbeth dies by her own hand. With death their troubles are over, but the lives of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have been one long suffering of fear and remorse. Macbeth’s life has been one long torture of imaginings and fears—fear of discovery, fear of any hindrances to his safety. His life is made up of hallucinations and self-delu¬ sions. His very active imagination, spell-binding his other faculties, shows him

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18 THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. waiting for him offers totalling $1,400,000. He modestly states that he made the trip with no thought of financial gain, but to prove that it could be done and to help advance the idea of international trans-Atlantic flying for commer¬ cial use. While in the European countries, he has displayed an immense amount of tact. There is a glowing example of this in the fact that in a short address of one hundred words, he sent a gathering of French statesmen and citizens into wild enthusiasm. Everyone realizes that this in itself is remarkable, for it is not an easy position when a person finds himself hemmed in on all sides by people speaking a foreign tongue. Lindbergh inherits this fine tactfulness among many other fine qualities, because his father was a person to be reckoned with in American politics for over twenty years, and his grandfather was a member of the Swedish Parliament. The flight and its completion shows in Lindbergh an inestimable degree of self-reliance. Not once, either while preparing for his flight or in making it, did he have one bit of doubt but that he would be successful. This trait shows a home training that would be well for American mothers and fathers to imitate. Lindbergh’s mother has made the following statement: “During Charles’ boy¬ hood, the word ‘don’t’ was very seldom used.” The importance of this state¬ ment can hardly be imagined by the casual reader. It shows, however, that for every little action that was out of the ordinary, a doubt did not spring up in his parents’ minds that he could not do it, or at least, that he should not attempt it. He was allowed to go ahead, and consequently a feeling of self-reliance and confidence in his own abilities was fostered that was a dominant factor in the great flight that he completed. Another admirable trait of Lindbergh’s is his frankness. An amusing little incident connected with it is the fact that he kept the King and Queen of Belgium waiting for twenty minutes because he had lost his collar button. He did not bother to improvise an excuse, but stated simply what had occurred, and thereby made an impression that would hardly have been made by the presenta¬ tion of an improbable alibi. In short Charles Lindbergh is a splendid American youth possessing com¬ mon qualities in pronounced degrees and I am sure that there is no one in the world who would care to detract one iota from the worldwide admiration that he is receiving, for everyone agrees that true worth must be recognized wherever it is found. Three cheers for Colonel Lindbergh! SALUTATORY. In behalf of the class of 1927, I wish to extend to you a most cordial wel¬ come. We take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation of the efforts expended by our parents and teachers during the past four years in our behalf. For their sympathetic interest which has made this happy occasion possible, we are truly thankful.

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20 THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. that Banquo is dangerous to his peace, and his mind is all afire with the thought of getting rid of him. And in contemplation of this crime he says: “But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer, Ere we will eat our meals in fear, and sleep In the affliction of those terrible dreams That shake us nightly: 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.” So it is seen that the strange effect of the crime on Macbeth is that he seems more alive to the dangers of his deed, than to the guilt of it, and his thoughts become almost frenzied in his efforts to ward off any possible danger to his security. He commits murder still, desperately seeking peace of mind, and each murder affects him only more strongly until he becomes almost indifferent about it, for, as he explains: “I am in blood Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er .” But Macbeth realizes before he dies, how his life has been wasted, realizes that fame and wealth were not worth the agonies and sacrifices he suffered, and that nothing can make up for the loss of a clear state of mind, for he exclaims sadly: “My way of life Is fall’n into the sear, the yellow leaf; And that which should accompany old age, As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends I must not look to have; but, in their stead, Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath Which the poor heart would vain deny, and dare not.” So Macbeth dies at the hand of Macduff, thus fulfilling the prophecies of the Weird Sisters, the precipitating cause of Macbeth’s crime, who have brought out the half-formed evil and temptation in Macbeth’s mind. By showing Macbeth’s crime, and by tracing his mental processes as a con¬ sequence of it, Shakespeare emphasizes the priceless value of a mind unstained by crime. The effect of the crime on Lady Macbeth is no less significant. Her suffer¬ ing, although different, is no less severe. It is her admirable self-control and will power which make her punishment different. It is not inborn heartlessness, but a courage “screwed to the sticking place” for the desires of ambition wrongly evaluated, that is the cause of her really greater participation in the crime. She has no hallucinations or delusions, because her existence is too evenly regu¬ lated by her will for any possible betrayal of her feelings. Her punishment is harder because she has the double burden of remorse and of hiding that remorse. It is only under the most trying conditions, over which she has no control, that she reveals the evidence of her suffering. Who can forget Lady Macbeth, with eyes staring straight before her, walking in her sleep, reenacting the scene of the murder and her suffering thereof? She gives vent to all the pent up agony of years and the revelation is pitifully enlightening. That she had remorse she has already shown to her husband in the words: