The Problem in Macbeth

The Problem in Macbeth

1.

We have already seen that the focus is on Macbeth and his wife,

furthermore, we have seen that the crucial problem is the decision and the act,

especially in which sense you can consciously and freely choose to do evil, then

do it and then be faced with the consequences. The problem is old. Socrates

maintained that no one with full insight in what was evil, would of his own free

will do it and that claim had been dominating for almost two millennia. The

logical power of this claim was that it was a tautology or even better; a

definition.

Any human activity, to think, to speak, to act, has to focus on a

purpose. The definitive impulse to throw yourself into an activity is the urge

towards selfpreservation that lies deep in any living creature. That is why man

cannot want his selfdestruction; he only wants the Good, understood as that

which promotes its own selfpreservation.

If, however, we exclusively define the Good as man's selfpreservation,

man's different attempts to achieve this would lead to mutual destruction. If I

- and everyone included - unhampered and in absolute selfishness only seek my

own, the misfortune I could inflict on someone would naturally be limitless. So

there has to be a further addition to the concept of Good.

The Good, we might add, is not only the instantaneous need for

satisfaction - in a matter of time it will often turn out to be an evil - but it

is in fact the absolute purpose for any human being (the highest Good), and it

isn't just common for everyone, but, when you strive for it, you include the

others in a true community.

But that means that the Good isn't just a subjective phenomenon; it is

objective, and in a philosophical analysis you begin to see a picture of a

hierarchical construction of still higher goods, from the simple ones you can

strive for in everyday life to the eternal salvation that can only be sought for

its own sake. Since man wants to be in accordance with himself and since the

whole area of Good is conform with man, man must freely want the Good; you could

be more accurate by saying that man necessarily wants the Good.

However, it is a fact that man once in a while actually chooses the evil

and that needs an explanation. First and foremost, this explanation is lack of

insight. It is reason which in the given situation can choose the right

possibility and then make the will act upon it. But reason can be mistaken; the

situation can be confused or you can find yourself in a conflict where it is

doubtful which possibility is right. Under these circumstances man can do evil

in the false belief that it was the Good.

The source of error could be found in man's desire as well. We've all

got our weaknesses, strong inclinations, and we know that in a certain situation

we can succumb to them. As we know the near Good is a stronger impulse than the

more distant Evil. If you, however, express it in rational categories, you could

say that again reason is wrong. It believes it's a greater Good to satisfy the

immediate inclination than - if necessary - to give it up because of a more

distant Good. And you could add to it that there is a strong urge to fulfil the

inclination because you identify with it; without it - and its fulfilment - you

weren't yourself.

Even though we no longer express the relation in these terms

philosophically, we're faced with everyday phenomena so familiar that we all

know them and it's by virtue of this we're able to understand "Macbeth". Macbeth

is the man who consciously and freely chooses Evil. He is the tragical figure

because he looks like any of us but finds himself in an extreme situation where

the act is no longer more or less harmless, but absolute in its consequences.

Macbeth's act is a breach with all natural feeling and all natural duties and he

knows. Once and for all he does what cannot be done, which cannot be done again

or