Macbeth says to himself, “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion/ Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair/ And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,/ Against the use of nature?” (1.3.135-138). This quotation tells us that Macbeth’s strong ambition tells him to want more because he feels unsatisfied. He thinks of murdering King Duncan and fulfilling the last prophecy because consciously, Macbeth knows that it is the only way to satisfy his ambition for things he does not have and that is by becoming the King of Scotland. This will eventually lead to his downfall and death, as karma exists. We know that it isn’t right for Macbeth to become the king, as Malcolm is the heir to the throne.
Tybalt clearly is motivated by self-interest because he mainly thinks about defending his pride, and thus, has the urge to kill Romeo at a party without thinking about the disgracing the Capulet name. The next day when Tybalt confronts Romeo, he accuses Romeo of being “a villain” and fiercely demands that Romeo “turn and draw” because he is unwilling to “excuse the injuries [Romeo] hast done to him”(Shakespeare III. i. 62,67-68). Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel to regain his pride and therefore shows self-interest because he blinded by rage and his thirst for revenge.
Emerson’s Qualities of Heroism | Does Beowulf exhibit this quality?Yes or No | Provide supporting evidence from the poem that supports your reasoning | Fights for what’s right, no matter the situation. | Yes | The odds didn’t look good for him against Grendel. | Attitude of a warrior. | Yes | When Beowulf is telling Hrothgar that he will beat Grendel with just him and his “earlsmen” he sounded brave and ready. | Obligation to fight evil and stand up for what is right.
Oedipus’s pride that drives him to be determined to seek out the truth of his identity and Laius’s murder is seen as a courageous action by the people of Thebes but ends up being Oedipus’s downfall. The priest’s words in first person ‘My sovereign lord and king’ shows that the people of Thebes think positively of Oedipus. Sophocles has demonstrated that yes, with self-determination you can achieve your goals but sometimes the consequences can be harmful. This is demonstrated in the dialogue by Oedipus “Scandalous reputation” in the listening extract and the play Oedipus discovers the truth. The repetition of ‘Dark, dark’ said by Oedipus emphasises that that’s what his
Romeo on the other hand is determined not to fight Tybalt "love thee better than thou canst devise, till thou shalt know the reason of my love." Mercutio is outraged when Romeo does not respond to Tybalt's abuse, and draws his own sword to fight
Teiresias warns Kreon of the consequences of his actions, sadly Kreon does not realize that everything Teiresias says comes true and now he cannot stop it from happening. The supernatural aids of both stories both warn the heroes of fates that could befall upon them. Sigurd gets a magical horse from Odin and also, a sword from both Odin and Reign who made his sword. Sigurd has to go and fight the dragon Fafnir and Kreon is told that his decisions will cause him great misfortune. Heroes need their supernatural aids, in fact they should feel lucky to have them, but the heroes themselves always counter act the blessing of a supernatural
‘why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature.’ This quote tells us that Macbeth has thought up the idea of killing the king and that his ambition is growing so much it is beginning to take over his morals, and is clouding his judgment. Again Shakespeare uses the natural imagery because killing the king is the most unnatural thing you can do as he is omnipotent and it is like killing God, this shows that although Macbeth knows he is thinking of the most unnatural deed on earth he is still contemplating it as his ambition is so strong. This has a worrying effect on the audience as, if Macbeth is so easily manipulated by one thought or idea what is he capable of with other influences. This quote could also illustrate that Macbeth is weak and absent minded as he does not think about what he is doing or about what he is considering
Morgan le Fay, Lady Bertilak, and the Virgin Mary, help develop the overall themes of the work by forcing the Gawain to question his ideals. Morgan le Fay and Lady Bertilak, the magical old woman and the beauty, are characterized as the male hero’s opponents. They manipulate but rely on his final choice, and are protected by their social status in Bertilak’s court. Both Morgan and Lady Bertilak are condemned in Gawain’s angry speech for stepping outside what he expected and for challenging his conflicting ideals. Gawain’s lady love, Mary, on the other hand, is the constant guide and source of comfort to which he may always turn.
Beowulf’s men, terrified, run for their lives, they were not ready to risk their lives. The she-monster pulls out a dagger and stabs him in the chest; however Beowulf’s male shirt stops the dagger from plunging in his chest. God saved Beowulf and Beowulf knew that only with God did he not die. “Holy God, who sent him victory, gave judgment for truth and right, Ruler of the Heavens, once Beowulf was on his back feet and fighting” (Beowulf, 1555-1556) Beowulf saw, hanging on a wall, a sword that could defeat the she-monster. Picking up the sword, he slashed the she-monster’s neck; Beowulf had won.
Hamlet and Laertes are also foils. Such is evident through Laertes’ rage accreted declaration “To cut his throat I’ th’ church,” indicating that he is willing to risk eternal damnation in order to achieve his revenge, whilst Hamlet, the protagonist, who by tradition should be the avenger, refuses to murder Claudius in the Chapel “when he is fit and seasoned for passage”. This demonstrates that revenge is a destructive emotion worthy of perdition. Hamlet, at the end of the play succeeds in his revenge. This is a dramatic irony as it is Laertes’s actions and confession that “the king is to blame,” that catalyzes Hamlet actions, thus enabling the completion of the impending tragedy.