The Theme Of Disruption Of The Natural Order In Macbeth

TheThemeofDisruptionoftheNaturalOrderinMacbethW illiamShakespeare'stragicmasterpiece,Macbeth,writtenin1606,exploresthethemeofdisruptionofthenaturalorder .SetinScotland,theplayrevolvesaroundMacbeth,aScottishnoblemanandsoldierinKingDuncan'sarmy ,whorisestothethroneafterthewitches'prophecyandhisownambitiondriveshimtocommitaseriesofheinousmurders.Despitebeingwrittenoverfourcenturiesago,thecharactersandthemesinMacbethremainrelevant,makingitatimelessplay .Disruptionofthenaturalorderreferstoaninterruptioninthenormalwaythingsarearrangedorexpectedtobe.Asatheme,disruptionofthenaturalorderisportrayedthroughsomeofthecharactersandtheiractions.ThethaneofCawdorbetrayshiskingandthepeopleofScotland,whileMacbethmurdersKingDuncan,disruptingthenaturalorderofloyaltyandtrust.Macbeth'sinstigationofthedeathofBanquoandMacduf f'sfamilyfurtherexemplifiesthistheme.Thescuf flebetweenMacduf fandMacbethdisruptsthenaturalorderofloyaltyandobedience.Moreover ,thenoblemen(Menteith,Caithness,Angus,Lennox),andsoldiers'departurefromKingMacbethtosupporttheEnglisharmyisanotherinstanceofdisruptionofthenaturalorder .ThethaneofCawdor'sbetrayalofhisking,Duncan,portraysdisruptionofthenaturalorder .Thefirstinstanceofdisruptionofthenaturalorderisseenatthebeginningoftheplay .AwarbetweenScotlandandNorwayisunderway .ThethaneofCawdorisintroducedthroughthenewsrelayedbyRoss,athane.RossinformsKingDuncanaboutthebattleanddisclosesthebetrayalofthethaneofCawdor .Hesays,"Norway ,himself,/W ithterriblenumbers/Assistedbythatmostdisloyaltraitor ,/ThethaneofCawdor ..."(Act1,Scene1).Duncansays,"...He(thethaneofCawdor)wasagentlemanonwhomIbuilt/Anabsolutetrust"(Act1,Scene1).Itisnaturalfortheretobetrustandloyaltybetweenthekingandhisthanes,aswellasbetweenthepeopleandthesoldiers.ButthethaneofCawdordisruptsthenaturalorderbysupportingNorwayinthefightagainsthisowncountry ,Scotland.Significantly ,asasoldier ,thethaneofCawdorisexpectedtoprotectandfightforhiskingandcountryforever .Thisiswhatisexpectedofathane,asMacbethsays,"TheserviceandloyaltyIowe,/Indoingit,paysitself.Y ourHighness'part/Istoreceiveourduties;andourduties/Aretoyourthroneandstate,childrenandservants..."(Act1,Scene4).ThethaneofCawdorbreachesthisnaturalorderbybetrayinghiskingandthepeopleofScotland.Inadditiontothethane'sbetrayal,disruptionofthenaturalorderisportrayedthroughMacbeth'smurderofKingDuncan.Macbethisasoldierandsubjecttotheking.Hisdutiesaretoserveandbeloyal,whiletheking'sroleistoreceivetheseduties.Also,Macbethisakinsmantotheking:"Heishereindoubletrust;/First,asIamhiskinsmanandhissubject,/Strongbothagainstthedeed..."(Act1,Scene7).Asakinsman,Macbethisexpectedtodefendandprotectthekingfromexternalattacks.Macbeth'svaliantfightinthebattlebetweenNorwayandScotlandbringsvictorytoScotland.KingDuncandecidestopayhimavisitathiscastleatInverness.Asthehost,Macbethisexpectedtofightagainstanymurderousplotsagainsttheking.Hesays,"...then,ashishost,/Whoshouldagainsthismurderershutthedoor ,/Notbeartheknifemyself"(Act1,Scene1).However ,Macbethdisruptsthenaturalorderofloyaltybetweenthehostandtheguest.Furthermore,disruptionofthenaturalorderisdisplayedthroughMacbeth'sinstigationofthemurderofBanquo.MacbethhasbeencrownedKingofScotlandafterthedeathofKingDuncan.Havingfulfilledthewitches'prophecyabouthimthroughhismurderousdeed,MacbethplanstokillBanquoandhisson,Fleance.Hesays"...forBanquo'sissuehaveIfiledmymind"(Act3,Scene1).MacbethhiresmurdererstokillBanquoandFleancetoavertthewitches'prophecyconcerningBanquo.Hesaystothemurderers,"...AndIwillputthatbusinessinyourbosom,/Whoseexecutiontakesyourenemy(Banquo)of f..."(Act3,Scene1).MacbethdoesnotwantthethronetomovetotheBanquo'sfamilysincethewitches'prophecyabouthim(Macbeth)isaccomplished.ThemurdererssucceedinkillingBanquobuthissonescapes.Similarly ,Macbeth'sordertokillMacduf f'sfamilydisruptsthenaturalorder .AsseeninMacbeth'sdecree:"ThecastleofMacduf fIwillsurprise,/SeizeuponFife:givetotheedgeofthesword/Hiswife,hisbabesandallunfortunatesouls/Thattracehiminhisline"(Acts4,scene1).Byinstigatingthemurderofhissubjects(Maduf f'sfamily),Macbethviolateshisresponsibilitiesaskingandprotector .Astheplayprogresses,disruptionofthenaturalorderisevidentwhenthenoblemen,includingLennox,Caithness,Angus,andMenteith,andthesoldiersdepartfromtheirking,Macbeth,whentheEnglisharmyintendstobattlewithhim.TheydefecttojointheEnglisharmy ,asseeninwhatLennoxsays,"NearBirnamwood/Shallwemeetthem..."(Act5,Scene6).Thisbetrayalisastarkdisruptioninthenaturalorder ,asitgoesagainsttheexpectedloyaltyandallegianceofsubjectstotheirmonarch.Inthefinalsceneoftheplay ,thecombatbetweenMacduf fandMacbethshowsdisruptionofthenaturalorder .Macduf f,anoblemanandthaneofFife,disobeysMacbethbyrefusingtoattendMacbeth'sfeast.HefleestoEnglandwhereheallieswiththeEnglisharmytowagewaragainstMacbeth,hisking.WhenMacduf flearnsofhisfamily'sdeath,hevowstofightMacbeth:"...BringthouthisfiendofScotlandandmyself;/W ithinmysword'slengthsethim..."(Act4,Scene3).Ultimately ,Macduf fkillsMacbeth.Thefightbetweenasubject(Macduf f)andhisking(Macbeth)disruptsthenaturalorderofloyaltythatshouldbebetweeneachother .T osumup,disruptionofthenaturalorderisexemplifiedthroughvariouscharactersintheplay-thethaneofCawdor ,Macbeth,thenoblemen(Caithness,Menteith,Angus,Lennox),soldiers,andMacduf f.ThethaneofCawdor'sbetrayalofhiskingandcountry;Macbeth'sregicide,andordertomurderBanquoandMacduf f'sfamily;thenoblemenandsoldiers'defectionfromMacbethtojointheEnglisharmy;andthefightbetweenMacduf fandMacbethalldemonstratedisruptionsofthenaturalorder .Disruptionofthenaturalorderstilloccurstoday ,manifestinginformslikebetrayalamongclosefriendsandfamilymembers,violencebetweenchildrenandparents,andothersimilarinstances.W orkCitedShakespeare,W illiam.'Macbeth.EditedbyJimManis,APennsylvaniaStateElectronicClassicsSeriesPublications,1999.