Skip to main content

Macbeth is reported to be a valiant soldier in Act I. The line "Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’chops / And fixed his head upon our...

As your question states, the first time we hear about Macbeth, he is praised as an impressive soldier. When the wounded Captain relates the story of Macbeth's slaying of the rebel Macdonwald, he refers to "brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name" (I.ii.16). King Duncan praises Macbeth as "valiant cousin" and "worthy gentleman" (I.ii.24). However, your question seems to imply that Macbeth's actions don't deserve that descriptor. In fact, given how Macbeth bests Macdonwald (as stated in the...

As your question states, the first time we hear about Macbeth, he is praised as an impressive soldier. When the wounded Captain relates the story of Macbeth's slaying of the rebel Macdonwald, he refers to "brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name" (I.ii.16). King Duncan praises Macbeth as "valiant cousin" and "worthy gentleman" (I.ii.24). However, your question seems to imply that Macbeth's actions don't deserve that descriptor. In fact, given how Macbeth bests Macdonwald (as stated in the lines you quote in your question, from I.ii.22-3), we might be more tempted to call him "barbaric" rather than "valiant."


First of all, remember that "valiant" means "possessing bravery" or doing acts marked by "courage or determination" (Merriam-Webster dictionary). The sheer fact that Macbeth was able to face a commander of the rebel army and best him so handily is, in the context of battle, worthy of being called "valiant."


Secondly, we must consider the time period and circumstances in which Shakespeare's characters (and, really, Shakespeare himself) lived. The historical Macbeth whose life inspired Shakespeare's play ruled in Scotland from 1040–1057. These were the "dark ages," when daily life itself was rough and brutal—and war was even more so.


"Unseaming" your opponent in the violence of hand-to-hand combat was not uncommon. The practice of beheading the commander of an enemy's army goes back to Biblical times (for just one example, see David cutting off Goliath's head); the placing of the head on a pike or battlement was a way to ensure that everyone on both sides saw that the enemy had been bested. Sometimes, even in Shakespeare's day, traitors' heads were placed where people could see them as a way to quell similarly rebellious impulses.


So, given the times and circumstance, as well as the mindset of Macbeth and his contemporaries (and Shakespeare's audience), the actions Macbeth takes on the battlefield are not only commonplace, but deserving (in their minds) of being called "valiant."

Labels

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more