Role of Women in the Epic of Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon Society

Role of Women in Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon Society Beowulf, the hero of Anglo-Saxon epic, had many adventures, and many companions and fellow-warriors are mentioned throughout his story. Some of them seem noble and courageous, truly living up to the standards of their culture; some seem cowardly. But all have gained immortality in the words, many times transcribed and translated, of the famous epic. However, the women of the time are rarely mentioned in Beowulf. Still, even from those few women who are mentioned and from other documents of the era, it is possible to see the position of women in of Anglo-Saxon society. In many cases, they enjoyed more rights than women in later Medieval cultures. Both Wealhtheow, Hrothgars†¦show more content†¦The Anglo-Saxon wife was in charge of the store-rooms of the house; offering the cup may have symbolized the generosity of the royal couple (Page 72). Wealhtheow and Hrothgars daughter, Freawaru, also shares in the cup-bearing, perhaps as a sign that she is of age to take on the duties of managing the household (she is already engaged to be married to the king of the Heathobards). While presenting Beowulf with the gifts, Wealhtheow takes the opportunity to ask Beowulf to be a kind counselor and kind friend to her sons. She also speaks to Hrothgar, telling him that she had heard that he was considering having this hero [Beowulf] as a son and to make use of generous rewards... but leave the people and the kingdom to your kinfolk (Hieatt 47). In other words, she asks him not to take gratitude too far and name Beowulf heir over their own sons. That she is bold enough to make both requests without hesitation or question shows that s he was accustomed to authority and had some power of her own. Another indication of the power wielded by queens is the respect accorded to Hygd. She is beautiful, wise and young. Beowulf gives her the necklace that Wealhtheow had given him as well as three horses. That may have been a gesture meant to win her support within the court. Page states that the queen or noble lady of real life must often have acted a diplomatic part like this [Wealhtheows requests], and have been a force to reckonShow MoreRelatedAnglo-Saxon Literature Was Composed Between The Years 6501510 Words   |  7 PagesAnglo-Saxon literature was composed between the years 650 and 1110. Beowulf is one of the most famous epics written during this time. It’s also known as the oldest surviving Germanic epic and the longest Old English poem. Most stories written during this time were about the deeds of warriors, heroic acts, and religion. Beowulf is a warrior from the Geats who is asked to come protect king Hrothgar from an attack by a sea monster named Grendel. All of these characters are men. There are very few epicsRead More Epic Poem, Beowulf - Women in Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon Society971 Words   |  4 PagesWomen in Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon Society       Beowulf, one of the most translated and reproduced epics of all time, is literature that concerns characters. While Beowulf himself is the obvious hero of this Anglo-Saxon epic, many companions and fellow travelers are mentioned throughout the text. Some of these secondary characters are almost as noble and courageous as Beowulf himself, while others are lowly cowards. Be what they may, all are captured in this timeless tale of adventure. Women,Read MoreEssay On Shakespeare s Beowulf And Anglo Saxon Society944 Words   |  4 PagesRole of Women in Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon Society Beowulf, the hero of Anglo-Saxon epic, had many adventures, and many companions and fellow-warriors are mentioned throughout his story. Some of them seem noble and courageous, truly living up to the standards of their culture; some seem cowardly. But all have gained immortality in the words, many times transcribed and translated, of the famous epic. However, the women of the time are rarely mentioned in Beowulf. Still, even from those few womenRead MoreAnalysis Of Beowulf And Modern Days 918 Words   |  4 PagesDaryn Viser Women’s Roles in Beowulf and Modern Days There exists between the Anglo-Saxons and modern days a stereotype about women and their lack of being treated as equals in comparison to men. It is assumed that while the male characters were out battling monsters in return for honor and glory, the women lay at home anxiously pacing back and forth for their husbands to return. Little worth was assumed about them in accordance to man. While nowadays, no one blinks twice when a woman is offeredRead MoreDragon as a Metaphor1646 Words   |  7 PagesCalvin Starbird Paragraph 1 (Intro): The Epic Tale of the Dragonslaying Hero has been told a hundred times over. But where did the archetype start? Historians believe that the original Dragonslayer story was the English epic, Beowulf, written sometime between the eighth and eleventh centuries. The story of the Dragonslayer is that of a Hero, who starts off insignificant, but after his journey, is strong enough to face and defeat the evil Dragon. The Hero’s Journey is split into three phases; in orderRead MoreTheme Of Death In Beowulf1097 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf is an anglo-saxon epic that details the life of Geat warrior Beowulf and his dealings with 3 monsters. The society surrounding this epic is one that values lineage, glory, and success. Although these values are perceived as positive, they are often the root causes of the more malicious aspects of this society: blood-feud and tribal war. It should be duly noted that the poem is bookended with two very meaningful deaths. At the beginning of the poem th e death of Scyld Sheafson, founder of theRead MoreEssay about Role of Women in the Epic of Beowulf1585 Words   |  7 PagesRole of Women in Beowulf As an epic tale of heroes and monsters, Beowulf gives its readers much excitement and adventure, but Beowulfs importance is more than just literary. It offers many insights into the beliefs and customs of seventh-century Anglo-Saxon culture. Among these insights is the Anglo-Saxon view of women and their role in society. Good Anglo-Saxon women are peaceful and unassertive, greeting guests and serving drinks to the warriors and other men in the meadhall. WealhtheowRead MoreBeowulf Gender Roles Essay1212 Words   |  5 Pagesof ‘gender roles’ is widely used to analyse and understand different texts from different historical eras. In the time of the Anglo-Saxons, these roles seem to be fairly clearly set apart. The poem ‘Beowulf’ belongs to the genre of epic or heroic poetry, which are poems that typically celebrate the courageous and militaristic acts of their protagonists. It is a genre that is defined by its masculinity, as in the world of men and their fig ht to defend their honour, the only part that women have to playRead MoreTrace the Development of English Lit During Any One Period...as Part of Your Discussion Highlight How Significant Events in the Influence the Writing...Additionally Show How Characteristics of the Genre the Writer Uses3085 Words   |  13 Pagesno limitations to where you can go. This quotation may apply to the span of the Anglo-Saxon period because of the coherent linkage to the origination of the English dialect and the modernization of English Literature. Over the years English literature has evolved greatly. There have been diverse changes to the structure and development of English language since the advent of Old English dialect during the Anglo-Saxon period to what we now speak and consider to be English language. â€Å"Old English isRead MoreA World Without Women : Why Beowulf Needs Women Characters1562 Words   |  7 Pages A World Without Women: Why Beowulf Needs Women Characters If there were no women in our world, our world would be drastically different. There would be no men born; men that are destined to be great warriors and kings would not exist. If there were no women in our world, there would be more war and less peace. There would be loneliness and less joy. Women are the heart and soul of our society. Without women, everything would fall apart. The roles of women in Beowulf are not vast: give birth, get

Fire And Ice By Robert Frost - 1349 Words

The great debate of whether the world will end in a fiery ball of destruction or a frozen wasteland has baffled the minds of many people. A man named Robert Frost has written a poem called Fire and Ice that describes his thoughts on how he would prefer to leave this world. Upon reading this poem, the reader can derive two distinct meanings of fire and ice; one being of actual fire and ice destroying the world, and the other having symbols for the fire and ice, such as fire being desire or passion and ice being hatred and deceit. Although this poem is one of his shortest poems with only nine lines, it is also one of the most famous works that he has ever created. The poem Fire and Ice was written in the early 1920 s and was published in 1923. World War I was the biggest war of its time and was meant to be the war that ended all wars. In the year 1914, an Austrian Archduke named Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist. This incident sparked many other events that will lead to the outbreak of the biggest war that the world has ever seen. World War I was fought primarily between the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire) and the Allied Powers (Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan), lasting four long years and ending in November of 1918. At the end of World War I, nearly twenty-one million soldiers had been wounded and the war cost the lives of roughly 19 million people; 9 million being soldiers, and the other 10Show MoreRelatedFire and Ice by Robert Frost 628 Words   |  3 Pagesto the poem â€Å"Fire and Ice† that many can still relate to today? The popular poem â€Å"Fire and Ice†, was written in in 1920. This poem was very controversial when it was first published. This poem seems to deal with the question â€Å"How will the world end?† Many scientists have different opinions on not only when the world will end, but more specifically how it will end. This poem implies that when dealing with the end of the world, it will end in one of two ways; in fire or in ice. Nearly 100 yearsRead MoreFire And Ice By Robert Frost947 Words   |  4 PagesThere is more than a million poems in the world it seems that are written by Robert Frost, but the most interesting is his Fire and Ice Poem. While reading poetry is not a strong point for some people poetry can open up a whole new world of ideas within a few short sentences no matter how big or small the poem is. Fire and Ice by Robert Frost seems to want to tell the reader how the world might end which mostly true but on the other hand the poem bring out a whole oth er meaning to just how pressesRead MoreEssayâ€Å"Fire and Ice† by Robert Frost854 Words   |  4 Pagesbelieve Robert Frost’s poem â€Å"Fire and Ice† is meant to express. Although the poem is short, it holds a very interesting question to think about. What way would you prefer the world to end? There are two choices. In his poem â€Å"Fire and Ice†, Robert Frost compares and contrasts the two destructive forces: fire and ice. In the first two lines of the poem he presents two options for the end of the world, â€Å"Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice†. I feel that he uses the term fire, not toRead MoreFire and Ice Robert Frost Commentary822 Words   |  4 Pages‘Fire and Ice’ - Robert Frost In the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ Robert Frost explains how the world will end by either fire or ice. The poet uses these two primal elements to serve as a metaphor for the destructive powers of the universal human emotions. ‘Desire’ which he associates with fire, and ‘hate’ which he associates with ice. The poet uses the first person singular and concludes that from personal experience he sides withRead MoreFire and Ice by Robert Frost Essay example519 Words   |  3 PagesFire and Ice by Robert Frost The poem Fire and Ice is a poem written by Robert Frost, and published in 1923. This is a nine-line poem: Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I have tasted of desire, I hold those who favor ice. But if I had to parish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. This is one of Robert Frost simplest poems. When I initiallyRead MorePoem Analysis of Fire and Ice by Robert Frost Essay857 Words   |  4 Pagesknow the poem â€Å"Fire and Ice† by Robert Frost. It is pretty famous. But do most people know the meaning of this unique poem? What does Robert Frost mean when he writes â€Å"if the world had to perish twice?† Although it is short, â€Å"Fire and Ice† is a puzzling poem filled with words that hold a meaning that we have to unlock. In the poem, Frost is the narrator and he is speaking to the readers. The issue that Frost discusses is if the world will end in a blazing fire or in freezing ice. Based on the poemRead MorePoem Analysis of Fire and Ice by Robert Frost and The Day They Came For Our House by Don Mattera1916 Words   |  8 Pagespower, and the power of passion. The 20th and 21st centurys have illustrated clearly the deadly potential of power, and not just to the possessor of the power but also to those over whom it is exercised. The poems Fire and Ice and The Day They Came For Our House by Robert Frost and Don Mattera respectively, perfectly convey the idea of the destructive nature of power, the poems are both concerned with Mortality of Age. The ideal readers of these poems are people old enough to understand howRead More Robert Frost’s Fire and Ice Essays991 Words   |  4 PagesRobert Frost’s Fire and Ice Fire and Ice is a popular poem written in 1923 by Robert Frost. It is a very well known poem and is used in many high schools and colleges today. Many students along with various critics read this poem as Frost’s idea as to how the world is going to end. People also take this in a Biblical sense, because the passage that God states the next time he destroys the world, it will be in fire. He blatantly states in the first lines, â€Å"Some say the world will end in fireRead More Analysis of Robert Frosts Fire and Ice Essay1087 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of Robert Frosts Fire and Ice      Ã‚  Ã‚   For Robert Frost, poetry and life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   were one and the same.   In an interview he said, One thing I care about,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and wish young people could care about, is taking poetry as the first form   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of understanding.   Each Robert Frost poem strikes a chord somewhere, each   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   poem bringing us closer to life with the compression of feeling and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   emotion into so few words.   This essay will focus on one particularRead MoreBitterness: Poetry and World1016 Words   |  5 PagesIn the past and present, there have been numerous poets who have composed similar pieces to those of other poets. In 1859, Emily Dickinson produced Success is counted sweetest. In1923, Robert Frost wrote Fire and Ice. That same year, Wallace Stevens created Gubbinal. These three poems share much in common. They contain many of the same elements of poetry, such as connotative meaning, imagery, symbolism, and tone. First, the three famous poems all possess a connotative meaning . Within

Effective Listening free essay sample

Effective Listening Business Communication COM/285 Effective Listening Communication encompasses four basic types: reading, writing, speaking, and listening (Covey, 2004). The ability to master them well is crucial to be effective (2004). Whereas the first three are taught at school as separate courses, little to none is known for trainings regarding listening. Communication is a two-way process and listening is an important part of communication. Without a listener the receiver- there is no communication. There is only the speaker the message conveyor. The subjects to explore in this paper are the importance of effective listening , the various types of listeners, effective versus ineffective listening, and effective listening skills for business professionals. Importance of Effective Listening As a major component of communication, listening skills are crucial in achieving success in the business environment. Listening alone however, is not sufficient. It also requires remembering, understanding and responding to the message conveyed – all important elements of effective listening. We will write a custom essay sample on Effective Listening or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Effective listening is important in building trust within and outside of organizations. It reduces errors and saves valuable resources. It also promotes customer and employee satisfaction, which could lead to boost in productivity. Moreover, it improves business relationships. Types of Listeners Adler and Elmhorst (2004) identified four listening styles: people-oriented listeners, action-oriented, content-oriented, and time-oriented listeners (2004). People-oriented listeners are those most â€Å"concerned with creating and maintaining positive relationships† (2004, p 116). They are receptive to the speaker’s feelings and moods (2004). Action-oriented listeners are those â€Å"most concerned with the task at hand† (2004, p 118). They aim to recognize details communicated, are organized and concise, and want to â€Å"get to the heart of the matter quickly† (2004, p 118). Content-oriented listeners are evaluators (2004). They focus on details and facts, are analytical, concerned with the credibility of information, and examine information from various perspectives (2004). Time-oriented listeners, on the other hand, value time. They seek short and to-the-point answers. Time focused listeners are beneficial when trying to â€Å"keep things functioning efficiently† (2004, p 119). My listening style is a balance of both action-oriented and people-oriented style. While I am focused on getting things done, I strive to build a good relationship to those I work and deal with. It is not an easy task to perform at times, because sometimes one style proves more dominant than the other. However, the application of one style depends on the situation faced at the time. Effective and Ineffective listening Effective listening is characterized by the following listening features: active and empathic listening. Ineffective listening on the other hand, is characterized by pseudo-listening – projecting the appearance of listening, but in fact, not; monopolizing – turning the communication on oneself instead of on the person talking; and selective listening – focusing and responding on particular parts that are of interest to the listener (Interpersonal Communication, n. d. ). It is also illustrated by defensive listening – perceiving the speaker’s message as personal attack; ambushing – listening for the purpose of collecting information that can be used to attack the speaker. Another characteristic is literal or insensitive listening – where the listener takes information at literally and ignoring the meanings (n. d. ). Effective Listening Skills for Business Professionals Listening is a skill that should not be taken for granted and one that requires practice. It is an essential skill required for personal and professional growth. Effective listening- the practice of active and emphatic listening, being aware of factors that potentially affect the ability to listen such as beliefs, barriers, and biases could assist in achieving this objective.

The function and role of the witches in Macbeth Essay Example

The function and role of the witches in Macbeth Paper In the play of Macbeth the witches are regarded as immoral and unnatural in their behaviour. They play a huge part in Macbeths planning of becoming king. At the beginning of the play they are planning to meet Macbeth, When shall we three meet again, In thunder lightning, or in rain. Disturbances in nature are represented by line of thunder and lightning, it is supposed to give the effect of evil this idea of evil continues throughout the play. Banquo believes that the witches are people who are not inhabitants of the world and although they are women it is hard to tell because of their manly beards. The witches prophecise that Macbeth will become the King of Scotland and know that he is the Thane of Cawdor before he does. At first Macbeth dismisses the idea of being king but then rethinks it. On behalf of both himself and Macbeth Banquo says, Or have we eaten on the insane root, That tskes the reason prisoner? . Insane root was though to cause madness and Banquos very first reaction is that they have both gone mad. Macbeth also describes them as having the power to melt from a solid state when they vanish from his sight; he is obviously amazed by this. We will write a custom essay sample on The function and role of the witches in Macbeth specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The function and role of the witches in Macbeth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The function and role of the witches in Macbeth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Afterwards Macbeth receives a message from Ross and Angus telling him he is to become the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth together with Banquo realise that two out of three prophecies the witches make are true, but Macbeth decides it is a coincidence. However, when Macbeth is aside he rethinks about the prophecies made by the witches and wanders if what they said is for good or bad because he thinks that if they have told him good prophecies then they cannot be evil: this is because it was commonly thought that truth cannot be told by the evil. However, he cannot understand why there is a bad feeling in his heart about it and so he is very confused by this. He tries to decline this idea and decides that he will soon become king, we see this when he says, If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir. This shows that he decides to leave it just to chance. Macbeth builds up an argument in his head to help him decide what to do using imagery, as he has strong opinions of right and wrong. He uses the imagery of light and dark for good and evil. This means that he asks for light not to see his dark and deep desires. He wants murder, what the eye fears to happen but does not want the stars, God, to see what he is planning to do. This shows that Macbeth is willing to commit any evil in order to become king, what he wants so badly. At this point the witches have been a catalyst for the evil in Macbeth because this is partly due to the prophecies as they did not say anything about killing the king but only make Macbeth stir up the thoughts in his head. When the witches talk, they talk as if they have one mind. Often they talk in riddles, shown in the quotation, Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy, yet much happier. It gives an indication of their uniqueness because the two parts of each of the sentences contradict one another, which is unusual. When one or all of the witches have a speech of more than three lines they speak with couplets sometimes every alternate line, Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. This quotation is located in the first scene of the play. It has no initial definite meaning as it can be interpreted in a number of ways. This witches chorus can be said to be a prophecy where ideas and especially characters are not what they appear to be and describes how things on the play will change. It also signifies the witches reversal of values and their view of good and evil. The witches give no direct indication of whether their intent is good or bad. But it is clear that their intentions are there to disrupt the balance of good and evil. There is no motive to their behaviour except in the case of revenge concerning the sailor and his wife. The only possible motive is that causing trouble is what they are meant to do because they are witches. The evil which they manage to unearth from Macbeth spreads resulting in murder, betrayal and above all the loss of humanity of two people who were once loyal to king and queen. The witches have many functional roles in the pattern of the play. They manage to convert the soul of a good but potentially flawed man and it demonstrates their power. They do this not with force but with the playing of the mind by offering it something, which is highly beneficial yet attainable, the kingship. The witches may also be moral devices who are a test for the main character of the play to see how loyal he is. Because Macbeth does not realise their intent he is not blinded by the fact that they are wicked so the decision of killing Duncan is entirely his own choice. The witches act only as catalysts to the evil already present in him which had not yet emerged and which might not have if it wasnt for their interference. Maybe Shakespeares purpose for the witches was to represent that no matter how good someone seems to be there will also be a little evil in each one of us. No matter how much influence the witches had on Macbeths notions of becoming king it was enough to cause anarchy in Scotland and the deaths of innocent people. When Banquos ghost returns to haunt Macbeth at the banquet, we are able to see the effect the prophecies have had on him. He has a fit of madness and is outraged because he wonders why Banquos ghost has appeared to haunt him. He tells himself that before, when a person had been killed, they would die and that would be the end of it but now it is no longer the case, The times had been, That when the brains were out, the man would die, And there an end; In Macbeths fit, he nearly manages to reveal the truth about Banquos death but Lady Macbeth strains to hold the situation together and stops him from saying anything even though she doesnt know about Banquo. She questions his manhood, which is a similar argument to the one, which she used to persuade him to kill Duncan, Are you a man? but this time it does not succeed. Macbeth becomes so insecure that he has a spy in Macduffs house because he believes that he is an enemy. Macbeth decides with no pressure from Lady Macbeth to visit the witches. He wants to know what is going to happen in the future, as he is uncertain. He realizes that they are the worst means to discover what the future holds in store for him yet he is determined. He is almost endeavouring to commit evil. His visit to the witches demonstrates his obsession in that he believes he has enemies everywhere and has evidently placed himself under more suspicion at the banquet. He has reached a point where he is willing to do anything to satisfy himself. The deaths of Duncan and Banquo have left him in a highly dangerous, unstable physical and mental state. Nevertheless, Macbeth in his own mind believes he has everything under control. The scene in which Macbeth goes to the witches of his own accord is an important one because it sets the mood for his approach to the rest of the play. It opens with the witches cooking animal body parts in a couldron. This type of behavior is stereotypical of witches and represents how abnormal they are, Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adders fork, and blind-worms sting, When Macbeth approaches, they indicate his approach, By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes. Unlike on the moor after the battle, Macbeth finds the witches instead of them coming to him. We are able to see how obsessed he his to know his future when he lists destructive events that he wants to happen and that he does not care about them if they do because he just wants to know what will happen to him, Even till destruction sicken- answer me, To what I ask you. The witches agree to answer all his questions and call upon apparitions. The first apparition is an armed head. It says, beware Macduff; Beware the Thane of Fife, and confirms what Macbeth thinks because he already fears him. The second apparition is a bloody child. The image represents the Caesarian birth of Macduff because Caesarian is not considered to be, woman born. He is told that he cannot be hurt by anyone born from a woman so he believes he is secure. With this in mind he decides to make sure Macduff does not irritate him any more by planning to kill him and his family. The third apparition is a crowned child, with a tree in his hand. The child crowned is the child of Duncan, Malcolm explains things that are yet to come but Macbeth does not realise this. The apparition tells Macbeth that he will only die if Great Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. The tree in the babys hand symbolises this. Macbeth is clearly pleased with the prophecies as they bode well for him. Still wanting to discover more he asks about Banquo and his descendants. The witches refuse to say anymore but he persists and says, I will be satisfied: deny me this, And an eternal curse fall on you! They finally agree to show him even though it may grieve him. A show of eight kings, the last with a glass in his hand with Banquo following appear. The kings resemble Banquo in spirit and appearance. The images of the kings being Banquos descendants are confirmed when he smiles and points to them. Macbeth is amazed by the sudden turn of events and questions the witches about its reliability. They say that the apparitions tell the truth and then they begin to dance in an attempt to cheer him up. They realise the trouble which they have caused by the display of the apparitions. By resisting Macbeths wishes for the telling of the future up to a certain point, Macbeth becomes even more desperate and compulsive. When they dance at the end it can be said that it is not for Macbeths sake but for their own as they are happy with the vast mischief that they have caused. Because of their attempt to tip the balance between good and evil through the medium Macbeth, he seals his fate when he kills Macduffs wife and son. By killing his family, Macduff looks for revenge of Macbeth. This scene demonstrates how low Macbeth has sunk to by ordering the death of an innocent child and mother. The witches role in the previous scene has ultimately forced him into committing this wicked crime. Macbeths behaviour aroused suspicion especially in Macduff causing him to go to Malcolm for help in the form of troops. Malcolm initially is suspicious of Macduff as he could be a spy but learns to trust him when he sees how troubled Macduff is when he pretends that he will be a greater dictator than Macbeth as he has more vices. When Macduff discovers his family and servants had been slain he swears an oath to take full revenge and he is now motivated to killing Macbeth. In Act 1 Scene 5 Lady Macbeth calls on the powers of darkness in order to, unsex her but now she continually has light by her side as she is frightened by her guilty conscience. By killing Duncan, she is now morally sane not morally bad. Earlier, she would sacrifice anything for the kingship but now she realises whilst sleeping that the murder was not worth all the effort. The fact that it is happening in her sleep is an important theme throughout the play. This is because sleep was taken from the sailor and Macbeth had murdered sleep because he had upset the balance of nature. When Lady Macbeth says, Yet who would have thought the old man to have Had so much blood in him. Macbeth said when he killed Duncan that all the blood will not even be washed by the sea yet Lady Macbeth said that only a little water was needed but now she says that all the perfumes of Arabia will not rid the smell from her hands, All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. We see that she is morally sane but is mentally insane. Macbeth does not realise what the witches have done to him. Although there is an English army of ten thousand soldiers approaching he comfor ts himself by thinking of the prophecies. He knows he can never be defeated until the forest moves and he believes that he is secure. He tells himself that he is not frightened but when his servant enters the room he shouts and curses him suggesting insecurity. He perceives the fact that he is decaying in his mind and his heart, where he says, I have livd long enough: my way of life Is falln into the sere, the yellow leaf; At this point he is in despair unlike before where he was defiant. He calls upon Seyton his servant which is a clear hint for Satan. He asks the doctor how is wife is but is actually referring to himself as he is sick himself. When Macbeth hears of his wifes death he cannot react. He feels life has no meaning and that it carries on. He says that it signifies nothing and if he lives it will be a long time until he dies. Macbeth is now feeling sorry for himself. He hears from a messenger that Birnam Wood is moving. He tells the messenger if he is lying he will be hung from a tree but if he is telling the truth then he can do the same to him. Macbeth gives a last attempt at bravery by saying that he will die fighting. Even until the end Macbeth is selfish in his ways, as he does not want to pay for his crimes. Although Macbeth knows he is nearing the end he still demonstrates that he is courageous and a fighting force by killing Young Siwar. He is testing the witches prophecy about not being killed by a man born of woman. Macduff enters entirely motivated by revenge. He will only use his sword against Macbeth. Macbeth does not want to kill Macduff as he has already killed part of his family. When he learns that Macduff was born differently through Caesarian not directly out of the womb he no longer desires to fight but due to his pride he is going to die trying. When Macduff exits with Macbeths head he says that everything is back in order. Malcolm knows that nothing will be the same since Macbeth. The witches although bad in nature help the greater good to succeed. Much of the play deals with the struggle between light and darkness. Macbeth begins as a good character but because of their involvement he begins to symbolize darkness. The light in the first two acts is King Duncan, but when he died the struggle went in favour of darkness. Macbeth seems to have control throughout most of the play until his conscience came back to haunt him. Macduff is the hero of the play but not a character who stands out as a hero. He symbolises the light, which will defeat darkness that is Macbeth.