Monday, September 24, 2007

Macbeth's Insecurities

Macbeth’s Insecurities

1. Describe places, people, or events that make you feel insecure or uncertain. How do you tend to act when you’re feeling insecure?

2. Macbeth is also plagued by his insecurities. Why do you think he is haunted by the ghost of Banquo, but NOT by the ghost of Duncan? Think of at least two reasons.

3. Before deciding to murder both Duncan and Banquo, Macbeth delivers two long monologues. Reread the last few lines of each monologue (51, 87).

Why do you think Macbeth is so concerned with whether or not they will go to heaven or hell?

55 comments:

markg said...

If you are walking down an alley in the city you might feel insecure. This is because you think that some sketchy crack guy might pop out and attack you. Most of the time, however, nothing will happen. This applys to Macbeth as well, except there is a good chance that something bad will happen. Macbeth killed a king and now he probably feels very insecure. I think that it's his consious that is breaking him down and feel insecure. He is probably seeing Banquo because Banqo trusted Macbeth and he betrayed him. He wants them to go to heaven because he knows that what he is doing is wrong so at least they will go to the most absolute paridise.

Tylerg! said...

Macbeth is insecure because he has now become a suspect. He killed the king and no matter how small the chance, someone can find out and he knows it and his mind is making it bigger than it is. He assumes the only way to stop this is to kill more men that could possibly find out. He sees Banquo because Banquo was hisfriend and now he's diappointed in him for his bad desiscions and Macbeth can't go back on what he has done.

hannahl said...

1) I know this sounds predjudiced, but people that make me feel insecure are people who look dangerous (people wearing chains or trenchcoats or who look like gangsters). Places that make me insecure are cities and anyplace at night that is not indoors. When I am in these situations, I tend to cling to other people so that I am not afraid that I will have to fight the unknown things alone. I also tend to tense up and get very quiet and urgent about leaving.
2) I think he is haunted by Banquo and not Duncan because Banquo was his best freind and he had done nothing wrong. Granted, Duncan really didn't do anything wrong either, but still Banquo seems more innocent because he wasn't even powerful. Also, he might have been plauged by the ghost of Banquo because this was a second unjust murder that he had done and now he could no longer claim that he had had one lapse of morals, because he had murdered unjustly on two seperate occasions.
3)In the last few lines, he always talks about the person going to either heaven or hell that night. This makes it sound like he is overly consumed with which place they will be sent, almost as if he wonders whether or not he will join them in either place. He is concerned because he doesn't want to have killed a man who will go to heaven, because that means he killed a good soul, which his deepest morals believe is wrong.

ZachH said...

I personally am afraid of the dark. But it really goes bigger than the dark. I don't like the dark because i don't know what is there. I guess it is kind of a two fold fear. Fear of the dark, and fear of the unknown. When i am in the dark, i try not to think about it. I think happy thoughts or pray or something to calm me down.

It is kind of odd that Banquo's ghost haunts Macbeth but Duncan's dosen't. I think this goes back to the prophecy, since Banquo was there and knows the prophecy also.

I don't know that Macbeth is concerned about rather or not he they go to heaven or hell, but more so that he realizes they are completely innocent which makes him completely guilty. There is no one for him to pawn the blame off onto.

katyj said...

1. A lot of places make me insecure, like when i am in a crowd with a lot of people i don't know. For example, when i am at a football game, i hang with my friend lia a lot. She has many guy friends, and usually we end up hanging with them. More often then not, because i don't know them very well, i get very quiet. This is not how i normally am. when i am comfortable, i have a very flamboyant personality, and won't shut up (ask some of my friends).
Many people react differently when they are feeling insecure, i become very quiet and try not to be noticed. Other people may act way more outgoing then they really are, and annoy people as a result.
2.Macbeth is plagued by Banquo's ghost as a result of guilt. After he killed Duncan, he was distressed because of hypothetical blood on his hands that wouldn't come off. But since he did not kill Banquo with his own two hands his guilt had to take another form. Banqou's ghost appears in Macbeth's chair to symbolize that thouhgh Macbeth did not directly kill him, the blame still falls on him because he orchastrated it.
Also he sees the ghost of Banqou because he feels inconsolably guilty about killing his best friend. He knows that Banquo has always stood beside him, but because of a prophecy and the ambition it caused, he had a good human being murdered.
3.In the monologue before Macbeth goes to kill Duncan, he seems unsure, regretful, and almost afraid. He doesn't really want to kill Duncan, because Duncan doesn't deserve to die, in his mind. He is only killing Duncan because 1. he wants to be king, and 2. his wife told him to.
After he hires the murderers to rid him of Banquo, Macbeth seems not to regret his actions, so much as see them as something that must be done. He seems very removed from the situation, almost like a judge ruling the death sentence for an especailly heinous crime. It is only after the fact that he feels bad about it.

Liap said...

1. It makes me insecure when I know people are judging me, like at school or the movies. I tend to act like a different person, and people can usually see through it.
2.I think it is mostly because he and Banquo were such good friends, and he feels like he has betrayed him. Also, I think that he loved Banquo and misses him.
3. I think it is because he cares about both of them, and doesn't want to be the one to send them to hell. He also might be thinking about his imminent trip to hell, and wishes better for them.

nicolek said...

I feel insecure in many different situations. Mainly at places where I'm alone or are bew to me. Sometimes when I'm around people I don't know or people that don't like very much I also feel insecure. When I feel insecure I tend to act very shy and usually follow what other people do becuase I tend to second guess my own decisions.

I think that Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo and not Duncan because he didn't really have a reason to kill Banquo. Also Banquo was one of his only trustworthy friends and did nothing for Macbeth to betray him. Banquo was a lot closer to Macbeth than Duncan was so that might be why its his ghost that is haunting Macbeth.

Before Macbeth kills someone he always gives a monologue about if the person will go to heaven or hell and hopes they go up to heaven. I think he says this becuase deep inside he feels guilty for the act he is about to commit and when he kills them, he at least wants them to have a good after life. But what I don't understand is that if he believes so much in heaven and hell, why is he commiting so many acts that will take him to hell that he doesn't have to do?

amyw said...

1. I feel insecure when I'm around people I don't know very well. I tend to get really quiet when this happens. I also get insecure when I'm in a not-so-good neighborhood, and I usually stand close to other people because it makes me feel more secure having other people there. And I know this sounds silly, but if this happens and I'm in a car I always make sure the doors are locked, and this makes me feel safe.
2. Macbeth is probably haunted by the ghost of Banquo because they were best friends and allies, and he masterminded his murder. (Imagine how you'd feel if you murdered your best friend!) Also, killing Banquo was a "precaution" and it wasn't entirely necessary for the time being because Macbeth had the throne secure, and he didn't have to worry about Banquo or his children taking it over for awhile. The only reason he did this was paranoia, and it keeps coming back to haunt him.
3. Macbeth always thinks about this because if the people he kills go to heaven, then he has killed an innocent person that didn't do anything wrong except maybe get in the way of his quest for power. But if the person goes to hell, than this can ease his guilt a little because they had done some wrong things and weren't completely innocent.

Ryad said...

1. Well I tend to feel insecure if I'm by myself when it's dark outside because I'm afraid someone will sneak up on me. For some reason churches also make me insecure. I think it's becuase of how quiet they are. It tends to make me a little paranoid. When I get nervous I tend to make jokes and I start imagining that things are worse then they are.

2. Macbeth is probably haunted by the ghost of Banquo because he was his best friend. Banquo probably ment more to him then anyone else and he could have been king without killing him. Duncan on the other hand was in Macbeths mind a neccesary death to get to the throne.

maddisonm said...

1. Unfamiliar places, people or events make me feel insecure and uncertain. I also feel uncomfortable with things that I don't know much about or don't have information on. I also get a bad feeling about places or situations that I have heard bad things about and already have a negative opinion on. I also don't like places where people feel almost more superior to me, such as places where you are with older people. I think I tend to become insecure and lose confidence in situations like that. How I tend to act when I feel insecure is one of two ways. If I am in an unfamiliar place or event I tend to ask questions. I try to find out more about my surroundings and become more comfortable with the situation which I am in. If i am surrounded by people in which I feel unsecure with then I tend to become intimidated, stay quite. I don't really talk, I just observe what is going on.

2.I think Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo, but not Duncan because Macbeth killed Banquo only because he was a possible threat to Macbeth's power, but Macbeth killed Duncan to gain power. Also there was such a friendship and trust relationship between Banquo and Macbeth and Macbeth totally demolished that relationship to protect his power which is why he is so haunted by it.
3. I think Macbeth is so concerned with whether they will go to heaven or hell because even though Macbeth has murdered Duncan and Banquo, he is still at heart a good man.He has just gotten caught up in ambition for power, and with what Lady Macbeth wants him to do. I think he still cares for the ones he has murdered and wonders if they ended up in a good place. I agree with hannahl in that I too think that Macbeth is a man with deep morals and a good soul. He doesn't want to think that he killed a good man who was also a close friend or relative. The idea of heaven and hell is an important part of Macbeth's innermost self.Also, it is almost as if he knows he will be joining them sooner rather than later, so he wonders if he will "meet up with them."

josed said...

1. Surprisingly, few people make me feel insecure other than people who bully me. A place that makes me feel insecure would be the entire city of San Fransisco at night (attempted assault occured), the bleachers (or other high and unstable places),and generally any open urban areas at night (attempted kidnapping occured). Events that make me feel insecure are criminal acts in my area or near families, sudden darkness (like the citywide blackout in last year's snowstorm), and losing something valuable. When I feel insecure, I look for security and protection such as a teacher (in the case of bullies), my parents (in 75% of anything else), or anything I could logically use to fend off danger. Ok then, of to #2...

2. I think that he is haunted by the ghost of Banquo because he tried to kill Banquo's child, an innocent boy to maitain power, because Banquo and Macbeth were brothers in arms, and because it is one thing to kill out of ambition and quite another to kill out of paranoia. I mean, think about it; basically, Macbeth's reason for killing Banquo was that he was too good and he was suspicious, so he thought that Banquo posed a threat to his rule. He trusted the same prophecy that led him to kill a just king in that it would make Banquo's sons kings; so wouldn't it be kind of STUPID to destroy the same prophecy that granted you kingship? Macbeth is trying to control his world, and the fact that he's an insomniac after killing Duncan is not helping relieve his stress. And really, didn't Macbeth see another "ghost" near the time he was going to murder Duncan? The DAGGER? Maybe because it was his first cold blooded murder and he didn't kill Duncan yet, the same mysterious force that caused him to see Banquo's ghost caused him to see what most people see as a representation of murder: a bloody dagger. Couldn't it be? Couldn't It?
3. Maybe Macbeth is concerned about whether the people he kills are going to heaven, because he feels sorry deep down about the murders he's commited. He feels that he had no choice about whether or not to kill them if he wanted to assert his position as king, so he feels he has wronged them "somehow." He thinks these are good people, much better than he, not fit for the lust and greed of sinful men, so he believes that they should definitely go to Heaven, a place that would be fit for these men who he has MARTYRED.




Well, that's my two cents :)

KatherineM said...

1. Places, people, and events that are not familiar could make me somewhat insecure. I try to get next to people I do know when I'm in a situation where I'm insecure.

2. Perhaps, he and Banquo were better friends than he and Duncan, or maybe he feels that Lady Macbeth is more to blame for Duncan's death because she was the one that really influenced him to commit the crime. That way, he feels like he isn't as much at fault.

3. I think he is so concerned, because even though he is murdering them, he feels some guilt for it, and he doesn't want to be the one that sends them off to hell. He knows that they were both good men, so he thinks they deserve to go to heaven.

aaronw said...

I feel insecure in the city and sometimes at night in big places or places i don't know. Sometimes new people make me feel a little insecure too.

I think, like most people, he is haunted by Banquo not Duncan because Banquo was his best friend and the man next to him in all the battles and then all the sudden slice! banquos gone. Also, Banquo wasn't trying to do anything to Macbeth. So Macbeth never had a reason to have him murdered (not there ever was a huge reason to murder Duncan...)

I think he's concerned about them going to heaven or hell is because he knows deep down that murdering is wrong, and he doesn't want those people he murdered to go to a place of torture, but a place of paradise. He also might wonder because he thinks he's going to hell, and doesn't want to be with them... i don't know, overall he wants them to go to heaven...

mattf said...

I feel insecure/uncertain when I am out in an area I don't know very well and people come up and talk to me. Sometimes, I will recognize a person, but other times, a random person will talk to me which is a little creepy. When I feel insecure, I become more alert and defensive. I think about things longer before I act, and sometimes won't do stuff that I normally do.

2. First, I think Macbeth is haunted by Banquo because he is like a brother to him. They were best friends for quite some time and then Macbeth orders him to be killed in cold blood. Second, Macbeth wasn't around Duncan as much as Banquo, so he may not have known him as personally. Macbeth and Banquo traveled together, but Duncan stayed behind.

3. When this play was published, the church was a big thing in England. The church had a bunch of control over the people and may have convinced them of a terrible doom in hell. Shakespeare may have had Macbeth concerned about this to show the fear of the general public about going to hell. Also, maybe Macbeth thought he was a good person until he killed Duncan and that there was no concern for him not to go to heaven. After he committed the murder, he then realized that his chances of going to heaven were jepordized, so he suddenly became concerned.

aaronw said...

i'm sorry josed, but i dont agree with you that they were MARTYRED, because martyrs are people who were killed for there beliefs, usually Christianity. Martyrs would be Stephen or other Saints. Duncan was killed because Macbeth wanted to be King, and Banquo was killed because Macbeth was suspicious of him. They didn't die from there religious beliefs; they died from a crazy madman caught up in the promise of power...

amandah said...

I definitely feel unsecure around people I don't know. I don't feel insecure in places unless I think about it. I usually get really quiet when I'm insecure and I stay out things, I'm some what passive when I'm insecure.
I think Macbeth is haunted by Banuqo's ghost because he and Banquo were friends and went through battles together. I also think that Macbeth is haunted by Banquo the ghost because its his second murder of a close acquaintance and he has been regreting killing Duncan and now Banquo.
I think Macbeth is concerned if they go to heaven or hell because he thinks that if he dies and goes to hell they can torture or condemn him. I think he also cares so much because he cared about them at one point.

ParkerH said...

1. I am most insecure when I am in an area where I don't know anyone. When I know just 2 people, I start to feel better. I tend to act less outgoing, so I don't stick out.

2. Banquo was Macbeth's best friend, and killing a best friend would traumatize most anyone. Also, since he didn't kill Banquo himself, it might factor in somehow.

3. I would guess that Macbeth doesn't want to end their lives too quickly that they don't have time to repent or anything. If I were in a situation like that, I would feel the same way. (Good thing I'm not in a situation like that =)

jordanh said...

1 there are so many places that ic an feel insecure. sometimes it's the place but sometimes i feel insecure and i happen to be in a certain place. i can feel as insecure in my own home just as much as i could in a lone alley at night, but it's not always just about how you feel, but about the actual place-like Iraq-obviously you would feel insecure walking in a hostile area or even in big cities with criminals, but really, one can't ever escaPE insecurity once you feel it, so at that point, it doesn't matter whare you are.

2 I believe the reason why Macbeth only sees the ghost of Banquo and not Duca is because-although it is debatable among literary experts-i believe Macbeth didn't witness the killing of banquo so he is INSECURE about exactly what happened, so he can't control his fear.

3. I believe the reason why Macbeth is concerned about whether he'll go to heaven or hell is because-again-he is INSECURE. He doesn't know hsi phrophecy is his for the taking. I think that he also finds himself jealous of the people who have lead "clean lives" and he wishes that he could take his actions back(mentioned by Macbeth in Act III). Lastly, i think that Macbeth is now reconsidering all of the kills he has commited over hsi life (very many-he was a soldier) and this makes him even more INSECUre, and i'm sure that everyone who has experienced insecurity knows that it leads to fear, which leads to anger, which leads to hate, which leads to SUFFERING.

alexf said...

1. Personally, if I was to go at midnight and wander around Denver, I don’t think that I would be insecure or uncertain. I don’t get scared in those places, but I do get nervous, say, when I have to tryout for something and I have no clue what is going to happen. Other than that, I don’t get scared easily at all!!

2. Macbeth is definitely plagued by his insecurities…or more of his hallucinations. I think that he is haunted by the ghost of Banquo but not the ghost of Duncan because it was his second purposeful murder and if he continues to kill innocent people, it will probably get worse. Duncan was his first murder and he was very haunted by it, so obviously the second murder is going to be even more haunting. Not only that, but yes as many of you said, they were best friends. I would guess that that impacted their relationship a lot! I don’t, however, think that that was the main reason for the haunting. After all, Banquo was his best friend, but Duncan was like a father to him!!!!! One final possibility is that he didn’t pause to think about killing Banquo as much as killing Duncan. With Duncan Lady Macbeth had to convince him to do the deed, but Macbeth chose himself to kill Banquo.

3. I think that Macbeth is soooo concerned with whether or not they will go to heaven or hell is because then he can say that they’re in a better place. Instead of feeling sorry that he killed them AND they went to hell, he just wants to be less guilty and know that they went to heaven.

Anonymous said...

I feel insecure when I am in a place and I don’t know anyone. I feel like everyone is looking at me because I am alone and feel SOOO horrible. I also feel really insecure when I have to sing and act in front of people who are really good, even though I do it all the time, I feel like they are judging me and saying how horrible of a singer or actress I am.

Macbeth is plagued by the ghost of Banquo and not Duncan because Banquo was a closer friend and it was greater betrayal to kill his friend then to kill his King. Also, because Banquo knew that Macbeth murdered the King and why he was doing it. He had warned Macbeth not to act on the prophesies but Macbeth didn’t listen and just followed his own selfish ambition.

Macbeth is so concerned about going to heaven or hell because that is where he believes that he will serve eternity, and he is wondering why he is doing things that make this earthly life better, when they will forever curse him during eternity. He is wondering if he should have just remained where he was and enjoyed this life without great power so that he may also enjoy the next life in heaven.

maddief said...

I absolutely hate the dark. Nighttime doesn't bother me, but lying in my room with no lights totally freaks me out, because I feel all alone and isolated. This is when I use magic and voila, turn on the lamp. Oh look, no more darkness! It's too bad for Macbeth that he can't chase away his fears of the night by simply turning on some lights. I seriously hope that Banquo's ghost doesn't turn up in the middle of the night for Macbeth, or he might finally snap...Not that he hasn't done so already. I think that only Banquo haunts Macbeth because for one, they were best friends. I mean, I would become my friend's personal poltergeist if they ever killed me. Also, I think that Banquo's there simply to remind Macbeth that his part of the prophecy will come true, and he'll be there to see it happen. Sort of a "Ha ha, who's laughing now" kind of a thing. Macbeth is probably hoping now that both Banquo and Duncan made it to heaven, because he's afraid that if they go to hell, he will follow them there since he killed them.

kristinah said...

1) People that make me feel insecure include people who are dressed gangster like and with a lot of chains and stuff. They just look like they will turn around and threaten to kill you if you look at them wrong. Also people who you can just tell are not telling the truth, they do not look you in the eye, they move around a lot, and stuff like that. It is like their insecurity makes you insecure to where you don't trust them or don't feel comfortable with them. Places that make me feel uncomfortable include dark creepy alleys and places that I know are not good like gothic stores (just my opinion) or alcahol stores and places where they sell a lot of cigarettes and stuff. When I am insecure I am really quite and self reserved. I make sure not to make any moves that I am uncertain of. I am very self concious and very concious of what is going on around me.

2. I think that Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of banquo and not duncan maybe because the guilt and turmoil is building up in him and his mind is now portaying some of the distress that he is under mentally through a hallucination. Also, the murder of Banquo was closer to his heart than the murder of duncan was because banquo was macbeth's best friend and he just had him murdered. In contrast, when he murdered duncan he had not gone through as much stuff with him, he was not as closely connected with the king as he was with banquo. And now that macbeth has seen the bloody mess that a murder can make, he is now probobley having a very difficult time dealing with the fact that he can picture his best friend laying in a hole all cut up and bloody like duncan was.

3. Maybe Macbeth is so concerned of whether they go to heaven or to hell is because he is wondering where he will go himself. If he goes to hell, who will he see again there. Will he see duncan again in heaven or in hell? I think that he is insecure about himself and the fact that he is most likely going to hell.

mattw said...

1. Things that make me insecure are escalaators, heights, and needles. Events that do the same are when I have absolutely nothing to say. People who do that are really old people, because I have a weird desire to impress them. When I'm in these situations, I generally fell like I have no control, or I'm stuck between two options that I both like. The physical things are the same, but especially with needles. I once mentally blacked out and "came to" to realize I bit the nurse.
2. I think he sees Banquos ghost only, because while he was loyal to Duncan, he was best friends with Banquo, and they knew eachother very well. I also think that he saw the ghost because he felt that his murdering Duncan was inescapable, but choosing to murder Banquo and his sons was a decision he made completely by himself.
3. I think he's concerned about them going to heaven or hell because he wants them to get what they deserve, because they were good people even if someone wanted to kill them. I also think he's afraid of meeting either of them in heaven or hell when he dies, and having to face them with all his guilt and shame.

Brian c said...

1.Some things that make me feel insecure are things like, tornadoes (like when you're camping), 5 days of rain, terrorist attacks, and walking around at night (exept in the forest or away from other people. When I feel insecure, I tend to imagine things that make me more insecurely feeling and I might hurry or rush through things, wanting to get done.
2. I think that Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo and not Duncan because Banquo was more like a friend so he felt like he betrayed him and because Banquo was the only other one there when the witches made the profecy so Macbeth was probably afraid that he will tell.
3. I think Macbeth is concerned whether the people he murdered go to heaven or hell because he doesn't hate them is is sorry for killing them so he doesn't want them to go to hell because he killed them.

lesliel said...

Well, I feel insecure mostly when I'm trying ot have a normal conversation with an adult. For some reason I always feel awquard when asking for something or just trying to have a simple conversation. I find that I don't get very nervous very often and when I do I try to use my butterflys.
I think Macbeth is being haunted by Banquo's ghost because, like everyone has said, Banquo was a good friend of Macbeth's and they went through a lot together. The guilt of doing that to a good friend could really make you go crazy. TEXT TO TEXT: Could the ghost in Macbeth possibly be simlilar to the Beast, or crazyness, that went through the boys' head on the island? The second reason I think Macbeth is being haunted may be because of the witches spell. Because of thier prediction the "happy yet much happier" may be the fact that Banquo is dead and is much more happy than Macbeth could be.
I think this is a simple question. Heaven is where pepole live in joy and happiness whlie hell is a place of misery and wrong doing. Plus, when he dies all the people he has made enemies with or killed will see what he has done if he goes to hell.

Louiseb said...

I tend to feel insecure in any place that is unknown. When I am not sure how something is going to work, or turn out I tend to worry. People also intimidate me sometimes when they are unknown. When I feel insecure I tend to be very close to other people so that I will not have to face these unknowns by myself.
I think that he is haunted by Banquo and not Duncan because Banquo was like Macbeths best friend. He did nothing wrong at all and he was not any where near a powerful as Duncan and so he seems more innocent that Duncan. Macbeth only killed him because of his own insecurities and I think that he knows this, but only subconsciously.
I think that Macbeth is so concerned with weather they will go to heaven or to hell because he thinks that if they are going to hell, he has not committed such a terrible act. However if they are going to heaven then he thinks of himself as a monster and he is most likely going to hell because of his crime.

Unknown said...

1.) I always feel insecure and self-consious around people I don't know. I also don't like being around 'wierd people.' I don't like goths or, like kristinah, people who wear chains and stuff like that. I'm insecure in (again like kristinah) in stores that carry alcohol. I don't know why, but I am. I always act really quiet, and try to get away from them or there as fast as I can. I don't like feeling insecure.

2.) I think that Macbeth is plagued by Banquo's ghost because Banquo vaguely knew about Macbeth's murderous intentions. When Macbeth says in Act III, "Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake Thy gory locks at me," he is saying that Banquo can't accuse him of doing it. He has no proof. It may also be because Banquo was closer to him than Duncan. Plus, Duncan didn't know what was coming. Banquo has suspicions.

3.) I agree with mattw. He wants Banquo and Duncan to go to heaven because they did nothing to deserve their fateful death. He doesn't want them to go to hell because Macbeth killed them. He wants them to get what they deserve. I also think that kristinah has an interesting point. Macbeth thinks that he might go to hell himself for committing two murders (and maybe more to come, who knows?). Again, he wants Banquo and Duncan to go to heaven because they were both good men.

Anonymous said...

I usually feel insecure when I am uncomfortable or alone. I usually am very quiet. I think Macbeth is haunted by Banquo's ghost because Macbeth and Banquo's relationship was more special than Macbeth and Duncan's in the sense that they were best friends. Also, Banquo knew what was coming so Macbeth killing him was the ultimate backstabbing, literally. I think Macbeth cares so much whether they go to hell or heaven because these were influential people in his life and he is playing God over their life but he has no effect in the afterlife. When he has the power to cut a life short, he is controlling fate but he can't determine what happens after death. Plus, his guilt would make him wish the best for their afterlife.

morganw said...

I, like many, feel insecure around people who dress as if they could be dangerous. This is a bad stereotype to get into, but those people really do make me feel nervous. (EX: people who dress goth-like or "emo" or in gang related clothing or even just not very well kept up - scruffy beards, torn clothing, shady-looking people, ect.) I also feel insecure when I am around people who are judgemental. These people, especially girls, make me feel awkward and out of place. I try not to hang out with people who make me feel this way and even go so far as to avoid them. I tend to get quieter when I'm insecure and if I'm in a place I don't feel comfortable in I urge the others around me to leave as soon as possible.
I think Macbeth is haunted by Banquo's ghost as opposed to Duncans because it crossed a new level of treachery and dishonesty to kill one's best friend. You really have to have gone off the wall to feel so insecure to the point where you are murdering those closest to you.
The last few lines stand out to me because even though Macbeth knows that he will go to hell for what he is going to do to them , he is searching for something that might move the blame off of him and onto someone else. For example, if Duncan or Banquo had gone to hell for something they did that no one else knew about Macbeth would feel less guilty about murderering them. He seems to be looking for a way to remove the guilt from his conscience.

stefo said...

1. Some place that makes me really uncertain is my room at night right after watching a scary movie. I get so creeped out! People dont realy make me uncertian unless for some reason they really make me feel inferior. usually when that happens i shut up pretty quick.
2. i believe that the ghost of Banquo haunts Macbeth more because of their friendship. here was a man who fought beside him in battle, who were the witches prophecy with him and he just carelessly threw his friend's life away.
3. Religion is a very important part of the era that Shakespeare was writing in. i also believe that macbeth was looking for some solance that he wasn't damning these men to eternal fire. he also doesnt want to damage his own soul

Unknown said...

morganw- I definitely agree with why you think that Banquo's ghost is haunting Macbeth instead of Duncan's! It really does cross a new level of treachery.

ashleyf said...

1. When I'm with a group of people who seem to feel totally comfortable with where they are and have no intention of talking to anyone else. I hate feeling insecure because i don't act like myself. I act like such an outsider, because that's what I am when I am insecure.

2. The loyalty to someone who you resect and serve,isn't the same as the loyalty you have to your friends. Also, i think because Macbeth didn't see Banquo die, he has a feeling that Banquo is still with him.

3. I think, in a sense, Macbeth is pleading that they will go to hell because he know he is because of these murders. Kind of like what Hannah said, he could be caught between and want them to go to heaven, so when he dies, he won't ever see them. Or he could feel that if they go to hell, it will allow him to go to heaven. He just seems to not know how the duture will turn out.
Or, like Mattw said, he would want them to go to heaven because he still loves them.

Unknown said...

1. I feel insecure in places that I have never been in before, or around people that I have just met. It is because I don't know them well and that leaves me a little on the edge. When I am insecure I tend to be a lot more shy and not as open to people that I know really well. It depends. Lately, with highschool and things I have been really open to making new friends and getting to know people because that is kind of a survival skill that you have to live on. Anyways, if I am insecure I tend to be very quiet (which is wierd for me...well, I also get quiet when I am tired but that is beside the point.) To sum it up, I am not myself when I am insecure.
2. Macbeth is insecure about many things because first of all, he is terrified of being found out and second, there is a lot of inner conflict occuring inside him that completely changes his original self. As for the whole being haunted by Duncan and not by Banquo must be because Duncan was the king and Macbeth wanted to get rid of him completely which granted the throne to him. He is most likely not haunted by this because he has gotten rid of all evidence that might have suggested the fact that he killed Duncan. As for Banquo, his son Fleance stil exists and the procphecy stated that the sons of Banquo would become king, but not any of Macbeths. Also, Banquo was one of his very good companions so this will, undoubtly, haunt him more than the killing of the king, which is what he benifited from.
3. Maybe he hopes that where they end up will justify the act of him killing them. He wants Duncan to go to heaven because he was such a good king and very innocent. However, he might want Banquo to go to hell becuase he was a good companion of his and Macbeth knows that he himself will end up in hell with him. Truly, I think it is because he wants to justify what he has done to their lives, and what they themselves did in theirs.

Laurenc said...

1)I feel insecure people I don't know and large groups of people who are a different race then me. Simply because I feel singled out and I don't like attention getting drawn to me. I also feel insecure when I'm alone and mostly when I'm alone at night. I will try to get away from any situation that makes me insecure and will try to find someone I know to stay with.

2) I think Macbeth is haunted by Banquo instead of Duncan because they were very close friends as well as comrades. I also think that Macbeth realizes he was never entirely sure that Banquo was any threat to his claim to the throne. The witches never even said he was. They said his SONS would be kings but never him.

3) I think Macbeth realizes and truly believes he is going to hell at this point and does not want to meet Banquo or Duncan there because the guilt would be too much. I also think he believes that Duncan AND Banquo are both sinless and should be protected by God. Macbeth would hate to have somehow sent them to hell.

stephenf said...

The world is a dangerous place. There are many unsafe places dark alleys, gang areas, and war zones. Thsi can make just about anyone insecure. In fact towards the end of Act 3 of
Macbeth, Dunacan's sons were preparing to go to war with King Macbeth who was also readying an army. When I am insecure I tend to act out either in rage or complete silence avoiding looking at a anyone.

I think the reason that Macbeth sees Banqou as a ghost is because he loved Banqou and they were dear friends and knowing he had him murdered may have pushed him over the edge. He can't sleep or rest without the idea of Banqou in his head. Duncan though killed with his own hands was not so close to Macbeth and was not so much a brother as Banqou was.

When Macbeth speaks of Banqou he hopes that he will go to heaven but in the case of the king he does not truelly care if he goes to heaven or to hell. He wants his dearest friend, though he wants him dead, to still go to heaven. Macbeth is not so cruel that he would curse someone to hell.The king, though his cousin, was not as close to him though he was seen as being directly under god. Macbeth also killed the king with his own hands.
Macbeth had killed many in the name of his king and God as it is concieved in the reading.

Alyssa S. said...

1. I ususally only feel insecure in situations where I don't know the people I am around. I tend to act pretty shy and quiet instead of outgoing like I normally am.
2. I think Macbeth is haunted by only Banquo's ghost simply for the fact that he was closer to Banquo. I also think it might have had to do a little with the fact that Banquo was there when Macbeth learned of the witches prophecy and that was what all of these events revolved around.
3. I believe that Macbeth is concerned about wether they go to heaven or hell because he thinks that where they go might have an effect on him. Like if they were already condemmed to hell then it probably wouldn't have been as big of a sin to kill them as opposed to if they were going to heaven and he killed them.

chelseas said...

1. When I feel insecure, I usually tend to become quite. This mostly happens when I am around people that I don’t know, or that I don’t know well. I also feel insecure when I am in unfamiliar places. I become much more alert and defensive as well as more aware of my surroundings when I feel uncertain. I am not as likely to be as open about my feelings in these types of situations. I do not think on my feet, or make decisions as quickly either.

2. I think that Macbeth is haunted more by the ghost of Banquo than the ghost of Duncan because Banquo was a really close friend to him. Also, Banquo and Macbeth had been friends for a very long time, and they had fought in war together. This must create some sort of special bond that he did not have with Duncan. Macbeth is also paranoid that someone will find out about this plan of his, and that he killed both of them.

3. You have to think of the time period that this was written in. During this time period, the church had a lot of control over the people, like mattf said. The people were frightened that they man be excommunicated, and that they may experience terrible doom in hell. I think that Macbeth fears that he has been doomed, and that he might be sent to hell because of his terrible actions. I agree with amyw when she said that Macbeth always thinks about going straight to heaven because if the people he kills go to heaven, then he has killed an innocent person that didn't do anything wrong except maybe get in the way of his quest for power. This is what Macbeth seems to constantly be thinking about. Macbeth starts to think, though, and realized that his decisions may not have been so wise. He now wonders if his chances of going to heaven were completely altered because he committed two terrible acts of murder.

MollyS said...

I am insecure when I am around people that don't just come out and say what they think. When I think people are judging me, i get more insecure and quieter. I think that Macbeth is haunted by both ghosts because in order to forget about Duncan and have other things to think about, Macbeth decides to kill Banquo. While he is haunted by the physical ghost of Banquo, he is haunted by the mental ghost of Duncan.
I think that Macbeth is concerned about heaven vs. Hell because, as a self-conscious person, he can only see past the crime towards his future.

beckyg said...

1. I start to feel uncertain or insecure when i get a bad feeling about something. This may be a person (this would most likely be like a lot of people said because they dress like a shady charactor or they act like it)or anything. When I begin to have a feeling that something isn't right and I shouldn't do what I am doing, I usually listen and try to get out of the situation as fast and easily as I can.
2. I think he is haunted by Banquo's ghost rather than Duncan because he was so close to Banquo. You would probably feel more regret of remorse if you murdered your brother than if you murdered your boss. Not that I am saying you wouldnt' feel remorse, but you would probably feel a stronger sorrow. The mind can be a powerful thing, and he is already crazy, so he might create the ghost because of his grief ofver his terrible crime. In addition to this, he has basicallly cleared himself from all susicion in the murder of Duncan, but in Banquo's case Fleance still survives and could figure it out. He also has the whole prophesy thing, which would make him think, well now my best friend is dead, it's my fault, and I still haven't stopped the prophesy because Fleance could become king. This could drive him to insacity, mixed with guilt, creating the hallucination of Banquo's ghost.
3. I think he is concentrated on weather they go to Heaven or Hell because it is better if he ended their lives and they went to a better place (Heaven, than if he ended their lives before they could be reformed and go to Heaven instead of Hell. He thinks that he might have a better chance of going to Heaven if they went to Heaven.

NickB said...

1. I usually feel insecure when I’m around kids I haven’t gotten to know yet because I don't know them too well. This is because we haven’t gotten to know each other. When I feel insecure I sort of shut up and watch the situation. I'm usually an outspoken guy, but sometimes I become a bit insecure, hence quiet.

2. Personally, I think Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo and not Duncan because, in my view, Banquo was like a best friend to Macbeth. Imagine YOU giving the order to kill your own best friend. Pretty tough. Also, I agree with Ashleyf in that Macbeth didn't see the murder of Banquo, so he doesn't have that feeling of irreversible loss that he felt with Duncan.

3. In a sense, I think that Macbeth is sort of bound by his prophecy. While he is bound by this prophecy on the earth, he sends Duncan and Banquo to heaven. He hopes they will go to heaven and have a blast, while he follows the prophecy blindly and condemns himself to hell.

mitchs said...

Most people would feel insecure being in a sketchy place, or being somewhere by themselves or being with people that they have never met before. Chances are that nothing will happen to them at all, but they still get scared and worried about what could happen to them. When I feel insecure I am less outgoing and don't talk as much. Also, if I am insecure with the place I am in, I will probably try to leave.
I think Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo and not the ghost of Duncan because he actually killed Duncan, so he atleast knows that Duncan is dead and won't ever come back. But, because he didn't witness Banquo's death, (he did plan it) he is haunted by his regret/remorse for killing his best friend. He had the conviction to go through with killing Duncan himself, but he didn't have the inner strength to kill Banquo (a much closer friend than Duncan)and because Banquo was so close to him, I think he now regrets killing him. That's why his ghost is haunting Macbeth.
I think Macbeth is concerned with whether they go to heaven or hell because they were his friends at one point, and he still wants them to end up in a happy place, even though he is killing them to help himself. Also, he might want them to go to hell, so that they can't put in a bad word for him in heaven, which is obviously where Macbeth wants to go. But maybe he wants them to end up in paradise, as kind of a justice to their miserable deaths. I don't know, it's hard to say.

alexd said...

1. I know that I definitely feel insecure when I am not in my own surroundings. People that tend to make me feel insecure are probably loud and obnoxious. When I feel insecure I try to not make it show very much but I am quieter when I am feeling insecure.
2. I think Macbeth is very disturbed by Banquo’s ghost because it makes him feel insecure that Banquo was such a good friend to him. Also he feels in secure about Banquo’s line of ons because the prophecy is that they will rule after Macbeth.
3. I think that Macbeth feels guilty that he killed them but I don’t really know what he is saying in these two monologues. It sounds like he is saying that he will see them again but I wonder if he is thinking that they will both go to heaven or to hell. It sounds like he is saying that they will both go to hell.

melissaz said...

1. I think that insecurities are most of the time caused by yourself. I find that if someone is uncomfortable about something and feels insecure aboutit,most of the time it's because they,them selves,feel bad about it and think that evryone is thinking about that one thing and making up so many things in there head that probably isn't true to begin with,it just makes that person unconfortable. I sometimes feel like that and I bet that most people have those certain times that they feel like that. It is more of a personal thing and a mental game over anything else. But there are those times where there is someone who makess me feel uncomfortable and insecure about something,pointing out something rude or saying something innappropriate about someone else,and that also makes me feel insecure. And then,like alexd said,I feel so much more comfortable when I am around people I enjoy and I can have fun with. When I am with people that are different from me and I'm not in a comfortable personal surroundings, that also makes me feel insecure.

2. I think the reason that Macbeth is haunted by the death of Banquo is because he was his best friend. This man was so important to him and seemed to always be there for him, not that Duncan was not a great man, he justdid not have the same effect as Banquo did on his life. Also,when Macbeth killed Duncan,it was his wife's mastermind idea, he just listened to her and went along for the ride. But with Banquo's death, Macbeth was more like a Lady Macbeth. Making the plan and trying to convince the murderers to do it for him. He is starting to loose his innosence and startingto feel the power of death and murder, and I think that he is noticing this change inside of him, that's why Banquo's death is really bothering him.

3. I agree with laurenc, and chelseas. At this time period, the church had a huge influence overthe people and what they did, heaven forbid they would do something to end up in hell! Macbeth knows what he is doing is wrong and thatthis will definitally hurt his chances of going to heaven. I think by the time he is contemplating Banquo's murder, he knows that he is probably going to hell by now, and all he wants at this point is to have the victums make it to heaven. He knows his fate is lostand he could not stand it if Banquo and Duncan ended up in hell too.

kristenw said...

1. One event that makes me feel insecure is when I'm with people that i don't know that well. When I feel insecure I'm not usually myself and I'm kind of shy instead of outgoing.

2. I think he is haunted by Banquo's ghost because Banquo was his best friend and i think Macbeth realizes that Banquo didn't need to die.

3. I think he is so concerned because he knows that they didn't do anything to deserve this so i think he wants them to go to heaven.

Javonm said...

1) When it is like a situation involving alcohol or something I always feel insecure about the situation and I kind of just fade out of it. I also feel insecure when I have to make a decision for a group. I feel like if I make the wrong decision people will have doubt in me or feel like I am not responsible enough to be a leader. It is one of my biggest insecurities.

2) I think it is sort of the fact that him in Banquo were so close that this ghost of Banquo is haunting him, and I think that the ghost of Banquo is haunting him as well because he didn’t have to kill Banquo, he was just so greedy for the throne only for his kids and not allowing any of Banquo’s descendants to become King, that he tries to kill Fleance, and kills Banquo.

3) He rhymes the last two lines. It is almost as if the witches are apart of him in fulfilling these prophecies so he rhymes just like them. Maybe also because the witches are evil, and the deeds he is about to commit are evil, or unworldly.

4) Just thinking that maybe if they go to heaven he will be damned to hell, but if the were bad enough people to go to hell, he would ascend to heaven for these greats deeds of killing them. It is mainly him thinking of whether they go to heaven or to hell and how it will affect him.

phoebef said...

When you are surrounded by the unknown, you tend to feel the most insecure. People act different ways in these situations. Generally I don’t interact, but instead sit back and observe. Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of banquo because he doesn’t know how he died this. leaves room for imagination. Macbeth killed Duncan, and knows how it happened. He doesn’t know how brutally banquo was killed, or what his reaction was. He is also fearful that fleance may know it was him, but Macbeth doesn’t know where fleance is. The unknown location of fleance frightens Macbeth because fleance could show at anytime.

jordanh said...

i like what phoebef said about the unknow. that is a good point. the unkknown is a big ffactor in both macbeth and LOF and it creates insecurity

mitchl. said...

one time that i felt insecure about something was when i came into a class, and i forgot to bring in my project, and my homework. this made me question and feel bad about how i remember some things more than others. i think macbeth is plagued by banquo because he was acting as a coward and ordered others to do the deed, while he killed duncan himmself. i also think that macbeth is concerned with them going to do to heaven or hell is because he feels bad about their deaths, and if they go to hell, then they would meet macbeth there and they could get their revenge that way, but if they go to heaven, then i think that they won't get their revenge. Or i think that macbeth would feel extremly guilty because he caused their death, and if they go to a place like that because of macbeth that would be really aweful.

Anonymous said...

I get really insecure when I'm around a group of people who I know, with a few of my no-so-good friends around. This happens alot at lunch at a lunch table or something like that. I start acting quieter and I focus more on what I'm saying than with a group of my closer friends.
Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo because Banquo was one of his closest friends that he murdered (or, arranged to be murdered) and Duncan, although one of his peers, was not really a close friend to Macbeth.
Also, Macbeth is trying to kill Banquo's son, who has never done anything negative to Macbeth, and Macbeth is being driven mad with guilt from both the murder of the king and his best friend that he might be thinking of what Banquo would think of him murdering his innocent son and starts seeing him.

Macbeth's monologues all end with a reference to the victim's soul or presence to go to heaven or hell. He also addresses the victims personally, which makes it like he's telling them that they're going to die by his hand.
I think he's concerned with whether they'll end up in Heaven or Hell because he would want to know how bad a person they are. If the king had a really dark past, he might feel less guilty about killing them.

Selenam said...

I think Macbeth is haunted by Banquo because he was a close friend of Macbeth and he killed him. Macbeth was much closer to Banquo then Duncan. I agree with kekek when she said he was concerned whether they would go to Heaven or Hell. If he knew for sure where the went it might make him feel less guilty.

DawnielleN said...

I think that Macbeth gets almost more used to killing. I think that crazy serial killers today get used to killing and they have to keep going.(I know that's creepy of me to say) That's what scares me about Macbeth is that he doesn't feel the guilt until after he kills. Then he realizes what he has done.(Banquo's Ghost)

I think the reason Macbeth is so concerned about where they go when they die because he is in a way responsible. If they go to heaven he can almost take the guilt off because they are in a better place. If they are in hell, it's his fault completely.

clarao said...

Normally when I feel insecure, I get quiter and more shy. I don't feel confident, so I'm afraid to say anything, in case it's the wrong thing.

For one thing, Banquo was very close to Macbeth. King Duncan may have been related to to Macbeth, but didn't get along on a social level, because they had very different status.

mattw said...

When I'm insecure, I laugh at almost anything, to make it seem like I'm outgoing even though I'm really freaking out. I think Macbeth is doing sort of the same thing. He's sending out all these murderers to kill people, and I think he's doing that because he just wants to feel as though he's doing something. He doesn't want to feel helpless, just waiting for events to unfold. He saw Banquo's ghost rather than Duncan's because he felt he had no choice in killing Duncan, but killing Banquo was of his own device. Maybe also because he killed Duncan himself, but he didn't kill Banquo, so he just assumed he was dead until he knew for sure. That would have bothered me; ask someone to kill my buddy, and have to wait and hear exactly how he died or IF he died for about twenty four hours.

JohnB said...

1. Actually, teachers, people I like, and old people make me feel insecure. I get kinda nervous when I'm insecure. I get red in the face and stutter a lot.

2. Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo and not Duncan's ghost because, maybe Macbeth's becoming of king was predicted but the blood of an innocent was spilled and only Macbeth is to be blamed (well, maybe Lady Macbeth too...).

Macbeth is concerned with whether or not they go to heaven or hell because although he killed them, it doesn't mean he necessarily really wanted to killed, but for his sake had to be killed.

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