The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare and the novel Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, are literary works that explore the deep desires of self fulfillment. Even though many different literary devices are prominent in both works, this paper will focus on the treating themes by both authors. Namely the themes of power and control. These themes are best highlighted in Lady Macbeth from Macbeth and Nathan Price from the Poisonwood Bible. These two characters best develop the themes of power and control through their shared characteristics of ambition, manipulation and ruthlessness.
Ambition is a reoccurring tool of character development in both The Poisonwood Bible and Macbeth, employed by the authors to emphasize the entire themes of power and control. Nathan is a reverend from America in the Congo attempting to conform the village of Kilanga to the Catholic faith. His ambition and motives are powered by fear and blind faith in god, coupled with desire to have personal power-which he self interestedly translated into taking control of the village and having power in the people. He also believes that if he does not complete the task he will struggle to enter heaven. His ambition starts to over power his judgment, his ability to reason and his idea of family, which causes the village visitors to rally against him to re gain their freedom and independence hence exerting their own form of power and re-enforcing the overall themes. Unlike Nathan's gradual and increased ambition, Lady Macbeth's ambition is immediately evident from the beginning of the play, in support of grows as the desire for the throne and its power send her over the edge. She instantly begins to put together a plan to kill King Duncan in order to place her husband Macbeth in line for the throne. This obsession drives her insane, and like Nathan her ability to reason, her judgment and her conscience are clouded by her need for power and control. She acted in ways that showed that she would visit nothing to be able to gain the throne even if it meant murder. Both characters became so ambitious in their attempts to get power and wield control, that it eventually drives them to their own deaths.
Manipulation is another constant, though more subtly employed, characterization tool in both works. She manipulated Macbeth into killing Duncan, to be able to get the title of King and Queen. Lady Macbeth ironically, felt too guilty to kill Duncan herself-due to resemblance to her father-however, had no qualms or concern for Macbeths conscious when she manipulated him into killing his friend. In order to accomplish this she began questioning Macbeth's manhood, wanting to convince him that he was effeminate -hence weaker then she, then she and that he could not step up to the duty of killing Duncan. This mental manipulation made him question his judgment, which resulted in him becoming very confused. In the long run her manipulations were successful, helping her achieve the power and control she so greatly desired. Nathan like Lady Macbeth, abused his family to be able to get what he wanted. The villagers had become so sick and tired of Nathan trying to control them and their religion that they rebelled, killing all the white people in their village. Nathan's wife and children are secretly preparing to escape to America, but Nathan, out of concern with loneliness, begins to abuse and manipulate his wife, and threaten the lives of his children, to be able to encourage them to stay in the village and allow him to keep his quest. This abuse and manipulation allowed Nathan to regain power and control over his family, while creating them even more anguish as they helplessly watch the deaths of many people they loved. Both Lady Macbeth and Nathan's manipulations and apparent lack of guilt over them, show the audience just how ruthless both characters are.
This ruthlessness is a third important way the characters are both developed and the themes enriched. Nathan is so determined to finish the quest God sent him to achieve that he forgot his morals and committed terrible acts to be able to acquire power above the village people and control over his family resulting in the loss of many innocent lives. His main deplorable act of ruthlessness was exploiting his daughters and forcing them to stay in the Congo so that he could maintain his control over them while the villagers fought for their freedom. These self-centered actions resulted in the death of his four daughters and wife, leaving him alone. Lady Macbeth was a lot more ruthless then Nathan, after hearing that Macbeth was to be king she instantly began to ask God to make her into more of a man to become able to commit murder. "Come, you spirits that tend on moral thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me, from the crown to the toe, Top-full of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood. "(Lady Macbeth- Act 1 scene V). She lost her conscience completely and began to do something without conscious in the attempt to gain the throne, her symbols of power and control. Lady Macbeth progressively becomes more ruthless, until she does not even question the idea of killing Duncan in order to be next in-line to the throne, she is over whelmed in her own desires, that she forgot about everything else that use to matter.
Throughout both Macbeth and the Poisonwood Bible both authors develop their respective characters of Lady Macbeth and Nathan Price by highlighting their choices and actions through ambition, manipulation and ruthless action. These characters thus serve to highlight the overall themes of power and control in both works. Both Nathan and Lady Macbeth sacrificed everything for power and control not realizing the true cost. Nathan losses his entire family and is left to reside alone, and Lady Macbeth looses her sanity, driving herself to take her own life. Their struggle for power and control wrecked many lives and in the long run their respective victories was so small that everything did not seem to be worth your time and effort.
COMPARATIVE ESSAY
Featuring. . .
Lady Macbeth from Shakespear's Macbeth
and
Nathan Price from the Poisonwood Bible
By: Tori Skot
For: Ms. Zaikos
January 7, 2008
