This Evil, This Dagger

Manliness or Manless

Lady Macbeth: Art thou afeard

To be the same in thine own act and valor

As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that

Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life,

And live a coward in thine own esteem,

Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would, ”

Like the poor cat i' th' adage? (Macbeth, 1.7) 

Macbeth: Please, stop! I dare to do only what is proper for a man to do. He who dares to do more is not a man at all. (Macbeth, 1.7)

Men who are not evil begin to be evil because they have the power to make that kind of decision. As much as Lady Macbeth wanted to kill Duncan herself, she couldn't because she is a woman. Lady Macbeth implies that Macbeth is a coward because he fears the consequences of killing Duncan. Because Lady Macbeth is someone Macbeth trusts and loves he does not want to let her down. By letting her influence his decisions he becomes evil. He believes that if he kills Duncan then he can be King and that would make her happy. He is also tempted by the idea of becoming King and the only person standing in his way is Duncan so he thinks it would be easy to do this one thing to get what he wants. Internally he is fighting with the roles that he plays as Duncan's kinsman and subject as well as his host. He is loyal to Duncan and would want to do him right by not killing him.  But the thought of being King is too good of a prize. By crossing the line and commiting to killing Duncan Macbeth becomes evil.

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/trump-focuses-his-attacks-on-carson-as-rival-slowly-chips-away-at-his-support/

Trump is kind of like Macbeth when he goes over the top in order to win votes. He's a good businessman but because he wants to be President so badly he makes ridiculous statements and does all he can to get Americans onto his side. This news article says he is attacking Carson because he doesn't want to lose support. Getting Carson out of the way means he is closer to being President. He is representing Lady Macbeth's viewpoint here and is more of a go-getter than Macbeth. He isn't scared to do what is necessary to become President.

Teach to be Taught

Macbeth: But in these cases

We still have judgment here, that we but teach

Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return

To plague th' inventor: this even-handed justice

Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice

To our own lips. (Macbeth, 1.7) 

http://www.commdiginews.com/world-news/isis-strategy-shift-raises-global-terror-threat-52018/

http://www.inquisitr.com/2566962/isis-headquarters-in-iraq-destroyed-just-hours-after-paris-terrorist-attack-250-militants-killed/

Macbeth is reluctant to kill Duncan because he knows that bad fortune will come back around. Men who choose to be evil are teaching others to be evil too. Whatever harm he brings to others will come back to bite him in the butt. The cycle of evil continues because everyone will want revenge. An example of this from recent news is the ISIS attack in Paris. They are going all out with acts of terror all around the world. Of course there will be fear and people wanting to stop ISIS so those wanting revenge on ISIS or to scare them into stopping will want to harm them back. There is no definite end to this cycle and men who are evil will end up harming innocent people. 

Thine Eyes Or Are They Mine Eyes

Macbeth: Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going,

And such an instrument I was to use.

Mine eyes are made the fools o' th' other senses,

Or else worth all the rest. (Macbeth, 2.1)

When Macbeth is pulling out his imaginary dagger, he says that it would lead him in the direction he was already heading. It's hard to tell whether it's him making the decision to kill Duncan now or Lady Macbeth. It seems that he is seeing eye to eye with her and is convinced that killing Duncan is a good thing. He says his eyesight is either the only thing working or the only thing not working. He is still unsure of whether this is the decision he wants to make or not. It could either be he is not thinking clearly or he is finally seeing the picture. I think evil men will have these thoughts about what they are doing and if it is right. Macbeth's goal was to become King and he chose that path that involved killing Duncan so he became an evil man. The consequence is that even if he regrets it, he'll have to live with what he has done because he can't take it all back. 

Pity

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/05/Pity.jpg/310px-Pity.jpg

Macbeth: And pity, like a naked newborn babe,

Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubim, horsed

Upon the sightless couriers of the air,

Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,

That tears shall drown the wind. (Macbeth, 1.7)

I think I understand the "Pity" painting now because I went back and read this part. Macbeth speaks about how he should be the one protecting Duncan not murdering him. He should close the door on the murderers face because Duncan is a great and humble leader, his death would be injustice. The news of the deed would be heard eveywhere and so I think Lady Macbeth is seen as the person under the baby and horses as the one being influenced with thoughts of killing Duncan.  The weight of Duncan's dead is over her head. Her physical embodiment is the woman who is sad she can't kill him because she's a woman and she is praying (with the clasped hands in the painting) for the King to be killed so that Pity, as a baby, will ride with angels and horses to spread the news.

@ Ms. Genesky

http://www.50-best.com/images/happy_birthday_memes/stay_gangster.jpg

Crowther, John, ed. “No Fear Macbeth.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.

Shall I compare thee to a "Reliquary Casket with Scenes from the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket"? Thou art more lovely and more temperate

During 1000-1400 A.D. in Great Britain and Ireland, there were political conflicts between them centered on the Scandinavian presence and links to Normandy. At the Battle of Hastings the Normans defeated the English and became the new rulers of the English Mainland. The marriages between English rulers and great Norman families created strong, long-term connections. Art and architecture in England, with the arrival of the Normans, reflects French influence. Cathedrals such as those in

Durham, Canterbury, Ely, Wells, and Lincoln were erected. 

Christians believed in the power of relics. Relics are the physical remains of a holy site or holy person. They were important because Christian believed in afterlife and resurrection, the power of the soul, and saints as advocates for humankind in heaven. The holiest relics were associated with Christ and his mother. The possessors of relics were bestowed honor and privileges so many monasteries and cathedrals sought them out. Reliquaries stored and displayed relics and were often made out of gold, silver, ivory, gems, and enamel. They were often covered with narrative scenes from the life of saints.

This is the Reliquary Casket with Scenes from the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket
It was created circa 1173-80 and is either English or German
It's made of silver with niello and a gemstone; 2 1/4 x 2 3/4 x 1 3/4 in
It was created to contain a relic of the martyred saint Thomas Becket
"The long sides of the reliquary display a brief narrative of the saint's martyrdom. On one side, the lower rectangular panel shows the four knights assaulting Thomas, while on the triangular lid above, an angel makes a sign of blessing over the event. On the other side, the lower panel shows Thomas' body lying in state, while above, an angel cradles a small child, the symbol of the saint's soul as it rises to heaven" (Metropolitan Museum of Art).

According to the Met there is an inscription: INTUS SANGUIS EST SANCTE TOME SANCTUS TOMAS ACCIDITUR
[Translation]: Within is the blood of St. Thomas, and St. Thomas is killed

The Reliquary by Me

Computer paper size

pencil on paper

November 2015

Becket was born in Normandy to an English family and quickly found his way up the ladder in the house of Theobold. He became the archbishop of Canterbury in 1162. He and King Henry II were friends and King Henry thought that meant he would have control over religious institutions. He was wrong because Becket stood against the crown and reserved the rights of the church instead of allowing King Henry to change them for his own gain. King Henry was angry at Becket for refusing to absolve some excommunicated bishops so he sent for a group of knights to murder him. 

This reliquary focuses mainly on the martyrdom in Becket's life. This enables those viewing the reliquary to know exactly what his importance as a saint is. The message is still the same today even in a modern setting. This reliquary illustrates this story and shows Becket as a good guy that was taken to heaven by angels. Becket's facial expression is serious while the knights look bellicose. It is kind of interesting that from Canterbury Tales, knights were seen as very respectable and esteemed but here it looks like they are just doing the King's dirty work. It was most likely made by followers of the church by the depiction of angels blessing the scene and Becket being seen as a martyr rather than a traitor to the king. Also, because reliquaries held very valuable items from saints that were thought of as spiritual connections between life and death, the box itself is made to be very decorous and appropriate for housing such value.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/relc/hd_relc.htm

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/becket.htm

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/17.190.520