Macbeth Notes #1

-The "great chain of being" influences everyone's actions in plays, right and wrong, etc.

-"fair is foul and foul is fair" many people think that this is the theme of Macbeth (example of chiasmus, paradox, contrast, etc) and this quote was spoken by witches who were actual things and taken seriously back then 

-produced and published in 1606 and two years prior any for of witch craft was a criminal offense

-the devil was very real during this time and taken very seriously 

-witches serve as indirect characterization of Macbeth and considered evil in this play and drives himself crazy because of his reflection on his actions and such and condemned by others as well

- at the inception of the play, Macbeth is described with gore as he tears through the battlefield and those who stood in his way

-the evil character in this play is lady Macbeth because she manipulates Macbeth without remorse whereas Macbeth at least feels bad about his actions 

- Banquo is jealous about Macbeth receiving his prophecy without anything for Banquo

- "come what come may, time and the hour runs through the roughest day."

"Young Goodman Brown" Essay

The world we live in allows no time for us to waste on useless matters that are irrelevant to our lifestyles. Humans have a strong tendency to participate in activities they think will provide them with a great future or those that are purely entertaining. Humans are also a nosy species; curiosity seems to influence an abundance of their decisions. However, this curiosity is selective as people don't exert their valuable time and effort on frivolous matters. The objects or ideas that one is eager to learn about can expose their raw character, even the parts they buried. Goodman Brown does a fabulous job at illustrating just how much his inquiries revealed more about him than the answers he was searching for.

In the inception, Young Goodman Brown wanted to believe in the goodness of the people surrounding him because he thought he knew their authentic personality. He grew up with everyone he would eventually find in the forest and was not expecting to confront them at the devil's playground. For instance, he believed that the minister, Goody Cloyse and Deacon Gookin held impenetrable religious values before the devil revealed that Goody Cloyse was in fact a witch and Deacon Gookin was a follower of his.  This devil that he encountered also informed Young Goodman Brown that he knew both his grandfather and father, which shocked Goodman Brown beyond belief. As if the name of his wife, Faith, didn't explicate her nature and purity enough, Goodman Brown still questioned her righteousness once the old man explained the details of the ceremony. Even a lifetime spent with his loved ones wasn't enough for Goodman Brown to disregard one possible fictitious night.

Young Goodman Brown was forever changed after he fell asleep that night in the forest. Of course he wasn't entirely sure if it was all just a dream or the sick, twisted reality of his little Salem village, but that didn't matter to him. He still pretended to believe in the decency of his fellow villagers but continued to debate their morality.This constant internal dispute of which character he saw as he looked into the eyes of those he recognized that one night destroyed him. People started to slowly gravitate away from him and wonder what had changed. Goodman Brown could have easily forgotten his sightings that contradicted his entire life, but he continued to let his curiosity get the best of him. His intense inquisitiveness exposed what he was actually concerned about. The devil had so much of an impact on Young Goodman Brown, that he allowed him to virtually control the rest of his life. Goodman Brown was obsessed with judging those specific people in his village that he lost the man he was before the dreaded illusion. Clearly, his religion and ideals were easily corruptible if one night with the devil was able to completely transform Goodman Brown from the man he was previously. All of this questioning disclosed Goodman Brown's top priorities that contravened his portrayal of a man he wanted everyone to believe in.

Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter (John Crowe Ransom)

Prompt: In a brief essay, identify at least two of the implications implicit in the society reflected in the poem. Support your statements by specific references to the poem.



Death takes place on a daily basis and is one of the few inevitable occurrences for humans, yet it is still difficult to comprehend and handle. It forces us to realize the most blatant characteristics about humanity that we never actually think about.

Life is a precious thing that we take for granted everyday because of our sense of entitlement. Of course we all have our own lives to build and live, but there are so many diversions that can unexpectedly alter or even cease our path along the way. The first four stanzas of this poem describe the little girl and how her energetic actions amused all who observed her. The cheerful diction allows the reader to understand that those who watched her play outdoors were thoroughly entertained and filled with joy when she would wake the geese. These animated stanzas were juxtaposed with the last stanza of this poem detailing everyone's anguish as the little girl was "primly propped". Ransom describes this little girl as having a superfluous amount of energy through the lines, "There was such speed in her little body,..." and "For the tireless heart within the little Lady..." suggesting that she would be the least likely to be permanently laid to rest. She took part in various juvenile activities such as "...she took arms against her shadow..." and "The lazy geese... Tricking and stopping, sleepy and proud...For the tireless heart within the little Lady with rod that made them rise..." that an occurrence associated with seniority seemed entirely impossible. The society in which the little girl belonged to didn't know how to manage the death of a beloved youthful child as they never thought twice about how fragile life is. They took that for granted everyday and failed to realize that they were all only mortals, destined to the same fate.

This society appeared to have the same relationships that family members share. Even though the author didn't know the little girl personally or on a first name basis, since she was described as "John Whiteside's Daughter" in the title and "little Lady" in the poem, the reader could still feel his sorrow as the bells rang. This society was so captivated and accustomed to the numerous children enjoying their adolescence and the orchards blooming with animals roaming freely that they had forgotten to appreciate it. They failed to remember that no one is granted immortality, especially with the death of the little girl, but what hit them the hardest was that they couldn't escape death either.

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