I hope you are all having a wonderful long weekend. Please enjoy your Victoria Day festivities with the same personal restraint and diplomacy as Queen Victoria would have done in her time.
Speaking of whom, Victoria was Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India longer than any other monarch, at over 63 years. After her grandfather George III and her father the Duke of Kent died in 1820, she was crowned as Queen at the age of eighteen. Then again, what else could she have grown up to become? A doctor? A police officer? A lawyer? No, she had to be Queen; that was her role in life.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, we discussed the idea of destiny. English monarchs are traditionally crowned on the Stone of Scone (pronounced Scooooone) as a sign of their authority over the people, and Scotland especially. It represented the culmination of their very existence, as they were born to become ruler of England; even if they did not want to, it was their destiny to rule.
The Scotland of Macbeth's time (around 1000 CE) was different: rulers were chosen by merit, not by birth. On their coronation, the king or queen stood on the Stone of Destiny and raised up by their peers, indicating their newly earned status and distinction. Anyone could be ruler, as long as they were worthy of the job. Very rarely were children of rulers appointed as Duke of Cumberland, a title that often went to allies of the king to cement bonds. Malcolm's appointment as heir apparent probably caused a lot of mumbles and grumbles beyond Macbeth's that day.
For this posting, answer the following question: Is it Macbeth's destiny to be king? Or is he unworthy of the title? What qualities does he have that would make him a suitable leader, and what deficits does he suffer from that would hinder his leadership? Or are these qualities insignificant when compared to his destiny as prophesied by the witches?
Please begin your comment with your student number, and Happy Victoria Day!
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ReplyDeleteIf the fact that Macbeth killed the king is overlooked, I think Macbeth is quite worthy of being the king of Scotland. He is a brave person who willingly defended his country against enemies. He is also thoughtful, and doesn't go on with something without thinking it over. However, on other hand, we have the fact that he isn't very strong willed, and might break a promise that he has made; also, he is pushed over by his wife and at some points he is controlled by her. Also, the fact that Macbeth killed king Duncan, when we was asleep, to become king, makes the reader feel like he isn't worthy to become king. The witches prophesied that he will be king, but by killing Duncan, Macbeth makes it feel like he doesn't deserve to get what was destined for him.
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ReplyDeleteI think it is Macbeth's destiny to be king but he is unworthy of the title. Macbeth wanting to kill the king to take his title is not destiny but happening on its own is. Planing to kill the king shows that his is unworthy of the title. The quality to kill can make him a suitable leader but killing the king can hinder his leadership. The ability kill is also a quality insignificant when compared to his destiny.
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ReplyDeleteYes, it is Macbeth's destiny to be king and he is worthy of the title with all the honourable things he has done for the country and the king. The qualities he has which would make him a suitable leader are: he's strong, he has a lot of courage, he's honourable, obedient, and has confidence in himself. Deficits taht would hinder his leadership would be that he is insecure at times, such as when he is doing a task that he isn't sure of doing, he can't make up his mind on what to do sometimes, he follows instructions more than giving them, and he can't control his emotions or guilt. The qualities are significant because if he is destined to be king, he can't be held back from certain things because of his deficits that he has, so he needs to correct them or he can't be a successful ruler.
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ReplyDeleteIt is Macbeth's destiny to become king, because the witches that made that prophecy are supernatural and use witchcraft and sorcery to prophesy.
Macbeth is a fit king, and has qualities of leadership and bravery that make him a worthy king. However, these qualities of his character only shine when he does things righteously. If Macbeth was appointed the Duke of Cumberland and later king by King Duncan, I think he would have made an excellent king. However because Macbeth murdered and lied to reach his position, his guilt and wrongdoing drives him to assassinate his closest friends and leads to his madness.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that Macbeth is creating this destiny for himself because of a prediction made by three witches. In a sense one could argue that Macbeth is not worthy of the title. However Macbeth has some qualities that would make him a suitable leader such as; his valor and strength, as well as his loyalty. Macbeth also has some character traits that would hinder his leadership, such as his submissiveness, selfishness, dishonesty and the fact that he responds to problems with violence. When considering these negative traits I think he would not make for a very good king.
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ReplyDeleteI think that it's the destiny of Macbeth to be king not by force but by his actions that he is demonstrating. He is suitable for being a leader because he is brave and fights man to safe his country, his downfall might be Lady Macbeth, if she is able to persuade him to do bad things Macbeth will end up not being a suitable king. In my opinion his qualifications aren't so much relevant to the predictions of the witches.. maybe the witches know he is going to be Thane because of Lady Macbeth's persuasions and ambition to kill the kind.
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ReplyDeleteI think that a true king must earn that title, rather than take it by force. Macbeth may be destined to be king, but only if he is to continue living as he would before his encounter with the witches - honourably. If we imagine for a moment that Macbeth's destiny is indeed to be king, then it would not be wise to attempt to rush and force the destiny upon himself. Macbeth, at least before his encounter with the witches, possesses many qualities fit for a king. Honour, courage, mental and physical strength, and ambition to name a few. However, after hearing his prophecy, Macbeth loses just about all of these qualities. Macbeth is now dishonourable for having thought of murdering such a respectable king, a coward for not being able to stay true to his word, and he seems to be crumbling down into a mess of weakness and doubt. I believe that Macbeth's qualities are indeed significant to his leadership, but the witches' prophecy is what brings about a change in these qualities, making him a man unfit to be king. Macbeth may very well have been destined to be king, but he seems to have changed his destiny with his sudden change of heart from a conscientious man to a crooked coward.
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ReplyDeleteI don't think its Macbeth's destiny. Although he is worthy of the title, it is not necessarily his destiny, as there are others who are also worthy of the tile. His loyalty and bravery make him a suitable leader. His lack of willpower and his belief of the witches being right might hinder his leadership, however.
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ReplyDeleteMacbeth's destiny isn't written in stone, nobody's is. People are somehow able to rewrite their "destiny" by changing the course and outcomes within ones life. Macbeth, was told by the witches prophecy that he would be king. They forgot to mention how, and when. He doesn't know how he is destined to become king, he justifies him killing the king as following his dentiny. He has some qualities that represent a king such as leadership, bravery, and courage. He was originally meant to be a soldier of the king, now he is going to be the king. He is unworthy of his title, killing the king to become one is cowardly nonetheless.
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ReplyDeleteI think that it is Macbeth's destiny to be king because he possess the qualities that a good king should have; such as bravery, courage, kindess, and loyalty. Some of the qualities that he has that may actually bring him in the opposite direction from being king is that he is submissive; because i he always does what his wife makes him do, whether it be good or bad, he will do a bad job of being king as a result of the fact that he does whatever he is told and can't think for himself. However, all the good qualities that Macbeth has over powers that one flaw of his character. He has very many great qualities that a king should have, he will be able to take care of him kingdom and people and will protect with his life. Therefore, the prophesy of the witches should come true.
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ReplyDeleteIt is Macbeth's destiny to be kind although no one said that there would be consequences. He is a strong man (in battle) and is well liked by people, but he is not always brave. Macbeth is scared of what will happen if he were to fail in killing Duncan. Some believe that one's destiny can be changed, if so, then these qualities can determine whether Macbeth becomes or stays as king.
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ReplyDeleteI don't think it was Macbeth's destiny to become king even though the witches had predicted it. The fact that he is so easily to think of killing the king without any thought of what might happen to him if he does makes him the kind of person you wouldn't want to trust because they are always changing their mind.
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ReplyDeleteI think that MacBeth does not deserve to be king, because he is forcefully (and brutally) trying to take his place as king, when it is rightfully meant for someone else. He may be strongwilled and skilled, but he lacks courage, a trait every king must have. The witches may have told him that his destiny is to become king, but I think it's more of a placebo for him, because if he were to simply stay home, eat, drink and sleep all day he would never become king, or let alone thane. If the witches never told him of his "destiny", he would have never done anything to become king.
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ReplyDeleteI think that it is Macbeth's destiny to be king because the three witches prophesied that one day he will be king. Banquo also said to Macbeth "You shall be king". Macbeth is also a brave and honourable man which makes him worthy. He has been loyal and a good kinsman to King Duncan. Macbeth might have problems with his leadership because he is not a very strong minded person and has difficulty making tough decisions. Even his wife said "Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem'st then ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem".
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ReplyDeleteI think that it is Macbeth's destiny to be king because it was prophesied by the witches. Banquo also said to Macbeth "You shall be king". Macbeth is a brave and honourable man so he is worthy. He also has been a loyal and good kinsman to King Duncan. Macbeth might have trouble with his leadership because he is a weak-minded person and has difficulties making tough decisions. Lady Macbeth also seems to have to much control over his actions. This would not be good for a king because a king has to be in charge. Lady Macbeth told him "wouldst thou have that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem".
I tried to post a comment before but I'm not sure if it was sent, so I had to spend time doing it all again.
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ReplyDeleteMacbeth should become a king, because he's brave, intelligent, strong, knows how hard it is in the war, a great person, and loves his country. On the other side, he needs someone to support him at whatever he does, like his wife or Banquo. These qualities are significant to become a king, because bravery, intelligence, strength, war experience, and love to his country are not qualities in every man.
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ReplyDeleteUntil the witches came along, Macbeth was content with his position in the kingdom. After that Macbeth begins conjuring up a plan to kill the king with the help of his wife. I do think he is unworthy of the title because without the witches and his wife he wouldn’t have been courageous enough to do it himself. Although he is a loyal and brave fighter, he is very indecisive and would rather take orders than think for himself which makes him inappropriate for the position of a king.
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ReplyDeleteIt is Macbeth's destiny to become king. I believe if the witches prophesied it is his destiny, he would eventually become king even if he had not killed Duncan. Since Macbeth did not wait until he would deserve to be crowned king and instead killed Duncan, I think he is unworthy of the title. Macbeth is strong and courageous in battle, as well as a likeable man, which are qualities that would be respected in a king. On the other hand, Macbeth is untrustworthy, secretive and indecisive, which are not the qualities a king should have. The negative qualities of Macbeth are significant and eventually punished. In the end, karma got Macbeth for taking so many innocent lives by taking the life of Macbeth himself, resulting in a very short time of being king, which is what Macbeth deserved.
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ReplyDeleteMacbeth in my opinion is suitable to be known as king. His bravery and courage, are great qualities of a leader. However is second thoughts, and his will are not there which will be hard to be a ruler and leader
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ReplyDeleteIt is not Macbeth's destiny to be king but he is worthy of the title of king. He is brave and lead Scotland to won many battles. He is able to protect Scotland from enemy from outside of country and inside of country. These are very important for title of king. If king cannot protect the country there is no king.
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ReplyDeleteIt is Macbeth's destiny to become king because after it was prophesied by the witches, it was all he wanted to be. Due to his desire to become king, he has set his own destiny. He definitely has the qualities that make him a fine king such as intelligence and courage but he has one quality that makes him unsuited to be king; paranoia. Macbeth has a lack of trust towards everyone since he fears that someone will kill him to become king, and as a result it lead everyone to dislike him. Therefore, Macbeth is suited to become king if he is able to trust others, which he wasn't which caused his downfall.
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ReplyDeleteMacbeth is unworthy to be King. First of all, he is a brave soldier and powerful person, but he is not a virtuous one. His response to every problem is violence. He killed Banqou because he is scared that his children will not be king and Banqou’s son will and Macduff’s family because Macduff might be after him. He is also greedy, ambitious and rush things always. Lastly, he lacks the skills necessary to rule without being a tyrant.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that Macbeth is not destined to be king. After hearing the witch’s prophecies he made the wrong decision and killed their current king, Duncan. If Macbeth were destined to be the king, Duncan would not have been in the picture, or died from an accidental death. Macbeth does have some king-like qualities, but his decision making skills is one thing he could have worked on. Overall, Macbeth should have taken his time to stop and think about what he is doing before killing Duncan.
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ReplyDeleteI think it is Macbeth's destiny to be king since the witched saw it in his future, though he is too easily influenced by Lady Macbeth and is greedy, which is not how a king should act. He is brave, because he can behead any man, yet he lets his wife control him and boss him around. A king can't let someone else tell him how to rule if he is to be a good king. I think that if he hadn't acted like being king was his birthright, even if it might have been, he could have been a great king.
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ReplyDeleteMacbeth is unworthy of the title because Macbeth abuses the crown, first by killing Duncan, then by acting for his own good rather than for the good of the people. He lacks respect to the authority, and he uses fear to control people. he was never destined to become king, instead he forcefully made it happen.
In Macbeth's time the witches were everything, what they said goes so Macbeth will become king. He is also suited to become king because he's not afraid of a challenge and will fight along his army's side to the death. Communicating with soldiers and commoners is very important for the king to do because there is no king without subjects to govern. By communicating with the people he will be liked which will make people follow his orders without question(unless they're extreme) and the kingdom will be working in unison.
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ReplyDeleteI feel he was unworthy of the title once the witches told him that he was going to become king. Before, he hadn't been as power-thirsty. He is brave at times but he cannot follow through with things. He will lose his courage and become cowardly unless he is sure of the outcome. Also, he is incredibly greedy and selfish. These traits would all hinder his ability to be a good leader. His own needs would probably end up coming before those of his nation.
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ReplyDeleteNo it is not Macbeth’s destiny to be king. It is never anyone’s destiny to become anything. The future is what one decides for themselves no matter the opinion of others. Macbeth is clearly not unworthy of the title king for he is brave, strong, and has a conscience but lacks in willpower (for his opinion is easily swayed, especially by Lady Macbeth), self-esteem, and is too ambitious. These qualities are not insignificant when compared to his “destiny” as prophesied by the witches. Although Macbeth seems to be born a true leader, what happens in the future is not up to him. He can decide what choices to make in life that could lead up to the possibility of becoming King of Scotland. The witches merely prophesied of him becoming king, but that could have ended up happening or not. So, in conclusion it was not Macbeth’s destiny to become king.
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ReplyDeleteNo I do not think it was Macbeth's destiny to become king, because no one can predict the future. The witches may be mythical creatures, but all that they did was influence Macbeth's decision. They made him believe that he was going to become king, which made him power hungry. He is worthy of the title because not only did he work hard, but he made alot of sacrifices to accomplish his goal. He is brave, ambitious and a striving soldier, but many qualites make him unsuitable to become the leader. He can be easily manupilated, and has a sensitive guilty side. Macbeth does not care about the people of the land, but only for himself.
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ReplyDeleteI think Macbeth wasn't exactly destined to become king, but he changed his destiny so that he could become king.
Macbeth is very strong, trusted and somewhat brave which are a few of the qualities one needs to become king
i dont believe Macbeths destiny is being king because he doesnt show characteristics of a king. to be a king you must be demanding and must be able to make big desicions. Macbeth doesnt show any of this during the book, infact he shows the opposite. Macbeth was not demanding, he was simply following whatever lady macbeth told him to do. Also when lady Macebth told him to kill to become king, he had to think twice and when your king and you get big orders you cant not be able to decide. You must be assertive which he is not.
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