Macbeth and Jack
Hunger for power in Macbeth and Jack Hunger for power is often the driving force in one’s life. While hunger for power is an indispensible trait for all leaders, it can also remove one’s ability to control emotions, desires, and greed until that person is devoured by it. Jack, from Lord of the Flies and Macbeth, from Macbeth serves as the primary example of this, as they are eventually driven to their own demise by ambition in a negative way, murder, and betrayal of friends. In addition, Jack and Macbeth show that hunger for power leads to ones downfall.
In both Macbeth and jack, ambition play’s a major role because it is the start or the beginning of their downfall. Ambition has not yet overwhelmed the minds of Macbeth, He is uncanny depiction of a noble general, saving his country form domination and tyranny, but as the character progresses in the plot, the inhabitance is parallel in that he receive prestigious rankings amongst the society and in essence, his lives is ideal. Macbeth receives titles of nobility and influence as Thane of Glamis and is recently appointed Thane of Cawdor. (Shakespeare I. 3. ).
With a great quantity of control being eceived, Macbeth devours the power as if it were a precious jewel. But Evil seep’s through him, diminishing the moral code in the name of attaining his esteemed goals. Macbeth, seconds after hearing his new appointment states, “ If good, why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs, against the use of nature? Present fears are less than horrible imaginings; my thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,” (Shakespeare. I. 3. ) Ambition has driven evil spirits, which will not die until his dreams are accomplished.
With the seed of power and ambition implemented into his mind, the plant grows out of control until conscience is completely drained out. Similarly, Jack isn’t ambitious in the beginning. He is introduced to the reader in a “holy” aura with the description of his choir; “Their bodies, from throat to ankle, were hidden by black cloaks which bore a long silver cross on the left breast” (Golding 21) Conveying religion into Jack’s first emergence shows the likely innocence encompassed in the boy’s life prior to crashing on the island. As the character progresses in the plot, just as
Macbeth, Jack also receive prestigious rankings amongst the society or in the island. Jack is appointed Leader of the hunters, the only high rank besides Ralph, who was chosen leader. (Golding 24-25). This gives Jack important stature as he controls a certain portion of the boys inhibited in the island. As he holds substantial power over some aspect of civilization. Evil also seep’s through his mind, which therefore diminishes his moral code in the name of attaining his esteemed goal. But Jack states his feelings in different ways. Jack although less apparent, also show his attentions to overtake all leadership.
His constant disagreement with Ralph exhibits no respect and shows his aspirations of taking total command. Instead of looking over the fire, Jack deliberately disobeys the order made by Ralph and goes out hunting instead. (Golding 77). This shows how Jack’s ambitiousness is trying to make a dispute with Ralph so that he can prove Ralph as a not good leader and then became the next leader. Therefore this also shows how Macbeths and jacks ambition can disrupt a peaceful society. Betrayal of friends plays an important part in both Macbeth and Jack because that’s when he change of power occurs of them leading in to their downfall.
In Macbeth the earliest example of betrayal serving as a impetus in power change is when Macbeth is rewarded for his loyalty to the king while the Thane of Cawdor is stripped of his title because of his betrayal. Both Banquo and Macbeth are slightly disturbed by the witches prediction because they are afraid that it will trick them into betraying the king. But because Macbeth was very ambitious and couldn’t control himself. Macbeth begins to plan his treachery against Duncan as soon as he sees that Malcolm stands in the way of Macbeth gaining the throne. I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise” (Shakespeare II, 2, 56).
The betrayal against Duncan is complete when Macbeth murders him. Now Macbeth must frame the guards and try to cover up his crime, which can only lead to more murder. Banquo is a general in the King’s army (same as Macbeth) and is often seen in contrast to Macbeth. Banquo is the only one with Macbeth when he hears the first prophecy of the weird sisters; during the same prophecy, Banquo is told that his children will be kings, though he will not be. Banquo knows of Macbeth and his quest for power.
He is the one that tells Macbeth that the instruments of darkness only cause harm and betrayal. Macbeth makes this statement true by betraying Banquo whom he once trusted. “ Thou hast it now: king, cowdor, glamis, all, As the weird women promis’d; and, I fear, thou play’dst most foully for’t”(Shakespeare III. 1. 76). Banquo suspected Macbeth’s guilt and out of fear of being caught Macbeth sends out two murderers to kill Banquo. Macbeth is guilty of betrayal, but he doesn’t commit the act himself which shows how weak he really is. Macbeth is numb from all the events, which are causing his downfall.
Just like how Macbeth betrayed his friends, Jack also betrays his friends in a different manner. The strong-willed, egomaniacal Jack is the novel’s primary representative of the instinct of savagery, violence, and the desire for power. He is a person who just gives out demands, and expects the group to answer him. Jacks main aim of the assemblies in the novel are to first become chief “simple arrogance”, “I ought to be chief”(Golding 29) Jack believes that no-one else has the right to control him, and he should be in control of everyone. But unfortunately Jack lost the vote to be chief and that’s when jack begins to betray his friends.
He changes his image from a choirboy to a furtive hunter. Jack couldn’t follow Ralph’s(the chief) rulers so Jack calls for am assembly and insults Ralph by saying “He isn’t perfect and we don’t know anything about him. He just gives orders and expects people to obey for nothing. ”(Golding 126). Jack betrays his chief Ralph and makes a new group. After Jack formed a new group he mostly influenced them in being a hunter and to always kill things and because of that Jack betrays Simon, who’s another friend of his. During Jacks party Simon went to examine the beast at the mountain.
When Simon found out there wasn’t a beast and only a dead man in there, he came running towards Jack party to tell them. But Jack and his group thought it was the beast that was coming towards them so they killed it. “Simon was crying out something about a dead man on a hill. ” (Golding 152). Therefore this portrays that hunger for power can lead one to betrayal of friends. In the world today people have certain goals that they set for themselves to achieve in their lifetime. Most people try to obtain these goals by hard work and to just keep on trying until they finally get what they want.
In the case of Macbeth and Jack however they try to obtain their goals through violence and murder. At first Macbeth is a loyal and brave soldier and serves his king Duncan. Because of Macbeth’s loyalty to Duncan he is named the Thane of Cawdor. After Macbeth hears the prophecies about himself and becoming king, which he has always wanted, the thought of murder starts coming into his mind. Instead of just staying a loyal and brave soldier and waiting to see if he will be named king, Macbeth tries to obtain his goal in a different way.
The thoughts of murder tarts getting greater and Macbeth questions whether or not he should but Lady Macbeth tries to talk Macbeth into killing Duncan so that they can both get what they want. So now instead of obtaining his goal of becoming king by just waiting he gets it by murdering Duncan. “I have done the deed”(Shakespeare. II. 2. 56). The initial thought of murder starts when Macbeth receives the three prophecies from the witches about him becoming king. Macbeth has some of the same thoughts of the murder as Lady Macbeth does, but he also has some different opinions.
Macbeth obviously wants to kill Duncan ecause he is the one who first came up with the plan of the murder, but Macbeth also doesn’t want to commit the murder because Duncan is humble and Macbeth is a loyal kinsman. Macbeth kills the king to secure the kingship, but immediately it becomes clear that the only way to hide the murder is to keep murdering. Macbeth hasn’t even settled in the new palace before Macbeth has already found two murders to murder Banquo and his son. Because after Macbeth becomes king Banqou says “ Thou hast it now: king, cowdor, glamis, all, As the weird women promis’d; and, I fear, thou play’dst most foully for’t” (Shakespeare III. 1. 6).
Banquo suspected Macbeth’s guilt and out of fear of being caught Macbeth sends out two murderers to kill Banquo. And so therefore hunger for power lead Macbeth in murdering both his king and friend. Similarly, Jack was a choir leader and wasn’t a violent person in the beginning. Jack as already mentioned is a person who just gives out demands, and expects the group to answer him. Jack believes that no one else has the right to control him, and he should be in control of everyone. One of the first murders that took place in the island was the murder of Simon. It was a dark scary night. Nothing could be clearly seen.
Loud thunder roared as thick drops of rain fell on the ground. Nothing could be heard but the sound of thunder. Jacks group of agitated and aggressive boys danced with fear and excitement. Since Jack has become so obsessed with hunting, all he could think about mostly was killing. Because while dancing he repeatedly kept saying “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! ” (Golding 152). And because he build up that mood of violence in himself and his group, when they saw something crawling out of the forest, and was coming towards them, they all thought it was the beast and killed it without even making sure.
Simon was crying out something about a dead man on a hill. ” (Golding 152). It is was Simon that they killed not the beast. Jack is responsible for Simon murder because he misleaded the his group in thinking it was the beast. Jack is also responsible for the murder of Piggy, an overweight asthmatic boy about 8 years in age, who cannot see without his glasses represents physical weakness and mental strength. His glasses, however, help illustrate his intellectual strength, his ability to think situations over logically and use reason, rather than emotions to decide upon important dilemmas.
Because piggy was always in Ralph’s side, Jack didn’t treat piggy well he was always made fun of. Jack knew piggy had vision problem and that he couldn’t see without glasses. But Jack still stole the glasses of piggy’s face, for him to build fire. Because of Jack influence in the group most of them want to be like him so when Piggy and Ralph comes to ask for piggy’s glasses back, Ralph and Jack fight for a second time. Piggy cries out shrilly, struggling to make himself heard over the brawl.
As Piggy tries to speak, hoping to remind the group of the importance of rules and rescue, “ high over-head, oger, with a sense of delirious abandonment leaned all his weight on the lever” (Golding 180). Roger shoves a massive rock down the mountainside. Ralph, who hears the rock falling, dives and dodges it. But the boulder strikes Piggy, shatters the conch shell he is holding, and knocks him off the mountainside to his death on the rocks below. Jack throws his spear at Ralph, and the other boys quickly join in. Just like Macbeth even Jack is fully covered with evil he wanted to also kill Ralph at the end but he couldn’t. Jack estroyed the island by burning it, hunger for power lead him into a total failure. He couldn’t lead the group in a peaceful manner.
As seen in Macbeth and Jack hunger for power is the driving force in one’s life. They couldn’t control emotions, desires, and greed until they were devoured by it. An important lesson that can be learned from Macbeth and Jack is that Ambition has driven evil spirits, which will not die until ones dreams are accomplished. And to get through that dream it will lead one into betraying their friends, and murdering. Therefore hunger for power leads to ones downfall.
