<span>Onstage stands a table heaped with a feast. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth enter as king and queen, followed by their court, whom they bid welcome. As Macbeth walks among the company, the first murderer appears at the doorway. Macbeth speaks to him for a moment, learning that Banquo is dead and that Fleance has escaped. The news of Fleance’s escape angers Macbeth—if only Fleance had died, he muses, his throne would have been secure. Instead, “the worm that’s fled / Hath nature that in time will venom breed” (3.4.28–29).
Returning to his guests, Macbeth goes to sit at the head of the royal table but finds Banquo’s ghost sitting in his chair. Horror-struck, Macbeth speaks to the ghost, which is invisible to the rest of the company. Lady Macbeth makes excuses for her husband, saying that he occasionally has such “visions” and that the guests should simply ignore his behavior. Then she speaks to Macbeth, questioning his manhood and urging him to snap out of his trance. The ghost disappears, and Macbeth recovers, telling his company: “I have a strange infirmity which is nothing / To those that know me” (3.4.85–86). As he offers a toast to company, however, Banquo’s specter reappears and shocks Macbeth into further reckless outbursts. Continuing to make excuses for her husband, Lady Macbeth sends the alarmed guests out of the room as the ghost vanishes again.
Macbeth mutters that “blood will have blood” and tells Lady Macbeth that he has heard from a servant-spy that Macduff intends to keep away from court, behavior that verges on treason (3.4.121). He says that he will visit the witches again tomorrow in the hopes of learning more about the future and about who may be plotting against him. He resolves to do whatever is necessary to keep his throne, declaring: “I am in blood / Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er” (3.4.135–137). Lady Macbeth says that he needs sleep, and they retire to their bed.</span>
Answer and Explanation:
This question is about the novel "The Scarlet Letter", by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester Prynne lives in Boston in the 1600s, when societal values were tremendously based on the concept of sin derived from the Bible. <u>At a certain point, Hester is paraded through the streets to be pointed at for being an adulteress. However, she could find in herself some sort of courage, of defiance, to go through the public humiliation. Now that she is released from prison, her feelings are very different:</u>
<em>But now, with this unattended walk from her prison-door, began the daily custom, and she must either sustain and carry it forward by the ordinary resources of her nature, or sink beneath it. She could no longer borrow from the future, to help her through the present grief. To-morrow would bring its own trial with it;</em>
<u>Hester can now see the life ahead of her. She is aware that she will be forever shunned for her sin, living in loneliness. This is a much more torturous punishment for her than being paraded. There is nothing to look forward to, no change to come, no relief.</u>
First of witch season is your favorite
Answer:
The central idea is the central, unifying element of the story, which ties together all of the other elements of fiction used by the author to tell the story. The central idea can be best described as the dominant impression or the universal, generic truth found in the story. Therefore, the central idea statement should avoid using the names of characters.
Central ideas reflect the discoveries, emotions, conflicts, and experiences of a story’s main character. They are commentaries about the way the world works and or how the author views human existence. Central ideas are supportable. Try to find the interpretation that is most easily supported and covers the greatest percentage of story.
The central idea or theme of a story is an author’s comment, usually implied, on the subject of his narrative. It is insufficient to say that the central idea of a story is about “loyalty” or “motherhood.” For example, a poorly written central idea for the story of Cinderella would say: "Cinderella is the story of a poor, servant girl who overcomes the cruelty of her family and lives happily every after with Prince Charming." On the other hand, a well-written central idea would say something like: "The story of Cinderella reveals that people who are kind and patient are often rewarded for their good deeds." For the Wizard of Oz, instead of saying it is "about a girl named Dorothy who learns to appreciate the life that she has," you might say: "The Wizard of Oz reveals that when people lose sight of reality, they sometimes forget to appreciate the beauty of their everyday lives."
Explanation: