What is Hamon? and what is a stand?

Death and loss. Death is a clear theme in Dahl's The Witches, but the concept of loss manifests in many smaller ways, developing the theme throughout the book. The book opens with the boy's parents dying in a car accident in Norway, leaving him unscathed, orphaned, and in the care of his grandmother.

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3 years ago

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“Without the witches’ predictions, do you think Macbeth and Lady Macbeth would have been satisfied with their place in life? Exp

Molodets [167]

BTW MY SIS WROTE THIS
Probably not. Ambition, at the time of the play, was not taken in good light, obviously because it ruined the Great Chain of Being. Those in the chain were meant to stay in their place. What Macbeth and Lady Macbeth did were gravely wrong as they tried to get ahead and take the place of Duncan, which explains the constant unusual weather throughout the play.

Macbeth, only after constant badgering, antagonizing, and plotting from Lady Macbeth, could perform the murder. If you remember, when going to kill Duncan, what appeared in the hands of Macbeth was an imaginary dagger. What I have concluded about this scene (and I've certainly struggled over it) is that the dagger could be portrayed as a manifestation of his guilt. As he grapples in a soliloquy heading over to Duncan's room, the bloody dagger represents his wrongful ambition.

The manifestation of his guilt is also represented after he kills Banquo. He says an extremely striking line to one of the murderers right after. 

MACBETH
(aside to FIRST MURDERER) There’s blood upon thy face.

FIRST MURDERER
'Tis Banquo’s then.

MACBETH
'Tis better thee without than he within.

What Macbeth is saying is that the blood of Banquo is better on the murderer's face then within Banquo's veins. We see a sudden twist in Macbeth's intentions and personality showing his character development and change throughout the play. But alas, his initial guilt comes to light when he suddenly is the only one who can see Banquo's ghost at the dinner table. Yes, another manifestation of his guilt. 

We see that no matter how many murders he commits, he will always be human and feel guilty for his actions. The turning point in all this, is actually Lady Macbeth, not even the witches. Without the constant persuasion of Lady Macbeth to push Macbeth to the character he became, he wouldn't have committed any murders. 

Another point to make is that when Banquo and Macbeth first received the prophecy from the witches, one can say that Banquo was more ambitious than Macbeth. He says to himself, 

MACBETH
(aside) If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me
Without my stir.

If fate puts kingship in my lap, only then I will take it. 

If Lady Macbeth was your stereotypical wife, not a crazy psychopath, Macbeth probably would not have killed Duncan, and subsequently Banquo. Therefore I would blame Lady Macbeth, not particularly the three witches.

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3 years ago