"Words to the Heat of Deeds Too Cold Breath Gives": Thoughts vs. Deeds in Hamlet and Macbeth
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| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | The aim of this presentation is to examine the contrast between thoughts and deeds in William Shakespeare’s plays Hamlet and Macbeth. The main instances in which this contrast occurs deal with the notion of masculinity, the action of the Supernatural, and the perpetration of murders. The early modern England believed that masculinity was acquired, mostly through brave deeds; thus there was always a danger that it could be lost as a result of idleness. Hamlet’s and Macbeth’s manliness is, therefore, doubted by words and thoughts in order to urge Hamlet and Macbeth to action. The Supernatural was presumed to be able to plant images into people’s minds and to compel them to action. However, they were able to do so only with people susceptible to temptation, hence Hamlet delays enacting his revenge so as to ensure that he does not taint his mind. In contrast, Macbeth yields to his darkest thoughts as he resolves to pursue bloody deeds. Murders represent one of the most significant issues of Hamlet and Macbeth. The first murders to happen are the regicides whose execution causes feelings of deterioration that permeate the whole of the plays and leads the murderers into damnation. While the regicides are carefully thought-out, most of the other murders are done heedlessly and without thinking. This recklessness eventually results in the fall of both Hamlet and Macbeth. |
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