by Anantinee Mishra
‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair.’
William Shakespeare, renowned poet and playwright and considered to be the greatest writer of the English language as well as the world’s greatest dramatist, has a vast number of paragons to his credit, ranging from plays to poetry to sonnets.
Some of his, as well as English language’s, masterpieces include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and of course, Macbeth.
Macbeth. Shakespeare choreographs a stunningly captivating, bracingly lucid embodiment of a man who, step by step, cedes his soul to his own darkest impulses, in rapacious pursuit of personal glory. It is an anatomy of corruption, inscribing the path from power foretold from power seized to power clung to at all costs.
It is a riveting narration of spontaneous greed, conquering ambition, and a hunger for power that is so skilfully concealed beneath the mask each of us wears as a façade.
Macbeth is the unmasking of that mask.
It is critically acclaimed as what is a perfect portrayal of the conflict man faces every day, between good and bad, black and white, right and wrong. Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy is an expedition of rise to power, and then the fall from it, fraught with the questions of the mind for that of the soul, as paranoia and guilt gripped the heart of once a loyal general Macbeth.
General Macbeth, after the victory of King Duncan of Scotland, while with his companion Banquo, discovers three witches, who then proceed to tell him his destiny of his two promotions, the second one, becoming the King of Scotland one day; the echoes of their words ringing in Macbeth’s ears, unnerving him, creating holes in his pledged yet crumbling loyalty to King Duncan.
Then one of the said promotions takes place, and belief takes root.
Lady Macbeth, that malevolent alpha, still needs to give her husband a shove- still needs, even, to finish what he started by murdering King Duncan, who has been nothing but generous to Macbeth, and at the moment their houseguest. Ultimately, it’s the late King’s attendants who are charged with the guilt of cold-blooded murder.
The summary, and the tragic ending, of Macbeth, could be told, but to see the gradual, yet the inevitable loss of man’s deep-founded morals, and then his own sanity, as it is conveyed through the magical worlds of the story that Shakespeare has woven, the play has to be read, has to be felt.
It’s a story of the shades of our soul, the deepest, darkest desires that we try so hard to keep buried, and of the destruction Macbeth staged, in his whirlwind of conquest for power, filled with tethering moments of madness and tyranny, complete with prophecies, hallucinations, and descent to insanity.
They say the truth. No addiction worse in this world, than that of power.
About the Author:
Anantinee ‘JHUMPA’ Mishra is a prodigy author, poet and TED speaker. She is twelve years old studying in std.8th at Apeejay School, Saket, New Delhi. She has published two books and many stories and articles in magazines and journals. At the age of ten, she published a 21,000 worded anthology of stories called ‘Treasure of Short Stories’. Last year her debut Novel ‘Manhattan to Munnar’ got released. Recently she has been conferred with a title ‘PRODIGY AUTHOR’ and an ‘HONORARY DIPLOMA’ by the Hon’ble Vice President of India Sh. M Venkaiah Naidu.
One finds the rythm and spontaneity of coining words and that too tougher ones, ,hallmark Anantinee ‘a this weekend’s piece.She brought back to our college classes and teachers. Use of Mask in title ,is very relevance. Again congratulations and thanks to this child.
She has grasped the drama very well. She has also commented upon Shakespeare’s analysis of human nature and its deep layers. Brilliant use of language.
Philosophical understanding of the text is really fascinating.
Keep it up Jhumpa.
I have read the classic half a century ago,but never viewed in the way this child prodigy has depicted fluently in a unique style. Thanks to her, I would read the book again find out how and why I had not devoured the real taste of the great epic.
Very nice for having confered with such prestigious awards. May God bless her to reach more and more hights
Hats off to our ‘Prodigy Author’
It’s not only wonderful but a great experience reading your articles. Thanks & God bless you.
Attempting a critique of Shakespeare at this age and with such confidence is praiseworthy. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s brilliant creation s, which explores nuances of human frailties and aspirations. Anantinee’s interpretation of Macbeth as a sort of human mask hiding baser emotions deserves appreciation. I wish her a bright future.
The greatest ever known dramist has been handled by Anantinee with grest ease in her own style of lucidity.I wish her good luck in her future attempts.A new star indeed…..