Good Angel in Macbeth

By – Joe Antony Vimal

Published in Ashvamegh: Issue XI: December 2015

As we all know the life of Dr. Faustus, we should grasp the entries and efforts taken by Angels. It is their roles which is highly stimulated in the life of the greatest Doctor. He knows the life and struggles of it. Though he is familiar with the philosophy, he makes his life as great example of philosophy. He contributes himself as an example.

Dispatching the characters in literature is not only giving pleasure but also giving innovative mind set and relaxing thoughts. It is providing great rapture to resettle the Good Angel in Dr. Faustus into Macbeth. For, In Macbeth, Bad Angel has a form in the name of Three Witches and Lady Macbeth. So we need the Good Angel to represent in it.

We are all human beings. We struggle a lot between good and bad. Not often but whenever we are making some steps to do goodness in our life or others, it is also a lucky fate to face some struggles. It is the things done by bad angels. Because of through some struggles, we can taste the goodness. In short, though we face problems, they are either good or bad; it is our character which determines the purity of life.  Two things decide the character of human being. The way we manage when we have NOTHING. And the way we behave EVERYTHING in hand.  Without this understanding, the greatest legends of world drama Dr. Faustus and Macbeth smell the ground and make them smudge.

Character of Macbeth:

Macbeth is a great and brave soldier. He is very valiant warrior. But the problem is his easy mind to hope prophecies easily. As I have quoted already;

“Fortunately the first prophecy becomes true. Unfortunately Macbeth makes everything true thereafter”

He thereafter must continue to murder to keep his title alive.

The struggles faced by Macbeth:

In the beautiful World, Almost every character has a goal and a challenge to overcome. Macbeth himself can be credited to having the most complex and constantly fluctuating struggle in this painful play- his power. His struggle is his power. His struggle is his belief towards prophecies.  Fortunately the first prophecy becomes true. Unfortunately Macbeth makes everything true thereafter. It is his character; it is his surroundings. In real life, bad things become clean and clear to our polluted eyes rather than the echo of goodness becomes dust and dirty. It is human tendency to hope the visible rather than invisible.  The very particle size belief in bad is enough to ruin the greatest ocean of good. His conscience echoes while he turns towards prophecies. But he voluntarily makes it dump.

His conscience is not enough to warn him to do the unfortunate. So, in this article we just need to transfer the goodness. We borrow the good angel from Dr. Faustus. He doesn’t allow the good angel to make victory. But the good angel here might change Macbeth. Need to know what have the good angel done in Dr. Faustus before shifting.

The good angel has done the following;

• It forces him to make a decision that can help his future.
• It says;

“Faustus, repent; yet God will pity thee.”

• And it again insists;

“Oh Faustus, lay that damned book aside,

And gaze not on it lest it tempt thy soul

And heap God’s heavy wrath upon thy head.”

–Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 69-71: Good angel to Faustus

• “Never too late, if Faustus will repent”

The good angel gives whole support to repent. It consoles him and encourages him. But he doesn’t. He says;

• “My heart is hardened; I cannot repent.
  Scarce can I name salvation, faith, or heaven”.(2.3.12-18)

Likewise in Macbeth, The prophecy and his greed make him sin. But even before he commits, his conscience gives a chance to think. But there stands Bad Angel. Usually and regularly bad angels in daily life cheat us.  He is afraid of his conscience, even though his greed dominates him.

That is why he says;

• “Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.”

So we need to resettle the Good Angel here to make him escape from his punishment. It is an example of creative ideas. So it is the combination of Marlow and Shakespeare. You can name this work as “Mactus” by the new author as “Shakelow”.

Migration to Macbeth:

Macbeth is originally good character. His feelings of guilty represent him as a man of human character even after murdering King Duncan. He murdered the king because of his wife, his first villain. Without his intension he murdered the king through the insulting words of Lady Macbeth. He is having the human trait, Guilt. That is why he sets the murderers to kill Banquo.

The angels drive from Dr. Faustus to Macbeth. There good angel couldn’t rescue the Hero. But here we plant newly the good angel in Macbeth. If he is aware of the good angel, he can be a better King without committing even a sin. Then he can modify and say the same quote as;

• “Stars show me your grace; Let your grace change my black and deep desires.”

So I wish to challenge the negatives with great self-confidence. As I have told, we need to behave better while having everything and try to manage while having nothing.

Introduction to the Author:

Joe Antony Vimal (05 May 1989) is an Assistant Professor in English presently working in Annai Vailankanni Arts and Science College- Thanjavur, Tamilnadu. He got College first in his Under Graduate and Got University second in his Bachelor of Education and completed his Post Graduate and Master of Philosophy now doing his Master of Education. He has the ability of writing poetry in two languages namely Tamil and English. He has written 7 poems in English.  As a musician and director of Many Short films, he has given some peaceful music to the People. He is a well-rounded individual who lives with passion, dedication, and grace. He is well supported to the groups.