"All things truly wicked start from an innocence" - Ernest Hemingway

https://38.media.tumblr.com/761e20abdb9e468c3accfb3603720562/tumblr_inline_ncsp86wSid1sxlyin.gif

When we think of evil, we automatically envision the worst of the worst. So why is it that someone who is good would choose evil? Maybe they believed it would be easy. Maybe they believed it wouldn't lead to more evil. Maybe they did not choose evil. Maybe someone else made that choice for them and they were too weak to argue. 

In Macbeth, it is evident that Macbeth did not take his first step on his own. His step was heavily encouraged by someone very close to him: his wife. The Wyrd Sister say to Macbeth, "All hail, Macbeth , that shalt be King hereafter!" (Macbeth, 1.3). Of course, Macbeth had to tell his wife about this amazing prophecy and, once he writes to her, we hear Lady Macbeth's response. She wants more than anything for Macbeth to get the power he has been told he will receive. Macbeth wants this power as well, but he wishes to hang onto his morals and refuses to kill King Duncan... at first.

By the end of Act I, Macbeth is already beginning to take his first steps toward evil. His first step isn't killing Duncan, his first step is deciding to kill Duncan. However, as I already stated, Macbeth does not make this decision on his own. Lady Macbeth is there doing all she can to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan. She even says, "I would, while it was smiling in my face,/ Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums/ And dashed the brains out" (Macbeth, 1.7). Having your own wife say that she would kill her own child for power makes it easier to think of killing someone unrelated to you for power. At least, that's how Macbeth sees it.

So maybe someone good only becomes evil through other people's persuasion. Still, what happens to these good-turned-evil people? I can only imagine that they don't end up very happy. If you have morals, then I'm sure being evil wouldn't make you feel good. Once again, this is shown through Macbeth as he continues traveling down the road to evil.

Immediately after killing King Duncan, Macbeth feels guilty. He asks, "Will all great Neptune's oceans wash this blood/ Clean from my hand?" (Macbeth, 2.2). Over time, this murder seems to matter less and less to him, until he murders again. This time, he is not the direct murderer, but he calls for the murder to be done. He gives the order for his best friend, Banquo, to be killed. After this, he begins seeing Banquo's ghost and, essentially, he goes insane.

So, to recap, good people don't become evil without a push from someone else, and, once they are evil, they literally go crazy from guilt.

I Really Can't Draw

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/20.151.6

This painting is entitled "Walter Devereux (1539-1576), First Earl of Essex" and was painted using oil on wood by a British painter in 1572. The size of the painting is 41 1/8 inches by 31 1/2 inches. Walter Devereux was named the Earl of Essex in 1572, the same year this painting was done. That same year, he was also installed as a Knight of the Garter. The identity of the painter is unknown as there is not enough evidence to come to a sure conclusion. The painting is British in origin and was done while Elizabeth I was in power. 

Walter Devereux is the main subject of the painting, as the portrait was done to commemorate his rise in power. There is also a crest for the Knights of the Garter seen in the upper left hand corner with an inscription meaning "Shame on him who thinks evil". In the upper right hand corner there are more inscriptions meaning "Envy is the companion of virtue". A knight's helmet can be seen in the bottom right hand corner as well. 

The first thing I noticed about this painting was the amount of gold in it. The painter uses gold to write inscriptions as well as to draw complicated designs on Devereux's armor. When I first saw the image, I already knew the man was of importance because of the enormous amounts of gold. The fact that the detailing is so intricate also brought my attention as I knew someone of lesser status would not have such a detailed painting, if any painting. Devereux's legs are not included in the painting, which I believe is important to note as it puts the entire focus onto Devereux's upper body. Now, Devereux's upper body is covered in armor, which means that the artist meant to draw attention to the armor all along. This makes sense because, as I stated before, this painting was meant to celebrate Devereux's new position in the Knights of the Garter. 

Status was very important in the 1500's as the nobility had all of the power. At the time of this painting, Walter Devereux had just been installed as a Knight of the Garter, as well as the Earl of Essex, meaning that he just rose significantly in status. He gained the title of Knight because of his faithfulness to Elizabeth I. This shows the sheer power of the nobility because Devereux was given a title for being loyal to a royal. Devereux's new power can be seen in his posture, as it is very straight with a hand on a helmet. Te painter did this in order to show Devereux's power. If the helmet and armor aren't enough to show the purpose of the painting, the sign of the Knights of the Garter does. The appearance of the crest makes it known that this man is in favoritism of the Queen and is, therefore, someone that should be listened to. 

P.S. I actually did try really hard on my sketch and I'm honestly a little proud of it, so please enjoy!


http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/20.151.6

http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/33284?=&imgno=0&tabname=label

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=08&region=euwb#/Key-Events