#edmund doesn't solve the problem of the stupid play being done by joining it | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

itspileofgoodthings · 5 years ago

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Suddenly a new ambition is presented to [Macbeth]... and he realizes that nothing lies across his path to the Crown of Scotland except the sleeping body of Duncan. If he does that one cruel thing, he can be infinitely kind and happy. Here, I say, is the first and most formidable of the great actualities of Macbeth. You cannot do a mad thing in order to reach sanity. Macbeth's mad resolve is not a cure even for his own irresolution.

The Macbeths, G. K. Chesterton

#g.k. chesterton #the macbeths #macbeth #seriously one of the best pieces of literary criticism i've ever read on macbeth #or tbh anything #so so good #a fundamental human truth #that any bad action or compromising action or dishonorable action can never lead to good #so simple! but so obvious!!#edmund doesn't solve the problem of the stupid play being done by joining it #macbeth doesn't solve the problem of his position or ambition by killing duncan!#two extreme examples but i love them because the truth applies big or small #this is one of the great truths i want to think about forever #because it feels to me like THE answer to everything #happiness cannot be gained by overstepping or even compromising what is good and right #it can't do anything except make everything worse #chesterton says in the essay that giving in to the act almost doesn't even get rid of the temptation!!!!!!#how shockingly true is that. when nearly all sin is given into in part because we fear the temptation will never leave #but the giving in only increases the specter of it #just. what an earth-shaking thing to consider.#love. it.

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