The Pursuit of Heaven, or Hell?
By Lucienne Henry
“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness
consists of...”. This is a true statement made by Albert Camus, and one of which
Shakespeare was trying to convey in the tragedy of Macbeth. Shakespeare’s message
in the play was that the pursuit of happiness is misleading. When happiness is
pursued consciously and ruthlessly it may at first seem like happiness. However, the
pursuit will ultimately compromise happiness, not gain it. Nonetheless if the pursuit
is not for happiness but for rightly and just reasons even when faced with adversity
happiness is the ending result. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are two examples of
ruthless pursuers of happiness. They killed and betrayed, trying to find
contentment. Macduff is the example of a just and righteous man who lost much, but
continued to fight which ended in his happiness.
Macbeth was a noble warrior. However in the pursuit of his own happiness
he murdered and betrayed. Macbeth’s first act of selfishness was when he killed
king Duncan. Macbeth killed Duncan because he knew it would place him on the
throne of Scotland. After killing Duncan and trying to force upon himself his own
happiness Macbeth felt guilty and heard voices, they were the first warning.
“Methought, I heard a voice cry, ‘sleep no more!/ Macbeth does murder sleep’…” Pp
81 lines 47-48. Macbeth thought that by killing he was insuring his future
happiness. Macbeth decided to seek out more happiness by murdering his friend
Banquo. After sending murderer’s to kill Banquo once again Macbeth felt guilty.
Macbeth saw the ghost of Banquo. This was Macbeth’s second warning. Finally,
Macbeth killed Macduff’s family. This was Macbeth’s final act of a selfish pursuit of
happiness. Up to the killing of Macduff’s family Macbeth was pursuing his own
happiness ruthlessly. By killing Macduff’s family Macbeth thought that he was
pursuing his own happiness but in reality that is what gave Macduff reason to kill
Macbeth. In his pursuit of attaining his foretold happiness all of the actions Macbeth
did contributed to his death and so the compromise of his happiness.
Lady Macbeth, at first was the serpent behind the poisoned tooth. Macbeth’s
wife, Lady Macbeth was the main factor in Macbeth’s murder of king Duncan. When
Lady Macbeth found out that Macbeth was Thane of Cawdor, she was the first to
suggest the killing of Duncan. Lady Macbeth wanted to be in power and to be queen.
She was the one who they had originally planned, to kill Duncan. However when
Lady Macbeth saw Duncan sleeping she said he looked like her father and could not
kill him. Even though she did not kill Duncan she planted the daggers with the
guards. Therefore she was just as involved as Macbeth. In her pursuit of happiness
Lady Macbeth got her wish, she was queen. However even as queen, which she had
originally thought would bring her happiness she was distressed. She was troubled
because she was guilty about killing Duncan. “Here’s the smell of blood still: all the
perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” Pp 213 lines 45-46.
Interestingly enough she things that she thought would bring her happiness, caused
her undoing. Lady Macbeth went mad. Out of guilt for killing Duncan Lady Macbeth
killed herself. In pursuing her perceived happiness consciously and ruthlessly what
seemed like happiness turned to the compromise of her happiness and eventual
death.
Macduff was a noble man who stayed right and justly even in times where many a
man would prove ruthless and selfish. Macduff was a noble man, noble to the king
and his family. Macduff was the first to see that the king was slain. Even though his
king had been slain Macduff put aside his personal emotions and hailed Macbeth
who was the new king of Scotland. Once Macbeth was king and showed his true
colors, Macduff fled to England to help Malcolm leaving his family behind. For the
greater good of Scotland, his country Macduff left his family. That was a huge
personal sacrifice on Macduff’s part. When Macduff was away Macbeth murdered
Macduff’s family. This was Macduff’s second challenge. First Macduff’s king was
slain, then his family. This was a pivotal point because Macduff could have chosen to
pursue personal happiness, which would be to abandon the war effort and start a
new family. Or he could stay with the war effort and fight for others and put his
personal happiness aside. Macduff fought for what was right. In fighting for what
was right Macduff found that he pursued his happiness when he was able to finally
get revenge on Macbeth by killing him. “Hail, king! For so thou art: behold, where
stands/ The usuper’s cursed head: the time is free:…” Pp 255 lines 25-26. When
Macduff was faced with adversity he chose the path to be rightly and just, and in
doing so he obtained his happiness.
In the Shakespearian tragedy Macbeth the common theme is how one can pursue
and compromises happiness. The message conveyed about this theme is that in a
relentless pursuit of personal happiness, it eventually becomes a pursuit of
compromised happiness. Macbeth and his Wife, Lady Macbeth were two examples
of that. The play also conveys the message that instead of pursuing personal
happiness pursuing what is right will eventually end with personal satisfaction.
Macduff is an example of that in the tragedy. The pursuit of happiness can be selfish
or not, it is up to the individual to decide on how to pursue it.