Essay: Destruction of Natural Order Theme in “Macbeth” Traced in Human, Animal Worlds

The recurring theme of destruction of natural order is first seen several times throughout the human world. In the beginning of the play, King Duncan is a respected and honourable king. When Macbeth makes the impulsive decision to murder him in his sleep for the throne, it changes everything. The Great Chain of Being plays a large part in the play and is a perfect representation of natural order. In the Chain of Being everything has a place. A King is ahead of everyone in the human chain. Macbeth, a once noble soldier moves up the chain and murders King Duncan while he is peacefully sleeping. Macbeth knows Duncan trusts and respects him dearly he says to himself “He’s here in double trust”(1.7.12). The moment the words “ I have done the deed” come out of his mouth, everything changes. This traumatic event can not be undone and affects the whole entire play. From that moment on, Macbeth’s true personality and intentions are revealed. Macbeth rebels by destroying something the people of Scotland value: order. The play is set in Scotland in the eleventh century, during this time the practice of witchcraft is punishable by death. The three witches do not respect this rule and do not value natural order in any way. They tell Macbeth his prophecy and when the words “All hail Macbeth” come out of their mouths they put poison in Macbeth’s mind and cause a war (1.3. 47). The witches are seen breaking the rules throughout the whole play. In Act 4 a eerie scene occurs where they create a potion containing several odd ingredients such as a young owl, lips, a liver, a lizard’s leg, eye of newt, and the most shocking ingredient “Finger of a birth- strangled babe” (4.1. 30). All of the ingredients in the witches’ cooking pot are items the Elizabethans consider poisonous, but more importantly, unnatural. The witches also are seen listening to Paddock and Graymalkin: a frog and a toad. Animals are much lower on the Chain of Being so this confirms they do not value any sort of order. The witches in the story are a perfect example of characters that clearly do not make sense, their prophecies, who they worship, what they practice, it is all a disruption of natural order, none of it is normal. The theme of destruction of natural order is also seen several times throughout the animal world.
Destruction of natural order throughout the animal world commences after King Duncan is killed. In Act 2, Scene 4 there is a discussion between Ross and old man and they discuss the peculiar animal behaviour and actions and how the unnatural events occur after the King passes. The old man states “ A falcon tow’ring in her pride of place/ Was by a mousing owl hawk’d at and kill’d” (2.4. 13-14). This is a reflection of Macbeth and King Duncan, and another reversal of the chain. An ordinary owl, who usually kills mice, moved up the chain and killed a falcon, a bird that is more powerful and higher up on the Chain of Being. They also discuss how two of the King’s horses rebel against training that made them obedient and kill each other, they state “Duncan’s horses, a thing most strange and certain,/ Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,/ Turn’d wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out” (2.4. 14-16). Ross confirms he witnessed the horses eating each other with his own eyes. It is another outcome of the King’s murder and another violation of natural order. Two horses, the same animal, betray one another and kill each other, just like how Macbeth kills someone his own kind, his own family. Furthermore, the ruining of natural order is also seen within the nature and weather.
The last portrayal of destruction of natural order is seen throughout nature and weather, which also occurs after the King’s death. Shakespeare believed events in the world of nature were reflected or affected by events in the world of a man. The same night the King dies, Lennox tells Macbeth how “The night has been unruly”, meaning the night has been chaotic. He begins by saying the winds were so strong the chimneys fell over. He says “Some say the earth/ Was feverous and did shake”, an earthquake even occurs (2.3. 55-56). Aside from animals, Ross and the old man also discuss how “By the clock ‘tis day,/ And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp” meaning it is daytime but darkness covers the earth, so an eclipse occurs following the King’s passing (2.4. 6-7). This becomes a symbol of political struggle and Macbeth and his darkness choking the light: the King. The characters are all shook from the events within nature that are occurring following the King’s death and it appears as if nothing is normal anymore, “ ‘Tis unnatural,/ Even like the deed that’s done” (2.4. 11-12). They know it is unnatural and connect it back to the murder of their dear King. The natural world turns into chaos after the murder. When Scotland loses their King, someone they praise everyone, even nature is mourning his death and reflecting Macbeth’s twisted actions. Once the King dies and natural order begins away, the earth and nature begins to act up. The disruption of natural order was seen in several different worlds, although within nature it was haunting due to the fact that the earth falls apart and humans have no control over it anymore, and people need order, it is reassurance.
The eradication of natural order is a consistent theme seen throughout the whole entire play. It is seen within the human world, the animal world, and the world of nature. In the human world, the moment that marks the play and initiates the theme of destruction of natural order is the murder of the King. Then within the animal world there is once again a reversal of the Great Chain of Being, when a prey, and owl kills a predator, a falcon. Afterwards, two obedient horses of the same kind rebel and kill each other. Finally, within nature chaotic events occur. There is an earthquake, and eclipse, and winds so strong it knocks down chimneys. All of these terrible events are the aftermath of the passing of the King. (need closing sentence)