Modern Day Parallels in Macbeth Shakespeare's Macbeth is unquestionably one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies from the use of foreshadowing to the topics of conflict still present in modern day society. It's almost as if he knew these conflicts would plague man for centuries to come. Then again its almost as if Shakespeare could predict the future. An example is Othello, Shakespeare's depiction of a black man in power, was way ahead of its time. In Macbeth we see many conflicts that are still present in society. Everything from peer pressure, greed, jealousy and many others, which we all at some point have fallen prey to. I chose to write this essay to show the modern parallels we see in Macbeth. How the things that Shakespeare wrote about in his time occur today and what can we learn from it.
One major conflict we see in Macbeth, which is one of the contributing factors to the outcome of the play, is mans obsession with knowing their future.
Lady Macbeth by George Cattermole.
English: Poster of Thos. W. Keene in William Shake...
The sleepwalking Lady MacbethIn Macbeth, we see such in the curiosity in Macbeth and Banquo when the witches speak their first prophecy.
"Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner You greet with present grace and great prediction Of noble having and of royal hope, That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not.
If you can look into these seeds of time, And say which grain will grow and which will not, Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favors nor your hate."� (Act 1,Scene3) It is these prophecies told by the witches that intrigue Macbeth and lead him to commit murder. Once he knew what his future would be he could not wait and let nature take its course. He had to make it happen sooner. We see this in everyday...