Macbeth Compared to Out, Out Essay

Macbeth Literary Essay

In Macbeth by Shakespeare and Out, out---by Robert Frost, the way the characters deal with death reflects the authors outlook on life. In each story the deceaseds family goes on with their lives quickly after their loved ones death. Each tragedy shows how death can be untimely and unexpected.

In Macbeth by Shakespeare, Macbeths wife commits suicide out of guilt. Early on in the play Lady Macbeth is involved in the killing of the king and has a hard time living with herself afterwards. She continues to suffer with her shame at night while she sleeps. She relives the horrible event in a dream-like state. She eventually decides to take her own life as a means to end her pain. While all of this is going on, Macbeth is at war and is losing. When he gets the news of his wifes death he takes on a very pessimistic view of life itself. He says that her death came at an inconvenient time and he is too busy to stop what hes doing to mourn. The characterization of Macbeth accurately displays his outlook on life. Upon learning that his wife has killed herself, Macbeth immediately talks about how short life is and how its somewhat pathetic that everyone just does what they can with what little time they have and then their gone. Macbeth doesnt spend much time mourning his wifes death but instead states that it was inevitable but that now is an inopportune time for her to die. This shows that hes going to move on with his life.

Shakespeare uses metaphors to portray Macbeths attitude towards life. He compares life to a brief candle which means life is short and easily ended. He then compares life to an actor who frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. This shows how insignificant each person is. He compares life to a tale---- Told by an idiot. Full of sound and fury, ---- Signifying nothing. This again stresses how meaningless a single life is.

In Out, out--- by Robert Frost, a boy loses his life as a result of an accident with a buzz saw. He is outside cutting wood at the saw and cuts his hand badly. A doctor attempts to save his life but he dies will in the dark of ether. The personification of the saw helps to convey the authors view of life and death. The buzz saw snarls and rattles in the yard. This represents the something evil and dangerous. Later in the poem, the boys sister calls him for dinner. The saw as is to prove saws knew what the word meant, ---- Leaped out of the boys hand. The evil expressed in the saw and the innocence of the boy show how unfair and untimely a death can be.

The irony in this poem by Robert Frost helps to stress the unexpectedness and unfortunate death of a young boy. The author describes a beautiful Vermont setting with mountains and a sunset. He also describes the sweet smell of wood in the air that might remind someone of being outdoors enjoying nature. Its ironic that the setting of the story is so appealing because a horrible event is about the take place within the beauty. This shows how sudden and unanticipated the boys death was and how such an awful death could take place in such a stunning place.

Both Shakespeare and Robert Frost use different literary techniques in their pieces to communicate their views on life and death. The characters in the writings are devastated but easily continue with their lives. Its shown how untimely and unfair a death can be and how unimportant a single life is.