캘빈주의적 배덕자로서의 악인 주인공 맥베스
Macbeth a Villain-hero as a Calvinist Reprobate
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Similar to the Vices in the medieval morality plays, Shakespearean villains such as Iago, Edmund, and Richard III tend to enjoy committing evil deeds. As Renaissance rationalists, they also display extraordinary abilities in planning, executing and even dissembling. Macbeth a villain-hero is, however, quite different from the typical Shakespearean villains. For instance, unlike Iago and Edmund, he is an unsuccessful dissembler; he is also conscience-stricken enough to hate his evil thoughts, although he still executes them to satisfy his desires. His passivity and guiltiness have often been discussed by modern critics. This paper examines these characteristics and other related matters in light of Calvinism, a theological system crucial to understanding the intellectual, religious, and cultural contexts of Shakespeare's play. As a Calvinist reprobate Macbeth is under the influence of the outer evil force. Upon hearing the Witches' prophecy that he will become a king, he is too mesmerized to raise logical questions about it. Although he knows that he is pondering something evil, he cannot escape the lure of the evil. In Macbeth Shakespeare gives full attention to the agony of the villain-hero, and the audience tends to have a sympathy with him rather than blame him for his heinous crimes. Macbeth is a Renaissance Everyman considering the general sympathy towards a Calvinist reprobate in Shakespeare's time. Many of Shakespeare's contemporaries thought that each individual is subject to the state of reprobate because God's grace is uncertain up to the last moment of his or her life. Despite the audience's sympathy for Macbeth's struggle, his damnation is justified in the end, and the audience does not feel any sense of loss at his death. Still, Macbeth is a tragedy which produces Aristotelian catharsis in the audience. Despite his eventual damnation, Macbeth a villain-hero makes us realize the value of the lost human virtues－the virtues which would have flourished if they were not destroyed by the power of evil.
Abstract
Similar to the Vices in the medieval morality plays, Shakespearean villains such as Iago, Edmund, and Richard III tend to enjoy committing evil deeds. As Renaissance rationalists, they also display extraordinary abilities in planning, executing and even dissembling. Macbeth a villain-hero is, however, quite different from the typical Shakespearean villains. For instance, unlike Iago and Edmund, he is an unsuccessful dissembler; he is also conscience-stricken enough to hate his evil thoughts, although he still executes them to satisfy his desires. His passivity and guiltiness have often been discussed by modern critics. This paper examines these characteristics and other related matters in light of Calvinism, a theological system crucial to understanding the intellectual, religious, and cultural contexts of Shakespeare's play. As a Calvinist reprobate Macbeth is under the influence of the outer evil force. Upon hearing the Witches' prophecy that he will become a king, he is too mesmerized to raise logical questions about it. Although he knows that he is pondering something evil, he cannot escape the lure of the evil. In Macbeth Shakespeare gives full attention to the agony of the villain-hero, and the audience tends to have a sympathy with him rather than blame him for his heinous crimes. Macbeth is a Renaissance Everyman considering the general sympathy towards a Calvinist reprobate in Shakespeare's time. Many of Shakespeare's contemporaries thought that each individual is subject to the state of reprobate because God's grace is uncertain up to the last moment of his or her life. Despite the audience's sympathy for Macbeth's struggle, his damnation is justified in the end, and the audience does not feel any sense of loss at his death. Still, Macbeth is a tragedy which produces Aristotelian catharsis in the audience. Despite his eventual damnation, Macbeth a villain-hero makes us realize the value of the lost human virtues－the virtues which would have flourished if they were not destroyed by the power of evil.
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