Macbeth and the Berlin Wall
PLP 11 took their first lecture this week, with head held high as information was dumped upon them, and their fingers scrambled to clean it up. Learning about the war is a challenge especially since so much information about dates and events are being thrown up in the air, it is literally a scramble to catch it all. Though this post is made to connect things I learned about WW2 and Macbeth, which I have yet to mention. We are also learning about Macbeth in this unit. Hot off finishing act one, I am ready to make some connections when one hits me right between the eyes. In Macbeth, (spoiler alert) king Duncan is the subject to killing. Thane of glamis and cawdor, Macbeth is told he is going to be king by 3 witches. Macbeth believes these witches with prompting from his very masculine wife, lady Macbeth, and they begin to plot. King Duncan is only killed for his title. For the fact that if dead the title would go to Macbeth, I assume. This made a connection to the Berlin Wall, a funny and questionable relation, I agree but hear me out.
Berlin Wall
When the allies became the “victors” of WW2, they obtained Germany and “nurtured” it back into the economic state it needed to be in, Instead of just turning their back on it.
Though they second the allies were conquering land the Russians came soaring into Germany on a direct course to Berlin. They wanted Berlin for the title, and the power obtained with it. The allies close behind, but just not fast enough then lost all hope at obtaining the full power of Berlin forever. They split the title and power, and became power hungry, and enemies.
Macbeth
This connection ties the fact that lady Macbeth talks Macbeth into murdering king Duncan for the title, as the allies and Russia are talked into splitting the power, just for the title.
This feeling of nothing being better then you are, or no one being higher then you are, lead both of these situations right into the dirt. Because the allies couldn’t let go of Berlin and the fact that the Russians would have soul occupation of it, partially lead to the Cold War, and becuase Macbeth is told that the only way to be manly, or the only way to be strong is to kill the king, he is walking right into his own death – because that’s what they think the better person would do.
Today
It’s funny when you think about the role that society, and it’s norms play on our decions and you can see in this example clear as day that these situations would not have happened would either of them thought it manly or strong to back down. You can see this throughout time.
When your masculinity becomes something of question its a fight to get it back. Take for instance my brother, my dad and I biking up Mt. Seymour. I harassed them to continue biking, but they only listened because they didn’t want to be the lesser biker. They didn’t want anyone being better then them! Of course no hard feelings, and I barely even noticed it, but its just something to think about!
I choose to express my further knowledge in this topic in the form of a timeline of masculinity! Enjoy!
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