Issue No.1 19/12/2012 Hubble, Bubble, Toil and Inside: Trouble Book Reviews Analyses Short Stories Competitions Headline Article: Macbeth: Shakespeare’s greatest hero or Read the first part of “The Girl worst villain? from the Tower”, the King’s English serial story: Page 9 1 Welcome to the first edition of “King’s English” Editor’s Introduction Contents Welcome to the first edition of King’s English. Over the past few months my fellow students and I 1) Headline Article - page 3 have put together a number of articles to present to Macbeth: Shakespeare’s greatest hero you in the first edition of this publication, new to or worst villain? the Wickson Library and English Department. We - Cameron Szerdy have gathered a plethora of articles, most written completely by students, and the quality of some of 2) Book Review – page 5 these works is superb. From analysing Prejudice and Heartache: A review of Shakespeare, to reviewing modern authors such as Kathryn Stockett’s ‘The Help’ Kathryn Stockett, our writers have created a great - Ananth Ranjit range of articles for your enjoyment, all of which we hope will be interesting and informative. 3) The Poetry Corner- page 6 Through the creation of this publication, many of Selected Poetry for Christmas us have been able to go beyond the syllabus, exploring our personal literary interests to an 4) Book Review – page 7 extent we may not have been able to otherwise; it The Road Less Travelled: A review of has been a very enjoyable experience and we urge Cormac McCarthy’s ‘The Road’ any student who wishes to get involved in the next - Chris Robson edition to do so. 5) King’s English Serial Story – page 9 I would like to thank everyone who helped to make The Girl from the Tower: Part one this magazine a success; thanks go first to Ann A murder mystery by: Marie McMahon and Ros Harding, who have helped - Barnaby Rule to support the creation of this publication at every stage of its development; thanks also to Natalie 6) Seasonal Article – page 11 Metcalf for the brilliant front cover she created for What the Dickens! An analysis of us; thanks go to Ananth Ranjit for his assistance Charles Dickens’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ with the formatting of the magazine, helping us to - Ann Marie McMahon bring it through its final stages of development. Finally, thanks go to all the students who put in 7) Book Review - 14 their time and effort to create what I consider to be Step into their skin: a review of Harper some outstanding articles, pieces that reflect the Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird passion and energy they have for Literature, - Hayley Milner without whom none of this would ever have been possible. 8) Play Review - 15 In Chase of Fool’s Gold: a review Literature is a subject of inherent importance, for of Ben Jonson’s ‘The Alchemist’ the tales told by great literary works hold “the - Cameron Szerdy mirror up to nature”, reflect the different facets of humanity, and engage us upon the deepest emotion 9) Shakespeare Analysis – page 17 level; Literature influences our lives to an extent “The fool doth think he is wise...” we cannot imagine, moving us to take action in a critical analysis of ‘Twelfth Night’ unforeseen ways and changing the very pillars of - Chris Robson our morality. It is a subject my fellow students and I hold an immense passion for, one which we 10) Book Review – page 19 believe requires the most earnest attention and Sin and Vengeance: a review of enjoyment. I hope you too will delight in its pages, Stephen King’s ‘Carrie’ and enjoy the small portion of it which we present - Nia Hughes to you here. 11) Games and Competitions – page 20 Christopher Robson. A selection of games and competitions: prizes are available 2 Macbeth: Shakespeare’s greatest hero or worst villain? Camerson Szerdy character to understand and in his consciousness by more explores virtue and evil gauge, his changing nature and vigorous urges. Macbeth, by personality provide a much nature, violently demands within Macbeth debated question: Macbeth: rewards and fights courageously protagonist or antagonist? Good in order to be reported as a or evil? Hero or villain? ‘valour’s minion’ and ‘Bellona's bridegroom.’ Macbeth values “Despite its being success because it brings fame, Shakespeare’s shortest new titles, and royal favour, as long as these mutable goods fulfil tragedy, it gave the his desires, which is the case: until literary world one of the he covets the kingship, Macbeth is most complex and an honourable gentleman. Once Macbeth's self-love demands a fascinating characters in satisfaction that cannot be the eponymous Macbeth” honourably obtained, he employs dishonourable tactics to gain his Macbeth is first presented selfish desires. In 1606 William as a mature man of established Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, character, successful as a soldier, “Until he covets the wrote a play which would go and enjoying an enviable down in history as cursed. reputation. One must not conclude kingship, Macbeth is an Although most would consider it that all Macbeth's actions are honourable gentleman.” only to be coincidence when any predictable. Macbeth's character misfortune strikes a production, is made out of potentialities and As Macbeth returns even today actors and theatre folk the environment, and no one, not victoriously from battle, his self- refuse to say its title while inside a even Macbeth, can know all of his love demands recognition of his theatre, possibly referring to it as inordinate self-love. Macbeth is greatness. The demonic forces of the ‘Scottish Play’ or ‘MacBee’. determined by a desire for evil that drive Macbeth, Despite that, ‘Macbeth’ is one of temporal and mutable gain. symbolized by the witches, Shakespeare’s most widely- suggest to him to obtain the performed tragedies and Macbeth is driven in his greatest mutable good he has ever continues to be a popular text for conduct by an excessive desire for desired, the kingdom. The witches both study and performance in worldly honours; his self-esteem observe Macbeth's expressions to modern times. It was written for lies in ‘buying golden opinion’s understand the passions that are Shakespeare’s new patron, James I from all sorts of people. One driving the ‘black and deep (James VI of Scotland), following shouldn’t deny Macbeth a human desires’ he is so valiantly the death of Queen Elizabeth I. complexity of motives. For attempting to suppress. The James was interested in witchcraft example, his fighting in Duncan's witches predict Macbeth will be and Scotland, and hence these service is magnificent and king. The witches cannot compel themes are engrained in the play. courageous, and he justly deserves Macbeth to do evil deeds, but they The play itself tells the story of a the accolade of ‘brave Macbeth’, can use Macbeth's desire to man, urged by his wife and which the Captain bestows upon become king to pervert his foretold by prophecy, who him. Macbeth also rejoices in the judgment of reason and to corral commits regicide in order to gain success that crowns his efforts in him to choose fluctuating profit. power. Despite its being battle and glories in his service to Macbeth's imagination and Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, it Duncan: ‘The service and the passions are so vivid under these gave the literary world one of the loyalty I owe,/ In doing it, pays evil impulses that ‘nothing is but most complex and fascinating itself.’ While Macbeth destroys what is not.’ Macbeth's reason characters in the eponymous Duncan's enemies, such motives becomes so impeded that he Macbeth. A fiendishly difficult work, but they become obscured judges, ‘These supernatural 3 solicitings cannot be ill, cannot be essence he convinces himself that does, he does in pursuance of good.’ Still Macbeth is provided by tormenting his soul to a point meaningless accolades, and to with so much natural good that he past that beyond which any escape a present evil. Macbeth is able to control his imagination spiritual pain is felt, he will satisfy never completely loses his and decide not to attempt any act his inept needs. He imagines that freedom of choice. However, since that involves criminal actions: ‘If the execution of bloodier deeds a free act is in accordance with chance will have me king, why will serve his purpose. Macbeth reason, as his reason becomes chance may crown me /Without instigates the murder of Banquo in blinded, his actions become less my stir’. His decision to commit the interest of personal safety – ‘to and less free. This accounts for murder is not based upon moral be safely thus’ - and to destroy the Macbeth's actions becoming more grounds. As a friend and as a final piece of humanity in him. No externally controlled as the play subject, Macbeth has feelings of peace is gained from the murder progresses, and the final feeling is loyalty towards the king. The of Banquo. Macbeth's conscience that Macbeth has lost all free will. consequences Macbeth fears are obliges him to see the negative Macbeth violates his natural law, not completely inward and quality of evil and the barren and his acts establish habits of spiritual. It is to be doubted results of wicked action. The irrational doings, resulting in the whether Macbeth ever considers individual who once prized loss of freedom of choice. the effects of his crime and the evil capricious honours in the form of upon the human soul that he later respect and admiration from those “Macbeth..