The First Step Down the Primrose Path to the Everlasting Bonfire

Question 1: "Why do people who are not "evil" take the first step into evil? What, for instance, is involved in taking that first step 'down the primrose path to the everlasting bonfire' (Macbeth, 2.3)? What are the consequences of the individual choosing evil (particularly the internal consequences)? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.

People who are not necessarily "evil" take the first steps into evil for a variety of reasons that I believe fall into two main categories: external reasons or internal reasons. External reasons include outside influences on how an individual acts while internal influences deal with the individual's mind and how it is impacted by certain ideals. Each one is equally important in leading people "down the primrose path to the everlasting bonfire" where one evil or corrupt action can lead to more of these actions and the entire situation spiraling out of control (Macbeth 2.3). This quote means that everything seems to be going well as it is quite easy to commit a wrong action in the beginning, but as one continues they are really heading towards the corrupted by power and a place representing hell that they cannot return from. It is also foreshadowing for the awful events of murder that are to take place. The idea of not being able to turn back is represented in the text as Macbeth says, "I am in blood/ Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more/ Returning were as tedious as go o'er" (Macbeth 3.4.168-170). This metaphor of comparing standing in a river of blood to his own actions constructs the meaning that at this point, there is no turning around without the same consequences as continuing forward, and thus Macbeth is left with minimal options as to his next steps to continue down the path to hell.

Some of the common external reasons include social pressure to obtain wealth and power as well as the construct of authority and hierarchy of power. This is prevalent within Macbeth as there is a clear social hierarchy that correlates with the distribution of power. The context of the play, being set in 11th century Scotland, is a time and place where the feudal system dominated society to its core. At first, Macbeth is the Thane of Glamis, already retaining a good amount of power especially compared to those beneath him. Because of his valiant, brave, and heroic actions in battle against the treacherous Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth is given this title as well upon his defeat. This was one of the stipulations of the prophecy that the three witches of the play, the supernatural, gave Macbeth to detail his future very vaguely and ambiguously. Another one of the prophecies was dictated as the third witch said, "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter" (Macbeth 1.3.53). This influence planted the ideas power, wealth, and authority in Macbeth's head and it was not surprising that soon thereafter, Macbeth let this vision control him. His first step down the primrose path was to kill King Duncan, in attempt to become the King and make the prophecy come true. This shows the influence of the supernatural, an external factor, that caused Macbeth to choose evil over righteousness.

One very important internal reason for taking the first steps towards evil is called cognitive dissonance which is the idea of the contradiction of beliefs and action. A Huffington Post article describes it as "when people who feel they are good do bad things, cognitive dissonance makes them ignore this behavior because they can't tolerate the inconsistency between their behavior and their beliefs" (Bradberry). This relates directly to Macbeth's indecisiveness and constantly switching back and forth between different beliefs. This is exemplified as he talks to Banquo and says, "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me" (Macbeth 1.3.157-158). This means that Macbeth will let fate take care of what is to happen. However, the next scene Macbeth states in an aside that he must take fate into his own hands, completely contradictory to what he had previously told Banquo. He says, "That is a step/ On which I must fall down or else o'erleap,/ For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;/ Let not light see my black and deep desires" (Macbeth 1.4.55-58). This is a metaphor where the step Macbeth must jump over represents Malcolm, heir to the Scottish throne. It also uses rhyme to show the external force of the supernatural but the internal reason presents itself because this is the belief Macbeth eventually acts on, but not without doubt and holding the belief that murder is wrong. The contradiction of Macbeth's beliefs and actions led him to be inconsistent and therefore succumb to both the external pressure of the supernatural as well as commit actions that he might not have done were in not for indecision. Macbeth almost ignores his bad actions of murder as he still continues to hire murderers to kill Banquo and later Macduff's family, but clearly is suffering from guilt as he sees Banquo's ghost.

Another internal reason for taking the first steps down the primrose path is called the compensation effect which is the belief that good deeds balance bad ones. This is prevalent within Macbeth as Macbeth sees himself as a generally virtuous person, especially at the beginning when her receives the high honor from King Duncan after defeating the previous Thane of Cawdor. He is introduced to King Duncan as the text says, "But all's too weak;/ For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name)" (Macbeth 1.2.17-18). This leads him to believe that committing one horrible action, the murder of King Duncan, as per the will of his wife and to his own benefit, would not make him an awful person in general. He believes, considering the idea of the compensation effect, that he has built "moral capital" so that since he had done these great deeds risking his life to protect Scotland, one bad action would not destroy his virtue (Bradberry). This is prevalent throughout the entire text as although his guilt is revealed through his hallucinations and doubt, he never expresses concerns for the virtue of his own character but rather just his actions. This shows how he is balancing the two and therefore justifying his own actions, such as the frequent lying to Banquo, killing King Duncan, and hiring murderers for other killings too.

Some of the internal consequences of choosing evil include the ever-prevalent guilt on Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's conscience. This is seen by Lady Macbeth attempting to wash the blood off her hands in her sleep while confessing to all of her actions. She exclaims, "The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? What, will these hand ne'er be clean?" (Macbeth 5.1.44-45). This rhetorical question alludes to the murder of Lady Macduff and Lady Macbeth and her husband's role in orchestrating it. This clearly weighs heavily on her conscience as she is sleep walking as a result of it, furthering the motif of sleep revealing evil. Another internal consequence of choosing evil is seen to be anger and the radicalization of behavior. This is shown through Macbeth as he screams at Banquo's ghost as he says, "Avaunt, and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee./ Thy bones are marrowless; thy blood is cold" (Macbeth 3.4.112-113). This quote shows Macbeth's aggression and how he is truly on edge, appearing crazy in front of everyone at the dinner in his honor. Overall, the consequences of choosing evil mainly coincide with a guilty conscience and a change in behavior, in Macbeth's case with more assertiveness and hunger for power.

Work Cited:

Bradbury, Dr. Travis. "14 Psychological Forces That Make Good People Do Bad Things." The Huffington Post, HuffingtonPost.com, 7 Dec. 2017, https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-travis-bradberry/14-psychological-forces-t_b_9752132.html.

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2013.