As we say goodbye to Winter (today's the last official day), we spring into the ACT IV of Macbeth. He is officially undone, as is indicated by his histrionics at the banquet in his honor. Macbeth loses it and reveals much, causing those under him to review their allegiance.
Act IV can be found here: Shakespeare No Fear: Macbeth ACT IV
Of course, you can always read your textbook online, which usually helps during the open-book timed reading quizzes on the material. Just sayin'.
We have, as a collective, come up with some interesting theories about where right and wrong, good and evil, ethical and unethical, etc., come from. Many of you posit that they come from those around you (society). Many of you say that they come from what's practical or beneficial (self). A few of you cite external sources, such as a religious code or the Bible. What is important to realize here is that Shakespeare's audience almost certainly would have had a fairly homogeneous view of right and wrong, making them almost in full agreement that there is no ambiguity about Macbeth's transgressing the moral laws of the universe. It's also important to figure out if your own explanation of moral/ethical codes is strong or weak. Tomorrow in class, we will examine some of the various ethical theories that are current in our society. They are highly relevant to Macbeth, especially when considering Macbeth's moral choices. Did he puncture the very flesh of the universe, or was his behavior simply regrettable and unprofitable?