Knock... Knock... Knock
The porters found themselves guarding the gate of hell. Yes, 'Inverness' has turned into hell! It has witnessed the most horrible deed, an unkind action, a double trust broken! Macbeth murdered Duncan, the kind king of Scotland and Macbeth's own kinsman, in his sleep!
Duncan's murder, while he
slept, was not staged. The Elizabethan community was not exposed to this kind
of inhuman action. Nevertheless, to ease the tension of the audience, the
porter's scene was crafted skillfully by the Bard of Avon. Oh, Shakespeare, how
cautious you were!
Death is an uninvited
guest, an irreversible cessation of life. Hearts close to the deceased are
severely afflicted when they pass away. Those we addressed in the order of
their relationship with us turn into a 'body' the moment a doctor confirms
death. The skin, once as soft as butter, surrenders to stiffness and numbness.
Carrying away the numb, frozen, and lifeless body, shrouded in a white cloth,
are moments that reveal the fact that our life on earth is transient. We shy
away from discussing death, we cry unconsciously while attending the ceremony,
nonetheless, he/she is close to us.
Death is not widely
discussed as it curbs our ease. The mere thought of death chokes the throat and
makes us hold our breath. Such an inauspicious subject to discuss! Omens of
death are a dime a dozen. There are ten a penny mythical connotation to death
that are often advised not to remember. What a paradox! One should not take a
shower immediately after a guest bids farewell, should not sweep the floor
following one's departure, should not tie a knot in wet clothes instead of
spreading them out for drying – the list goes on! The queue of 'don'ts' is
long!
While people are stern
when talking about death on one end, the other end shows the triviality of
death. The movie Jailer hit the screens a month ago with widespread
acceptance by the young audience. The movie flaunts the heroic life of a former
jailer, 'Tiger Pandian.' His imposing corporal punishment on the prisoners
reminds us of Foucauldian 'superman' concepts. Can a layman in a police uniform
take the law into his own hands to punish the convicts outside of official
policy? He, despite risking his own family, murders Varman, the antagonist,
after a series of murders. The series of killings seem like chopping ladies' fingers
on a cutting board. How trivial death is presented! Something to wonder about!
Varman, on the other
hand, is obsessed with punishing his men once he learns that they spied or
cheated on him. Three barrels act like an electric crematorium in the movie
where these men are subjected to torture, burnt to death in a sulfuric acid
attack. The sight of Pandian's grandson's escape, between cup and the lip, from
the edge of Varman's men's swords is embarrassing. Pandian's stubbornness
persuaded him to take the life of his own son. Machiavellianism is evident in
his attitude. To reinstate peace and harmony in society, one rises to the role
of a superhero, nonetheless, whether he is a prince or a layman. This tenet is
reinforced by the Bhagavad Gita. To kill his kinsman for the common good is
lawful and justifiable!
Kids of the time are
involved in video games like Doom Eternal, Destiny 2, Warzone, Battlefield
Five, Titanfall 2, Borderlands 2, and so on. Killing demons and fighting
opponents to win rewards are entertaining activities. Are these tender brains
mature enough to gauge the gravity of the pastime they are involved in? Will
they shun these games in real life, or will they opt for real rifles and war
weapons to fight and win?
An age when Shakespeare
lived has been lost. Morality and human values have nearly died out.
Intertwining lighter scenes to soften the impact of a heart-wrenching scenes has
given way to more complex and disturbing incidents. Knocking at the gate of
Macbeth was a wake-up call to the Elizabethan audience. We are doubtful about
receiving and giving such an alarm in a time when the media freely portray
criminals and antisocial beings as heroes and their actions as heroic.
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