Will The Real Macbeth Please Stand Up

Macbeth committed multiple heinous acts in order to attain power. Not only did he kill Duncan, who happened to be his relative, his guest, and the one who crowned him the Thane of Cawdor, but he also killed the guards. In addition, he was the mastermind behind Banquo's murder and in the murder of Mcgruff's family. However, once he achieved power, he found himself in a situation he wasn't fond of. Macbeth no longer had honour, love, obedience, or troops of friends. Ultimately, his guilt seized control of his life and karma caught up with him.

The Notorious Menendez Brothers

For months, Lyle and Erik Menendez had complained to each other about their father, Jose Menendez. They complained about how domineering and controlling he was, how impossible it was for either brother to please him, how he planned to disinherit both brothers from his will and how poorly he treated their mother. Obviously weary of having to live up to unattainable expectations and petrified of losing their inheritance, they felt as though they were left with only one option - murder. The brothers concluded that if they killed their father, they would have to kill their mother as well as she could not survive emotionally without him. In addition, if their mother wasn't killed, she could also be a living witness to the crime they were about to commit. Lyle, the older brother, wanted to plan the murders so that they would be as "perfect as could be," but Erik, the younger brother, could not wait and insisted that the murders take place as soon as possible. The murders ultimately occurred on the night of August 20, 1989.

The Numerous Slayings of Macbeth

In the play "Macbeth," King Duncan was killed by Macbeth in Act 2, Scenes 1-2. Lady Macbeth had desired kingship for Macbeth and wanted him to murder Duncan in order to obtain it. Macbeth, though originally reluctant, had eventually conformed to his wife's desire. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had been scheming to murder King Duncan and seize his title ever since the witches made their predictions. When King Duncan decided to pay Macbeth a visit in Glamis, the opportunity for the murder arose. First, Lady Macbeth conjured up a concoction to poison the guards and then once Macbeth received a signal, in the form of a ringing bell from Lady Macbeth, he knew that the coast was clear. He then made his way to King Duncan's room where he proceeded to stab the King, despite his doubts and a number of supernatural omens, including a vision of a bloody dagger. In order to escape any accusations that may come his way, the dagger used to kill Duncan was strategically placed near the guards. The slayings didn't cease there. When Duncan’s death was discovered the next morning, Macbeth killed the chamberlains out of rage at "their" crime. Fearful of the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s heirs will seize the throne, Macbeth hired a group of murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. They managed to kill Banquo, however they failed to kill Fleance. Macbeth became furious because as long as Fleance is alive, he feared that his power remained insecure. Macbeth's conscience then got the best of him and he began to hallucinate. While hallucinating, he saw Banquo’s ghost. Frightened, Macbeth went to visit the witches in their cavern. There, he was presented with further prophecies: he must beware of Macduff; he is incapable of being harmed by any man born of woman; and he will be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth was relieved and felt secure because he knows that all men are born of women and that forests cannot move. When Macbeth learned that Macduff has fled to England, he ordered that Macduff’s castle be seized and, most cruelly, that Lady Macduff and her children be murdered. Once Macduff discovered the news about his family's execution, he was stricken with grief and vows revenge on Macbeth. Macduff and Malcolm, Duncan's son, along with the British army head to Scotland to challenge Macbeth's forces. Lady Macbeth, meanwhile, became plagued with fits of sleepwalking, in which she complained about the imaginary bloodstains on her hands and admitted to the murder. Before Macbeth’s opponents arrived, Macbeth received news that Lady Macbeth had killed herself, causing him to sink into a deep and pessimistic despair. Nevertheless, he awaited the English Army and remained confident that he'll prevail thanks to the witches' prophecies, which guarantee his invincibility. He was struck numb with fear, however, when he learned that the English army was shielded with boughs cut from Birnam Wood as they advanced. Birnam Wood was indeed coming to him, fulfilling half of the witches’ prophecy. On the battlefield, Macbeth encountered Macduff, who declared that he was not “of woman born” but was instead “untimely ripped” from his mother’s womb. Though he realized that he was doomed, Macbeth continued to fight until Macduff killed and beheaded him. Ultimately, Macbeth's selfishness not only cost him honour, love, obedience and a troop of friends, but his life.

The Murders of Kitty and Jose Menendez

The murders of Kitty and Jose Menendez occurred on August 20, 1989, in the den of the family's home located in Beverly Hills. The brothers entered the Menendez mansion and fired upon Jose and his wife Kitty with a shotgun, killing the couple as they dozed in front of the TV. The brothers then drove off, dumped their shotguns on Mulholland Drive and bought tickets at a local movie theater, seeing the movie Batman. This became their alibi. When the brothers returned home, Lyle called 911 and cried, "Somebody killed my parents!" Initially, the police did not consider the brothers as suspects. Instead they blamed the mafia. However, in the following months, the brothers led a life of luxury and lavish spending, which forced prosecutors to become slightly suspicious. Lyle bought an expensive Rolex watch, a Porsche Carrera, and opened a buffalo wings restaurant. Since the boys were part Cuban, it was Erik's dream to try to make Cuba a United States territory. Erik also hired a full time tennis coach and competed in a tournament in Israel. Prosecutors later alleged that the brothers spent about $1 million in their first six months as orphans. Though relatively suspicious, the police didn't actually suspect them until Erik confessed the murder to his psychiatrist, who then told the police. On December 20, 1992, the Menendez brothers were indicted by the Los Angeles County Grand Jury on charges that they murdered their parents. Though the brothers' defense alleged that the brothers were driven to murder by a lifetime of abuse from their parents, including sexual abuse from father Jose, both brothers were ultimately convicted of two counts of first degree murder, plus conspiracy to commit murder. They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Presently, Lyle is being held in Mule Creek State Prison and Erik is in the Pleasant Valley State Prison. Each brother has married since entering prison, but neither is allowed conjugal visits.

Similarities Between Macbeth and The Menendez Brothers

There exist many similarities between Macbeth and the Menendez brothers. Macbeth committed his first murder in hopes of attaining power and continued killing to protect his authority. The Menendez killed their parents because they too were seeking power, financial power, and were sick of feeling unappreciated by their father; They too wanted to feel respected and possess some authority. Another similarity one can perceive between the Menendez brothers and Macbeth is that Lady Macbeth felt extremely guilty about the crime and eventually told her doctor of the deed when she was sleepwalking. Erik Menendez too felt really guilty about the murder of his parents and ultimately told his psychiatrist. When Macbeth began his slayings, he had an accomplice - Lady Macbeth. The Menendez brothers also had accomplices - each other. Another similarity one can see between the Menendez brothers and Macbeth is that they both murdered their relatives. Macbeth killed Duncan, his kinsman, and the Menendez brothers murdered their parents. Ultimately, Macbeth's luck caught up with him and he had to pay greatly for his heinous deeds. He lost everything - love, obedience, honour a troop of friends and his life. The Menendez brothers also had to pay greatly for their crime. The rest of their lives will be spent in jail, their reputations are shattered and they will never experience freedom ever again.

Differences Between Macbeth and the Menendez Brothers

Though there are many similarities between Macbeth and the Menendez Brothers, there are also serveral differences. The Menendez brothers only killed on one occasion, while Macbeth did so on numerous. Consequently, though, Macbeth's outcome was far harsher than that of the Menendez brothers. Macbeth lost everything - love, honour, obedience, a troop of friends and his life. The Menendez brothers, on the other hand, are still alive, they got married, and a couple of their friends still remain.