The Values of Discipline in Macbeth

 

A. The Relationship between the Values of Discipline in Macbeth

a. Self-Control

Relevant scene:

• Act 1, Scene 7 – Macbeth’s soliloquy before murdering King Duncan.

Macbeth is fully aware that killing Duncan is morally wrong and politically dangerous; however, he fails to restrain his ambition.

“I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition…” (Shakespeare, 1606/2015)

Interpretation:
This moment demonstrates that Macbeth possesses moral awareness but lacks self-control when ambition overwhelms rational judgment. His inner conflict reflects a failure of discipline, where desire overrides ethical reasoning. According to Bloom (2010), Shakespeare portrays ambition not as inherently evil, but as destructive when it is unchecked by moral self-regulation.

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b. Moral Discipline

Relevant scene:

• Banquo in Act 1, Scene 3 – Responding to the witches’ prophecies.

Unlike Macbeth, Banquo responds cautiously and critically to the supernatural predictions.

“The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s
In deepest consequence.” (Shakespeare, 1606/2015)

Interpretation:
Banquo exemplifies moral discipline through critical thinking and restraint. He recognizes the deceptive nature of temptation and refuses to act unethically to gain power. This aligns with ethical discipline as defined by Ryan and Deci (2000), where self-regulation is guided by internal moral values rather than external rewards.

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c. Responsibility and Accountability

Relevant scene:

• Macduff in Act 4 and Act 5 – After learning that his family has been murdered.

“Sinful Macduff,
They were all struck for thee!” (Act 4, Scene 3)

Interpretation:
Macduff openly acknowledges his moral responsibility for his family’s death and does not shift blame onto others. His response reflects accountability and a commitment to corrective action. As Greenblatt (2005) notes, Macduff functions as a moral counterweight to Macbeth, demonstrating that ethical responsibility is central to just leadership.

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d. Obedience to Ethical Principles

Relevant scene:

• Malcolm in Act 4, Scene 3 – Testing Macduff’s loyalty.

Interpretation:
Malcolm deliberately tests Macduff’s integrity before trusting him, emphasizing that leadership must be grounded in ethical principles such as honesty, justice, and self-restraint. His actions illustrate principled discipline, where power is exercised responsibly rather than impulsively. This reflects Aristotle’s concept of ethical virtue as disciplined moral choice (as cited in Nussbaum, 2001).

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e. Consistency of Behavior

Relevant scene:

• Banquo throughout the play.

Interpretation:
Despite knowing that his descendants are prophesied to become kings, Banquo remains consistent in his moral behavior and refuses to pursue power unethically. His consistency contrasts sharply with Macbeth, whose behavior becomes increasingly erratic and paranoid. Consistency, as a key element of discipline, reinforces moral credibility and trust (Lickona, 1991).

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f. Resistance to Immoral Temptation

Relevant scene:

• Act 2, Scene 1 – Macbeth’s vision of the “dagger of the mind.”

Although Macbeth recognizes the dagger as an illusion and a warning sign, he chooses to proceed with murder.

Key contrast:

• Banquo resists temptation.

• Macbeth succumbs to temptation.

Interpretation:
The ability to resist immoral temptation lies at the heart of moral discipline. Macbeth’s failure at this critical moment initiates his ethical downfall. As Eagleton (2003) argues, tragedy in Macbeth arises not from fate alone, but from repeated moral choices made under temptation.

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g. The Collapse of Discipline

Relevant scene:

• Act 5 – Macbeth’s transformation into a tyrant.

“I am in blood
Stepp’d in so far…” (Shakespeare, 1606/2015)

Interpretation:
At this stage, Macbeth’s self-discipline has completely collapsed. Violence becomes habitual, ethical reasoning disappears, and power loses its moral legitimacy. This collapse illustrates how the absence of discipline leads to dehumanization and tyranny (Bloom, 2010).

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B. Relevance to Education and English Language Teaching (ELT)

1. Self-Control in ELT

In language learning, both teachers and students must manage emotions such as frustration, anxiety, and academic pressure. Teachers who respond to errors constructively—rather than punitively—promote emotional regulation. Macbeth can be used as a reflective text to discuss self-control and emotional awareness in the classroom (Goleman, 1995).

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2. Moral Discipline and Academic Integrity

Banquo’s moral stance parallels students who maintain honesty despite opportunities to cheat. This is particularly relevant to contemporary issues such as plagiarism, AI misuse, and exam cheating. Literary discussions encourage ethical awareness and reinforce academic integrity (Hyland, 2019).

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3. Responsibility and Accountability in Learning

Macduff serves as a model for self-reflection and accountability. In ELT contexts, this value supports learner autonomy through reflective journals, self-assessment, and goal-setting practices (Little, 1991).

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4. Ethical Principles in the Teacher’s Role

Malcolm represents ethical leadership, resembling an ideal teacher who is fair, non-authoritarian, and purposeful in assessment. His character provides a foundation for discussing teacher ethics and educational leadership in ELT (Farrell, 2015).

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5. Consistency of Behavior in Classroom Management

Consistent teacher behavior fosters a safe and supportive learning environment. Macbeth, by contrast, exemplifies inconsistency—changing rules, emotional punishment, and loss of trust—making him a negative model for classroom leadership (Lickona, 1991).

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6. Resistance to Temptation in ELT

Students often face temptations such as seeking instant grades or shortcuts in language learning. Literature helps learners develop critical and ethical thinking, going beyond linguistic competence to moral reasoning (Kramsch, 1993).

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7. Collapse of Discipline as Character Education

Macbeth demonstrates that intelligence without character leads to destruction. This message aligns with character education and values-based ELT, which emphasize moral development alongside language skills (Berkowitz & Bier, 2005).

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Conclusion

Macbeth is not merely a political tragedy, but a profound study of moral discipline and its failure. Its themes are highly relevant to character education, academic ethics, and values-based English Language Teaching, making it a powerful literary text for both linguistic and moral development.

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References

Berkowitz, M. W., & Bier, M. C. (2005). What works in character education. Journal of Research in Character Education, 3(1), 29–48.

Bloom, H. (2010). Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. Riverhead Books.

Eagleton, T. (2003). Sweet Violence: The Idea of the Tragic. Blackwell.

Farrell, T. S. C. (2015). Reflective Language Teaching. Bloomsbury.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. Bantam Books.

Greenblatt, S. (2005). Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. Norton.

Hyland, K. (2019). Second Language Writing. Cambridge University Press.

Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and Culture in Language Teaching. Oxford University Press.

Lickona, T. (1991). Educating for Character. Bantam Books.

Little, D. (1991). Learner Autonomy. Authentik.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54–67.

Shakespeare, W. (1606/2015). Macbeth. Oxford University Press.