In these days, before our eyes, another, useless war is taking place. To characterise its genesis, it is useful to consider one of Shakespeare’s most beautiful tragedies, which we have tackled in VB gymnasium: “Macbeth”. Indeed “Macbeth” symbolises today’s man. Macbeth, at the beginning, seems an honest man and a very brave general. He is a model for his soldiers. However, on his way back from a battle, Macbeth and Banquo (the king of Scotland’s father) meets three witches, which greet him with many nobles titles, that bewilder him. Enraptured by power and helped by his wife, Macbeth will kill the real king of Scotland, Duncan, and his sons. The power has corroded him, has worn him out and, finally, has destroyed him. Indeed, his extreme ambition will only lead to suffering and death. His wife will become mad and Macduff, another general, will kill Macbeth and at the end he will become king. It seems very strange that a tragedy set in the Middle Ages can be so modern and so close to the conflicts of today’s man. The wish of self-assertion and the ambition to have more and more (the “hybris” of the Greek tragedy) are, probably, in the human nature, but it’s also right that this nature be regulated. Man can not continue concentrating power only in his exclusive hands. One man or one nation can’t have in their hands the destiny of the entire world (this would mean “the death” of Montesquieu’s theory). Power must be divided. Everybody must have a role in the administration of power. I think that this the base of a “true”, “sound” and “healthy” democracy.

Francesca Cardinale - VB ginnasio