The Motivation Behind Evil Throughout history, the notion of evil has been questioned and challenged by mankind. What exactly is it, and from where did it evolve? Theorists, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, C. Fred Alford, and Thomas Hobbes, have attempted to determine what evil is through literature and experiences. In British literature, stories such as Beowulf, Macbeth, and The Canterbury Tales portray the human concept of right and wrong. These stories provide characters and circumstances to describe the motivations behind performing malicious acts.
Although there are many different theories about the root of evil and why wrong acts are committed, it is agreed by most theorists that evil, in fact, exists. Rousseau argues that humans are inherently good until “society's influence comes into action” (Notes). Thus, evil is learned from the outside world. The monster Grendel portrays this theory, as he learned barbaric acts from his cognizance of the …show more content…
His desire for kingship led to his downfall. In his book, What Evil Means to Us, C. Fred Alford states that, “Doing evil is an attempt to transform the terrible passivity and helplessness of suffering into activity” (3). Macbeth was seen as a military hero until he met the Weird Sisters, who told him “that [he] shall be king…” (Macbeth 1.3.49-50). His greed and selfishness were not prominent inside him until he came into contact with the witches, causing Macbeth to go to extreme lengths by murdering those he opposed to make the Three Witches’ prophecy come true. Alford argues that “…In doing evil, the evildoer seeks vitalizing contact with the autistic-contiguous dimension of experience while avoiding its price” (Notes). Macbeth is the perfect example of this theory because he is a character whose motivation for committing vile acts arose from his own longings, causing him to ruthlessly murder without fearing the consequences of his
Although there are many different theories about the root of evil and why wrong acts are committed, it is agreed by most theorists that evil, in fact, exists. Rousseau argues that humans are inherently good until “society's influence comes into action” (Notes). Thus, evil is learned from the outside world. The monster Grendel portrays this theory, as he learned barbaric acts from his cognizance of the …show more content…
His desire for kingship led to his downfall. In his book, What Evil Means to Us, C. Fred Alford states that, “Doing evil is an attempt to transform the terrible passivity and helplessness of suffering into activity” (3). Macbeth was seen as a military hero until he met the Weird Sisters, who told him “that [he] shall be king…” (Macbeth 1.3.49-50). His greed and selfishness were not prominent inside him until he came into contact with the witches, causing Macbeth to go to extreme lengths by murdering those he opposed to make the Three Witches’ prophecy come true. Alford argues that “…In doing evil, the evildoer seeks vitalizing contact with the autistic-contiguous dimension of experience while avoiding its price” (Notes). Macbeth is the perfect example of this theory because he is a character whose motivation for committing vile acts arose from his own longings, causing him to ruthlessly murder without fearing the consequences of his