Journal:  If you were asked to join in a deed by your friend, and all you had to do was to be quiet and move along, in return, you were promised a great profit, how would you respond to such an offer?

    If I was to join in a deed by a friend and all I had to do was be quiet and move along, I would not accept - even if i was promised a great profit in return.
    In a friendship, you have levels of trust and duties which you cannot surpass.  Sure a friend is supposed to be there through the good and the bad, the happy and the sad.  Howevr, a friend is not there to act as an accomplice in amalicious act.
    I think that I have very good judgemtn and can detect the negative consequences of most actions.  i also have a very large guilty conscience which triggers immediately when I am about to or have done something bad.  Therefore, if I was to join ina deed just for the benefits which would come out of it rather than the moreal judgemtn I obtain, I would be going against my beliefs.

    I completely agrre with statement "violence leads to more violence".  In Macbeth, we can see such an example as Macbeth goes on to kill his loved one's after killing Duncan.  It is something like the Domino Effect, one destructive act leads to another until everything destroys.
    This staement can be realted to thour today's soceity as weell.  If a chils is brought up ina hostile environment whre he receives or views domestic abuse - verbal and physical, it is very probable that he will adopt these habits.  As a man this child will repeat the behavior he larned and continue the violence.

Journal: My understanding of or belief about ghosts.
Ghosts are said to be the spirits of the dead.  I personally hold various beliefs about ghosts.  We all envision ghosts to be scary, floating images of a dead person coming back to haunt someone with whom business was unresolved while alive.  I do not believe in ghosts.  I believe that your spirit lives on and that your presence can be felt if you are a strong believer. However, seeing an actual ghost is not possible.  Many would argue with my belief  but I personally believe that ghosts are not part of a sane person's life.  Ghosts are one of life's many mysteries.

How have the lords reacted to the experience of observing Macbeth during the banquet scene? Write a diary entry ( or a letter from one of the lords present giving an account of Macbeth's action at the banquet. Draw whatever conclusions you think reasonable.)

Dear Diary,
    If I were to describe today's events in a few words I would say that it was peculiar and alarming.  The day begen very well and normal as we all met at Macbeth's castle for a banquet.  Lady macbeth and Macbeth were excellent hosts, greeting us as equals and honoring us with their presence.  Well into the evening, Macbeth began to act very strange.  He mumbled words toward banquo.  But banquo was not at the banquet.  macbeth was terrified as his eyes bulged out and starred at us with glares of empiteness.  lady macbeth excused him and took him aside.  we allstayed in shock and atonishment as we had never seen Macbeth in this ill state of mind.We were very afraid.  macbeth went from states of normality to insanity in a matter of seconds.  One minute he would be fine sharing a toast with us and the next he would be yelling at an invisible image.  Lady macbeth assured us that he was okay and to just ignore him.  but it was very difficult to ignore an outraged man terrified of some imaginary object.  Today's events are unexplainable, only understood by those who were at the banquet.  I am not sure of the sanity of our leader or if I would ever like to return to macbeth's castle.

Sincerely,
Lord John

How has the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth changed compared to the one they had?

  The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth has changed drastically compared to the one they had.  Act 3, scene 2 presents the couple after Duncan's murder.  The relationship seems to have decayed as the couple no longer confides in one another and the personal characteristics have reversed.
 Prior to the murderous plot of Duncan, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were a devoted team.  Macbeth was a humble man loved by all.  Lady Macbeth was an encouraging, comforting wife.  Now Macbeth is mentally unstable and no longer confides in his wife as he does not tell her his plan for Banquo’s murder.   Lady Macbeth is fearful, remorseful, lonely, and discontent.  However, she still encourages and comforts her husband.
 As illustrated, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship has suffered due to the murder of Duncan.  The communication between the two has deteriorated as well as Macbeth’s sanity and Lady Macbeth’s happiness.

Following the murder of Duncan, Macbeth holds very strong and angry feelings toward Banquo.  Macbeth fears Banquo and decides to murder him.  Presented in Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act 3, scene 1 are his fears in Banquo.
 Macbeth’s recognizes Banquo’s integrity as nobler than his own.  Banquo is a brave, honorable man who will avenge the king’s murder.  Compared to Banquo, Macbeth’s spirit is put to shame.  Macbeth hates that the witches declared that Banquo’s heirs will someday gain the throne.  Macbeth envies Banquo’s prophecy and sees his heirs as rivals for the throne.  Macbeth feels that he did all this dirty work and now Banquo’s sons will be king.
 For these reasons, Macbeth fears Banquo.  Apparently, Macbeth is very mentally disturbed.  He plots to kill a second person - his closest friend, Banquo.  Macbeth overcomes any obstacle preventing him from achieving his goals, no matter the consequences.

Dear Sir or Madam at the Scotland Gazette:
         I as a concerned citizen of Scotland am writing to comment on the current situation of the state.  Our country is suffering due to the political disgrace caused by Macbeth. Plans are being laid for the overthrow of Macbeth by Macduff.  He has gone to England to assist Malcolm with the plot against Macbeth.  Duncan and Banquo were killed, their sons fled, and Macbeth’s odd behavior during his banquet all represent Scotland’s situation.  The entire country speaks of the events at the castle and what should be done to Macbeth. Our lives and fortunes are determined by our rulers.  Nature as well as its creatures suffer, too.  Following Duncan’s death the earth shakes and Duncan’s horses eat each other alive.  Our government must stabilize itself before things get too out of hand.  Macbeth must be taken out of his position as king as it is very visible that his state of mind does not let him rule wisely.  Our problems started from the first day that Macbeth was crowned King.  Our hopes soar high as we all await Macduff, our only savior at this time.

Sincerely,

A concerned citizen
 

 People of Shakespeare’s time viewed ghosts as very negative images.  Shakespeare’s England was patriotically Protestant.  The Geneva Bible was the common English Bible during this time and the one Shakespeare used.  The Bible prohibits consultation with dead and if you do, you will be damned.
 The purpose of creating this “Banquo’s ghost” scene by Shakespeare was for the foreshadowing of Macbeth’s fate.  Since Shakespeare followed the Geneva Bible, his beliefs toward ghosts were applied to Macbeth’s doom.  In the play, Macbeth is the only one who sees and consults with Banquo’s ghost.  Banquo’s ghost comes back to haunt Macbeth and only him because he was the cause of his death.  Banquo’s ghost is an illusion to Macbeth’s unconscious guilt.  As a result of this scene I predict that Macbeth’s mental state will continue to deteriorate.  Not only is he haunted by ghosts during the daytime but nightmares during his sleep as well.