The external code explicitly demands his allegiance to Duncan as his king, commander, and kinsmen, something Macbeth clearly understands when he says,įirst, as I am his kinsman and his subject, The need for both codes to operate in harmony is seen most notably in Macbeth’s murder of King Duncan. Macbeth points to the need for both codes to inform and support each other in order for individuals and societies to function honorably. When the external standard is disregarded, the conscience can be all too easily be manipulated.
For instance, when the conscience is overlooked, the code is meaningless in private. In Macbeth we see both of these codes on display, and the play demonstrates the need for individuals to respect both codes in conjunction with each other. This may not seem like a problem, but the events of the play show that neither the individual or external code can stand on its own. The external, societal code was becoming less important, and more emphasis was being put on the internal code, the individual conscience. When Macbeth was penned, early modern England was experiencing a shift in the way people approached and lived out the code of honor. It was extensive and specific, but for the purposes of this website we will focus on the ways in which the honor code is relevant to Macbeth. It served to define right action in court, battle, and daily life. And that’s a definition that even your social studies teacher probably would have approved of.The code of honor had its roots in the Renaissance code of chivalry. The choice to do the right things, for the right reasons, at the right times. In short, that’s what chivalry is - a choice. Perhaps, like those knights in shining armor hundreds of years ago, we want to experience the satisfaction of knowing that we have championed the right causes and embraced the right principles, not because we were told to do so, but simply because we have chosen to follow that path.
Perhaps that’s why people are finding the concept of chivalry so relevant to modern life. Today, we’re not too different from those knights in the Middle Ages - we have a great deal of wealth and resources and freedom at our disposal, and we can use (or misuse) them in nearly any way we like. It was a set of limitations which the strong and mighty placed upon themselves with the realization that setting a good example sends a message which is far more powerful than any words on paper. But chivalry was not a mandate from the powerful to the downtrodden, nor a directive from the chosen unto the masses. The code of chivalry is, at its heart, simply a handbook for good conduct. Illustration of a knighting ceremony taken from a 14th century manuscript.įrom the Ten Commandments of the Bible, to The Eightfold Path of Zen, to All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten, people throughout history have searched for a way to define and quantify admirable behavior. That is a precise definition to be sure, but it does leave some unanswered questions. The demonstration of any of these qualities.The noble qualities a knight was supposed to have, such as courage and a readiness to help the weak.Here’s what Webster’s Dictionary has to offer: Chivalry: Let’s define the term before we go any further so nobody feels like the class dunce. It has something to do with suits of armor and opening the door for a lady, right?ĭon’t be embarrassed, “chivalry” is a word not often heard today, and a lot of people really don’t know what it means. The term may sound familiar, but … gosh, it has been a long time since that social studies class in high school or the college English literature course.
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