Use Of Plant Motifs In The Godfather

“Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.” from the movie, The Godfather Part II. Power is something that can be earned, given, and taken, whether it be through friends or enemies. In the dramatic play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the plant motif to illustrate how cultivating power leads to stability in a country and in a leader, whereas hoarding power leads to insecurity in a country and in a leader.

In the beginning of the play, the plant motif is used when Duncan coronates his fellow knights. When Duncan is talking about how he is going to “plant” or share the power and titles of Scotland with his fellow kinsmen, he says that he will work for his people, as he knows that they have and will work for him. This relationship,

In the way that Duncan gained allies and friends through generosity and care for others, Macbeth lost these by being conceited, being greedy, and losing the trust and love of others. He never payed much attention to anyone besides himself and lady Macbeth. His once friends became his enemies, and he loses all connection that he had with these people. “Stars hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.” (1.4.55)

In the passage below, the yellow leaf is a metaphor for the stage of life nearest to death. Spring represents birth, summer represents life, fall (the yellow leaf) represents aging, and finally with winter comes darkness and death. While reading this scene the words “should represent old age” allowed to foreshadow the idea that even though Macbeth believes he is invincible, his end, or winter, is near, along with the leadership and power he stole from Duncan and Banquo. “My way of life is fall’n into the sere, the yellow leaf, And which should accompany old age, As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends.”

In the last dozen or so lines of the play, Malcolm gives a speech that expresses his father’s earlier beliefs as to how the country should be run. Malcolm, who is still somewhat young, speaks with confidence, and expresses the idea of “planting”, just as his father did. He states that as time comes, power is passed, or planted from person to person, in a natural order, from family member to family member, or friend to friend, with a knowing that the person receiving the power is trustworthy. This is the morally correct way of “planting” and sharing power. Macbeth, however, was not the best “power farmer” you could say. He took force, craving power, and not the responsibilities that came with it. He also felt that he was the only one who should have power. As a leader, Macbeth not only takes power from those he once shared power with, but he also takes their lives along with him. Towards the end of the play, we see a heroic man turn into a murdering tyrant, all because he of the appeal of power. “Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland. In such an honor named. What’s more to do, which would be planted newly with the time”