_______ V f o r Vendetta : A Graphic Retelling of Macbeth
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character. The image of V as hero persists even though he destroys Parliament
immediately after saving Evey. Chanting the phrase, “Remember, remember the
5lh of November, the gunpowder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the
gunpowder treason should ever be forgot” (14) V watches Parliament explode in
front of him in a vision that feels uncomfortably like vindication to the reader.
The thrill of the explosion is the first sign of Vfo r Vendetta's remythologizing
of Macbeth and the Gunpowder Plot it references.
This remythologizing begins to close the gap between V as “hero” and
Macbeth as “villain.” Despite V’s justification he still murders—and despite
Macbeth’s crimes he is still justified through double-effect.
Both the Plotters of the Powder Treason and Macbeth met all the
requirements of double-effect; the Plotters didn’t desire any “innocent” deaths
but due to the nature of the blast the innocent and guilty would die together
(Fraser, 108). As for Macbeth, he obviously doesn’t wish the death of Duncan as
shown by his profuse guilt, but he brings it about regardless. That the murder of
a bad king will simultaneously kill a good man is unavoidable. This fulfills the
second and third conditions. The first, that the outcome would justify the means,
is very subjective. But it was the absolute belief in the fulfillment of this first
condition that allowed the terrorists, and Macbeth, to act as they did.
Macbeth’s wrestling with the “double-effect” comes in 1.7.1-12:
If it were done, when ’tis done, then ’twere well
It were done quickly: if th’assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
With his surcease success; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all—here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We’d jump the life to come.—But in these cases,
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague th’inventor: this even-handed Justice
Commends th’ingredience of our poison’d chalice
To our own lips.
Macbeth pleads that if this deed must be done, let it be “done quickly”; he goes
on to lament that the assassination might not be the end of it. The lines “But
here, upon this bank and shoal of time, / We’d jump the life to come.” (6-7)
demonstrate some knowledge that the death of Duncan will not be the end, but
only the beginning. The ends are decided to justify the means though, and
however unpleasant the deed may be Macbeth must see it through.
Acknowledging the use of double-effect rationalizes Macbeth’s actions but
does not give him the justification seen in V fo r Vendetta. It is by examining
why the reader supports V but does not immediately support Macbeth that
proves this.