The Times: Kim Keon-hee, South Korea's Lady Macbeth - Shadows of Power and Desire

The British newspaper, The Times, caused a stir by referring to Mrs. Kim Keon-hee as "Korea's Lady Macbeth."

This analogy links the character from Shakespeare's tragedy, 'Macbeth,' with Mrs. Kim's actions, highlighting her ambition for power, her relationships with those around her, and the resulting controversies.

1. Shakespeare's Tragic Masterpiece, Macbeth - Introduction

Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, depicting humanity's lust for power and its resulting downfall.
It is believed to have been written by Shakespeare around 1606, and given that the then King of England, James I, was of Scottish origin, the setting of the play is Scotland.

Act 1: Prophecy and Temptation

• Macbeth, a Scottish hero and general, and his friend Banquo, encounter three witches on their way home after a victorious battle.
• The witches prophesy to Macbeth: "Thou shalt be king."
• And to Banquo, they prophesy: "Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none."
  Macbeth initially doubts the witches' words, but his ambition to become king begins to grow.
• Upon hearing this, Lady Macbeth encourages her husband's ambition and persuades him to kill King Duncan and seize the throne.

Act 2: Usurpation of the Throne

• Unable to resist Lady Macbeth's strong urging, Macbeth ultimately murders King Duncan.
• After killing the king, Macbeth shifts the blame to the king's servants and ascends to the throne. However, even after becoming king, Macbeth begins to suffer from anxiety and fear.
• The witches' prophecy that Banquo's descendants would become kings weighs heavily on Macbeth's mind, leading him to decide to kill Banquo and his son Fleance.

Act 3: The Spread of Evil

• Macbeth employs assassins to kill Banquo and Fleance, but the plan does not go perfectly.
• Banquo is killed, but Fleance escapes.
• Afterwards, Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo, and he gradually descends into madness.
• Even at a court banquet, Macbeth sees the ghost and trembles with fear, losing his judgment.

Act 4: Prelude to Disaster

• Trembling with anxiety, Macbeth seeks out the three witches again to inquire about the future.
• The witches give new prophecies:
  "1. Beware Macduff; Beware the Thane of Fife."
  "2. None of woman born shall harm Macbeth."
  Hearing these words, Macbeth feels reassured and believes the prophecies.
• However, to maintain his power, Macbeth becomes even more ruthless, even ordering the massacre of Macduff's family, who might pose a threat to him.

Act 5: Downfall and Tragic Conclusion

• Macduff and Malcolm, the son of King Duncan, lead an army to attack Macbeth.
  The army advances carrying branches from Birnam Wood.
  This sight seems to fulfill the witches' prophecy, "Birnam Wood shall come to Dunsinane."
• Macbeth still believes in the witches' second prophecy,"None of woman born shall harm Macbeth."and fights, but eventually encounters Macduff.
  Macduff reveals that he was born by Caesarean section, fulfilling the witches' prophecy.
• Macduff kills Macbeth, and the war ends.
  Malcolm ascends to the throne, Scotland regains peace, and Macbeth's tragic story comes to a close.

* Key Points Summary

1. Ambition and Temptation: The witches' prophecies awakened Macbeth's hidden ambition.
2. Tragic Ending: His endless desire for power ultimately led to his downfall.
3. Fulfillment of Prophecy: The witches' prophecy did not protect Macbeth, instead, it exploited his delusion and arrogance.

2. In-depth Analysis of the Story of Macbeth

'Macbeth' is one of Shakespeare's four great tragedies dealing with themes of ambition, guilt, and fate. The story begins with Macbeth, a Scottish general, becoming obsessed with the desire to become king after hearing a prophecy from the witches.

• The Witches' Prophecy and Macbeth's Ambition:Returning from a victorious battle, Macbeth encounters three witches who prophesy that he will "become king." This prophecy awakens the latent power-hungry desires within Macbeth, leading him down the path of destruction. The prophecy gave Macbeth a choice, but he succumbed to his desires and chose his own destruction.
• Lady Macbeth's Role:Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth, plays a crucial role in further fueling her husband's ambition. She is a strong and decisive character, actively persuading Macbeth to seize the throne and even orchestrating the murder. Lady Macbeth appears to be blind to her ambition for power and feels no guilt, but eventually succumbs to guilt and madness, leading to her suicide.
• Intensification of Guilt and Madness:After murdering King Duncan, Macbeth is tormented by anxiety and guilt. To maintain his position, he continues to murder those around him, including Banquo and Macduff's family, and becomes consumed by madness. Lady Macbeth also suffers from guilt, exhibiting sleepwalking symptoms before taking her own life.
• The Second Prophecy and Macbeth's Arrogance:Tormented by anxiety, Macbeth seeks out the witches again to hear prophecies about the future. The witches prophesy that "no one born of woman shall harm Macbeth" and that "he shall not be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane." Macbeth interprets these prophecies literally and believes himself to be invincible, falling into arrogance.
• Downfall:Macduff was born by Cesarean section, and Malcolm's army advances disguised by carrying branches from Birnam Wood. Realizing that the witches' prophecies were a deception, Macbeth is killed in a duel with Macduff.

3. Comparison of Mrs. Kim Keon-hee and Lady Macbeth

The Times' comparison of Mrs. Kim Keon-hee to Lady Macbeth can be interpreted in the following context:

• Influence as the President's Spouse:Similar to how Lady Macbeth fueled her husband's ambition and took the lead in his actions, there are suspicions that Mrs. Kim Keon-hee wields significant influence over President Yoon Suk-yeol. While she doesn't hold an official position, the controversy surrounding her involvement in national affairs resembles Lady Macbeth's role.
• At the Center of Controversy:Just as Lady Macbeth was at the heart of the murder and power grab, Mrs. Kim Keon-hee has been at the center of several controversies. Suspicions surrounding her academic credentials, involvement in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation scandal, and controversies over luxury bags have created a negative image, similar to Lady Macbeth's actions.
• Anxiety and Conflict Among Those Around Her:Just as Macbeth's associates felt anxiety due to his tyranny and madness, critical voices within the ruling party have been raised about Mrs. Kim Keon-hee's actions, and public concerns are also growing. This situation mirrors the political conflict surrounding Macbeth.

4. Kim Keon-hee and Macbeth: The Meaning and Limitations of the Analogy

The analogy comparing Mrs. Kim Keon-hee to Lady Macbeth emphasizes that her actions evoke the political struggle surrounding power and negative influence. The desire for power, inappropriate relationships with those around her, and the resulting controversies are common characteristics of both figures.

However, this analogy also has limitations.

• The Danger of Simple Image Appropriation:Directly applying a character from a literary work to a real-life politician can oversimplify the situation. While Macbeth is a tragic figure, Mrs. Kim Keon-hee's situation is still unfolding, and the outcome cannot be determined definitively.
• Differences in Context:Macbeth had a clear objective in his actions—the seizure of the throne. In Mrs. Kim Keon-hee's case, the purpose and extent of her political involvement are unclear, although circumstantial evidence suggests questionable involvement. A special prosecutorial investigation has been approved but is still pending.
• Political Intent:This analogy may contain a political intention to emphasize a critical perspective. Therefore, it's crucial to understand this analogy not as an objective analysis but as an expression of a critical viewpoint.

• The Times' analogy effectively conveys the controversies surrounding Mrs. Kim Keon-hee while simultaneously issuing a warning about political infighting and negative influence.
• However, this analogy should not overlook the danger of simple image appropriation and the differences in context. Importantly, the lessons from the story of Macbeth should be used to prevent the abuse of power and negative influence.
• The critical perspectives and attention of our society will play an important role in preventing such tragic outcomes.