Friday, October 23, 2009

Dove or Hawk?

In chapter 5 of The Selfish Gene, they characterize fighting strategies as either hawk or dove. "Hawks always fight as hard and as unrestrainedly as they can, retreating only when seriously injured" (p 70). Doves however "merely threaten in a dignified conventional way, never hurting anybody" (p 70). I thought about this for a while. Are humans hawks or doves? Do many of us ever really fight with someone else until injury or death? Maybe a few, however, most of us just use threats, and never really live up to them. This made me think of Macbeth. He must have been a hawk, because he killed so many people, right? However, I think he might not be completely hawk, but also dove as well. In Act 1 scene 7, he is questioning himself whether or not to actually follow through with the murder of King Duncan. He says, "He's here in double trus: First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both agains the deed; then, as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan Hath brone his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against The deep damnation of his taking off" (Act 1. sc. 7 lines 12-20). His train of thought is so clear and ringing with truth, that if left to himself, he probably would not have commited the murder at all. But of course that wouldn't really be a good story, Macbeth is prophesized to be King, however after thinking things through, decides he better not kill anyone. No, it wouldn't have been a very big hit. So, instead, Shakespeare brings in Lady Macbeth, who is hawk through and through. She pushes Macbeth to kill Duncan, thus fulfilling the prophesy. However, what would you then call someone who is half hawk and half dove? A Hawve? Because so many things in this world are not completely one or the other, I think it would have been smart to address this point. If a being sometimes backs down, however sometimes fights till the death, what would he be called, according to The Selfish Gene?

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