why macduff?

Brush up your Shakespeare: remember Macbeth? No? A play about how power corrupts, Macbeth takes place in Scotland where a prophecy from three witches (remember "bubble, bubble, toil and trouble?" that's from Macbeth too) turns a once honorable battle hero to a blood-thirsty murderer. Once Macbeth hears the prophecy that he will become the ruler of Scotland, he and his wife plot to kill the king and anyone who tries to stop them. Part of Macbeth's feelings of invincibility come from hearing that "none of women born" can kill him. However, when Macbeth hires a hit on Macduff's family, Macduff vows revenge and succeeds. In one of the play's final scenes, Macduff confronts Macbeth and reveals his family secret: that he was "from his mother's womb / untimely ripped" (Macbeth 5.10.15-16), therefore not "of woman born." Macduff takes the life of Macbeth, restores the peace, and becomes the hero of this Shakespearean tragedy.

why universal conspiracy?

"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Once upon a time ago, I studied Ralph Waldo Emerson in my freshmen English class. We read a collection of his essays and after becoming thoroughly confused, we found a new way of thinking and learned to appreciate him as a writer and philosopher of sorts. The best parts of what he believed concerned self-reliance as well as an appreciation of knowledge and books and all things nature. The above quote from Emerson claims that we are in ultimate control of our own destiny. Likewise, the quote below emphasizes the necessity of self-confidence, otherwise a universe which may have been working in our favor, will become our greatest enemy.

"If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the universe against me."