Notesale: Turn your study into money

Document Preview

Extracts from the notes are below, to see the PDF you'll receive please use the links above

---

HOW DOES SHAKESPEARE PRESENT
MACBETH’S FEELINGS ABOUT GAINING
POWER?
The first soliloquy in Macbeth, in Act 1 Scene 3, is a powerful piece of
dialogue which not only foreshadows future events, but also clearly conveys how
Macbeth feels about gaining power
...
This means that Macbeth is talking
to himself or thinking aloud, which the other characters in the scene cannot
here
...
This introduces the
theme of duplicity, as Macbeth, in this scene, is being two-faced
...
The fact that
Macbeth’s heart is knocking at his ribs suggests that his blood pressure is rising,
which typically happens when one is nervous or scared, we can infer from this
that in fact Macbeth is terrified about the power he has gained
...
After the murder of
Duncan, Macbeth is extremely remorseful, so much that he feels that Duncan’s
blood will never be washed off his hands, we can tell this when Macbeth says
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No- “
...
The theme of “blood” in the play
is echoed to remind the reader that murder spurs on more murder, and later
connects to Lady Macbeth’s “spot of blood” section
...
The cold and harsh language used, for example “The castle of
Macduff I will surprise […] give to the edge o’ the sword His wife, his babes, and
all unfortunate souls”
...
In this speech, Macbeth seems to have no hesitation, reinforcing how
tyrannical Macbeth is
...
“Happy
prologues” suggest how the introduction to his power (up until Duncan’s death)
will be positive as a prologue is defined to be the introductory section to a book or
play
...

Opposing this idea, in Act 3 Scene 1, Macbeth orders murderers to eliminate
Banquo and his son, Fleance
...
” Macbeth tries to challenge fate,
which is juxtaposing his earlier idea of his fate is predestined for him, when he
says to the murderers “Fleance, his son, that keeps him company, whose absence
is no less material to me Than his father’s”
...
This is more evidence of him abusing his
power
...
This creates a false
sense of security for the audience as they think Macbeth has strayed away from
his downfall and letting Banquo’s seed be king, but this creates tension as we
find out later Fleance survives and the Hecate vows to lead Macbeth to his
downfall, supporting Macbeth’s original idea that his fate is already predestined
for him
...
However, as the play progresses, we learn that
Macbeth starts to push the boundaries of his power and abuses it, becoming an
evil and sadistic tyrant in the process
...




---