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Title: Macbeth Analysis
Description: Simplified analysis of Macbeth with quotes.
Description: Simplified analysis of Macbeth with quotes.
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A1S1: “fair is foul and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air” upon leaving indicates
their omnipresence, in context witches and magic were considered evil and related to demons
therefore play starting with them sets malevolent atmosphere
...
The otif of blood
m
is introduced here to characterize Macbeth’s violence and bravery
...
He is
recognized by King Duncan a figure of authority as “Valiant cousin” and “worthy
gentlemen” and the scene ends with the audience learning that Macbeth is getting
rewarded by the King as seen in line: “what he (referring to the traitor thane of Cawdor),
noble Macbeth hath won”
A1S3
: Shakespeare
introduces Macbeth onto the stage for the first time, however, a
relationship between him and the witches is instantly established from his first line: “so foul and
fair a day I have not seen” as this is similar to the line their line in A1S1 and this dramatic irony
leads the audience to form a
contradictory perception of Macbeth as to the king he is brave and
noble and the king’s opinion matters a lot especially in the context where kings are considered
to have been appointed by God while witches are malevolent
...
As the witches introduce him to new possibilities,
Shakespeare has introduced the
theme of equivocation important one, where the
, an
witches are only telling Macbeth half the truth
...
A1S4: Duncan “there’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face” about the traitor,
thane of Cawdor who had just been executed
...
In this
scene we find out that Macbeth is leaning more towards following the witches’ prophecies due
to his greed for power,
power being a major theme in the play this scene, acbeth has a
...
A1S5: Shakespeare introduces the audience to Macbeth as an woman through her
Lady
evil
reaction to acbeth’s letter to her relaying his meeting with the witches as she wants to
M
encourage him to do the evil deed
...
M’s evil nature is revealed as she calls for the evil spirits to “unsex her” and fill her
breasts with gall instead of milk
...
As she asks the evil spirits to change her
breast milk into gall, L
...
Thus, her asking to be unsexed, indicates that she who
wants to be evil, has to get rid of her gender’s characteristics to become so
...
M, unlike
Macbeth, not even hesitate at the prospect of Macbeth killing the king so long as it
does
gains the couple power and “sovereign sway” and “the golden round” which refers to the
crown and thus the position and the power that comes with
...
Audience is also introduced to how close they are to each other as she is the first person
he thought to inform of his true thoughts of this strange encounter
...
Their
M
, but
relationship also mentioned when he calls her “my dearest love”
...
Motif of blood here used once again but for L
...
In this scene, L
...
A1S6:
Dramatic irony as audience knows what the Macbeths are up to while Duncan praises
their castle and says: “this castle hath a pleasant seat” when the audience knows he is most
likely going to be murdered in that place
...
A1S7: through Macbeth’s
second soliloquy
, Shakespeare
reveals Macbeth’s doubts on killing
the king as he lists all the reasons he shouldn’t: 1) this might come back and haunt them 2) the
king is here in “double trust” as Macbeth is his kinsman 3) Macbeth is his who is
noble
host
expected to “against the murderer shut the door” 4) Duncan is an excellent king and his death
will cause chaos in the city as “his virtues will plead like angels, trumpet tongued, against the
deep damnation of his taking off”
...
then states that they shall not proceed any further with this plan of
He
killing the king
...
L
...
She states she would “dash its brains out” in reference to her own baby in
order to emphasize her manliness (after being unsexed previously in A1S5)
...
M, who was considered an equal to
Macbeth in earlier scenes has now
become dominant as she completely changed his
mind by playing with his pride and masculinity, thus
emotionally abusing him into
agreeing with her
...
The time for Duncan's murder has come and many
death connoted words are used in
this soliloquy including the mention of Hecate and the mention of a bell, thus reminding
of funeral rituals
...
An statement in this soliloquy is when Macbeth mentions he will use the dagger as
ironic
an “instrument” to kill the kind, whereas the audience is aware that Macbeth himself is
being used as an instrument or a tool if you like by the witches as they know killing a
king who is supposedly appointed by God and thus is a symbol of peace and order, they
will bring about chaos in the country
...
M:
1) She is not really that emotionally strong and is unable to always maintain this facade but
needs the evil spirits to make her evil and she also alcohol to make her “bold” and
uses
evil enough for this tyranny
...
M is not all evil and cruel as the audience suspected in A1S5 and A1S7 as she reveals
an
emotional sore spot with the line: “had he not resembled my father as he slept
...
Furthermore, in this scene, the is done Macbeth’s dialogue with his wife in the
deed
, and
hall is of of getting caught redhanded, with the bloody daggers still with Macbeth
fear
and his hands full of blood
...
In this scene, the motif of blood changes to represent the fear of Macbeth as he knows
there is no going back now
...
”
Macbeth is shaken up after the murder and knows he will not be able to sleep anymore
due to the
tyranny and impurity of his deed
...
L
...
Theme of power once again as L
...
Witches’ goal has been achieved as in A1S3, they reveal having taken away the ability
to sleep from a sailor, this in a way acts as foreshadowing
...
Foretold weather conditions suitable for evil to occur are mentioned to have taken place
the night of Duncan’s murder
...
“earth was feverous and did shake”
Everyone finds out King has died, starting with Macduff who comes in yelling “horror,
horror” and claiming the “life of the building” has been stolen
Macduff claims that L
...
Theme of appearance versus reality
...
M
pretends to faint when she notices Macbeth is slipping up and might reveal their
secret
...
A2S4:
MacDuff not going to coronation because of his suspicion of Macbeth
A3S1:
is Macbeth same as A1 (hero) or same as A2 (coward)
Banquo's soliloquy = his
suspicion
: “I fear thou played’st most foully for it”
Macbeth’s statement about where the
bloody cousins are is
dramatically ironic and
makes use of the otif of bloodThrough the statement, Macbeth is referring to
m
...
This reinforces the theme of fear as Macbeth is
afraid Banquo knows what he has done and that he pursued the witches’ prophecies
thus Macbeth is aware that Banquo is a threat and risk to him as he can reveal his deed
...
Therefore, Macbeth decides to get Banquo and Fleance, his son, murdered in order to
prevent chance of Banquo revealing Macbeth and of any of Banquo’s descendants
taking the throne
...
M urging him to commit murder as in A1S7 but it is his
own choice and idea that L
...
This idea is later reinforced with his
statement “I am in blood stepped too far” in A3S4 as he realizes he is damned after the
first murder he committed in A2S2 and thus must keep killing to hide the truth of his
treasonous deed
...
A3S2:
Macbeth is
unable to sleep at night because is worried about being revealed by
Banquo
...
This goes to show that through
the murder, Macbeth has gained more ill than good whereas Duncan has actually gained the
more positive outcome as he is at peace
...
M made Macbeth pursue in A1S5
” as
through the line “act like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it”
Furthermore, Macbeth’s mind is “ of scorpionswhich are symbols for poisonous
full
”
thoughts and thus evil
...
Theme
of appearance versus reality once again
...
M in comparison to acts
M
1 and 2 where she controlled him
A3S3:
Banquo killed but Fleance survived
, problem to Macbeth as he is one of Banquo’s
descendants who can take over the throne
...
Macbeth finds out that Fleance survived and states that “in time venom will breed” thus
directly referring to the witches’ prophecy in A1S3 where Banquo’s descendants will rule
...
M regains her dominance as she emasculates Macbeth once again while Macbeth is
illustrating emotional turmoil at seeing the ghost
...
The motif of blood is significant in illustrating Macbeth’s fear as he states that the guest’s
maintain the “ of their cheeks
ruby
” whereas his are
blanched representing his fear
...
This juxtaposition also acts
as foreshadowing for Macbeth’s imminent death as he is associated with the appearance
of a corpse
...
This shows the presence of a
hierarchy even in the unnatural world as she acts as their
boss
...
She orders them to make him feel invincible, arrogant and
overconfident as she states “
spurn fate and scorn death
”
A4S1:
witches chant while they’re throwing a spell
...
This reinforces that they want him
to fall for the trap they have prepared as they know ambition is Macbeth’s hamartia and
that he would seek them to ask for more
...
Macbeth demands to know whether Banquo’s descendants will become kings and the
witches answer him with an
apparition of a line of kings with Banquo walking behind
them and pointing at them for his
...
This makes the witches’ prophecy in A1S3 come true as
Banquo is smiling thus is
happier than the worried Macbeth
...
Macbeth demands MacDuff’s family is killed
...
A4S3:
MacDuff tells Malcolm to return with him to Scotland but Malcolm who is in England,
doubts him and this lack of instant trust sets him apart from his father who trusted Macbeth and
this excess of trust is what led to his death thus was his
hamartia
...
MacDuff
dramatically ironic statement “ each new morn, new widows howl” as his family
had just been killed but he doesn’t know it yet
“bleed, bleed poor country” Shakespeare inserts this phrase as foreshadowing as
bleeding is a way in which disease is purged out of the body
...
Therefore, this foreshadows his imminent death
King Edward of England foils Macbeth as he is a good king who is loved and
appreciated by the people thus emphasizing how evil Macbeth is
A5S1: is
L
...
as at
Ironic
the time of the deed she told Macbeth a little water will clean off our hands whereas Macbeth
stated that the blood on his hands “
Neptune’s great oceans will incarnadine
”
Doctor states “
unnatural deeds breed unnatural troubles emphasizes L
...
A5S2:
Scottish forces + English army jointly rebelling against Macbeth, they’re planning to
meet and head from Birnam Wood
...
Macbeth is killed by MAcduff ,
Malcolm’s evaluative statement: “ dead butcher and his fiend like queen” ,
Title: Macbeth Analysis
Description: Simplified analysis of Macbeth with quotes.
Description: Simplified analysis of Macbeth with quotes.