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Boekverslag Engels Macbeth door William Shakespeare
Date:
11 September 2004
Publisher: Heinemann
Number of pages: 240
Year of first publication: 1606
1.
What kind of story is it?
I think Macbeth is a drama and can be classified as a tragedy. Macbeth is actually more
a tragedy, in which themes are used very specific, like hate, trust etc. It is a very tragic
story and many people die in the story.
2.
Explain the title.
Macbeth is the main character. And that is what the title means. He is the centre of the
book. It is written down to nobody special, just the main character, without a motto.
3.
one?
How did you feel about the title? Do you think it is an appropriate
I think the title is very appropriate, since the story is all about Macbeth as a person. In
my opinion the title really fits with the story, because it globally says where the book is
about, Macbeth.
4.
If you had to come up with a new title for this story, what would that
title be? Why?
I would definitely not replace the title of the book, because its title perfectly covers the
whole book. I could, of course come up with another title that also covers the whole
story. I would give this book the title Butcherђ, because Malcolm describes Macbeth as
a dead butcher. Quote: This dead butcher and his fiend like queen".
5.
What part of the book did you like most? Why?
I liked the part in which the three witches give a prediction of what is going to happen at
the Scottish Royal House. And then Lady Macbeth appears late one night, still sleeping,
she is washing her hands and symbolises with this the thing Macbeth already said, that
there isn't enough water on earth to clean his hands and wash all the dirt (blood) on
them away. It was a very good part of the book. I paid much attention to this part,
because it attracted me. I thought that part was very interesting. I really thought I was in
the story myself.
6.
What part of the book didnӒt you like? Why?
I didnt like the part where Lady Macbeth walks in her sleep, while her gentlewoman and
a doctor watch. In that part she is mumbling about her guilt and her blood-stained
hands. She tells about her crimes. I think it was a bit confusing. The information given
was a bit too much. It did not fit very well into the story I think.
7.
If you could be one of the characters of the book for one day, who
would you like to be? Why? If there isnҒt anybody youd like to be, why not?
I would like to be Macbeth, because he is a general of the King's army. He has sunk so
deeply, that it is much easier to sink more, than to come up. For his safety, he kills all
the people who stand in his way. I know it is not correct to kill, but he is so powerful in
his situation and I would also like to be very powerful for one day. At the beginning,
Macbeth is 'clean' and good of mind, but later, he comes more and more in the power of
the Devil and that inspires me. The prediction of the witches was correct, and after he
murders Duncan, he became King. When he was afraid to loose his power, he murders
Banquo too. The devil has taken place in his mind. Increasingly, he wants to be safe and
murder became normal for him. There was no way back, and the way to hell was very
easy and inviting. The only thing he takes care of is his own safety.
8.
Did the main character(s) change; did something happen that made
him/her/them change? Explain.
Yes, Macbeth changed a lot. Macbeth is the main character. At the beginning he's a
general in the army. He was told he would be king, and to do so,
he had the king at that moment: Duncan. At first he is weak and he has doubts, but his
wife knows to persuade him to do it. After the first murder, he was sinking faster and
faster and become more evil. He smelled power and he did everything to stay king.
Malcolm describes Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as "This dead butcher and his fiend like
queen". In the play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth greatly change with respect to their
characters and their personalities. Although Macbeth was weak at first it was the strong
Lady Macbeth who helped him through the first murder. But then she is so busy with
controlling MacbethҒs life, she loses control of hers and she turned insane and killed
herself. At the beginning of the play Macbeth and his wife were ordinary nobles at the
time. But they have changed, they became evil.
9.
What do you think of the ending of the book? Why?
In the end of the story Macduff and Macbeth fight. Macduff informs Macbeth that he
was ripped from his mother's womb, and thus not born of woman. Soon after that has
been said, Macduff kills Macbeth. Macduff then crowns Malcolm the new King of
Scotland and I think that is a good ending to the book. I actually didnt expect this
ending; I did not expect Malcolm to be the new king of Scotland. I was a bit surprised
by it and that is why I like the ending. It was an unexpected ending, though it is a very
rapid end. Everything was explained and made clear so well in the book and that was
not done with the end I think. It was a lot of information in a few pages, and I think an
even better end would have been if the author had written that words in more pages.
10.
Choose two of the following assignments. DonҒt forget to write down
the number of words you used.
D) Give a summary of the book.
In a thunderstorm, three witches decide to meet again on the heath "after the deed is
done." Next, captain reports to King Duncan that Macbeth beat Macdonwald in battle.
Ross adds that the Thane of Cawdor was traitorous to Scotland during the battle. The
three witches confront Macbeth and Banquo on their way home from the battle. They
predict that Macbeth will be King of Scotland, and Banquo, though never king himself,
will beget rulers. The witches leave and Ross informs Macbeth that he has inherited the
title Thane of Cawdor (as also predicted by the witches). Macbeth contemplates the
prediction of him being king, and wonders if he should help make it happen. Malcolm
reports to King Duncan that Cawdor admitted his traitorous deeds at his execution. The
king then warmly greets Macbeth and Banquo. To Macbeth's dismay, King Duncan
declares his eldest son, Malcolm, Prince of Cumberland (i.e. the next king). At
Inverness Castle, Macbeth's wife learns of his encounter with the witches and decides
that she'll persuade Macbeth to fulfil his destiny through foul play. She then learns that
King Duncan is coming to her castle to stay the night, strengthening her decision to
murder Duncan. Macbeth appears and his wife tells him she'll do the foul deed herself.
Duncan arrives and Macbeth tells his wife he doesn't want to murder Duncan. She talks
him into it, adding that they'll frame Duncan's own guards with the murder.
Past midnight, Macbeth converses with Banquo, then alone, hallucinates that a bloody
dagger is in front of him. Macbeth meets his wife and tells her he murdered Duncan. He
also begins hearing voices. Macbeth forgets to return the daggers to the king's guards,
so his wife does it for him, bloodying herself too, as Macbeth loses himself in insanity.
They return to their chambers as Macduff and Lennox appear at the castle gates.
Macbeth greets them and they ask to see Duncan. Macduff and Macbeth "discover" the
body. Macbeth accidentally admits of the murder, and then recants. Duncan's sons,
Malcolm and Donalbain, flee to England and Ireland, fearing for their own lives.
Subsequently, Macduff and Ross discuss that all have decided that Malcolm and
Donalbain bribed the guards to kill Duncan. Consequently, Macbeth is declared king.
At Scotland's castle (Forres), Macbeth contemplates how he fears Banquo may give
breed to children who may overthrow Macbeth. Macbeth convinces (hires) to men to
murder Banquo and his son, Fleance. Macbeth scares his wife by informing her of
Banquo and Fleance's impending death. The murderers successfully murder Banquo,
but Fleance escapes. At dinner, Macbeth imagines he sees Banquo's ghost causing his
wife to excuse the dinner guests.
On the heath, the three witches make a brew chanting "double, double, toil and trouble."
Macbeth approaches and asks three questions. The witches answer: 1. Beware Macduff,
2. none of woman borne will harm Macbeth, and 3. Macbeth will until Birnam Wood
come to Dunsinane Hill. Finally, the ghost of Banquo appears, showing his eight future
royal offspring. Lennox and another Lord discuss that Macduff has gone to England to
convince the innocent Malcolm to join arms with Northumberland and Siward against
Macbeth. They inform Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England. Macbeth vows to
fight them at Fife. Lady Macduff laments that her husband, a traitor, is virtually dead.
Villains come and kill her son since he supports his father. In England, Macduff and
Malcolm agree to fight together against Macbeth. Ross delivers the devastating news to
Macduff that his son and wife are dead.
A doctor and servant observe Macbeth's wife's sleepwalking and sleep-talking about
Duncan's death. Menteith, Angus, Caithness, and Lennox discuss the impending battle
with Macbeth and Birnam wood. A Dunsinane Castle, Macbeth is informed that an
army of 10,000 is near. At Birnam wood, Malcolm orders his soldiers to cut the trees
and use them as disguises. In the castle, Macbeth learns that his wife has died by her
own hand, and then learns, to his dismay, that Birnam wood is "moving" toward the
castle. The army arrives and Macbeth fights and kills young Siward. Next, Macduff and
Macbeth fight. Macduff informs Macbeth that he (Macduff) was ripped from his
mother's womb, and thus not born of woman. Soon after, Macduff kills Macbeth.
Macduff then crowns Malcolm the new King of Scotland.
Source:
http://www.field-of-themes.com/shakespeare/summaries/tragedies/Smacbeth.htm
Words: 720
E) Did the author try to make a statement with this story? Is there a message
he/she tried to bring across? Why do you think he/she did that?
I think that he is trying to say ' whatever goes up must come down', so it doesn't matter
how high you are (politically or financially) you can still and will still come down (be
sized down.) Also, he is trying to say life is worthlessђ. I think that is the big message
of the whole book. Quote: LifeӒs but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and
frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale, told by an idiot, full
of sound and fury, signifying nothing. As you can see in this quote, Macbeth said life is
worthless, but I do not know exactly if Shakespeare meant: the life of Macbeth (the life
in the book) is worthless, or if he meant it in general.
Words: 135