Download Macbeth, ​Giant RRS

 Justin Jennell Catherine Yong Nia Phillips­Johnson Patrick Utz Per. 5 4­15­16 Macbeth, ​
Giant RRS ∙​
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Title: ​
Macbeth ∙​
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Publication Date: ​
1623 ∙​
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Author: ​
William Shakespeare ∙​
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Nationality: ​
British ∙​
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Author’s Birth/Death Dates: ​
April 23, 1564 ­ April 25, 1616 Distinguishing Traits of Author: Although little is known concerning the early years of Shakespeare’s life, it is certain that he grew up in Britain as one of John’s sons. William’s father was of rather high ranking, and thus it is believed that the son received free education. Regardless, William grew up, got married, and began acting and writing plays. Although he wrote in accordance to the language style of the time, Shakespeare was freer in his writing approach. Also, he was interested in writing comedies, histories, tragedies, and tragicomedies. In turn, this characteristic of Shakespeare is portrayed in the play Macbeth​
as it emphasizes the brutal history of Scotland through a dramatized tragedy. William wrote these plays to entertain audiences and even nobility. Thus, there are many elements in the play of ​
Macbeth​
, such as the three witches and murderous events, that attract the attention of many people alike. Settings of Work: Scotland ​
The major setting presented in the play is the country of Scotland, and is set before the seventeenth century. Initially, King Duncan is the sole ruler of the land. He leads the country to victory and strength as he defeats the Norwegian attack. The opposing side stands weak as “the Norweyan banners flout the sky / And fan [the] people cold” (I.iii.57­58). Yet the power of such a country creates greed in the hearts of other men. Thus Macbeth becomes filled with passion and seeks to seize the throne. The setting of Scotland proves vital to the plot as its kingship motivates Macbeth’s evil character. Despite the fact that Macbeth’s “castle hath a pleasant seat [and the] air / Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself / Unto [guests]”, it becomes a place of Duncan’s murder (I.vi.1­3). The castle setting in Scotland highlights the considerable greed that Macbeth attains as he is not satisfied despite the luxury with which he lives in. After Duncan is killed, and Macbeth comes to power, the country loses it strong influence. Slowly, the state of the people within the land turns for the worse as Macbeth attempts to hold on to his power. Yet England ultimately succeeds as it conquers the land and Macbeth is killed. The setting of Scotland truly has great influence on the motives of multiple characters throughout the play. England The other major setting in the play is that of the country of England. This setting is important as Shakespeare included it to flatter the King of England at the time of his writing. As Macbeth is slowly ruining the country of Scotland, “The English power is near, led on by Malcolm, / His uncle Siward, and the good Macduff / Revenges burn in them, for their dear causes” (V.ii.1­3). Malcolm is clearly set on regaining the throne that was once his, and uses the country of England as a means of gaining back his royal position. In turn, England contributes greatly to the plot as it is the main force that aids in taking Macbeth down from his position of power. Ultimately, Shakespeare uses the setting of Britain to advance the plot of the play and clearly pay tribute to his king at the time of his writing. Macbeth’s Castle/Palace The crime that starts all the drama and situations start here. Macbeth’s castle/palace is where the majority of the important things happen during the play. In his palace, Macbeth: murders King Duncan, plots Banquo’s death, sees Banquo’s ghost, and eventually dies. Lady Macbeth reads Macbeth’s letter to her in his castle and prays for spirits “that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex [her] her/and fill [her] from crown to the toe top­full/of direst cruelty” (I.V.48­50) and give her the strength to persuade her husband to kill the king. However, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth both meet their ends in the castle. Lady Macbeth kills herself out of guilt and Macbeth is slain by Macduff. Brief Plot Synopsis: The play starts out with a scene that immediately introduces the three witches. They talk in a mystic manner and mention the name of Macbeth. Afterwards, the scene ends and in comes King Duncan who has recently won a great battle. He decides to execute the Thane of Cawdor as he has betrayed the country. The king then decides to give the title to Macbeth and sends a messenger to carry the news. Out walking back from a battle, Banquo and Macbeth encounter the three witches. The two men are horrified as the women have very unpleasant physical features. The Weird Sisters then speak prophesy and explain how Macbeth will be the Thane of Cawdor and later king. Also, they explain how although Banquo will not be king, he will have kings in his future lineage. They then leave the scene and in come messengers that declare that Macbeth will indeed be the new Thane of Cawdor. Later on, both Macbeth and Banquo rejoice with King Duncan, and the latter states how Malcolm will be the next king. Macbeth then writes a letter to his wife who reads it and finds out about the witches’ prophesy. She then plans on how she will persuade Macbeth into killing the king. Later on, the king is invited to their house and Macbeth is still not fully convinced on whether or not he should murder him. Yet the wife succeeds in persuading Macbeth into evil. Talking with Fleance and Banquo, Macbeth lies as he explains that he has not been thinking much about the witches. After the two men leave, Macbeth is left alone and explains the vision he has regarding a dagger. He then goes ahead and murders King Duncan. Afterwards, Lady Macbeth goes and places the daggers in the possessions of the servants. Macduff and Lennox arrive at the door and Macbeth greets them. They all find out about the murder, and Macbeth kills the servants with the daggers out of rage that masks his crime. Malcom and Donalbain then find out about the murder and flee the country out of fear for their own lives. Macbeth is named king and Macduff refuses to attend the ceremony. Time passes as Macbeth is now king of Scotland. Banquo suspects that Macbeth has committed the crime against the king. Macbeth is then quite upset as the prophesy states that the son of Banquo will become king. Thus, the king convinces murderers into believing that the downturn of Scotland is due to Banquo’s actions. He orders for Banquo and Fleance to be killed. Meanwhile, Macbeth talks to his wife and the latter explains how it is not worth being king and queen since their lives are quite miserable. Macbeth’s mind is quite troubled, yet he becomes stronger as he keeps the killing of Banquo a secret from her during dinner. The murderous men are furious and kill Banquo in the night. Yet they fail to kill Fleance as he flees the scene. One of the murders later tells the news to Macbeth during their dinner. The latter then talks to Banquo’s ghost and Lady Macbeth tells the guests that he has epilepsy. Macbeth then acknowledges that it is easier to kill after one has already killed and thus it will be easier to kill Macduff and Fleance. Troubled about the future, he goes to the Weird Sisters concerning Fleance. Hecate, the main witch, is angry and plans to confuse the king. Also, it is known that Macduff and Siward are gathering troops to fight against Scotland. Macbeth finally goes to the Weird Sisters who give him three prophesies. As a result, he is more aware of the present danger and decides to kill Macduff. After learning that the man has fled to England, the king decides to have his family executed. Men are sent to Macduff’s household and kill Macduff’s wife, children, and animals. Later on, Macduff meets Malcolm in England and the two talk about raising an army to fight Scotland and take Macbeth down. Malcolm explains how Siward shall help in completing such tasks. It is then that Macduff hears the news of his family’s misfortune, and he turns his grief into anger towards Macbeth. A servant of Macbeth starts to notice that Lady Macbeth has been getting up at night and viciously washing her hands. She is agitated by the immoral nature of the crimes she has committed. A doctor is then brought and concludes that the Lady needs spiritual, not physical aid. Meanwhile, a battle is soon to be fought against Scotland. A rebellious Scottish force joins that of Malcolm and England. Although Macbeth is warned about the forces against him, he believes in his own safety due to prophesies, and is more concerned with the health of his wife. Meanwhile, Malcolm orders troops to cut down trees and use them as a form of camouflage from Macbeth. The king then finds out that Lady Macbeth has died and that the forest seems to be moving towards him. He then decides to take to the battlefield. After killing young Siward, Macbeth encounters Macduff who explains how he was prematurely taken out of his mother’s womb. Macduff then kills Macbeth and takes his head to the new King Malcolm. Characters: Macbeth Macbeth is the main character of the play. He is a vassal to King Duncan as well as his cousin. In the beginning of the play, he meets the three witches while walking with Banquo. A prophesy is given that deems him as Thane of Cawdor and future king of Scotland. The later event comes true and thus he begins to consider the possibility of becoming king. It is then that Lady Macbeth also starts to convince him of the possibility of taking the throne. Macbeth kills the king and after taking the throne becomes a vicious murderer. He tells two men “That [he] to [their] assistance do make love, / Masking the business from the common eye / For sundry weighty reasons” to kill Banquo (III.i.140­142). Despite the honor Macbeth carried with him as a soldier, his leadership qualities fall short when he is crowned king. Macbeth’s character clearly alters throughout the play as power causes him lose his morality and cause him to become a tyrant. This lack of morality continues through to the end as he kills Macduff’s family, young Siward, and ultimately his own power as he dies at the hands of Macduff. Lady Macbeth Lady Macbeth is another main character in the play that plays a crucial role in influencing Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is Macbeth’s wife. She is deeply loyal to Macbeth and his wants, with the hopes of her own powerful gain. After hearing about the prophecy of Macbeth’s future kingship, she immediately doubts the courage that he will have in conducting such a task. Thus, she goes to great measure in convincing Macbeth to kill Duncan. She then aids in the murder drugging the king’s guards, which allows Macbeth to easily stab the king to death. In turn, her cruel nature is clearly portrayed as she is willing to take the life of a great man to increase her social status. Later on, though, she attains less influence throughout the play as Macbeth begins to act on his own accord without seeking her advice. This is evident when Macbeth sends orders to have Banquo killed without her knowing. Despite her being the mastermind behind the murder of Duncan, and the most emotionally stable following the murder, the death of Duncan ultimately leads to her death. Lady Macbeth experiences an inner turmoil as she withholds guilt for killing the king and others. Troubled in her sleep, she shouts “Out, damned spot, out, I say! One. Two./Why then, ‘tis time to do’t. Hell is murky./Fie, my/lord, fie, a soldier and afeard?” (V.i.37­39). Lady Macbeth is driven mad by the evil deeds she has committed and seeks to wash them all out. Thus, despite her initial evil character, she regrets her past actions and yearns to cleanse herself as she cannot handle the immense guilt she has as a result for the morbid things she did out of her lust for power. Banquo/Fleance Banquo is a noble general who is initially a good friend of Macbeth as the two walk back from the battlefield as victorious men near the beginning of the play. Just as Macbeth, though, he too receives a prophecy and finds out that his son shall be a king. In turn, this causes later fear in Macbeth as he seeks in becoming king. Yet Banquo is essentially a foil character to Macbeth in regards to the way he reacts to prophesy. Instead of attaining an evil character like Macbeth, he simply continues on in his life and honors King Duncan. Even though Macbeth commits his murderous act in secret Banquo becomes suspicious and thinks that Macbeth “hast it now—king, Cawdor, Glamis, all/As the Weird Women promised, and [he fears]/Thou played’st most foully for’t” (III.i.1­3). Yet Banquo does not act upon his suspicion and ignores the sudden death of King Duncan. Sadly, it is his lack of action based on suspicion that causes his death. He dies a cruel death as murderers sent by Macbeth execute him. His son, Fleance, is not developed much throughout the play but is critical to the plot as he is to be a king. Thus, Fleance’s role in prophecy causes Macbeth to send murders after him and his father. King Duncan King Duncan is an important character that dies off early in the play. He is crucial to the plot as he holds the position of king that Macbeth seeks to take. Yet Duncan’s character makes it hard for Macbeth and his wife to commit their acts of murder against him. He is a righteous king that explains how “There’s no art/To find the mind’s construction in the face./[the Thane of Cawdor] was a gentleman on whom [he] built/An absolute trust” (I.iv.13­16). His upset nature over the death of even a treasonous man portrays the genuine value that he has for the life of men. In turn, he is a man full of morals and righteousness. Such positive qualities make it harder for Macbeth and his wife to commit murder as there is a lack of anger towards the king. Thus they are forced to be fueled primarily with the ambition for power as King Duncan is clearly a very good king. Malcolm / Donalbain Malcolm and Donalbain are both the sons of King Duncan. After Duncan is murdered, the two flee from Scotland as they fear that they shall be the next to be killed. Throughout the play, Malcolm plays a greater role as Donalbain appears very little. Malcolm flees to England and over time gathers an army with the help of men from England. He is determined in taking the throne back and seeks to avenge his father’s death. Malcolm is filled with anger towards Macbeth as he has killed his father and stolen the throne from the rightful heir. Thus, he is set on “coming thither. Gracious England hath/Lent [them] good Siward and ten thousand men;/An older and a better soldier none/That Christendom gives out” (IV.iii.219­222). Malcolm’s determined nature is crucial to his victory as he stops at nothing to beat Macbeth and conquer back his father’s country. Three Witches, the Weird Sisters The three witches play an important role throughout the play as they cause ambition and deception that leads to evil. Initially they prophesy in front of Macbeth and Banquo stating, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!/All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (I.iii.52­53). Although the witches tell prophesies that become true, they are full of evil as they plan in deceiving Macbeth and ruining his status. They cause him to consider the possibility of becoming king and in turn spark ambition for power within his heart. Thus, the witches indirectly cause the start of Macbeth’s evil character and path towards destruction. Also, Hecate is their leader but does not have a say in the plot to initially deceive Macbeth. Regardless, they lead Macbeth into thinking that he will not be killed in battle and is later slaughtered by Macduff. The witches ultimately use prophecy to toy with Macbeth and lead him to his demise. Macduff / Lady Macduff / Son Macduff is a Scottish nobleman that from the start does not establish good relations with Macbeth. He is the first one to discover Duncan’s dead body, and it is apparent that by his reaction, he is very loyal to the king. He suspects Macbeth had something to do with the king’s death and refuses to go to Macbeth’s crowning ceremony and other events. Later on, as Scotland is falling apart, he goes to Malcolm in England and seeks to “Hold fast the mortal sword and, like good men,/Bestride [their] downfall’n birthdom. Each new morn/New widows howl” (IV.iii.4­6). He clearly does not favor Macbeth’s ruling and seeks in redeeming the throne to the rightful heir of Malcolm. Macduff is thus a valiant man as he leaves his family behind to serve Malcolm’s cause and overthrow Macbeth. Yet his decision in leaving his family alone also backfires. Lady Macduff is left to encounter murderous men sent by Macbeth that kill her son along with the rest of the family. In turn, Macduff uses the grief to further fuel his anger as he goes and kills Macbeth. He then takes his head and hands it over to Malcolm. Macduff is clearly a man of principles who fights against Macbeth for the sake of righteousness. Ross/Lennox Ross is a Scottish noble who contributes to the plot by carrying important messages. He is the one that initially tells Macbeth of the news that “for an earnest of a greater honor,/[the king] bade [him], from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor” (I.iii.109­110). In turn, he is the messenger that carries the first set of news that sparks ambition in Macbeth. Ross is later troubled with Macbeth and the state of Scotland as he attempts to justify to Lady Macduff the reasons as to why Macduff left to England. In turn, Ross is unsure of Macbeth’s ability to rule and the righteousness he exudes. Lennox is another Scottish noble who makes clear the turmoil that exists in nature that parallels that of Macbeth’s crimes. He explains how “The night has been unruly. Where [they] lay, / [their] chimneys were blown down and, as they say, / Lamentings heard i’ th’ air” (II.iii.61­66). Although they are both minor characters, Ross and Lennox help portray the evil changes that occur in Scotland as a result of Macbeth’s deeds. Siward and Son Siward is a minor character that aids Malcolm and Macduff in defeating Macbeth and getting back the kingdom of Scotland. Malcolm describes how “Gracious England hath/Lent [them] good Siward and ten thousand men;/An older and a better soldier none” (219­221). Thus, Siward is a righteous British man who acknowledges Macbeth’s evil ruling and is willing to help Malcolm regain his throne. Siward’s son also joins the fight against Macbeth yet is later killed by the evil king himself. Nevertheless, the father and son help Malcolm regain his throne and portray the friendly nature of England in helping its neighbor country. Symbols: Dagger One of the major symbols in the work comes in the form of a dagger. After Macbeth converses with his wife, he becomes set on killing the king to gain power. Right before the murder, he imagines “A dagger of the mind, a false creation / Proceeding from the heat­oppressed brain? / [he sees] thee yet, in form as palpable” (II.i.50­52). The dagger symbolizes the aggressive nature that is caused by greed and aids Macbeth in committing murder. He initially loves the king yet is later plagued by the thought of becoming king himself. Thus, once the desire for power begins in Macbeth’s heart, he begins to think of immoral ways to gain his wanted position. The dagger emphasizes the evil that is involved with his ambition to gain influence. He seeks to murder the king and open the path to royalty. In turn, there is a lack of morality as he proceeds in increasing his power and follows the violent nature that is involved with daggers and killing. Baby and Mother A very important symbol in the play is that of a baby and a mother. As Macbeth begins to consider backing out of his promise to kill the king, his wife becomes furious. Lady Macbeth then describes how she “would, while [the baby] was smiling in [her] face, / Have plucked [her] nipple from his boneless gums / And dashed the brains out, had [she] so sworn as [Macbeth] / Have done to [momentarily not kill the king]” (I.vii.64­67). The baby symbolizes the precious life that Lady Macbeth is willing to sacrifice for the title of queen. As Macbeth begins to question whether or not he should kill the king, she lashes out against his doubt. Her use of the baby symbol emphasizes the immoral nature that arises in her heart as she gains greed for power. She is willing to kill a precious life rather than back out of the opportunity to rise in social status. The symbol ultimately portrays the evil character of Lady Macbeth and her appalling method in convincing Macbeth into committing an act of murder. Horses After King Duncan is murdered by Macbeth, a strange and unsettling feeling spreads across his kingdom. One of the Scottish lords says that "Duncan's horses (a thing most strange and certain)...turned wild in nature...[and] 'tis said they eat each other" (II.IV.18­20). The horses turning wild and eating each other represents the strange and unnatural situation. The horses, normally passive in nature, suddenly turned violent and one ate the other. This is much like what happened between Macbeth and King Duncan. At first Macbeth was passive and peaceful, but with the help of supernatural forces, Macbeth's suddenly turned dark and violent towards his King, eventually resulting in Duncan's murder. Birds In Macbeth, the symbol of birds occur either before or when something important happens. While Lady Macbeth is waiting for her husband to kill Duncan, she is startled by a noise. She calms herself and realizes that "it was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman" (II.II.5). The owl is a silent hunter and it makes no noise as it hunts and kills it's prey. The owl represents Macbeth. Macbeth is able to quietly sneak into Duncan's chambers and kill him quietly, despite using daggers. The owl's shriek alerts Lady Macbeth that the deed is done. The owl would only make noise after it has successfully killed its' prey. The owl now shrieks because Macbeth has successfully killed Duncan. Apparitions The apparitions represent deception because they act as a foil to Macbeth’s plan to gain ultimate power. Macbeth values their half true prophecies wholeheartedly. When Macbeth seeks the witches’ advice regarding what to do with Macduff, the apparition tells him, “The power of man, for none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth” (IV.i.82­83). This prophecy causes Macbeth’s confidence to rise increasingly; it is enough to make himself believe that he is undefeatable. Macbeth believes that he holds so much power that no one would be able to defeat him. He gains a sense of entitlement and arrogance because he assumes that every man is born from a woman so there are no chances that he will be harmed. However, this prophecy is only half true because Macbeth did not account for the possibility of a woman having a cesarean section. Sleepwalking Sleepwalking symbolizes Lady Macbeth’s guilt when murdering King Duncan. Lady Macbeth begins to sleepwalk and sleep talk because she is afflicted with her moral unrighteousness and guilt. Lady Macbeth’s confidence deteriorates because she is consumed with guilt. While Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking, she is paranoid by the sight of blood on her hands. She says, “Yet who would have thought the old man/ to have had so much blood in him” (V.i.56­58). This scene displays how the murder still heavily affects her moral consciousness. Lady Macbeth progresses from an overly ambitious character to a desperate, guilt­ridden character. At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth was confident in her decision to have Macbeth kill King Duncan. After a while, her guilt constantly overtakes her emotions to the point where she is unable to feel comfortable and at peace. Motifs: Darkness A prominent motif in the play comes in the form of the night and darkness that highlights the great evil that Macbeth is attempting to hide. One of the first appearances occurs when Macbeth remarks on Malcolm's up ranking and describes it as “a step / On which [he] must fall down or else o’erleap, / For in [his] way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see [his] black and deep desires” (I.iv.55­58). Darkness is often associated with a lack of knowledge and the presence of evil and ignorance. Thus, after Malcom is promoted, Macbeth’s jealousy is emphasized through the use of the dark image that is to cover his evil thoughts. Light shall reveal his greed and so he seeks to have blackness cover his inner desires. The night and dark motif continues as Banquo explains how “there’s husbandry in heaven; / Their candles are all out. Take thee that too” (II.i.6­7). The night sky is deprived of light and is filled with blackness. Thus, the evil nature of Macbeth is further emphasized as the blackness covers him while he goes and murders the king. The darkness ultimately highlights the evil that exists within Macbeth’s heart while his outer appearance masks such immorality. Violence The violence in the play represents Macbeth's changing character. At first, when Macbeth murders King Duncan, the actual murder is done off­stage. Macbeth wishes to hide his deed and is upset by what he did. However, he hires three murderers to make sure "Banquo's safe" (III.IV.27), or dead. He then uses another pair of murderers to kill Macduff's wife, son, and entire household. The last two murders are done on stage and increase in brutality and needlessness. Macbeth killed Duncan out of ambition and Banquo out of worry and envy, but he killed Macduff's family out of hatred and anger. He no longer cares if he murders people or their deaths are his fault, showing how he goes from just an ambitious man to an evil tyrant. Fate/Spiritual Power Another important motif in the play comes in the form of unnatural events that emphasize the spiritual power and fate involved with Macbeth’s deeds. After the king is murdered, Lennox and Macduff come to Macbeth’s castle without knowing about the crime. They then explain how “The night has been unruly. Where [they] lay, / [their] chimneys were blown down and, as they say, / Lamentings heard i’ th’ air, strange screams of / death…[and] The obscure bird / Clamored the livelong night” (II.iii.61­68). The presence of abnormal wind and a screeching owl emphasizes the great evil that is present in Macbeth’s murderous deed. He follows supposed prophecy and plays with fate, thus killing the king. In turn, unnatural events occur that respond to his immoral deeds. The motif is furthered as Ross explains how Duncan’s horses “the minions of their race, / Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out…[and ate] each other” (II.iv.19­24). The unnatural event of horse cannibalism parallels with the abnormal character of Macbeth killing the king for power. His fate is echoed in a spiritual sense of nature as the immorality that Macbeth purses is seen in the outer world. The motif of unnatural events clearly portrays the fate of Macbeth and his evil. Blood The motif of blood signifies guilt that remains forever. Lady Macbeth is seen “washing her hands [and] have known her/ continue in this quarter of an hour” (V.i.31­32). She suffers sleepless nights and delirium because the guilt from murdering King Duncan haunts her mentally and physically. The stain from King Duncan’s body taints her hands, which is a constant reminder of her deceitful actions. Also, blood signifies the unhealthy ambition Macbeth faces because his first murder enthralled him to commit more murders. He gained this unhealthy obsession with murdering people to gain more power. The first murder is the most difficult to complete but the act of murder becomes easier to perform the more and more it is done. Visions and Hallucinations Visions and Hallucinations are seen throughout the play by Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. They serve as reminders of the wicked within them, and the inner confliction with that wickedness. Macbeth’s confusing apparition of the dagger lead him to question his sanity as reflected by his question, “Is that a dagger I see before me…”, showed his inner conflicting of killing Duncan (II.i.2). The hallucinations Lady Macbeth had regarding washing her hands : "Out, damn'd spot”, demonstrates how her morbid actions have consumed her, and driven her insane, which is ironic for she advised her husband to not think about their wrong­doings or it would drive him insane (V.i.2). Archetypes: Tyrant/Ruler While Macbeth attempts to be a good ruler, the power quickly corrupts him and turns him into a tyrant. The people of Scotland slowly starve and most of them live in poverty. "Those he commands move only in command/Nothing in love" (V.II.22­23). Even those who serve him feel no love or real loyalty to him, they simply serve him because they have to​
. Macbeth’s overconfidence leads him to commit numerous murders because he gains a perception that he is untouchable. He is too caught up with the idea of ruling all of Scotland that he forgets his morals and misuses his power. Greedy Evildoer ​
Macbeth represents the archetype of the “greedy evildoer” who ignores morals when presented with the task of attaining power. After being named Thane of Cawdor, and hearing prophecy concerning his possible up ranking to king, Macbeth “[sees Duncan] still, / And, on thy blade and dudgeon, gouts of blood, / Which was not so before… / It is the bloody business which informs / Thus to [Macbeth’s] eyes” (II.i.57­61). Macbeth starts to gain greed as he seeks in being king and attaining power. Thus, his thought process changes as he begins to see the bloody encounter that will have to occur between him and King Duncan. As the greed grows within Macbeth’s heart, so does too the evil. He takes on the wicked nature of a murderer and kills the king. In turn, he gains the royal position yet is altered for the worse. The ambition that Macbeth holds for power ultimately creates a dark heart filled with immorality that acts upon what is needed to attain influence. Allusions: A very powerful allusion, that emphasizes the evil of the witches, occurs when Macbeth and Banquo encounter them on their path. Upon meeting the Weird Sisters, Banquo explains how “By each at once her choppy finger laying / Upon her skinny lips. [They] should be women, / And yet [their] beards forbid [him] to interpret / That [they] are so” (I.iii.46­49). An allusion is present as the appearance of the witches refers to the qualities of the Fates in Greek mythology. Thus, the sinister nature of the Weird Sisters is highlighted as they are compared to the wicked Fates who have the power of knowing the future, and befoul the lives of men. From the start of the play, the allusion emphasizes the evil that the witches shall bring upon the characters. It is due to the prophesy that the sisters recount, that Macbeth and his wife are lead on a burning passion of greed to gain power and kill all who stand in their way. The allusion ultimately adds a sense of evil to the witches and establishes the great turmoil that is to afflict multiple characters throughout the play. The reference to Lucifer ties in with the theme of “fair is foul, and foul is fair” since it is just as easy for an evildoer to perceive himself as it is for a righteous man. Malcolm challenges Macduff’s loyalty and says, “Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.” (IV.iii.27). The fallen angel, Lucifer, betrayed God despite his allegiance to the Father. Malcolm states that although Macbeth was introduced as an admirable character, he soon loses his reputation because power consumed his moral standing. Macbeth becomes obsessed with a want to gain control and thus he follows a path of evil to gain kingship. Just like Lucifer, Macbeth becomes corrupt and rid of morals as he brutally takes the lives of many to quench his own desires. Themes: Ambitions One of the major themes in the play is that of ambition leading to cruel actions towards others. After Macbeth sends his letter detailing prophesy to his wife, she becomes filled with ambition and desire to become queen. Thus, she convinces Macbeth into killing the king and promises to help in the deed. She then gets the men drunk and “Hark!—[she] laid their daggers ready; / He could not miss ‘em. Had [King Duncan] not resembled / [her] father as he slept, [she] had done’t” (II.ii.15­17). Although Lady Macbeth does not kill the king directly, she helps lead her husband into committing the act of murder. She is filled with a want to increase in social rank and gain the title of royalty. However, she pursues such aspirations with the help of Macbeth. The theme is clearly highlighted as she attains the trust of her husband, and the two pursue immoral actions towards their path to royalty. Things are not as they appear Another prominent theme in the play is that of benevolent appearances masking the evil nature of reality. After Macbeth became king, he continues to act in a kind manner towards Banquo. Yet he later tells two men in private “That [he] to [their] assistance do make love, / Masking the business from the common eye / For sundry weighty reasons” to kill Banquo and Fleance (III.i.140­142). Thus, the theme of altered appearances is highlighted as Macbeth clearly has a two faced character. He seeks to keep his true intentions a secret from Banquo, in turn suppressing any suspicion from him. Yet the true intents of Macbeth’s heart are filled with evil. The new king merely seeks to keep his position and thus sends for men to kill Banquo and his son as prophecy predicts the coming of Fleance as an heir to the throne. Ultimately, there exists a great divide between the immoral nature of Macbeth and his superficial outer appearance. Guilt The theme of initial guilt towards actions stimulated by greed is another theme in the play. After Macbeth kills King Duncan, he experiences regret. He declares to “go no more. / [he is] afraid to think what [he has] done. / Look on’t again [he] dare not” (II.ii.65­67). Initially, Macbeth is fueled with greed to take the throne of the Scottish kingdom. Yet after he follows through with his plan, there exists a negative feeling within him. He is traumatized by the murderous action that he has committed and cannot stand to look upon his own deeds. In turn, the theme of guilt is emphasized as he clearly experiences regret for taking the life of a good king. Yet despite such regret, Macbeth is fueled with a greater greed and moves on to kill others in order to keep his position as king. Ultimately, though, the theme of guilt is portrayed as Macbeth momentarily experiences remorse for his immoral actions. Manly Pride Manly pride is used in the play as Lady Macbeth uses it to convince Macbeth to murder King Duncan. She thinks that her husband is "too full o' th' milk of human kindness" (I.V.16) and prods Macbeth to murder Duncan by stroking his ego and telling him that he must seize his ambitions like a man would. It is only by stroking his ego and convincing him to "act like a man" that Lady Macbeth is able to convince her husband to murder the king, when he would have never thought to do that by himself. Foul is fair and fair is foul The theme foul is fair and fair is foul refers to the fact that looks can be deceiving. Early on in the play, Duncan admits that he cannot tell a man's intentions by looking at their face. This is ironic since Macbeth is planning to kill him despite the fact that Macbeth is his cousin. While Macbeth seems to be a loving cousin and loyal general. Macbeth even throws a party for Duncan and treats him nicely before he murders him. Memorable Quotes ● ​
“Upon her skinny lips. You should be women, / And yet your beards forbid me to interpret / That you are so” (I.iii.47­49) ● ​
“Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires” (I.iv.57­58) ● ​
“Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch / thee. / I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. / Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible / To feeling as to sight?” (II.i.44­49) ● ​
“I will not yield / To kiss the ground before young Malcom’s feet / And to be baited with the rabble’s curse” (V.viii.32­34) ● "Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake/thy gory locks at me" (III.IV.61­62). ● "Double, double toil and trouble" (IV.I.9). ● "Dispair thy charm, and let the angel whom thou still hasn't served/tell thee Macduff's was from his mother's womb untimely ripped" (V.VIII.17­20). Distinctive Characteristics of the Work o​
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Shakespeare makes the play in part as a tribute to King James at the time of his writing. Thus, this influences the plot as it is the kingdom of England that aids Malcolm in taking down Macbeth from his throne. This event adds a sense of honor to King James and the country of England. o ​
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The play is based on the true story of Macbeth who ruled Scotland starting on the year 1040. Shakespeare used this old historical event and dramatized it to appeal to the king and audiences. Thus, such dramatization influences the creation of a more multilayered Macbeth that has multiple phases of characterization throughout the play. o ​
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Lastly, ​
Macbeth​
is one of Shakespeare’s shortest plays. Yet the play delivers powerful messages of ambition, and depicts the multiple sides of different characters. Thus, Shakespeare showcases his writing genius as he executes a brilliant play with limited words. o​
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Not only was ​
Macbeth ​
Shakespeare’s shortest play, it is also one of his bloodiest. No other Shakespeare play has the amount of gore, murder, or disturbing images as this play.