230217

“A falcon towering in her pride of place was by a mousing owl hawkd at and killed”

Falcon = Duncan (magnificent, grand, powerful,. Elegant)

Owl – Macbeth (associated with the night, evil, devious)

 

“Duncan’s horses..they eat each other”. This quote shows the absolute rebellion and subversion of nature on the death of Duncan. The horses cannibalism that has ensued is grotesque, deeply disturbing and entirely unnatural – highlights the nature of Macbeth’s acts. Nature’s rebellion also hints at the extreme unnaturalness of Macbeth’s deeds. It is a significant, grotesque, shocking image. It also highlights the destruction that has occurred and perhaps could be interpreted as a bad omen of the destruction that is to ensue.

Macbeth asking Banquo: “Goes Fleance with you?” shows that Macbeth is being consumed quickly by evil as he is plotting to ensure that Banquo and Fleance are killed so that he retains the throne. This question occurs very soon after he has gained the throne. This also shows that ambition and power corrupts – Macbeth holds the most powerful title but is still not satisfied.

“fruitless crown and barren sceptre” – contrast between great things “crown” and “sceptre” which are symbols of power which are contrasted with “fruitless” and “barren” which both suggest being powerless and empty. Perhaps this highlights Macbeth’s fate –the things he saw as being powerful and rich have actually led to an empty life in which he is vulnerable and weak. His life does not give birth to things. Also this furthers the idea that Shakespeare introduces regularly that Macbeth is concerned with the unnatural - both supernatural and unnatural in the sense of going against what is right and normal.

220217

The natural world is rebelling against the act of regicide. ”sacrilegious murder” – the word choice of sacrilegious suggests the significance and holiness of Duncan.

Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s outward public response shows no remorse.  This can be seen when Macbeth declares: “There’s nothing serious in mortality. All is but toys”.

Macbeth: “violent love” this juxtaposition highlights Macbeth’s duplicitous nature and inner turmoil. Interestingly the negative aspect is placed first, perhaps showing that evil is overtaking the goodness in Macbeth.

Very quickly after the murder of Duncan we see
Macbeth’s ‘prophecy’ (“that we but teach bloody instructions, which being taught, return to plague th’ inventor”0 come true as already more victims of the murder are being identified: those of Duncan’s chamber.

Duncan:

“silver skin” – sibilance of s, soft sound highlights the beauty of Duncan, the metaphor of “silver skin” Just as silver is a precious metal, expensive and uncommon so Duncan is being described as precious, of great value and rare.

The metaphor of his golden blood shows, just as gold is….so Duncan is ..

Duncan is several times associated with gold.

“his gash’d stabs look’d like a breach in nature”.

The word choice of “gash’d” means a cut however it suggests a large injury, the product of great violence and suggests severe damage to the body.

This simile highlights the horrendous impact of Macbeth’s violence on Duncan’s body.

This quote highlights Macbeth’s propensity for violence, shows the level of his depravity and shows his use of gratuitous violence. This in turn gives us an insight into Macbeth’s true character.

The repetition of the word “breech”.

What is interesting also is the repetition of “love”. Is this a sign of Macbeth’s inner conflict or does it suggest that he is thinking of his love for his wife – which is one of the reasons he has committed this “breech”.

The repeated references to “blood” pervades the text furthering the tragic element of the play. Also it is a word used by many characters showing the bloody effects are far reaching.

190117

LM assumes the masculine role in her relationship with M – this is courageous, she subverts the expectations of a Jacobean women.

“ignorant present” Word choice of ignorant has negative connotations , this shows her utter disgust of the current situation. Her current situation would be envied by most of Jacobean society – she is in the upper echelons of society, so this shows her insatiable ambition.

What is interesting is if we look at the first words uttered by LM and M on seeing each after a long time apart.

LM says: “Great Glamis, Worthy Cawdor”. It is interesting to note that she refers to his titles and status. Clearly this is how she look son him – as a status, and from him she gains status. This shows the reader that the thing uppermost in her mind is status and hence her ambition, and shows her obsession with power. She sees her husband as a role, not as her love. In contrast, Macbeth’s first utterance to his wife is: “Dearest love”. This is juxtaposed to his wife’s welcome and shows the reader that he, in contrast, sees his wife for exactly that: his wife, his love.

 

LM commands her husband: “look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it”. LM is encouraging her husband to be deceitful. Just as a snake is poisonous, deadly but also often unnoticed  suggesting that he have these qualities when dealing with Duncan. She is here corrupting him, however Shakespeare (through the use of the supernatural) has already informed the reader that Macbeth is easily persuaded. Macbeth is gullible and malleable, but perhaps not the driving force or as strong and determined as LM.  He is vulnerable to her persuasion as his first words to her show his utter love and dedication to her. He is a devoted husband.

 

Act 1 Scene 6

Where Lady Macbeth in the same property saw a “raven”, Banquo (in the company of Duncan) saw a “martlet”. A martlet live in churches and so is associated with religion, purity and innocence thus linking Duncan and his party with purity. Shakespeare uses bird imagery to juxtapose the two groups.

On seeing Lady Macbeth Duncan repeats the word love and references God – showing his good character and aligns him with religion (again).

Duncan when speaking to LM and M talks of love.

The Jacobean audience would be appalled at the plan of regicide but more so the reader sees, due to Shakespeare’s portrayal, that Duncan is a good king. 

 

 

KEY SPEECH ACT 1 SCENE 7

 “if it were done” -  Macbeth uses the conditional tense showing his doubt that continues to plague him regarding his plan to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth on the other hand shows no doubt at any point leading up to the murder.

“we’d jump the life to come” – this means that Macbeth is aware that if he kills the King he will not go to heaven and will not have any kind of life after death – this shows that Macbeth does indeed have a conscience. Either this can show Macbeth to be human and religious to some extent, or it can be argued that the fact he continues with plan despite being aware of the after effects in terms of religion and spirituality shows his utter lack of care and lack of religion as he overrides his conscience – he knows what he does is wrong.

“that we but teach bloody instructions, which being taught, return to plague th’ inventor” – here Macbeth (before the regicide of Duncan takes place) shows the reader he understands the terrible consequences of murderous actions. He makes it clear that he knows if he kills, he in turn will likely be killed. This shows Macbeth to be reckless ultimately as, despite this insight, he does in fact “teach bloody instructions”. The repetition of bloody, which has pervaded the text from the very beginning, furthers the theme of tragedy and murder. Also the use of this word in association with Macbeth highlights his murderous tendencies. Furthermore the metaphor of plague shows that, just as a plague is near impossible to stop, affects a large amount of the population and is deadly, the consequences of Macbeth’s actions will be difficult to stop and will be devastating to many, resulting in a high number of casualties (not just Macbeth).

 

There is a lot of symmetry in the language between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth – perhaps showing their similar vile natures.

“I have given suck” – perhaps on realising that LM has given birth and lost her child, the audience can begin to understand her current barbarity.  Clearly she has experienced trauma, the same level of trauma cannot be said to have been experienced by Macbeth.

“I would…Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums and dash’d the brains out”

Lady Macbeth is shown to be ferocious and unnatural. Firstly the word choice of “pluck’d” has suggestions of being unnatural, violent and causing significant harm – it is going against nature to produce something unnatural. It is making something vulnerable. This shows that she would use unnatural violence to remove her own newborn baby from her chest. Furthermore the word choice of “dah’s” firstly with the plosive d suggest an extreme of violence and the word choice has suggestions of violence, being uncaring and commtiing violence with a clear purpose.

190117

LM assumes the masculine role in her relationship with M – this is courageous, she subverts the expectations of a Jacobean women.

“ignorant present” Word choice of ignorant has negative connotations , this shows her utter disgust of the current situation. Her current situation would be envied by most of Jacobean society – she is in the upper echelons of society, so this shows her insatiable ambition.

What is interesting is if we look at the first words uttered by LM and M on seeing each after a long time apart.

LM says: “Great Glamis, Worthy Cawdor”. It is interesting to note that she refers to his titles and status. Clearly this is how she look son him – as a status, and from him she gains status. This shows the reader that the thing uppermost in her mind is status and hence her ambition, and shows her obsession with power. She sees her husband as a role, not as her love. In contrast, Macbeth’s first utterance to his wife is: “Dearest love”. This is juxtaposed to his wife’s welcome and shows the reader that he, in contrast, sees his wife for exactly that: his wife, his love.

 

LM commands her husband: “look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it”. LM is encouraging her husband to be deceitful. Just as a snake is poisonous, deadly but also often unnoticed  suggesting that he have these qualities when dealing with Duncan. She is here corrupting him, however Shakespeare (through the use of the supernatural) has already informed the reader that Macbeth is easily persuaded. Macbeth is gullible and malleable, but perhaps not the driving force or as strong and determined as LM.  He is vulnerable to her persuasion as his first words to her show his utter love and dedication to her. He is a devoted husband.

 

Act 1 Scene 6

Where Lady Macbeth in the same property saw a “raven”, Banquo (in the company of Duncan) saw a “martlet”. A martlet live in churches and so is associated with religion, purity and innocence thus linking Duncan and his party with purity. Shakespeare uses bird imagery to juxtapose the two groups.

170117

In the Jacobean time, a crime considered to be heinous was that of regicide. (AO3) (Macbeth)

“Our duties are to the throne and state, children and servants”. This is important as this quote shows part of Macbeth’s character and standards at the start of the play. As the play progresses we watch Macbeth break every aspect of this quote, and with it we see a man’s inner destruction.  This quote is a statement of Macbeth’s supposed personal integrity.

In the same scene Macbeth acknowledges: “let not light see my black and deep desires”. This shows his duplicity and the audience is aware even more so of Macbeth’s contrasting character and we see his ambition growing. However this also shows Macbeth’s conscience.

This play is a play about inner turmoil.

Key Scene Act 1 Scene 5

Lady Macbeth: “I fear thy nature [Macbeth] it is too full o’th’ milk of human kindness”.

LM is suggesting that M is too nice a person to act on the Witches’ prophecy. This is an insight/ introduction into LM’s brutal and ruthless character. Furthermore her strong character with strong views is the first hint that she is an atypical Jacobean woman, and in being so strong and opinionated is an atypical hero.

Milk is an important symbol of motherhood/ kindness/ goodness

From the very moment LM reads the letter and learn of the prophecy she is set to action and determined that M become King (and in doing so LM become Queen).

“the raven himself is hoarse” Shakespeare uses animal imagery, often bird imagery, to associate specific characters with specific qualities.  Lady Macbeth sees a raven and so Shakespeare associates her to a raven. Just as a raven is associated with death, evil and is an uninviting and feared bird so Lady Macbeth is being associated with evil and death. Lm is evoking the supernatural (Come you spirits)

“unsex me here” LM is pleading with the supernatural element to remove her femininity from her. She wishes to be removed from her feminine qualities (nurturing, caring, life giving) in order to kill Duncan.

110117

·        “most disloyal traitor, Thane of Cawdor” – foreshadows the actions of Macbeth, continues the idea of the supernatural – is the title cursed?

·        Duncan’s use of the word “noble” when describing Macbeth firstly suggest, through the word choice, that Macbeth is honourable, moralistic and to be admired. However it also highlight’s Duncan’s naivety with regards to Macbeth – for the reader this naivety is beginning to create a fondness and admiration for Duncan as he seems fair and lack arrogance. In the Jacobean era, the King (or monarch) was prime ruler and the most important person in society for all, this admiration crafted by Shakespeare between the reader and Duncan mirrors the Jacobeans view of their monarch.

·        Macbeth’s first utterance: “so foul and fair a day” – paradox. Is this also perhaps suggesting Macbeth’s paradoxical nature? It is significant that it is the first time we hear directly from him and hints to the inner turmoil of Macbeth.Act 1 Scene 3 – “to be King stands not within the prospect of belief” (Macbeth’s malleability)

Macbeth Blog Notes

Act 1 Scene 1

·        “The battlefield. Thunder and Lightning. Enter three witches”

Pathetic Fallacy is used in order to introduce the idea that this is a tragedy from the beginning, furthermore the initial location of the battlefield is significant because it instantly introduces the theme (idea) of conflict into the play as battlefields are synonymous with conflict. Furthermore battlefields are also associated with death and destruction and so Shakespeare’s choice to open his play on a “battlefield” suggests the play will contain death and destruction. This then creates a negative tone, and the fact that this occurs at the very beginning, is even more significant as it forms initial audience expectation. We anticipate that Macbeth will be a play of death, violence, destruction and in which there are clear winners and losers.

·        The first people we meet in the text are the witches, instantly bringing the element of the supernatural into the play. In the Jacobean era the supernatural and those associated would not be viewed kindly at all by society and were greatly feared.

·        It is interesting that the first time Macbeth is referred to in the play is by one of the witches, this begins the link between Macbeth and the supernatural. There is a clear connection between Macbeth and the witches (what we can we infer from that?)

·        “brave Macbeth”  -Interestingly although these are positive words about Macbeth , and even more so because so because they are uttered by a Captain, this is not the first reference to Macbeth in the play and so the reader has already connected him to the Supernatural as the Witches mentioned him and their meeting. Although he is being seen in a good light, we cannot help but begin to consider the contrast developing in the presentation of Macbeth’s character.

·        We are told Macbeth’s sword “smok’d with bloody execution”. The word choice of smok’d shows that the sword is has been put to great use by Macbeth and suggests that he has murdered many people. In this situation (fighting for King and country) in the Jacobean era this is a typically heroic act/ deed and therefore Macbeth’s killing qualities and murderous nature are admirable.  He is a successful soldier.

·        “bloody” this word is repeated consistently throughout the play, furthering the theme of death and destruction that pervades Macbeth. This also makes clear that Macbeth  is a tragedy.

·        The description of Macbeth’s actions in battle is admirable (in these times) but also grotesque.

·        Duncan says of Macbeth: “O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman”. This is the first real knowledge the reader gains of Duncan’s great respect for Macbeth and of his admiration. The word choice of “gentleman”.... Also the word choice of “valiant” suggest being honourable, admired and of a higher quality than most. Through Duncan’s opinion we are beginning to see a hero in Macbeth. Furthermore we see that Duncan is a decent and gracious king who acknowledges loyalty.

·        Shakespeare employs animal imagery to help guide and inform the reader’s understanding of the true nature of the characters of the plays. The comparison of Macbeth and Banquo t: “sparrows, eagles or the hare, the lion” is significant as just as these animals are predatory, strong, sly (“hares”) and feared by many others so too are Macbeth and Banquo. These animals sit at the top end of the animal kingdom’s hierarchies.