Macbeth quotes

• carved out his passage- exposition

  • violent imagery/ foreshadowing
  • "carved"-non-human-places little value on human life
  • foreshadows later pursuit of kingship through violent methods
  • homeric hero- violence for social good-patriotism
  • tragic hero- admirable and worthwhile and high status
  • brutality-Scotland setting- place between civilisation of England and savagery of Norway-extreme things could happen
• unseamed- Exposition

  • violent imagery
  • foreshadowing
  • dehumanisation of victims
  • foreshadows later mental state- violence-psychological state unravels
  • Homeric hero
  • admirable and worthhile and high status
  • scotland setting
• Vaulting Ambition- rising action

  • personification
  • tragic hero: hamartia
  • recognition of hamartia
  • beginning of process-growth of hamartia-beginning to consume him
  • contributes to sense of anagnorisis
• kinsman...host...virtues...angels- rising action

  • listing
  • tragic hero- internal suffering
  • admiration of King Duncan-qualities in stark contrast to Macbeth
  • Internally conflicted-recognises his actions lack justification
  • breaks rules of hospitality
  • depraved/immoral
• dagger- rising action

  • symbolism
  • soliloquy- complex sentences at the start-anxious. short sentences at the end and no rhetorical questions-resolute
  • murder/regicide/cue for action
  • represents lack of control-'see but not touch'
  • illogical though process
  • hallucinating-hamartia overrides logic-ambition and desire distorts view on reality
  • dagger:symbol of sacrifice and betrayal-Cain and Abel
• Knocking- FA

  • stage directions
  • mimics macbeth's growing paranoia
  • internal suffering and mental instability
• Scotch's the snake- FA

  • animal imagery
  • paranoia-danger everywhere-leads to us considering Macbeth as a tyrannical dictator
  • reptile-cold blooded- represents macbeth's nature
  • hamartia in ascendency- full control of tragic hero
• Scorpions- FA

  • animal imagery
  • connotations of poison-hamartia is poison-growing/consuming
  • erosion of logical thinking-lack of self control
  • internal suffering
• devil damn...black...cream- catastrophe

  • contrast
  • downfall- admired then cursed
  • sin- no redemption for tragic heroes
  • mortal sin committed- no forgiveness
  • deceptiveness of appearances
  • macbeth seems inncocent- internally is corrupt and immoral
  • consequences of disrupting the natural order
• butcher- catastrophe

  • metaphor
  • ironic-start-praised for violence end- criticised for brutality
  • journey-violence for own gain
  • butcher- meat: murder- tyrannical ruler- views people as expendable
• Raven- rising action- lady macbeth

  • animal imagery
  • soliloquy
  • role-messenger-foreshadows bad deeds
  • carrion eating bird-death
  • soliloquy-golden opportunity to seize power
• milk for gall- rising action- lady macbeth

  • contrast
  • milk-life affirming substance-associated with babies-links to innocence and purity-represents feminine traits
  • contrast-LM rejection of femininity-challenging societal norms
  • womanhood impedes-renunciation of feminine traits-barrier to her desire for power
  • 1600s-women excluded from cultural, political and economic life
• serpent- rising action-lady macbeth

  • symbolism
  • reptile- cold blooded-represents lady macbeth's lack of emotions
  • serpent-evil/devil genesis
  • temptation of Adam- mirrors the process Macbeth will go through- Lady macbeth's actions mirror eve's
• blood...water clears us- FA-lady macbeth

  • motif
  • symbolic of guilt and sin
  • Physical stain= psychological stain
  • macbeth weak- Lady macbeth strong
  • Playing with natural order
  • Lady macbeth mental strength
  • guilt grows-leads to madness
• man- FA- Lady macbeth

  • repetition
  • LM's power and intelligence
  • preys/targets macbeth's weaknesses and insecurities
  • masculinity
  • provokes him to action-takes control-driving force
  • dominance=unnatural
  • modern feminist lens-lady macbeth is a victim because despite her intelligence and capability she must rely on her husband for agency
• fiend-like queen- restored order- lady macbeth

  • imagery
  • evil nature
  • start/end- references supernatural
  • highlights movement away from goodness and morality-allows audience to appreciate the nature of mortal sin
  • powerful woman=unnatural
  • femme fatale
• out,damned spot- catastrophe- lady macbeth

  • motif
  • guilt overpowering
  • psychological impact of regicide
  • dominant-naive as believed it would all work out
  • conforms to aspects of a tragic hero-internal suffering
  • may be seen as a victim-suffering- powerless in a patriarchal society