MACBETH

• "as two spent swimmers that do cling together and choke their art"

  SIMILIE (as two spent swimmers)

  • emphasises macbeth and macdonwalds exhaustion from relentlessly fighting
• "brave macbeth, noble macbeth"


  ADJECTIVES (brave, noble)

  • praising Macbeth's actions
  • his reputation is built up before the audience see him
  • makes his downfall more intense
• "his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution like valours minion carv'd out his passage"


  DYNAMIC VERBS (smoked, carv'd)

  • semantic field of violence
  • ruthlessness

  SIMILIE (like valours minion...)

  • fighting for honour
• " unseamed him from the nave to th' chops"


  VERB (unseamed)

  • Macbeth is brutal and violent
  • murder/killing instinct
• (Duncan says)

  "O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman"


  ADJECTIVES (valiant, worthy)

  • highlights Macbeth's bravery

  NOUNS (cousin, gentleman)

  • shows Duncan's respect
  • highest praise from the king
• (to witches)

  "stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more"


  IMPERATIVE (stay)

  • desperation to know how he will become king

  ADJECTIVE (imperfect)

  • acknowledgement to supernatural element of the witches
• "we but teach bloody instructions... ingredients of our poision'd chalice to our own lips"


  SYNONYMS (bloody instructions)

  • can't say 'murder'

  METAPHORS

  • paranoia
  • foreshadows own death
• " i am his kinsman and his subject"


  NOUNS (kinsman, subject)

  • Macbeth is Duncan's protector
  • knows he shouldn't kill him
• " i have no spur to prick the sides of my intent but only vaulting ambition"


  NOUN (ambition)

  • only intent Macbeth has to kill Duncan is his own ambition

  NOUN AND METAPHOR (spur)

  • has no motive
• " his host should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself"


  VERB (bear)

  • knows he shouldn't kill the king

  VERB PHRASE (bear the knife myself)

  • still cannot say murder
• "till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane, i cannot taint with fear"


  NOUN (fear)

  • knows he is in the wrong
  • still thinking of witches equivocations
• "come, let me clutch thee"

  (dagger)

  VISION

  • hallucination
  • connects him with the supernatural

  IMPERATIVE (come) + VERB (clutch)

  • tries to grab dagger
• " i had most need of blessing and amen stuck in my throat"


  BIBLICAL IMAGERY

  • Godless
  • link to the devil due to witches

  VERB (stuck)

  • going against heaven
• " i go and it is done; the bell invites me"


  EUPHEMISM (it)

  • cannot say 'murder'

  VERB (invites)

  • passing the guilt

  *COMMITS MURDER*
• "this is a sorry sight"


  SIBILANCE

  • guilt from the murder is building up
• "wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst!"


  VERBS (wake, knocking)

  • wants to reverse his actions
  • wishes he'd never committed the murder
• "Macbeth shall sleep no more"


  METAPHOR

  • doesn't have a clear conscience
  • will have no peace/rest
• "I am afraid to think what i have done"


  ABSTRACT NOUN (afraid)

  • was a brave soldier
  • now afraid
  • fear of consequences
• "full of scorpions is my mind"


  NOUN (scorpions)

  • venomous animal
  • mental illness due to guilt
• "Avaunt! And quit my sight! Let earth hide thee!"


  IMPERATIVES

  • attempting to take control
• "blood will have blood"


  REPETITION

  • common theme of blood
  • product of guilt
  • knows he will be murdered