Macbeth

• Audience is a Jacobean society
• Patriarchy - A society that is dominated by men

  • Act 1 - Macbeth mirrors this
  • Act 2 onwards - Macbeth contrasts a patriarchal society (cowardly)
  • Lady Macbeth contrasts a patriarchal society (She holds power)
• 'unsex me here'

  • Example of patriarchy
  • Lady Macbeth understands that in order to gain more power she must become more masculine
• 'unseamed him from the knave to the chops'

  T - Chromomorphism

  E - Emphasises the ease at which Macbeth slaughters this enemy. He is not afraid to cut his enemy open. He treats his enemy like objects ('unseamed')

  Z - Violent imagery

  L -

  • Shows how savage Macbeth was
  • Emphasises power of witches (they the on the strongest)
• CONTEXT

  • Patriarchy - Men lead society
  • Jacobean audience (King James I wrote a book about Supernatural) believe in supernatural - Emphasising the danger of the supernatural + treason
  • Macbeth was written 1 year after the gunpowder plot (which was targeted at King James I) - Aimed to warn against traitors
  • KING JAMES IS THE BENEFACTOR TO MACBETH (Macbeth was written appease (suck up to) him)
  • The Great Chain of Being - God selects the King
• 'Life is but a walking shadow'

  T - Metaphor

  E - Macbeth is beginning to realise that we humans are never satisfied with out desires - we always want more. He feels that everything he has done so far has been for nothing. You can never catch your shadow

  Z - Verb 'walking'

  E - Walking suggests constantly moving, enhancing the idea that we cannot catch it

  L -

  • kingship - even kingship isn't enough. Why? Because we all die the same
  • Lady Macbeth - Shows the power she has over Macbeth, as it is only after she dies that he realises what he's done
  • Witches - Shows the witches are in complete control (Lady Macbeth has some), but God has all the control - death
• 'Something wicked this way comes'

  T - Juxtaposition

  E - Juxtaposing idea of Kingship with evil. Even the most evil (Witches) are impressed with how degenerate Macbeth has been

  Z - Chromomorphism

  E - Objectifying Macbeth. Shows how Macbeth has changed so much, that even the witches cannot recognise him. All feeling has left Macbeth - he is no longer human

  L -

  • Kingship - Shows Macbeth isn't the rightful King
  • Witches - Powerful and controlling
  • Lady Macbeth - Wicked
  • Guilt - At this point the witches and Macbeth both feel no guilt at all
• 'Heat oppressed brain'

  T - Soliloquy

  E - Macbeth feels his brain is being negatively controlled 'oppressed' by heat, suggesting someone or thing is applying heat to Macbeth's brain , allowing them to mold it into what they desire

  Z - Foreshadowing + Oxymoron

  E - Foreshadows Macbeths eventual downfall, Oxymoron - brain is free and cannot be controlled - implies the power of those controlling it, or maybe that macbeth is controlling it himself with his desire (freud : id)

  L -

  • Power of Lady Macbeth + Witches - able to manipulate and control Macbeth
  • Kingship - His desire for it has led to his oppression
  • Guilt - perhaps is the thing controlling him
• 'Instruments of darkness tell us truths only to betray us'

  T - Metaphor

  E - Shows that even the one who warned us of the power these witches possess is waiting for his prophecies to come true

  Z - Foreshadowing

  E - Foreshadows the witches betrayal of Macbeth, which leads to his eventual downfall, suggesting that the witches have complete control over Macbeth

  L -

  • Kingship - Witches use Macbeth to destroy kingship, which once complete, they begin to betray Macbeth
  • Banquo - even he is a victim
  • Supernatural - Emphasises their power - they are always the last ones standing
• 'In thunder, lightning or in rain '

  T - pathetic fallacy

  E - Sets the tone for the rest of the play by introducing harsh conditions immediately. Already we as the reader feel a distrust to these supernatural beings, which are foreshadowing the future.

  Z - Symbolism

  E - The weather symbolises the rest of the play as chaotic, disruptive and harsh

  L -

  • Witches - Emphasises the power of the witches as right at the start they are able to set up the future
• 'Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent underneath'

  T - Juxtaposition

  E - Lady Macbeth is able to compare the innocence and peaceful nature of a flower to the evil imagery of a serpent

  Z - Symbolism

  E - Flower = Innocence, peace, beauty - what Macbeth was

  Serpent = evil, danger, betrayal - what Macbeth becomes

  Together the symbolise the power of manipulation and control - and this leads to Macbeth's demise

  L -

  • Macbeth - weak and ignorant as he cannot see that he is being manipulated
  • Lady Macbeth - Strong
  • Supernatural - Mannipulative and powerful
  • Religion - Biblical referance (Adam and Eve)