violence

• At the start of the play, Shakespeare presents gruesome violence through Macbeth, however at this point he is commended for his efforts and seen as a patriarchal and honourable soldier. The writer did this in order to show how violence can be awarded and looked up to if not used selfishly.

  "carved out his passage"

  "Unseamed him from the nave to the chap"

  "For brave Macbeth- well deserves that name"
• "carved out his passage"


  "carved"- again an artistic imagery- sculpting- again reflects how he is skilled in his violence- like a sculptor- makes war seem like art and he is the artist.- his ability to kill many without a second thought paints him as butcher. - seems so easy for him

  "passage"- journey to success and admiration.
• "For brave Macbeth- well deserves that name"

  Macbeth is admired by many.

  He is widely respected.it reveals that Macbeth is a hero on the battle field, moreover the title is not self-proclaimed displaying that it is well deserved and implying that Macbeth is worthy of the praise given to him.

  "deserves"- (verb) implies he has earnt his respect over a long period of time/ has been gained over a long period of time.

  "brave"- his violence here is a source of admiration- the captain regards him highly-irony of his bravery, he is not brave at all when it comes to his wife (conforms to masculine stereotypes in public but not in private)-conforms to Jacobean expectations of masculinity- he is violent yet dignified and respected.
• "Unseamed him from the nave to the chap"


  means stabbed him from his belly button and sliced up to his mouth (Macdonwald- rebel leader

  "unseamed"- sew- his is skilled in his violence)The verb 'unseamed' implies an ease in the brutal attack that Macbeth has made on his enemy. This shows that he is violent and ruthless.-seems like a very fluid (free) motion- reflects how Macbeth is strong but also unphased by this horrific violence he partakes in.
• As the play progresses, Macbeth starts to lose his power over his actions and becomes ashamed of his selfish use of violence, causing him to hide and become paranoid.

  or.... As the play progresses Shakespeare continues to present violence through Macbeth as a source of power but if used for selfish acts also a source of guilt, regret and paranoia.

  "Dash'd out the brains"

  "Is this a dagger I see before me?"

  "We have scorched the snake not killed it"

  "Blood will have blood"

  "Tarquin's ravishing strides"

  "Macbeth doth murder sleep"

  "Stars hide your fires, let not light see my dark and deep desires"
• "stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires"


  Macbeth wants to hide his dark feelings he wants his secret yearning for the throne to remain covered in darkness, especially the fact that he would be willing to do anything, including murdering Duncan, the rightful king, to achieve his ambition.

  "Stars hide your fires" is personification. The stars are being asked to give Macbeth darkness, so no one can see his "black and deep desires." Calling his desires black and deep is a metaphor, because the thoughts are not literally dark, but he is saying they are dark because they are evil.

  -let is used in the imperative form- sense of urgency and command.

  - he is ashamed of his thoughts of violence and he no longer holds pride in this.
• "is this a dagger i see before me?"

  The dagger is a symbol that connotes a sense of secrecy and concealment, owning to its small and compact nature. As such, it carries with it a sense of intrigue and mystery, and is often associated with the acts of subterfuge and deception.

  -In the context of Macbeth's hallucination, the appearance of the dagger thus serves to heighten the sense of ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding his actions.

  -It implies Macbeth feels compelled to hide his true intentions from the world, and that he is willing to resort to underhanded means to achieve his goals.

  -Moreover, the fact that the dagger is a mere figment of Macbeths imagination suggests that he is grappling with his own sense of morality and struggling to reconcile his actions with conscience.

  - he is plagued by shame and guilt, for his violent deed have left him dishonoured and unworthy.

  - further heightened by contrasting between the dagger and the sword, which Macbeth had previously wielded as a symbol of courage and heroism. - the presence of the dagger thus serves as a poignant reminder of Macbeth's fall from grace, and the depths to which he sunk in his pursuit for power
• " This dead butcher"


  At this point, Macbeth has lost complete respect and dignity, his gruesome death is being celebrated by the public for feel no commiseration whatsoever towards Macbeth- being dismissed by the new king (Malcom)"butcher"- Macbeth is now being defined by his use of violence- connotes someone who kills for their own profit.---> his tyrannical use of violence cost him his life, respect a, friends and wife.
• "Out damned spot, out I say"

  -the exclamation mark highlights her instability and inability to control herself. She is so unbelievably eaten up by her guilt and due to being a weak, feeble female she us unable to take this.

  Repetition of imperatives "out" highlights how, at this stage, she has lost control - ineffectual, (throughout play she uses imperatives)Trying to command an inanimate object- reflects her desperation

  "spot" - reflects how she is losing her mind. also thought that demons and witches had a spot that marked them out as evil- lady Macbeth is trying to get her soul back.

  Use of "out" instead of "off" - blood not literally on her but inside her mind heightens how she is haunted inside her mind. Repetition could also reflect how insular she has become: her life is now fixated only on the imaginary spot - her guilt.

  "Damned" - adjective - religious language and means being cursed, condemned to hell and suffering - Shakespearian audience would recognise the significance of the word - almost a metaphor for the hell she is living through.

  the washing action symbolises Lady Macbeths desire to be pure and clean of her guilt again like a traditional Jacobean woman.