Macbeth

• Macbeth is a tragic hero with a Hamarita of unchecked ambition
• “ stars hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires“ Act 1 scene 4 


  juxtapositions of ‘stars‘‘light‘ with ‘black’ ‘deep’ the duality exemplifies Macbeth inner tumorial early on between morality or ambition. Admits to him self he want to become king but can’t face reality of consequences

  alliteration of d show this desire has always been buried within him before meeting witches or speaking to lady Macbeth so we question maybe Macbeth fate was predestined
• “ brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name‘

  “ O, valient cousin, worthy gentleman“ Act 1 


  The adjective ‘brave’ has a double meaning it show Macbeth was once amazing however foreshadow that he risk taking

  daring to take risk other might not take like commit regicide and killing ordained figures.

  lexis ‘deserves‘ show he no stranger to war and is a war hero figure honourable however he later fights with heroism but is viewed tyrannical Shakespeare is criticising culture of aggressive masculinity and honourable warfare

  ’worthy‘ mans character is judged only on his brave quality
• ‘I have no spurs to prick the side of my intent but only vaulting ambition which o‘erleaps itself and falls on th’other’ act 1 


  Metaphor of horse racing mimics the way people treat life as a race or competition for power and succes. Also makes him seem as the jockey and horse as personified ‘my’ but as his ambition controls him is reduced to the horse this dehumanising him as shows Macbeth animalistic nature reflect Jacobean belief the only thing separating humans and animals was reason or logic and if a man lost both he was a beast acting mindlessly.
• ”I have no spurs to prick the side of my intent but only vaulting ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other “ act 1


  Hyperbole and personification of ‘o’erleaps’ show Macbeth knows the only argument for regicide is to satisfy his ambition the phrase ‘o’erleaps itself/and falls on th’other‘ suggest ambition makes people think illogically so overestimate their own ability and get ahead of them self. so ambition is self destructive it overleaps itself rather than someone controlling it.
• “But wherefore could I not pronounce amen? “ act 2 


  question sentence reflect belief people in a league with the devil could not say holy words It shows Macbeth has gone to far past point of saving
• “me thought I heard a voice cry sleep no more Macbeth does murder sleep“ act 2 scene 2 


  sleep is personified sleep is a recurring motif repsent innocence symbol of correct moral alignment so Macbeth has destroyed his inner peace and will be under conscious torment .

  He compares sleep to a women who use wool to restore a cure so he kills his female self which is Lady Macbeth as she the one who can‘t sleep

  ironic as he murder king Duncan in his sleep and duty of king is to keep peace of country which is what sleep represent
• ‘ is this a dagger I see before me ?’ Act 2


  Question show Macbeth is unsure if his soliloquy as it could be a convent excuse and fabrication of his guilt
• ‘ I am Afraid to think what I have done look on’t again I dare not‘ act 2 


  Reveals his subconscious true self as immediate guilt and can’t stand in his decision
• “will all the great Neptune‘s ocean wash this blood clean form my hand ? “ act 2 


  show he has lost his Christian fate doesn’t care about hell. As water is associated with baptism and turns to Pagen god ‘neptune‘. Shakespeare could be asking us to question role of fate or free will.
• Act 3 - Macbeth comes to resolution and embraces his new life violence believing he has to see it through he has paid the price of murder, sacrificing his innocence turning to a point of no return. He is violent ruthless and hell-sent in power.
• “O, full of scorpions is my mind dear wife ! “ act 3 


  metaphor for his paranoia that fleance and Banqou are still alive ‘scorpions‘ symbolises death and our known for their immense claws that can rip through prey. His mind is a weapon that carries death however alternatively his mind could be the thing affecting him and controlling him not his heart
• “be innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck“ act 3 


  change in power dynamic he now want lady Macbeth to behave more lady like and passive the superlative ‘dearest‘ and ‘chuck‘ pet name dehumanising her as she was once know as ‘partner of greatness‘
• ‘ it will have blood they say; blood will have blood‘

  Trapped in a cycle of bloodshed and conflict
• “ I am cabin‘d, cribb’d, confined bound into saucy doubts and fears” act 3 


  Semantic flied of imprisonment are employed with listing and harsh alliteration of ‘c’ with plosive sounds forcing the words out uneasy show horrific state of fear and his plan has not turned out the way he wanted
• ‘Tryant‘ act 4 


  The is the main way referred To Macbeth in act 4 and 5 as his hubris peaks and believes he is immune to fate .
• ‘ then live Macduff ; what need I fear of thee? sleep in spite of thunder‘


  The rhetorical question show his arrogance as the prophecy gives him a sense of security. Thunder is how the witches meet showing his intune with supernatural forces.
• ‘they very first firstling of my heart shall be the very first firstling of my hand‘ act 4 


  Repetition show he going to gone one without thinking
• ‘ never shake thy glory lock at me‘ act 3 


  Imperative never suggest he will never get rid of the guilt from killing Banqou who represent punishment from God and manifestation of Macbeth guilt
• “Now does he feel his secret murders sticking on his hand now does he feel his title hand loose around him like a giant robe upon a dwarfish thief“ act 5 


  everyone can see his guilt comical smilie as dwarf were often ridiculed. this quote proves the great chain of being and Macbeth fate was to never be king.
• “ I bear a charmed life‘ act 5 


  Bunker mentality ignore the reality still hanging unto the supernatural without fault
• William Shakespeare: 'Out, out brief candle! Life but a walking shadow, a poor player that starts and frets his heart upon the stage and then is heard no more it's a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifies nothing'
• Extended metaphor of theatre


  • Meta (self aware) technique by Shakespeare
  • Breaking the fourth wall
  • Everything in appearance doesn't match reality
• Imagery and Metaphors

  Emphasise life is a facade with no purpose
• Nouns used

  • candle
  • player
  • shadow
• Nouns used

  • Temporary or delicate
  • Suggest everyone is insignificant and a mere 'candle' compared to whole world
• People should


  Stop playing a part and be their authentic self