english lit

• let light not see my black and deep desires


  antithesis between light and dark reflects/symbolises macbeth
• The supernatural is important throughout Macbeth as it was in Jacobean society and is especially prevalent through the Witches and Lady Macbeth.
• the witches omniscience of the paradox “fair is foul and foul is fair” unveil the deeper truths of the play as this quote foreshadows macbeths foul acts and his descent into tyranny
• thunder and lighting exhibits the witches disruptive disturbing nature
• at the start macbeth was praised as “his brandished steel which smoked bloody execution” his speed of fighting is shown with the hyperbolic imagery of smoke our first impression is how macbeth is a brave and powerful man, well suited in battle. but also displaying how he’s always been familiar to violence
• “look like th' innocent flower but be the serpent under it” symbolism of flowers being beautiful on the outside but evil underneath
• “unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!” Lady Macbeth wants to become more masculine so she can take control over her husband and manipulate him into doing what she wants
• duncan “there’s no art to find the minds construction in the face” people may seem good and trustworthy but they might not be. ironic as he misjudges macbeth
• jacobean society were devoutly christian and believed in the divine right of kings by macbeth breaking this order the audience would’ve feared him and his downfall demonstrates the consequences of going against the chain showing the divine right of kings should be respected, if it isn’t the consequences are dire
• macbeth and lady macbeth are duplicitous due to their deceitful nature
• the witches represent chaos and disorder because they disrupt the natural order of things
• lady macbeth quotes

  1. look like the innocent flower
  2. out damn spot! out i say!
  3. All the perfumes of arabia will not sweeten this little hand
  4. a little water clears us of this deed
• Jacobean Britain was a very religious christian country people believed god was all seeing shakespeare supported this idea by showing the macbeths put through hell
• banquo got revenge on macbeth with his ghost “don’t shake thy gory locks at me” sends him into a frenzy of insanity
• banquo is used as he is the opposite to macbeth, he represents the route macbeth chose not to take