Macbeth

• Macbeth: Power

  • Ruthless pursuit of power leads to downfall
  • Start: Not pursuing power "brave Macbeth" etc.
  • Straight after witches: still not "if chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir"
  • "I am in blood stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er" – Macbeth realises he has gone too far on the route to power and may as well continue
• Macbeth: Manipulation

  • He is both affected by manipulation and a manipulator himself

  • Lady Macbeth manipulates him near the start to commit Duncan’s murder "When you durst do it, then you were a man" ; "Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t"
  • Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into thinking that Duncan’s murder was okay "A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight" ; "consider it not so deeply […] it will make us mad"
  • Macbeth manipulates murderers by telling them Banquo is a threat: "Both of you know Banquo is your enemy"
• Macbeth: Appearance vs Reality

  
  

  • Attempts to stay looking brave and noble whilst hiding his "Black and Deep desires"
  • Valiant and loyal warrior but really he has a desire for power "Brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name"
  • Act 2 Scene 1: presents himself as a gracious host but in reality is planning Duncan’s murder
  • After Duncan’s death, Macbeth presents himself as in control as the king but in reality he is wrestling with guilt etc. "O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife"
• Macbeth: Great Chain of Being / Divine Right of Kings

  • Macbeth disrupts natural order and this causes problems
  • Disruption of leads to break down in relationship and everything else – despair: "And that which should accompany old age […] I must not look to have"
• Macbeth: Ambition

  • Transition from "Brave Macbeth" to "Tyrant" and "Dead Butcher"
  • Fuelled by promises of the witches and encouragement from Lady Macbeth
  • "Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires"
  • "Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself"