...Readers get the idea of negative ambition throughout the play Macbeth. The play Macbeth, is another brilliant written piece by the famous playwright William Shakespeare. The play is about a great warrior, who gets the wrong idea about ambition after being told that he will become King of Scotland. Macbeth believed that the only way to achieve power and wealth is to kill anyone who gets in his way to the throne. Specifically, the use of irony, motif and characterization all prove that negative ambition can...
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...William Shakespeare and Graham Greene both present characters as being both heroes and villains in the tale of the tragedy of Macbeth and the short novel of The Destructors. Greene portrays ordinary people who have both the capacity of good and evil. Macbeth is different as we have the character of Macbeth who isn’t clear cut as good or evil, throughout the novel his character slowly decays into a villain. In Macbeth, the first time being switched from the shadowy world of witches to the physical world of battle we are presented with the characters of Ross and the Captain. Shakespeare uses these characters as devices to provide us with an insight into the character of Macbeth heroism. The Captain, covered in blood describes Macbeth as being...
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...for the play “Macbeth”, in which Shakespeare spins a web of lies, deceit and treachery as the tragic hero, Macbeth, spurred on by vaulting ambition, overleaps, ultimately leading to his death. Throughout the play, recurrent imageries of clothing, blood and butchery as well as light and darkness are employed, propelling the play to its tragic end. The imagery of blood and butchery is employed when Macbeth is first introduced in the play, gives off the impression of a brave, courageous warrior, who was loyal to his King, and blood carried positive connotations of “valiancy” and other similar virtues, where “his blade smok’d with bloody execution”. However, it becomes clear that Macbeth has darker, more sinister intentions/wants beneath his warrior exterior: his desire to be King, which can be seen through his subscription to the Witches’ prophecy, foretelling that he will be King, and his frequent discussions with Lady Macbeth as they plot to usurp the throne from King Duncan. Blood then becomes a symbol of treachery, such as when Lady Macbeth calls upon the spirits to “make thick my blood” and to carry out the murder with no regrets, and in her plan to frame Duncan’s guards with his murder by “smear[ing] the sleepy grooms with blood”. The meaning of blood further descends into guilt, as we observe Lady Macbeth’s slow descend into madness and her suicide that follows. During one of her sleepwalking incidents prior to her death, Lady Macbeth is seen to be...
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...“Compare how Lady Macbeth is presented in the play to a dramatic production. (Film)”. The character of Lady Macbeth plays a vital part in the play. Lady Macbeth is presented as a mysterious, irrational and senseless character. She is very effective in the play and drives the play forward. Both Shakespeare and Goold highlight her state of mind being unstable. In act 1 scene 5 Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a confident and controlling character, this is highlighted by her convincing a good and loyal man (Macbeth) into a killing and untrue character. Moreover Shakespeare shows the early stages of Lady Macbeth becoming ghost like, because in the soliloquy she talks about spirits, for instants “Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark” which suggests that she wants spirits to come and take over, she no longer cares about heaven, as she just wants evil and darkness to control. We also know she is very determined because she asks the spirits of such things like “unsex me here” and also to turn the life-giving milk in your breast into a bitter liquid, this seems like an extreme course of action to take, but as of this we see that that is how willing and what measures she will take for king Duncan to die and Macbeth to become the thane of Cawdor. During the soliloquy in act 1 scene 5 the idea of being un-sexed would be seen to be like witchcraft by a Shakespearean audience who would disapprove of her actions and feel she would deserve punishment. However, the...
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...Macbeth Analysis Brian Williams English 125 Melissa Edison April 22, 2013 Macbeth Analysis The poem that I have selected is Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. I will identify three elements in this poem that I found very engaging/interesting. I will give insight on how these elements affected my personal opinion on this poem. Analyzing how these elements affected my response in its entirety will be the vocal point of my paper. Macbeth is a tragedy and is considered one of Shakespeare’s most powerful poems. Shakespeare introduces Macbeth as a strong, power wanting, and noble fighter. Macbeth talks to the witches in the start of Act 1 scene 3 by commanding them to speak to him and for them to tell him what they are. “Speak if you can. What are you” (Clugston, 2010)? Indicating that Macbeth talks with authority, that he has power over the witches, as he does not politely ask the witches. The way that Macbeth is speaking here is using imperative verbs. Shakespeare here uses language to show us what Macbeth character is like. He also tells us by using language that Macbeth is respected by others at the start of the play. In Act 1 scene 2 it states “O valiant cousin, worthy gentlemen” (Portman, 1995). Duncan expresses this about Macbeth. This reveals that people do respect Macbeth and his bravery proves he has a quite high status. Symbolism plays a prominent role to emphasize the theme of corruption of power. Throughout the play there are several main symbols repeatedly...
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...play, “Macbeth,” Macbeth strips away his heroic traits when his ambition comes into play and slowly dehumanizes into a non-empathic monster which causes his marriage downfall. In the early stages of the play, Macbeth is the one in the relationship to fear failure and to lose his sense of morals while, in contrast, Lady Macbeth prays to be “unsexed” and to lose her sense of guilt. After they murder Duncan, their attitudes slowly start to change throughout the play and now Macbeth is one to obtain the power and replaces...
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...trusted the most in one's lifetime end up being the same people who become disloyal and betray those whom they love. This event leads to two paths, one in which a person tries anything to redeem themselves and another where selfishness takes over. Likewise, Macbeth by William Shakespeare and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini use the main characters from their works to demonstrate that sometimes without a second thought, betrayal takes place. They also show how some characters use betrayal to their advantage while others redeem themselves, as well, how even those who stay loyal end up having to pay the same price. At the end however, how people react to the guilt that they encounter in the past is what makes them who they are in the future. Macbeth and The Kite Runner both show how the main characters betray those who respect as well as trust them. Macbeth's eyes are blinded by the power of the throne and he will do anything just to obtain it. Since no one expects Macbeth to betray anyone close to him, he takes this as an advantage and says to himself “a false face must hide what a false heart doth know.”(I, vii, 94-95) With this in mind, it is evident that Macbeth betrays Duncan, Banquo and the whole of Scotland. He uses his innocence and trust that he gained from others to hide what his true intentions are and ends up betraying many people just for the good of himself. Similarly, in The Kite Runner the main character Amir is troubled by the guilt that builds inside of him...
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...ACT V Through Scene 1 of Act 5, the reader gets a “new” Lady Macbeth. In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth was seen as a strong woman (who cast a spell to become a “man). She seemed very fearless and non paranoid while plotting and assisting in the murder of Duncan. Gentlewoman tells the Doctor how Lady Macbeth had been getting up from bed, taking paper, writing on it, reading it, and then going back to bed (all in her sleep). When Gentlewoman declines to reveal what Lady Macbeth was saying, Lady Macbeth enters with a candle (taper). Now, both Gentlewoman and the Doctor witness and observe Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking. Her sleepwalking reveals that her ramshackle conscious is restraining her from staying calm. It also...
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...Title: Macbeth Analysis Instructor: Erin Schwartz English 125 Introduction to literature Amanda Manley 11/25/2013 Macbeth Analysis The poem that I have selected is Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. I will identify three elements in this poem that I found very engaging/interesting. I will give insight on how these elements affected my personal opinion on this poem. Analyzing how these elements affected my response in its entirety will be the vocal point of my paper. Macbeth is a tragedy and is considered one of Shakespeare’s most powerful poems. Shakespeare introduces Macbeth as a strong, power wanting, and noble fighter. Macbeth talks to the witches in the start of Act 1 scene 3 by commanding them to speak to him and for them to tell him what they are. “Speak if you can. What are you” (Clugston, 2010)? Indicating that Macbeth talks with authority, that he has power over the witches, as he does not politely ask the witches. The way that Macbeth is speaking here is using imperative verbs. Shakespeare here uses language to show us what Macbeth character is like. He also tells us by using language that Macbeth is respected by others at the start of the play. In Act 1 scene 2 it states “O valiant cousin, worthy gentlemen” (Portman, 1995). Duncan expresses this about Macbeth. This reveals that people do respect Macbeth and his bravery proves he has a quite high status. Symbolism plays a prominent role to emphasize the theme of corruption of power. Throughout the...
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...William Shakespeare once said, “Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.” He is not just talking to people who have committed murder or illegal crimes, but to everyone. Most people have felt guilty before. It is an important emotion for people to feel so we know when our actions are wrong. But when we ignore our feelings of guilt, it can lead to the destruction of our conscience. In his play Macbeth, Shakespeare incorporates his idea of guilt into images for the audience. Blood and water are two symbols in Macbeth that function as keys to unlock the hidden message of the effects of guilt. Blood is used to remind Macbeth and Lady Macbeth of their violent actions, while water represents a way to cleanse their minds of the remorse they feel. Shakespeare’s use of blood and water are a chilling reminder of the power that guilt may have on people or how a person might overcome guilt, but become emotionally dead. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are two characters that are responsible for the bloody actions that occur in Macbeth. Blood is a reoccurring image that travels with the characters, not only on their hands, but in their minds. Wherever violence takes place in the play, blood is shown on the characters immediately after the crime. When Macbeth is involved in one of these crimes and kills Duncan, he soon regrets what he has done. But the blood on his hands shows the evidence of the act and that it can’t be undone. Lady Macbeth suggests to get rid of the evidence by putting the blood...
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...the significance of Macbeths ‘’Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ ’to the meaning of the play overall? Macbeth is a complicated playset set in the medieval times which focuses on the disintegration of society, relationships and characters themselves. Shakespeare’s famous ‘’Tomorrow and Tomorrow’’ transcends time and is still a ringing bell in today’s society .This soliloquay stretches throughout the play emphasising time namely Macbeth’s gradual dehumanisation due to his ambition and substantial exposure to evil where he is trapped in an endless spiral of guilt and eventually tragedy. This is a comparison between his past self where he was honourable compared to his present self where he is ruthless. Perhaps the greatest tragedy in Macbeth isn’t the death of himself but the path of dehumanisation he takes. The theme of how substantial exposure to evil affects you is illustrated in Macbeth’s Soliloquay. This eerie, altered perspective of life and mortality has definitely overcome Macbeth due to his exposure to sheer evil wether it is the deeds he performs or the witches. Shakespeare uses contrast to highlight the deterioration of Macbeth as in the beginning of the play he is portrayed by the nobles, soldiers and King Duncan as noble, brave, loyal and valiant ‘Those he commands move only in command, Nothing in love...’ and in comparison to the time of this soliloquay is a person who has piled copius blood upon his hands and is an illogical dejected tyrant. For Macbeth he has gained the Scottish...
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...Lady Macbeth found via Google - not my own work In typical Shakespearean tragedies, female main characters aren't always treated brilliantly. In Hamlet, Ophelia goes down the "I shall obey, my lord" route. In Othello, Desdemona goes down the "To you I am bound" route. Yet in Macbeth, this isn't quite the case. The most important female figure is Lady Macbeth, a cunning and manipulative woman who is associated with the supernatural. Instantly it can be argued that Lady Macbeth fits in with the later idea of certain Gothic women being 'sinister predators', or 'femme fatales'. | Dame Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth | Lady Macbeth has been the subject of much debate for hundreds of years. Her role in the play is incredibly important and she is the subject of various interpretations. Her first appearance in the play is in act one, scene five. She opens by reading Macbeth's letter; instantly this seems to present her as a typical Shakespearean woman (when I say typical, I mean typical in terms of main female characters in tragedies being passive), since her first words are that of her husband's, as though she is bound to him. Then she stops reading the letter, and we start to realise that she isn't at all typical. She instantly states that Macbeth will be "what thou art promised", which shows a determination and strength of will that we may not have been expecting. She goes on to criticise her husband's nature, since he is "too full o'th'milk of human kindness". A wife...
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...“[I] Shall Sleep No More”: How Self Respect Affects One’s Response to Justice in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” William Shakespeare’s psychological drama “The Tragedy of Macbeth” follows a highly respected soldier caught between his morality and his passion for power. As a result of Macbeth’s overconfidence and fatuitous expectations, he goes down a tragic path ultimately isolating himself from others and leading to his downfall. It is obvious that Macbeth’s mind starts degenerating after murdering King Duncan for his selfish interests. When Macbeth overtakes the throne he uses the crown as an impenetrable shield which eradicates all justice that blocks his path. As Macbeth gets comfortable on his blood covered throne, he does not realize...
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...Compare the techniques used by Shakespeare to develop the theme of guilt in key scenes in both Macbeth and Hamlet. Guilt is defined as the remorseful awareness of having done something wrong. It was not unusual for Shakespeare to feature a lot of conflicted emotion in his plays, a favourite emotion for Shakespeare to right was guilt and therefore features heavily in his plays; Hamelt and Macbeth included. The use of guilt is often used to make the audience feel sympathy for the character or to change their perspective on the character as a whole; it is also used to drive the plot of the play and to create an atmosphere within the play. Macbeth showcases a lot of guilt to change the tone and atmosphere of the scene and to show how guilt affects religion and beliefs. For example in Act 2 Scene, after Macbeth has killed King Duncan, the audience finds him struggling with the guilt he feels. Shakespeare shows Macbeths guilt through his inability to say ‘Amen’ which would have previously come easily from him. But after killing Duncan Macbeth believes God has turned his back on him because he committed the biggest sin- Regicide- and have gone against the divine right of kings and so would no longer be under the protection of God. Furthermore, in his mini-soliloquy in Act 3 Scene 1 Macbeths says the murder of King Duncan “put rancours in the vessel of my peace”. This shows he is being tormented with a constant reminder of his crime and sins and this can be perceived as guilt coming...
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...Discuss the extent to which Macbeth and Shylock are victims and villains The protagonists of each play, Macbeth and Shylock, both fall victim and succumb to villainous natures, however a difference is apparent between the two in representing these traits. Macbeth more so displays villainous behaviours, whereas Shylock is subjected to ordeals which victimise him. That is not to say that Macbeth does not become victimised, and that Shylock does not contain the capability to carry out acts of a villainous essence, such as going against his faith for power, and losing sense of morality and rationality. Different factors such as race and prejudice are integral to the contextual themes of The Merchant of Venice as anti-Semitic views towards Jews are upheld by the Christians in Venice, placing Shylock in a position of submission and awakening his inner villain, which is the ultimate point of differentiation between the two in terms of being either a villain or a victim. Early in Macbeth it becomes apparent that the witches have corrupted Macbeth, thus falling victim to the supernatural. This causes him to conjure questions, "Why do I yield to that suggestion?", which catalyses a rising action. The word 'suggestion' connotes the idea is being fed to him via a supernatural force, and that it is uncontrollable as he 'yields' to it. "My thought, whose murder is fantastical, shakes my state", emphasises how much Macbeth is against the idea of murder, shining light on how these thoughts are a...
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