Macbeth Resource Pack CONTENTS

Macbeth Resource Pack CONTENTS
Aim: to evaluate the technical and conceptual elements of the play, in depth, with perceptive insight and interpretation Synopsis Character description Historical context Narrative (Act 1-5) Writer’s choices Themes Characterisation Motifs and symbolism Dramatic devices Adaptations Analysis of quotations Essay writing technique

Born in Stratford-Upon Avon, UK (1564-1616)
William Shakespeare wrote 37 plays (all of which have 5 Acts), 140 Sonnets, 5 extended poems and used 31, 534 different words with 1,223 different characters and wrote 884,421 words in total. The three genres of his plays are: comedy, history, and tragedy. Shakespeare is considered one of the best writers of all time. Shakespeare Born in Stratford-Upon Avon, UK ( ) Comedies Histories Tragedies All’s Well That Ends Well Henry IV, Part I Antony and Cleopatra As You Like It Henry IV, Part II Coriolanus Comedy of Errors Henry V Cymbeline Love’s Labour’s Lost Henry VI, Part I Hamlet Measure for Measure Henry VI, Part II Julius Caesar The Merchant of Venice Henry VI, Part III King Lear The Merry Wives of Windsor Henry VIII Macbeth A Midsummer Night’s Dream King John Othello Much Ado About Nothing Pericles Romeo and Juliet The Taming of the Shrew Richard II Timon of Athens The Tempest Richard III Titus Andronicus Twelfth Night Troilus and Cressida Two Gentlemen of Verona A Winter’s Tale Mini-biography William Shakespeare (born in 1564) attended grammar school but his formal education proceeded no further. In 1582, he married Anne Hathaway and had three children with her. In 1590, he left his family behind and travelled to London to work as an actor and playwright. Public and critical success quickly followed, eventually becoming the most popular playwright in Britain and part-owner of the Globe Theatre. Elizabeth I and James I reigned during his literary career – he was a favourite of both monarchs. James I even gave him the title of King’s Men. Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of fifty-two. Much of Shakespeare’s story is shrouded in mystery. Some argue that his plays were written by someone else, but these are considered conspiracy theories.

[KEY QUOTATIONS BY SHAKESPEARE]
“O brawling love, O loving hate, O anything did nothing first create” “Talking isn't doing. It is a kind of good deed to say well; and yet words are not deeds.” [KEY QUOTATIONS BY SHAKESPEARE] “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” “No legacy is so rich as honesty.” “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players” “Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow.” “A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.” “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” “If you prick us do we not bleed? “Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast.” “Jealousy…it is the green-eyed monster” “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” “What is past is prologue.” “The love of heaven makes one heavenly.” “The course of true love never did run smooth.” “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.” “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” “I must be cruel, only to be kind.” “Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise.” “Once more into the breach” "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?” “Friends, Romans, country-men, lend me your ears.” “What light from yonder window breaks?” "Can one desire too much of a good thing?" "I will speak daggers to her, but use none" "In my mind's eye" "Now is the winter of our discontent" "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, rounded with a little sleep" "Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't." "Beware the ides of March" “A Pair of Star-crossed Lovers” "Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble."

Historical Context The Jacobean Era Elizabeth I and James I
When Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, she had no children, or even nephews or nieces. The throne was offered to James Stuart, James VI of Scotland, who then became James I of Britain. Brought up by Protestant regents, James maintained a Protestant regime in Scotland when he came of age, and so was an acceptable choice for England which had become firmly Protestant under Elizabeth. James was a distant cousin of Elizabeth – his ascension as King caused controversy amongst Catholic relatives (leading to Gunpowder Plot). Shakespeare was writing for the theatre during the reigns of two monarchs, Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. The plays he wrote during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, such as ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’, are often seen to embody the optimistic mood of the Elizabethans. However, those he wrote during James's reign, such as ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Hamlet’, are darker and more cynical, reflecting the insecurities of the Jacobean period. 1040 – ‘Macbeth’ is set in Medieval Scotland 1606 – ‘Macbeth is written in the Jacobean Era The Gunpowder Plot The Divine Right of Kings Shakespeare and James I Certain Catholics (Robert Catesby, Thomas Percy, Guy Fawkes and a few others) turned to terrorism during James I’s Protestant rule, trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament in ‘Macbeth’ was written the year after the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and is considered a piece of propaganda in support of King James – the message of the play: perpetrators of regicide will eventually receive their comeuppance. The conspirators were betrayed, and horribly tortured on the rack until they confessed. They were then executed in the most brutal fashion as a warning to other would-be traitors. Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ wove direct references to the Plot including King James snake/flower medal. Whilst the present Queen claims constitutional impartiality, in the European Middle Ages, the Divine Right of Kings was a dominant concept. The idea claimed that kings were answerable only to God and it was therefore treachery to challenge them. To kill the king (regicide) was to challenge the direct of authority of God and was considered an ‘unforgivable sin’. James I ruled under the notion of ‘the divine right of Kings’. Shakespeare's play ‘Macbeth’ may be a cautionary tale, warning any other potential regicides (king-killers) of the awful fate for this crime. Macbeth’s victim, King Duncan is presented by Shakespeare as a noble, divinely-appointed ruler. Killing Duncan has catastrophic consequences for Macbeth and Scotland. Duncan could be a representation of James but might also allude to King Edward’s healing the sick: 'such sanctity hath heaven given his hand'. Lady Macbeth and Role of Women in Jacobean Society The Real Macbeth Religious Beliefs Jacobean society was patriarchal (much like the majority of Western history). Female characters in Shakespearean tragedies were often passive (Hamlet’s Ophelia submits stating “I shall obey my Lord” and Othello’s Desdemona states “To you I am bound”. However, Lady Macbeth is a cunning, manipulative and dominant woman who is associated with the supernatural. Her introduction in Act 1 Scene 5, subverting submission when she stops reading Macbeth’s letter, criticizes his nature as “too full o’th’milk of human kindness”. This behavior is controversial within the societal confines of a masculine hegemonic era in medieval Scotland. Regardless of her heroism or villainy, she is a radical figure for the era. Macbeth was a real 11th century Scottish king, but the historical Macbeth, who had a valid right to the throne, reigning in Scotland from He succeeded Duncan, whom he had defeated in battle, but the real Duncan was weak and a younger ignoble King. In reality, Macbeth was succeeded by his own stepson, not Malcolm, who came to the throne later. Banquo is a mythical figure. Shakespeare found his version of the story of ‘Macbeth’ in the ‘Chronicles of Holinshed’ Religious thinkers in the Middle Ages had upheld the idea of 'The Great Chain of Being'. This was the belief that God had designed an ordered system for both nature and humankind within which every creature and person had an allotted place. It was considered an offence against God for anyone to try to alter their station in life. In addition, madness was often seen as a moral issue, either a punishment for sin or a test of faith and character.

Key Terms Glossary Language Structure/Narrative Context/concept
Analogy - comparison between one thing and another, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification. Catalyst – an element which enters a narrative which causes a reaction – usually an increase in conflict and tension. Ambition - desire and determination to achieve success. Emotive language - describes words and phrases meant to evoke an emotional response to a subject. Dramatic irony – when the audience is aware of information that the character is not aware of. Hierarchy – system where citizens are ranked according to relative status or authority. Iambic Pentameter - a line of verse ten syllables in length each consisting of one short (or unstressed) syllable followed by one long (or stressed) syllable. Enigma – mystery and ambiguity developed for dramatic effect – withholding of information for the purposes of the narrative. Historical context - refers to the moods, attitudes, and conditions that existed during a certain time. Imperatives – command words (usually verbs). Foreshadowing - a warning and indication of a future event. Hubris – excessive pride which inevitably leads to one’s downfall. Oxymoron - a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction – example: “fair is foul and foul is fair” Irony - the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect. Loyalty - giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance. Personification – human characteristics given to a nun-human form. Motif – a repletion of a certain idea or symbol in a narrative Machiavellian - cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous, especially in politics Pun - a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings. Semantic Field - a lexical set of semantically related items, or simply, words and phrases with a similar meaning or context to the subject. Patriarchy - a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it. Rhetorical question - a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer. Suspense - a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen Regicide - the deliberate killing of a monarch Soliloquy - an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself especially by a character in a play. Tyranny - cruel and oppressive government or rule.

[MEMORABLE SHAKESPEAREAN SYMBOLS]
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Hamlet Much Ado About Nothing Othello Macbeth The Merchant of Venice Romeo & Juliet Twelfth Night Henry V Julius Caesar The Tempest King Lear Taming of the Shrew Richard III

KEY CHARACTERS IN ‘MACBETH’
Lady Macbeth Banquo Macduff King Duncan Macbeth is a Scottish general and the Thane of Glamis who is greeted by prophecies from three witches that he will be made Thane of Cawdor. This comes true. He longs to become King and is then tempted into murder (partly by Lady Macbeth) to fulfill his ambitions to the throne. Once he commits his first crime (killing King Duncan), he is crowned King of Scotland. He is brave but not virtuous. Macbeth is courageous on the battlefield but ill-suited to politics, quickly becoming a tyrant. He becomes suspicious of even his close friends like Banquo. His response to every problem is violence and murder. Macbeth is never comfortable in his role as a criminal and this leads to a psychological regression. Macbeth’s wife, a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power and position. Early in the play she seems to be the stronger and more ruthless of the two, as she urges her husband to kill Duncan and seize the crown. After the bloodshed begins, Lady Macbeth falls victim to guilt and madness to an even greater degree than her husband. Her conscience affects her to such an extent that she eventually commits suicide. Interestingly, she and Macbeth are presented as being deeply in love, and many of Lady Macbeth’s speeches imply that her influence over her husband is primarily sexual. Their joint alienation from the world, occasioned by their partnership in crime, seems to strengthen the attachment that they feel to each another. A Scottish nobleman hostile to Macbeth’s kingship from the start. He eventually becomes a leader of the crusade to unseat Macbeth. The crusade’s mission is to place the rightful king, Malcolm, on the throne, but Macduff also desires vengeance for Macbeth’s murder of Macduff’s wife and young son. The brave, noble general whose children, according to the witches’ prophecy, will inherit the Scottish throne. Like Macbeth, Banquo thinks ambitious thoughts, but he does not translate those thoughts into action. In a sense, Banquo’s character stands as a rebuke to Macbeth, since he represents the path Macbeth chose not to take: a path in which ambition need not lead to betrayal and murder. Appropriately, then, it is Banquo’s ghost—and not Duncan’s—that haunts Macbeth. In addition to embodying Macbeth’s guilt for killing Banquo, the ghost also reminds Macbeth that he did not emulate Banquo’s reaction to the witches’ prophecy. The good King of Scotland whom Macbeth, in his ambition for the crown, murders. Duncan is the model of a virtuous, benevolent, and farsighted ruler. His death symbolizes the destruction of an order in Scotland that can be restored only when Duncan’s line, in the person of Malcolm, once more occupies the throne. KEY CHARACTERS IN ‘MACBETH’ Malcolm - The son of Duncan, whose restoration to the throne signals Scotland’s return to order following Macbeth’s reign of terror. Malcolm becomes a serious challenge to Macbeth with Macduff’s aid (and the support of England). Prior to this, he appears weak and uncertain of his own power, as when he and Donalbain flee Scotland after their father’s murder. Hecate - The goddess of witchcraft who works to enact her mischief on Macbeth (one of the three witches). Fleance - Banquo’s son, who survives Macbeth’s attempt to murder him. At the end of the play, Fleance’s whereabouts are unknown. Presumably, he may come to rule Scotland, fulfilling the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s sons will sit on the Scottish throne. Macdonwald – Traitor to the King whose army is defeated in battle by Macbeth and executed by King Duncan. Lennox - A Scottish nobleman. Ross - A Scottish nobleman. The Murderers - A group conscripted by Macbeth to murder Banquo, Fleance, Macduff’s family (fails). Porter - The drunken doorman of Macbeth’s castle. The Three Witches Three “black and midnight hags” who plot mischief against Macbeth using charms, spells, and prophecies. Their predictions prompt him to murder Duncan, to order the deaths of Banquo and his son, and to blindly believe in his own immortality. The play leaves the witches’ true identity unclear—aside from the fact that they are servants of Hecate, we know little about their place in the cosmos. In some ways they resemble the mythological Fates, who impersonally weave the threads of human destiny. They clearly take a perverse delight in using their knowledge of the future to toy with and destroy human beings.

ADAPTATIONS THEMES, SIGNS, SYMBOLS, MOTIFS, DEVICES
DETAILED SYNOPSIS (ACCORDING TO GRADESAVER) ADAPTATIONS Act 1 The play takes place in Scotland. Duncan, the king of Scotland, is at war with the king of Norway. As the play opens, he learns of Macbeth's bravery in a victorious battle against Macdonald—a Scot who sided with the Norwegians. At the same time, news arrives concerning the arrest of the treacherous Thane of Cawdor. Duncan decides to give the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth. As Macbeth and Banquo return home from battle, they meet three witches. The witches predict that Macbeth will be thane of Cawdor and king of Scotland, and that Banquo will be the father of kings. After the witches disappear, Macbeth and Banquo meet two noblemen Ross and Angus, who announce Macbeth's new title as thane of Cawdor. Upon hearing this, Macbeth begins to contemplate the murder of Duncan in order to realize the witches' second prophecy.Macbeth and Banquo meet with Duncan, who announces that he is going to pay Macbeth a visit at his castle. Macbeth rides ahead to prepare his household. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth receives a letter from Macbeth informing her of the witches' prophesy and its subsequent realization. A servant appears to inform her of Duncan's approach. Energized by the news, Lady Macbeth invokes supernatural powers to strip her of feminine softness and thus prepare her for the murder of Duncan. When Macbeth arrives, Lady Macbeth tells him that she will plot Duncan's murder. When Duncan arrives at the castle, Lady Macbeth greets him alone. When Macbeth fails to appear, Lady Macbeth finds him is in his room, contemplating the weighty and evil decision to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth taunts him by telling him that he will only be a man if he kills Duncan. She then tells him her plan for the murder, which Macbeth accepts: they will kill him while his drunken bodyguards sleep, then plant incriminating evidence on the bodyguards. Act 2 Macbeth sees a vision of a bloody dagger floating before him, leading him to Duncan's room. When he hears Lady Macbeth ring the bell to signal the completion of her preparations, Macbeth sets out to complete his part in the murderous plan. Lady Macbeth waits for Macbeth to finish the act of regicide. Macbeth enters, still carrying the bloody daggers. Lady Macbeth again chastises him for his weak-mindedness and plants the daggers on the bodyguards herself. While she does so, Macbeth imagines that he hears a haunting voice saying that he shall sleep no more. Lady Macbeth returns and assures Macbeth that "a little water clears us of this deed" (II ii 65). As the thanes Macduff and Lennox arrive, the porter pretends that he is guarding the gate to hell. Immediately thereafter, Macduff discovers Duncan’s dead body. Macbeth kills the two bodyguards, claiming that he was overcome with a fit of grief and rage when he saw them with the bloody daggers. Duncan's sons Malcolm and Donalbain, fearing their lives to be in danger, flee to England and Ireland. Their flight brings them under suspicion of conspiring against Duncan. Macbeth is thus crowned king of Scotland. Act 3 In an attempt to thwart the witches' prophesy that Banquo will father kings, Macbeth hires two murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Lady Macbeth is left uninformed of these plans. A third murderer joins the other two on the heath and the three men kill Banquo. Fleance, however, manages to escape. Banquo’s ghost appears to Macbeth as he sits down to a celebratory banquet, sending him into a frenzy of terror. Lady Macbeth attempts to cover up for his odd behavior but the banquet comes to a premature end as the thanes begin to question Macbeth's sanity. Macbeth decides that he must revisit the witches to look into the future once more. Meanwhile, Macbeth's thanes begin to turn against him. Macduff meets Malcolm in England to prepare an army to march on Scotland. Act 4 The witches show Macbeth three apparitions. The first warns him against Macduff, the second tells him to fear no man born of woman, and the third prophesizes that he will fall only when Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane castle. Macbeth takes this as a prophecy that he is infallible. When he asks the witches if their prophesy about Banquo will come true, they show him a procession of eight kings, all of whom look like Banquo. Meanwhile in England, Malcolm tests Macduff's loyalty by pretending to confess to multiple sins and malicious ambitions. When Macduff proves his loyalty to Scotland, the two strategize for their offensive against Macbeth. Back in Scotland, Macbeth has Macduff’s wife and children murdered. Act 5 Lady Macbeth suffers from bouts of sleepwalking. To a doctor who observes her symptoms, she unwittingly reveals her guilt as she pronounces that she cannot wash her hands clean of bloodstains. Macbeth is too preoccupied with battle preparations to pay much heed to her dreams and expresses anger when the doctor says he cannot cure her. Just as the English army led by Malcolm, Macduff, Siward approaches, Lady Macbeth’s cry of death is heard in the castle. When Macbeth hears of her death, he comments that she should have died at a future date and muses on the meaninglessness of life. Taking the witches’ second prophecies in good faith, Macbeth still believes that he is impregnable to the approaching army. But Malcolm has instructed each man in the English army to cut a tree branch from Birnam Wood and hold it up to disguise the army’s total numbers. As a result, Macbeth's servant reports that he has seen a seemingly impossible sight: Birnam Wood seems to be moving toward the castle. Macbeth is shaken but still engages the oncoming army. In battle, Macbeth kills Young Siward, the English general's brave son. Macduff then challenges Macbeth. As they fight, Macduff reveals that he was not "of woman born" but was "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb (V x 13-16). Macbeth is stunned but refuses to yield to Macduff. Macduff kills him and decapitates him. At the end of the play, Malcolm is proclaimed the new king of Scotland. 2015 Justin Kurzel directed film adaptation, starring Michael Fassbender (Macbeth), Marion Cotillard (Lady Macbeth), Paddy Considine (Banquo), Sean Harris (Macduff) and David Thewlis (King Duncan). 1971 Roman Polanski directed film adaptation. 1979 Royal Shakespeare Company TV Movie starring Ian MacKellen (Macbeth) and Judi Dench (Lady Macbeth). 1948 Adaptation directing and starring Orson Welles (Macbeth). 2013 National Theatre Live version starring Kenneth Branagh (Macbeth). THEMES, SIGNS, SYMBOLS, MOTIFS, DEVICES Treachery, Puppeteering, Ruthlessness, Justice, Murder Regicide Corruption and Unaccountable Ambition Cruelty and Masculinity Scheming and Machiavellianism The Difference Between Kingship and Tyranny The Burden of Guilt Hierarchy and feudal order Nature Hubris Fortune, Fate and Free Will Enigmas and catalysts – hallucinations and prophecies The difficulty of diplomacy Gender roles Reason versus passion Blood The Weather Conscience/mental health Loyalty and betrayal Grudges, Vendettas and Revenge Dramatic irony

"Is this a dagger which I see before me…? (Act 2, Scene 1)
KEY SYMBOLS WITH QUOTATIONS "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me” (Act 1, Scene 3) "Is this a dagger which I see before me…? (Act 2, Scene 1) “Will all the water in the ocean wash this blood from my hands?” (Act 2, Scene 2) “Out, out damned spot!” (Act 5, Scene 1) (Act 4, Scene 1) “Out, out, brief candle. Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.” (Act 5, Scene 5) “Unsex me here” “"Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,“” (Act 1, Scene 5) “Fear not, Macbeth. No man that’s born of woman. Shall e’er have power upon thee.” (Act 5, Scene 3) “Look like th’ innocent flower/But be the serpent under’t.” (Act 1, Scene 5)

KEY QUOTATIONS EXPLANATION
'The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan, under my battlements.' The raven represents death and evil power, as it is dark and ominous. He croaks hoarsely as Duncan's imminent death comes closer. It uses foreshadow to create an eerie expectation that Duncan, the king, will soon be facing danger and trouble. Duncan's fatal entrance will come when he enters her estate. This lines reference to a raven is quite significant as it foreshadows the violence to come. The raven is mentioned to be hoarse, which shows that its strength is impaired, and is being silenced to hush the terrors that are coming. The raven is also a messenger bird, therefore may perhaps regard to the messenger who delivered the letter Macbeth wrote to his wife, with also the news of the king arriving to their estate very soon. 'Come you spirits that tend on my mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top- full of direst cruelty.' She is calling on the spirits that tend on her evil thoughts, to come forward and fill her body with manly cruelty. Remove her of the lady-like features she owns, such as the motherly instincts and the supposedly very feminine setbacks she insists she has, and fill her with the courage and manly strength that will allow her to commit the cruel and unspeakable act that she plans to commit. 'Make thick my blood, stop up th'access and passage to remorse that no compunctious visitings of nature shake my fell purpose, nor keep the peace between th'effect and it.' She still calls on the spirits that can thicken her blood and strength, and stop the reasoning, worry and fear of her natural self stop her from doing her horrible plan. 'Come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances you wait on nature’s mischief.' She is making a prayer of some sorts to help her commit murder with her husband. In doing this, she feels she needs to remove all womanly softness and care. To do this, she feels the need to remove any motherly characteristics such as her womanly breasts that hold milk, and asks for the evil spirits to fill it with gall (also known as bile). 'Wherever in your sightless substances you wait on nature's mischief' simply refers to where the evil spirits perhaps wait. 'Come, thick night and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell that my keen knife see not the wound it makes nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry ‘Hold, hold!' In this phrase, Lady Macbeth asks upon the night to hide her deed from both heaven and gods eyes, and from herself and other people. She asks that the night shade covers the estate, and nobody can see her do the evil deed, as she would be punished severely. She feels as though if nobody sees her crime, it will simply go away and she will feel no guilt, as though it never happened. The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood, Stop up th’access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between Th’ effect and it. Come to my woman’s breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murd’ring ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature’s mischief. Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry ‘Hold, hold!’ (Act 1, Scene 5, lines 36-52) If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well It were done quickly. If th’assassination Could trammel up the consequence, and catch With his surcease success: that but this blow Might be the be-all and the end-all, here, But here upon this bank and shoal of time, We’d jump the life to come. But in these cases We still have judgement here, that we but teach Bloody instructions which, being taught, return To plague th’inventor. This even-handed justice Commends th’ingredience of our poisoned chalice To our own lips. He’s here in double trust: First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against The deep damnation of his taking-off, And pity, like a naked new-born babe, Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin, horsed Upon the sightless couriers of the air, Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself And falls on th’other. (Act 1, Scene 7, lines 1-28) In this soliloquy, which is found in Act 1, scene 7, lines 1–28, Macbeth debates whether he should kill Duncan. When he lists Duncan’s noble qualities (he “[h]ath borne his faculties so meek”) and the loyalty that he feels toward his king (“I am his kinsman and his subject”), we are reminded of just how grave an outrage it is for the couple to slaughter their ruler while he is a guest in their house. At the same time, Macbeth’s fear that “[w]e still have judgement here, that we but teach / Bloody instructions which, being taught, return / To plague th’inventor,” foreshadows the way that his deeds will eventually come back to haunt him. The imagery in this speech is dark—we hear of “bloody instructions,” “deep damnation,” and a “poisoned chalice”—and suggests that Macbeth is aware of how the murder would open the door to a dark and sinful world. At the same time, he admits that his only reason for committing murder, “ambition,” suddenly seems an insufficient justification for the act. The destruction that comes from unchecked ambition will continue to be explored as one of the play’s themes. As the soliloquy ends, Macbeth seems to resolve not to kill Duncan, but this resolve will only last until his wife returns and once again convinces him, by the strength of her will, to go ahead with their plot.

KEY QUOTATIONS EXPLANATION EXAMPLE QUESTIONS
Whence is that knocking?— How is’t with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here! Ha, they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red. (Act 2, Scene 2, lines 55-61) Macbeth says this in Act 2, scene 2, lines 55–61. He has just murdered Duncan, and the crime was accompanied by supernatural portents. Now he hears a mysterious knocking on his gate, which seems to promise doom. (In fact, the person knocking is Macduff, who will indeed eventually destroy Macbeth.) The enormity of Macbeth’s crime has awakened in him a powerful sense of guilt that will hound him throughout the play. Blood, specifically Duncan’s blood, serves as the symbol of that guilt, and Macbeth’s sense that “all great Neptune’s ocean” cannot cleanse him—that there is enough blood on his hands to turn the entire sea red—will stay with him until his death. Lady Macbeth’s response to this speech will be her prosaic remark, “A little water clears us of this deed” (2.2.65). By the end of the play, however, she will share Macbeth’s sense that Duncan’s murder has irreparably stained them with blood. These words are spoken by Lady Macbeth in Act 5, scene 1, lines 30–34, as she sleepwalks through Macbeth’s castle on the eve of his battle against Macduff and Malcolm. Earlier in the play, she possessed a stronger resolve and sense of purpose than her husband and was the driving force behind their plot to kill Duncan. When Macbeth believed his hand was irreversibly bloodstained earlier in the play, Lady Macbeth had told him, “A little water clears us of this deed” (2.2.65). Now, however, she too sees blood. She is completely undone by guilt and descends into madness. It may be a reflection of her mental and emotional state that she is not speaking in verse; this is one of the few moments in the play when a major character—save for the witches, who speak in four-foot couplets—strays from iambic pentameter. Her inability to sleep was foreshadowed in the voice that her husband thought he heard while killing the king—a voice crying out that Macbeth was murdering sleep. And her delusion that there is a bloodstain on her hand furthers the play’s use of blood as a symbol of guilt. “What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account?” she asks, asserting that as long as her and her husband’s power is secure, the murders they committed cannot harm them. But her guilt-racked state and her mounting madness show how hollow her words are. So, too, does the army outside her castle. “Hell is murky,” she says, implying that she already knows that darkness intimately. The pair, in their destructive power, have created their own hell, where they are tormented by guilt and insanity. Out, damned spot; out, I say. One, two,—why, then ’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? (Act 5, Scene 1, lines 30-34) She should have died hereafter. There would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle. Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. (Act 5, Scene 5, lines 16-27) These words are uttered by Macbeth after he hears of Lady Macbeth’s death, in Act 5, scene 5, lines 16–27. Given the great love between them, his response is oddly muted, but it segues quickly into a speech of such pessimism and despair—one of the most famous speeches in all of Shakespeare—that the audience realizes how completely his wife’s passing and the ruin of his power have undone Macbeth. His speech insists that there is no meaning or purpose in life. Rather, life “is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.” One can easily understand how, with his wife dead and armies marching against him, Macbeth succumbs to such pessimism. Yet, there is also a defensive and self-justifying quality to his words. If everything is meaningless, then Macbeth’s awful crimes are somehow made less awful, because, like everything else, they too “signify nothing.” Macbeth’s statement that “[l]ife’s but a poor player / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage” can be read as Shakespeare’s somewhat deflating reminder of the illusionary nature of the theater. After all, Macbeth is only a “player” himself, strutting on an Elizabethan stage. In any play, there is a conspiracy of sorts between the audience and the actors, as both pretend to accept the play’s reality. Macbeth’s comment calls attention to this conspiracy and partially explodes it—his nihilism embraces not only his own life but the entire play. If we take his words to heart, the play, too, can be seen as an event “full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.” EXAMPLE QUESTIONS 1. Agree or disagree with the following statement: "Macbeth is a play about courage, which asserts the triumph of good over evil." In answering this question, you should remember that courageous acts are not always motivated by virtue. 2. Examine to what extent Lady Macbeth is to blame for her husband's downfall. Discuss the relationship between the couple as the play develops. 3. Discuss whether Macbeth is truly a tragic figure. 4. Some people suggest that the porter scene is included only so that the actor playing Macbeth has time to wash the blood off his hands. Do you agree? Or do you think the scene serves other purposes? Explain your answer. 5. From your reading, explain what Shakespeare imagined to be the qualities of a good king. How do Duncan and Macbeth fit this role? How might Malcolm do so? 6. Consider the use that Shakespeare makes of supernatural elements in this play. Be sure to include the Witches, the dagger, Banquo's ghost, the apparitions, and the Old Man's observations in your assessment.

EXAMPLE ANSWER – “Explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman.”
Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman in this soliloquy by using several imperatives in the passage including repetitions of the word “come” (3, 10, 13) as a form of self-summoning. She is keen to snatch the opportunity (to kill King Duncan so that her husband Macbeth can seize the throne), to bring fate closer by commanding the situation into their favour. Arguably, Shakespeare intends to characterise Lady Macbeth with contradictory traits: powerful yet vulnerable, strong yet misguided. Her Machiavellian scheming is illustrated when stating that “keen knife see not the wound it makes” (15). The fact that she wishes King Duncan to be murdered but does not want to witness it (ultimately, to send Macbeth to commit the crime) emphasises her role as conspirator rather than direct murderer. Consequently, this partial commitment to the malevolent cause makes the reading of Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman problematic. However, her influence over her husband’s decision-making reinforces a matriarchal dynamic to their marriage. The association between masculinity and violence is depicted in Lady Macbeth’s defeminisation by quotes such as “unsex me here” (4) and “Come to my woman’s breasts,/And take my milk for gall” (10/11). When her intentions become homicidal, she subdues her feminine side and wishes to “make thick my blood” (6), inferring a need for stereotypically alpha-male, manly qualities. Sexual connotations litter the passage, where even “under my battlements” (3) can be perceived as a double entendre. Although, it seems that Lady Macbeth will not attribute her sense of power and authority to her femininity, but to a primal, savage masculinity where “direst cruelty” (6) and a pursuit for power through tyranny will lead to true power. The foreshadowing event of a squawking raven “that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan” (2) acts as a tragic omen. Shakespeare develops an ominous tone which is pivotal in the character arc of Lady Macbeth. Her role as a powerful woman is in doubt when the consequences of the King’s murder ultimately leads to an overwhelming burden of guilt and then her suicide. This is set in motion in Act 1 Scene 5 by her scheming in solitude. She is a complex character who values establishing Macbeth and herself within an aristocratic hierarchy but is naïve to the burden such a murderous action will bear on her soul. Their hubris and lust for power, grasping at the opportunity to climb the hierarchal ladder ultimately leads to their downfall. Their role as powerful is temporary and doomed. The reader may be alienated by her murderous intent but sympathise with the consequence of her tormented mental state. WWW EBI

Act 1 Scene 1 Analysis Oxymoron - a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction – example: “fair is foul and foul is fair” Introduction of the Three Witches – mysterious world (unsure if for good or evil) – theme of witchcraft and supernatural activity introduced – what role at they going to play in the story? We arrive at the end of a scene – “when shall we three meet again?” – foreshadowing event. Theme - the difference between appearance and reality. Key quotes - “Hurly burly” (busy, boisterous activity – chaos), “the battle that is lost and won” (perpetual war). Oxymoron - “Fair is foul and foul is fair Hover through the fog and filthy air” – dark, supernatural tone established. – use of rhyming couplets. – nursery rhyme style (subversive). - the rules of the political game are ‘anything goes’. Language/Structure - Witches talk in ‘trochaic tetrameter’ – stress/unstressed rather than unstressed/stressed – other characters in the play speak in iambic pentameter. Foreshadowing - a warning and indication of a future event.

Act 1 Scene 2 Analysis The wounded sergeant has come back from battle to tell King Duncan what has happened: – Macbeth (and Banquo) are described through their actions in battle through other Scottish nobleman. – introduction to character Macbeth through the opinion of other people. – builds audience anticipation and establishes his reputation – Macbeth = well respected – Sergeant describes him as “brave”, “he deserves that name”, “smok’d with bloody execution”- strong warrior – carved a path through the rebel forces, found their leader MacDonald and “unseen’d him” (unzipped him from belly to chin, chopped off his head, put it on a stake) – to king and his men find Macbeth’s brutality praiseworthy. Manhood - proving oneself in battle was considered a sign of courage and masculine prowess – found to be good. Exposition – Scottish nobleman, the Thane of Cawdor betrayed Scotland and sided with the King of Norway in an attempt to invade – he is stripped of his title, which is given to Macbeth as a reward for his bravery, loyalty valour in battle – “what he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won” – paradox (disloyal, treasonous Thane of Cawdor, loyal brave Macbeth) – however, the full character arc of Macbeth by the end of the play reveals that they are similar (Macbeth ultimately betrays King and country) – foreshadowing/echoing event. Duncan orders Cawdor’s (Macdonwald’s) death – “go announce his present death” – no sentiment.

Act 1 Scene 3 Analysis Language of the Three Witches – rude, vulgar, shocking – animals often connected to them (considered lower than humans) - these events don’t inspire true fear in the audience. - one of the witches away “killing swine”. - the first witch is offended by someone who wouldn’t give her chestnuts – decides to take it out on chestnut woman’s husband, who is a sailor – she has control over the winds and uses this power to disrupt his journey. - “Though his bark cannot be lost Yet it shall be tempest-tost.” – sense that she can’t sink the shop, she can only unsettle it – witch says “I’ll drain him dry as hay” - Foreshadowing event to what will happen to Macbeth (morally, physically and spiritually) – “Sleep she neither night nor day, I hang upon his penthouse lid” – cursing him with insomnia (no rest for the wicked) – sleeplessness plays on his mental state as he commits misdemeanours. Differences between Macbeth and Banquo developed - Shakespeare uses Banquo as a contrast to Macbeth – reinforcing that Macbeth’s tragedy is self-inflicted): - “neither beg nor fear your favours nor your hate” - “Why do you start, and seem to fear things that do not sound fair?” – Banquo surprised by Macbeth’s reaction to the Witches (the prophecy that he will be King, after prophesying that he is the Thane of Cawdor already – an upgrade in status) – this is not the first time Macbeth has had thoughts of becoming King – his fear suggests his pre- meditated disposition – his thoughts turn to murder of King Duncan as they probably have done before – this is no longer a distant thought but a present possibility – “whose horrid image doth unfix my hair/and make my seated heart knock at my ribs.” - Banquo considers the Witches predictions as honest trifles whilst Macbeth is deeply curious about the source of their knowledge. Foreshadowing scene - “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” – Macbeth’s speech almost repeats the words of the Witches from the first scene – this coincidence is ominous – supernatural connotations.

Act 1 Scene 4 Analysis Pretext – the Thane of Cawdor (considered traitor) has been executed – the audience is told about how he died (in this honorbound, masculine society, this is very important) – according to Malcolm, he died a good death – in contrast to how Macbeth takes on the title of Cawdor. - audience already know that Macbeth is planning to kill Duncan (devised in Act 1 Scene 3). - irony: Macbeth takes on the title of the worst traitor – - Duncan on previous Thane of Cawdor (poor judge of character): “from the mind’s construction in the face” “he was a man in whom I built absolute trust” - Duncan on Macbeth – considers him “peerless kinsman” – unaware that Macbeth is plotting to kill him. The descent - we are shown how Macbeth’s journey into deception, evil and brutality is already beginning (not long after witches made prophecies). - Duncan heaped praise on Macbeth for his part in the battle – “my plenteous joys, wanton in fullness seek to hide themselves, in drops of sorrow” – he’s so happy he could cry – Macbeth’s contrasting short, sharp sentences show that he is not on the same wavelength. - The contrast – hyperbolic, overblown language of Duncan (shows his naivety – unaware what is really happening) – Shakespeare uses this to create a sense of anticipation with the audience – he heaps lavish praise on the man who wants to kill him. - Macbeth – “the service and loyalty I owe, in doing it, pays itself” – hides his real thoughts with false words – decided he will hide his treachery – duplicitous. Context - in Scotland at the time, the King was allowed to name his successor – didn’t have to be in his family – this was to prevent fighting and disputes between noblemen in the event that the King died suddenly – Duncan names his son Malcolm as his successor – named the Prince of Cumberland – this seals Duncan’s fate – Macbeth feels that now he has no choice but to kill Duncan and to be King – goes home to wife after announcement to prepare for the King and noblemens’ impending visit. - “The Prince of Cumberland, that is a step on which I must fall down or else o’er leap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires.” – he admits to himself that he will need to do something terrible to become King (knowing that Malcolm is currently the successor – obstacle to overcome) – theme: appearance vs. reality – things being hidden from sight – what is versus what is not. Dramatic irony – when the audience is aware of information that the character is not aware of.

Act 1 Scene 5 Analysis Soliloquy - an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself especially by a character in a play. Introduction of Lady Macbeth: - the private side of Macbeth beyond the courageous warrior is revealed. – clear on what needs to happen – she is aware that her husband is incapable of acting dishonourably - Lady Macbeth’s fears his “nature” and “human kindness” (as if this is a failing) – she fears that he is incapable of killing Duncan (an act that would make her Queen). Theme: appearance vs. reality – reminder of Witches oxymoronic “fair is foul and foul is fair” speech, just like Lady Macbeth sees Macbeth’s “kindness” as a weakness. - Lady Macbeth invokes evil spirits to help her achieve her goals (crossing over to the dark side) – possessed? - later becomes an insomniac. - LM decides Duncan is to be murdered – “your face my Thane is as a book where men read strange matters” – wishes Macbeth to be more covert about his intentions. - LM: “look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t” - M: “we will speak further” (slights his wife a bit even though he is going to murder Duncan – interesting power dynamic).

Act 1 Scene 6 Analysis Calm before the storm – Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle (unaware of plotting and scheming) – ironic scene. Duncan - “the castle hath a pleasant seat, the nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto the gentle senses” – has utmost respect for them both – naïve. Final scene – honoured host leading the King by the hand – essentially to his own grave - dramatic irony – Macbeth is preparing for D’s murder (not what D thinks: he thinks M has exited for his reception).

Act 1 Scene 7 Analysis Soliloquy – inner monologue spoken out loud.
Reasoning - Macbeth puts up a very logical argument about why he shouldn’t kill King Duncan – aware of the slippery slope of murder – “if it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well it were done quickly.” – he wants to get this terrible deed over and done with (like ripping off a plaster, no bloodlust) – double meaning: could try and kill Duncan as soon as possible (carpe diem). Foreshadowing – he is aware that the murder of Duncan will create a chain of events out of his control. Debating - gives a list of reasons why he shouldn’t kill Duncan – he’s king, he’s a relative, he’s a guest, great king who is loved and respected (his murder would cause a terrible reaction from the people of Scotland). - he even says he has no good reason to kill Duncan – “no spur” (no impetus or cause) – except his ambition – has almost talked himself out of it and then Lady Macbeth walks in – coincidental and significant arrival – is she to blame for King Duncan’s impending murder through coercing Macbeth into it after he has talked himself out of it. Her persuasive techniques – tackles his inconsistent double-mindedness, vindictively uses his love for her as a reason to do it (bribery), calls him a drunkard, challenges his manhood. To challenge his manhood is the main trigger – “when you durst do it, then you were a man” – Macbeth’s entire reputation is based on his bravery and courage – LM is calling his main skill into question and disrepute – cowardice is the worst. His counter – “if we should fail” – has already given into his wife (has allowed her to take the reins) – is under her spell – putting himself into her hands – fails to stand up to his wife – “false face must hide what the false heart doth know” (theme - appearance vs reality).

Act 2 Scene 1 Analysis Banquo and Fleance – up and awake in the courtyard on a starless night (the way things are in the natural world reflects the state of things in the play – evil has taken hold). - Banquo admits he is having trouble sleeping – unsettled by the witches’ prophecies. - Banquo (in contrast to Macbeth and particularly Lady Macbeth) looks to “merciful powers” to help him rather than evil spirits. - Another contrast – Banquo and Duncan – Duncan was effusive in his praise and lavish in his compliments – when he arrives at my best castle, Banquo is on guard and on edge – he asks for a sword when he hears someone approaching – he is in a friend’s castle where supposedly no harm can come to him – he is paranoid and suspicious. - Macbeth suggesting something through subtext - “If you shall cleave to my consent when ‘tis, it shall make honour of you.” – he hints at some event in the future encouraging Banquo’s loyalty. - Banquo’s response - “So I lose none in seeking to augment it, but still keep my bosom franchised and allegiance clear, I shall be counselled.” – I will be compliant as long as I don’t lose honour. Macbeth’s troubled state of mind about his plan to kill Duncan – “is this the dagger I see before me?” – hallucination of bloody dagger leading him towards Duncan’s room – the dagger is pointing him to the way that he is already going – a fevered mind and mental pressure. Shakespeare - used many metaphors about hidden identities and false face and now Banquo is now calling on Macbeth to reveal himself. Macbeth/Lady Macbeth – have called for the stars not to shine on their deeds and hide their intentions – irreversible.

Act 2 Scene 2 Analysis Macbeth has murdered Duncan (off stage) – (holds the bloodied dagger on stage after committing the crime) “I have done the deed” – do we sympathise with Macbeth? (courageous, ambitious, is persuaded by witches and wife to become overly ambitious, schemes murder of innocent King with wife, goes against decency and morality, kills more people indiscriminately to maintain his ill-gotten gain, ultimately sees errors of his ways and falls from his position). Lady Macbeth responds: “why did you bring the dagger from this place, it must lie there” (Macbeth is full of borderline hysterical fear) – do we sympathise with her? – she admits that she tried to murder Duncan herself – “resembled my father as he slept” – she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Internal conflict - Confident and mastery of language from Macbeth and Lady Macbeth exists in previous scenes but not in this one – both of them are on edge – Lady Macbeth is particularly troubled (she jumps at the sound of an owl) – “Hark! Peace!” - Macbeth behaves as if he is in a trance – he appears not to care if he is caught or not and indulges in self-reproach whilst Lady Macbeth desperately tries to bring him round. Famous irony in the play – Lady Macbeth urges her husband to wash the blood from his hands – “a little water clears us of this deed” – extended metaphor that we see in the rest of the play – images of blood and water are used to show the murderous deeds which are impossible to wash away – Lady Macbeth returns to this image later in the play when she is close to insane – real contrast between both characters in this scene. The dagger as a metaphor for his guilt – the fact that he has brought the weapon with him implicates if ‘caught red-handed’ – exposes her to the crime – a vision which later haunts her dreams. Symbolic – knocking at the gate – symbolises the reality outside the castle gates not immediately poisoned by his deeds – this symbol is extended in the next scene: knocking at the gates of hell. - In Act 1 – Lady Macbeth dedicates herself to evil, becomes possessed by demons – and now, the castle becomes plagued by this – Duncan is led by the hand into this doomed building and never emerges. - the stars over the castle no longer shine – later: the murder of Duncan upsets the balance of nature. - the knocking wakes Macbeth and Lady Macbeth from the dark and murderous revelry – it makes the deed shocking, raw and real (consider: Peter’s denial of Jesus three times and the cock crowing – the sign grounding the misdeed in reality). Irony - the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect. Regicide - the deliberate killing of a monarch.

Act 2 Scene 3 Analysis Comic relief – release the tension.
Themes - themes of his speech are often ones we see throughout the play – truth and deception – half-truths to get out of trouble for clever language. The Farmer – keeps the grain to himself when others are starving because he believes it will make it more valuable and get a better price – next harvest is plentiful – the price of grain plummets and ruins him – equivocator – Macbeth has washed hands and changed clothes - - “Good morrow both…not yet…I’ll bring you to him” – short, simple sentences when he asks questions – shows his state of mind (before he was speaking in articulate symbolism, extended metaphor and soliloquy, now he is brief) - Macbeth – “Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had lived a blessed time” – from this point on, he is doomed. Different attitudes between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth: - LM overwhelmed by negative emotion and faints. - M more in control of the situation.

Act 2 Scene 4 Analysis Jacobean Era – feudalistic natural order (King, noblemen, Lords - gentry and landowners, peasants). - any break in this order was considered serious to this natural order. - Macbeth commits regicide (killing of king) which is a serious breach of the natural order. Minor characters - Old Man and Ross discussing the happenings in the play outside the characters point of view. - “mousing owl” and “falcon” fighting – Shakespeare uses images of the disturbance of nature to reflect the huge crime that has been committed against Duncan – a crime so significant that it’s effected the balance of nature – the language here is significant because of the way that the old man speaks (uses natural and severe language, superstitious and simple minded). - Ross speaks in an artificial way, which becomes clear when he speaks to Macduff. Covert - Ross admits his intention to follow the story being put out by Macbeth that Duncan’s son has murdered his father – he will go to Scone to see Macbeth crowned King. - Macduff signals his uncertainty by saying that he will go home to Fife. - Ross understands that the story might be untrue – he’s following it because he’s uncertain of what may happen – Macbeth is not the only who hides what he knows. Continual theme in the play – the hiding of truth and living a lie. Historical context - refers to the moods, attitudes, and conditions that existed during a certain time.

Act 3 Scene 1 Analysis Suspicion and paranoia - Shortly after murdering King Duncan, Macbeth is already plotting to murder his close friend, Banquo. Banquo’s soliloquy – uncertainty – not best pleased how Macbeth has won the throne but wonders if a promotion will come his way – - “I fear thou play’dst most foully for’t” - “May they not be my oracles as well” Richness of language – double meanings, puns, irony. - environment for the audience where they are on edge - to be Macbeth’s chief guest is to become his victim. - Throughout the play, Macbeth’s speeches change in order to reflect his state of mind – this scene, different man to previous scenes. Macbeth character traits – the soldier, the worrier, the private man, the cunning and devious man – calculating - “Fail not our feast” and “My Lord I will not”. Macbeth character arc - from noble and considered to cajoling and cunning – is he descending into mania with the mask finally slipping? Deeds corrupting the person? Pun - a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings.

Act 3 Scene 2 Analysis Brief scene between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth – shows the state of their relationship – the role reversal where it is now LM beginning to feel the strain of their deed – “noughts had all spent”. Shakespeare’s technique – the soliloquies and worries begin to echo each other. – Macbeth is concerned in the previous scene that even though he has killed Duncan, he is not safely thus. - Macbeth begins to worry that they’ve done it all for nothing – LM’s worries echo his. - both trying to hide their worry and misery from each other – Macbeth refuses to let LM in on new plan (to kill Banquo) – “be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck”. To try to protect her whilst rebuking him for being miserable – “what’s done is done” – both suffering from insomnia and nightmares – torture of the mind – both experiencing the same thing. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin to drift apart. Secrecy - After refusing to let LM in on his plan to kill Banquo, their relationship never really recovers – he has locked out her partner-in- crime and she becomes dependent on him except when he wishes to deal with his “scorpions of the mind” – the Lady Macbeth of Act 2 is gone. Haunted - LM – how evil deeds can ruin a person – she is possessed by demons.

Act 3 Scene 3 Analysis Scheming - Macbeth has planned to kill both Banquo and Fleance because the witches told them that Banquo’s sons would be kings - Macbeth’s murder plot shows that he is challenging fate – same fate that crowned him Thane of Cawdor and the Crown – wants to outsmart prophecies if they go against him. Witches prophecies – real danger is Fleance. Significant murder scene – sends third murderer after the first two – this shows his lack of trust for anyone – the downward spiral – Second Murderer - “we’ve lost the best half of our affair” Selective - Macbeth is so inconsistent and changeable, he believes what he wants to believe – prophecies that benefit him (yes), prophecies that don’t (no) – immature character, not a clever and noble man. Playing with fate - If he believes in the same fate that has brought him to this point, his efforts to murder Banquo and Fleance are useless. - What’s worse – murdering them or trying to counter fate? Macbeth is on a ‘downward spiral’.

Act 3 Scene 4 Analysis The Celebration Feast - attempts to endear himself to society – going overboard to make everybody welcome. - Macbeth’s chance to put all deeds to rest. - “The hearty welcome”, “We will require her welcome”, “They are welcome”, “Be large in mirth”, “Love and health to all” - Macbeth can’t hide the evil that he’s indulged in. Coincidence - The fact that the murderer enters just as everyone is seated for the feast is very important. Supernatural - Macbeth is unable to sit with his guests just as he is unable to stand with them in society (in terms of honour and respect). - Macbeth’s seat at the banquet is taken by Banquo’s bloodied ghost. - Dramatic irony and dramatic tension – Macbeth is confronted by an apparition that only he can see – symptom of guilt (hallucination?) - - After conspiring for Banquo’s murder, to find his ghost sitting at the table in his seat is profound dramatic irony. - Macbeth panics, becomes hysterical and upsets all of his guests. - Echoes prophecy from the witches that Banquo’s son will come to the throne. Lady Macbeth tries to allay the guests’ fears: - tells them that he sometimes behaves like this – nothing to worry about. - “sit my worthy friends, my lord is often thus and have been from his youth”. Chaos - Despite Macbeth’s efforts, the feast ends in disorder and disarray – symbolic of how he is trying to get people on his side – to bring society together – fails spectacularly. - The reason for his failure are the deeds that he has committed to get to this point. Escalation - M and LM hoped to just kill King Duncan and no more – but the crime has opened up a sequence of events where escalating crimes are to be committed – the whole plan is unravelling. Alienation - Macbeth’s attempts to fit in with nobles and lords from society – however, this outburst alienates him – everything begins to crumble and he starts to feel that he is alone in the world. - Macbeth and wife – LM tries to rally round him, but then tells them to leave, then becomes quiet (drained by her broken spirit). - The only time we see LM after this point is when she is sleepwalking where we see the full torment of her mind. - Macbeth’s murderous tendencies are now increasing. Rivers of blood – “I am in blood, stepped so far”, “That I should wade no more, returning were as tedious as to go o’er” – past the point of no return – Macbeth’s murderous nature has grown whilst LM has shrunk.

Act 3 Scene 5 Analysis This scene may have been added by actors rather than Shakespeare himself. - the Witches were popular characters for audiences. - Hecate has many lines. – witches appear differently in this scene. – they treat Macbeth as the poor victim of their plotting at the beginning, here, they treat him as if they are one of his own. - the Witches’ developing identification with Macbeth could be because he has become so evil that he has essentially become one of them. Hecate talks about how Macbeth’s overconfidence has a bearing on the future - foreshadowing/echoing scene.

Act 3 Scene 6 Analysis Regicide – even though Macbeth killed his predecessor, he is still the lawfully crowned King. - Kings and members of the Royal Family may have watched the play in the Globe Theatre. - Shakespeare has to be careful with this weighty theme. Catalyst - why must Macbeth be removed from the throne. Scotland - How do people feel about Macbeth and the state of the country? Macbeth’s antagonist - Macduff is in England seeking help of the King there to help remove Macbeth in Scotland. Unsympathetic protagonist - Macbeth is preparing to move against Macduff’s family – this makes it difficult to have any sympathy for Macbeth whatsoever – his murderous intent has spiralled. - Macbeth’s motivation for killing Macduff’s family is a structural technique in the narrative from Shakespeare – context and reason for Macbeth and a device to bring the audience out of the claustrophobic mind of Macbeth and back into the reality of the play. Catalyst – an element which enters a narrative which causes a reaction – usually an increase in conflict and tension.

Act 4 Scene 1 Analysis Three Witches - theme of deception and equivocations - appearances vs. reality – half truths, metaphorical masks from the witches. - hideous ingredients are put into the cauldron (echoes Macbeth’s banquet where everything fell apart and ended in ruin). - the witches prepare their very own special feast which reflects the evil which has been committed by Macbeth in the play. - Macbeth enters Act 1 with the witches with bravado and confidence – echoing Hecate’s prophecy in Act 3 Scene 5 that Macbeth’s overconfidence would bring his downfall (hubris). Structural device used by Shakespeare - looking for reassurance and comfort that what he has done will keep him on the throne. - the witches show three different apparitions which Macbeth interprets in his own way. – these apparitions whilst seeming to comfort him are entirely deceptive and symptomatic of how the witches speak in riddles and half-truths. - the audience are shown a series of apparitions which are supposed to confirm one thing but can be interpreted as the complete opposite – foreshadowing event – Shakespeare is flagging something that will become crucial to the final outcome of the play. Apparition #1: The Armed Head - foretells Macbeth’s eventual decapitation at the hands of Macduff. - Macbeth however, believes that the head is representative of Macduff – misunderstands its true meaning. Apparition #2: The Bloodied Child - meant to represent Macduff – no-one who hasn’t been born of woman can hurt him. - Macbeth misreads the prophecy thinking that he has nothing to fear (deceptive prophecy). Apparition #3: Malcolm’s Son - coming to Macbeth’s castle carrying a branch from a tree. - Idea that Macbeth can’t be harmed because Burnhamwood moves to Dunceny - thinking that it is impossible for a forest to move, feels even more secure following the prophecy. - Macbeth reads into each of the prophecies on what he wants to see from them. Apparition #4: Eight Kings (Descendants of Banquo). – he sees a line of eight kings who were all descendants of Banquo. - this leaves him in an awful state – no-one descended from him will inherit the throne. - curious that Macbeth sees this but still doesn’t doubt the earlier prophecies – the witches have been playing with him. Development of Macbeth’s character. - however evil, each murder has a purpose – but now, he has decided that he will commit murders on a whim without thought. - “from this moment, the very first things of my heart should be the first things on my hand” - he plots to murder Macduff’s wife and children in a terrible act – this almost dehumanises him in our eyes – now a cold-hearted killing machine – it is difficult to have any sympathy for him or to see him as anything else other than a monster at this point. This is where the last ounce of sympathy that we had for him dissipates.

Act 4 Scene 2 Analysis Suspense - The audience are waiting throughout this scene for something bad to happen to Macduff’s family. Deception – Lady Macduff tells her son that her father is a traitor – in-depth conversation between mother and son about the nature of treason and who can be declared treasonous. Off-stage - Though we see the boy being murdered, Macbeth doesn’t carry out the deed – suggestion that Macbeth could not have brought himself to do it even if he wanted to. Macbeth’s low-point – out-and-out villain: - the only way to keep him remotely redeemable is that he is not the direct murderer of the young boy. Regressive character arc - A tragic play requires that we have some sympathy towards Macbeth even if it is such a tiny amount. - Structural ploys to make some elements of sympathy for the central character.

Act 4 Scene 3 Analysis Theme - deception, appearances vs. reality.
One of the longest scenes in the whole play establishes the character who is big and strong enough to tackle Macbeth. Macduff and Malcolm’s long conversation – serves a number of purposes: - Malcolm (in contrast to his father) is showing immense caution and is testing Macduff to see if he can trust him. - “to show an unfelt sorrow is an office which the false man does easy” – - LM had previously chided Macbeth on showing his face “like a book” – Macbeth becomes more duplicitous after this. - suggestion that Macbeth has sent spies to try to trick Malcolm (if he comes back to Scotland, he will be killed by Macbeth). - this scene is critical of Scotland (and also what a good king should be like). - Malcolm denounces himself as greedy, violent and lustful – effort to gauge Macduff’s reaction. - If he were to be king, he would “pour the sweet milk of Concord into hell, up all the universe of peace, confound all unity on earth”. - Macduff is at his wit’s end – this is a subtle way of describing Scotland’s state under Macbeth’s rule – men’s actions can disrupt the natural order (which can result in disruptions in nature). - Malcolm is describing a country completed ruined and miserable – this is precisely what Macbeth’s Scotland really is. Analysis of Kings - Malcolm goes on to say that he’s none of the things that evil Kings he has described, are. - he then describes what a good King is like and references Edward the Confessor. - people perceived that Kings had miraculous healing abilities – they were supernaturally deified. - Edward the Confessor (King James related) – Shakespeare is trying to present the King in a good light – Edward is gentle and noble, Macbeth is murderous and barbaric (contrasts). The cycle of murder continues - Macduff learns that his family have been murdered – Macduff and Malcom now seem like convincing, well-exposited characters with the task of dethroning the tyrant Macbeth.

Act 5 Scene 1 Analysis Lady Macbeth has lost her mind: - in previous Acts, she seems completely untroubled by evil and the supernatural – in Act 3: “the dead are but as pictures” – she is now walking and talking in her sleep (sign of madness). - in this scene, she seems lost – she’s gone beyond humanity, and the guilt and stress on her mind is too much to bare. - earlier, convinces Macbeth to kill Duncan by attacking his manhood – but now, Macbeth says - “I dare do all that may become a man, who dares do more is none” – anyone who kills a King is not a man (because they’ve lost their humanity). - Analogy by D.J. Enright – Lady Macbeth is a sprinter in evil whilst Macbeth is a long-distance runner – he starts off slowly but can go for much longer. - Reinforced through Shakespeare’s repetition and imagery – - Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy repeatedly focuses on blood and murder - “who would have thought that the old man would have had so much blood in him” - earlier, she believes that washes your hands of the blood removes the deed from your mind – however, she is learning the hard way of the toll these deeds have on her. Multiple meanings of quotation - Alternative interpretation for Shakespeare’s use of language – “out, out, damned spot”. - Interpretation #1 – unable to literally wash the blood from her hands or figuratively clean the guilt from her mind. - Interpretation #2 – she may be possessed by demons – demons and witches were often known to have certain spots on their bodies which marked them out as evil – “out, out” is a symbol that she is trying to get her soul back – however, she has a price to pay for the crime she has committed. Suicide - Lady Macbeth’s fate is the final nail in the coffin for her relationship with Macbeth – after she dies (committing suicide), he is alone – there is also a suggestion that he’s already alone and her death means nothing to him.

Act 5 Scene 2 Analysis Extended metaphor - In this scene, the extended metaphor of attire, clothes and garments that don’t fit appears. Angus refers to Macbeth as a dwarf wearing a giant’s robes. Again, we can take this to mean that Duncan, as a good king, was a “giant” while Macbeth, in his place, is a dwarf. I feel this means more about stature rather than any literal sense of size. Certainly as the play draws to its conclusion, we begin to see the final version of Macbeth and he is not hiding. Internal conflict - Over the next few scenes, (as forces amass against him), Macbeth faces internal turmoil. The building forces outside his castle are almost a mere distraction to his own thoughts. The audience is being guided in the direction of Macbeth’s own thoughts and feelings rather than putting too great a stock in the battle which is due to happen. Suspense - Shakespeare makes another interesting structural decision here that enhances the impact of the final scenes. From Act 4 Scene 3, when Macduff and Malcolm decide to join forces to overthrow Macbeth, until the end of the play, Shakespeare tends to contrast a scene of the “good guys” planning their attack with a scene where we see Macbeth in emotional turmoil. Through this we see the liberating army steadily moving towards Macbeth’s castle while we see Macbeth himself steadily descending into despair. Hubris - While Macbeth believes himself to be invincible, we see that his real enemy is his conscience. He is suffering the weight of the decisions he has made and the acts he has carried out. The armies gathering outside his castle are inconsequential, an annoyance at best. The real battle is within his mind and soul. Hubris – excessive pride which inevitably leads to one’s downfall.

Act 5 Scene 3 Analysis Illness - following Macbeth’s internal monologues, we see that the strain is beginning to show – a Doctor comes and tells him about Lady Macbeth and how he is suffering – he simply tells him to treat the illness. Analogy - Macbeth invokes an analogy here asking the doctor if he can treat a sick country – echoes and furthers Shakespeare’s metaphor from the scene in the English court where the doctor there about how Malcolm heals and helps the sick people in his country whilst here in Scotland we’ll have to assume that the entire country is sick – it is a result of Macbeth himself – mood swings: rage, disgust, misery, determination. Individualism - Macbeth decides to face the invaders single-handedly -“till from my bones my flesh be hacked” – Shakespeare is trying to get the audience to have some admiration for him – logistically speaking, Macbeth is now ruined – left with only one option: face them like a man, like the great warrior we saw at the beginning. Analogy - comparison between one thing and another, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

Act 5 Scene 4 Analysis “Cut down the bow from the trees” – carry it in front of him to disguise their numbers. Macbeth believed wholeheartedly in the witches prophecies: – another one is coming true in an unfortunate way – his bravery and determination is misplaced, believing himself to be invincible – the witches are cunning in their deception towards Macbeth, who is highly impressionable. - the tragic denouement is imminent and inevitable.

Act 5 Scene 5 Analysis “Died hereafter” – multiple meanings: - either Macbeth knew that LM would die anyway - to symbolise the complete breakdown of their relationship. - or her dying is an annoyance and distraction as he plans for battle. - or she shouldn’t have died yet, she should have died at a later date. Scene is notable for Macbeth’s soliloquy speaks about the trivial nature of life and that it is essentially worthless. MACBETH: Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage and is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Act 5 Scene 6 & 7 Analysis Scene 6 – battle begins when the troops throw down their branches. Scene 7 – Macbeth joins the fray – determined and fierce like a “bear tied to a stake pursued by savage dogs” – has not figured out the true meaning of the witches’ prophecy about Macduff yet (“being not born of woman”). - Siward wants to make a name for himself and kill Macbeth – Macbeth kills him easily – honourable death for Siward – was attacked from the front – fought an honourable battle and died an honourable death – valour and bravery in a violent and vicious world. The battlefield - The setting of the play is dangerous and violent – Macbeth is heralded at the beginning of the play for killing lots of people but it is acceptable because it was on the battlefield (enemies of Scotland) – when he goes on killing the wrong sort of people, people become concerned – unbalancing the natural order. Ambiguous loyalty - Suggestion of Macbeth’s soldiers are either not fighting very hard or have joined the other side – Malcolm “we’ve met with foes who strike beside us” – emphasis on how alone Macbeth is now – Macbeth against the world.

Act 5 Scene 8 Analysis Courage versus cowardice - Macbeth – “why should I play the Roman fool and die on my own sword?” – thought of suicide. Guilt - Macbeth has guilt about killing Macduff’s family – attempts to remedy this by telling him that he does not want to shed any more of his blood - Macbeth also still believes that he can’t be defeated by anyone born of woman – misplaced confidence. The final deception – Macduff was cut from his mother’s womb (caesarean) rather than born naturally – this news devastates Macbeth – this was the sole thing that his confidence was based. Macbeth’s first instinct is to run – “I’ll not fight with thee” – after being goaded by Macduff, he becomes the warrior Macbeth – he chooses to die fighting rather than be captured and humiliated. Masculinity - Macbeth forced by taunting and bullying (Lady Macbeth and Macduff) by challenging his manhood. Shakespeare - presents Macbeth as Scotland’s best warrior, celebrated by his King and loved and respected by his peers – through ambition, weakness and the influence of others, he threw it all away – lost parts of his humanity and ends up completely alone to face his own death – can we have any sympathy for him? - was he wholly responsible for his actions? - was Lady Macbeth the main influence and facilitator? - How about the Witches? - were they just bystanders in the decline and fall of Macbeth?

Act 5 Scene 9 Analysis The King is dead – Macbeth has been killed (head cut off) and everyone gathers round to celebrate. Order has been restored – natural order was disrupted by Macbeth and now Malcolm is about to become King. Macbeth is the driving force of the narrative, and his death leaves a void in the final scene which is almost anti-climactic (intentionally so). Final words of the play - Macbeth is referred to as a “butcher” (contrast to his heroic entrance in Act 1) – tragic, regressive character arc – good man with a flaw who ultimately ends up dead. Un/sympathetic - Good guy lead astray or bad guy who took advantage of villainous influences (Lady Macbeth and Witches)?

Light and Dark Imagery in ‘Macbeth’ Quotes
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