TEXT: Macbeth

THEMES TO CONSIDER:Gothic, unnatural, gender roles, fate, power, occult

CHARACTERS TO COVER: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, witches, Banquo

Quotation / Technique / Who said / When / Social context / LINKS/THEME
Fair is foul and foul is fair / The alliteration, oxymoron
foreshadows the gothic unnatural deeds to come
The witches speak in a different rhythm form the rest of the characters in the play. Instead of ten syllable pentameter, the speak in six of seven syllable lines. The use of three feet in their rhythm is symbolic of their witchcraft as three was seen as a “magic number”. / Witches / Act 1 scene1 / James I was obsessed with witches, wrote Daemonologie. / Gothic, unnatural, fate
“For brave Macbeth – well he deserved that name” / The adjective “brave” shows the high status and respect shown to Macbeth t the start of the play – in keeping with Aristoteliantragic heroes / Sergeant / Act 1 scene 2 / In Aristotelian tragedies, The hero should begin the play in a position of high-status and his tragic flaw leads him to a tragic descent. / Bravery, Manly virtues
“unseam’d him from the nave to the chaps” / The violent imagery highlights the violence of the society and that Macbeth is capable of inflicting on others / Sergeant / Ac 1 scene 2 / The violence is fitting with his role as a warrior and a man. The violence also has suggestions of the violence exhibited in the Civil war of the 1400s in England where family members murdered eachother for power. / Violence, Manly virtues
“New honors come upon him,. Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold.” / The metaphor of titles being ill-fitting clothing infers how fate can place humans in uncomfortable situations which are impossible to escape. / Banquo / Act 1 Scene 3 / The concept of pre-destination and fate would have been debated in Shakespearean times as the Renaissance had stimulated questions about divine predestination and whether fate exists. / Fate
“The service and the loyalty I owe,
in doing it pays itself” / The language used reveals the loyalty Macbeth wishes to show his king, which is ironic as he will soon be disloyal. Dramatic irony. / Macbeth / Act 1 Scene 4 / Such loyalty was expected in Shakespearean times, especially by James I, as he believed that Kings were appointed by God, and wrote this in his “Divine Right of Kings”. / Power,
“Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires:” / Dark and light imagery, alliteration emphasising the sinful intentions of Macbeth to kill his king. The gothic transgression is highlighted by the use of natural imagery, suggesting the “dark desires” are unnatural / Macbeth / Act 1 Scene 4 / The imagery is poignant as the Shakespearean audience would see regicide as a sin against god. / Gothic, power, occult, unnatural
“The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements.” / The dark animal imagery highlights the unnatural dark intentions of Lady Macbeth. The possessive pronoun “my” infers Lady’ Macbeth’s position of control in her relationship. / Lady Macbeth / Act 1 Scene 5 / A Shakespearean audience would not expect a female to be dominant in a relationship as they lived in a very patriarchal society / Gothic, power, occult, gender
“Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,” / The imperative verbs used in this soliloquy suggest that Lady Macbeth is delivering an incantation, which is reminiscent of the witches. / Lady Macbeth / Act 1 Scene 5 / The use of witchcraft language wuld shock the audience and be at odds with the growing Puritanical culture in Jacobean society.
The desire to reverse gender expectations would surprise the Shakespearean audience, who lived in a society where gender roles were strictly divided between men and women: women were expected to be child-carers and men were expected to be more ruthless and violent.
The idea of a women becoming ruthless, violent and evil could allude to Elizabeth I. As Shakespeare wrote the play with the desire to win favour with James I, creating an evil woman character, who leads others to murder in order to gain power, would lead to comparisons with Elizabeth I. The queen even gave a speech to her troops where she said, “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king”. Furthermore such a negative portrayal of Elizabeth I, would prove popular with James, whose mother was imprisoned and executed by Elizabeth to solidify her claim to the throne. / Gothic (transgression), power, occult, gender,
The command to “unsex me here” highlights Lady Macbeth’s desire to be given more manly attributes and lose her female qualities.
“Come to my woman's breasts,
And take my milk for gall,” / The juxtaposition of “milk” and “gall” emphasise the gender role reversal that Lady Macbeth desires. / Lady Macbeth / Act 1 scene 5 / The desire to lose womanly virtues and take on violent virtues expected only from men would go against the Shakespearean gender expectations where women were expected to be nurturing and caring.
The refuting of nurturing qualities could allude to Elizabeth I who was childless and therefore showed no mothering qualities. / Gothic (transgression), power, occult, gender,
“you murdering ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances” / The alliterative “m” sounds and sibilant “sightless substances” both connote sexual desire, revealing the excitement of Lady Macbeth as she delivers her incantantion. / Lady Macbeth / Act 1 scene 5 / The desire to lose womanly virtues and take on violent virtues expected only from men would go against the Shakespearean gender expectations where women were expected to be nurturing and caring. / Gothic (transgression), power, occult, gender,
“look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under't.” / The juxtaposition of “innocent flower” and prelapsarian “serpent” emphasises the deviousness of Lady Macbeth’s intended plan. / Lady Macbeth / Act 1 scene 5 / The reference to “flower” and “serpent” is apt as the Dutch government in 1606 produced a coin in celebration of the foiling of the gunpowder plot in England (where Guy Fawkes attempted to overthrow the government), and the coin had a flower on one side and a snake on the other. / Gothic (transgression), power
“Only look up clear;
To alter favour ever is to fear:
Leave all the rest to me.” / Shakespeare usually ends his scenes with a rhyming couplet in pentameter. Here Lady Macbeth delivers a conventional rhyming couplet to end the scene, but then Shakespeare subverts his convention by adding a six syllable line to end the scene. The monosyllabic instruction echoes the meter of the witches, emphasising Lady Macbeth’s embracing of the witches’ evil, and her control of the situation. / Lady Macbeth / Act 1 scene 5 / The Shakespearean audience would be aware of the break from pentameter and therefore the extra six syllable line would be effective in signifying Lady Macbeth’s alignment with the witches. / Gothic (transgression), occult, gender
“If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly” / The monosyllabic line that begins Macbeth’s soliloquy is broken by the one polysyllabic word “quickly” emphasises the concerns Macbeth has about the murder of Duncan. / Macbeth / Act 1 scene 7 / The doubts Macbeth exhibits fit with the views of James I that regicide was a grave sin, as he wrote in The Divine Right of Kings that Kings were appointed by God / Gothic (transgression), power, occult, gender,
The repetition of “done” emphasises how Macbeth does not want to imagine the deed and also knows the act will bring uncontrollable consequences
“Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice
To our own lips” / The metaphorical language highlights Macbeth’s concerns that murdering Duncan will cause awful consequences. / Macbeth / Act 1 scene 7 / The doubts Macbeth exhibits fit with the views of James I that regicide was a grave sin, as he wrote in The Divine Right of Kings that Kings were appointed by God / Gothic (transgression), power, occult, gender, fate
“Prithee, peace:
I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more is none.” / The alliteration emphasises how Macbeth is insulted by Lady Macbeth insulting his manliness / Macbeth / Act 1 scene 7 / The questioning of Macbeth’s manhood again forces the audience to consider the gender roles in the play and society / power, gender,
“When you durst do it, then you were a man;” / The monosyllabic line and alliterative plosive phrase “durst do it” emphasises Lady Macbeth’s insulting accusation. / Lady Macbeth / Act 1 scene 7 / Shakespeare has Lady Macbeth skilfully manipulate her husband through questioning his masculinity as women in Jacobean society would rarely voice their disgust at their husbands as they were expected to obey their husbands. / power, gender,
“I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dash'd the brains out” / The horrific juxtaposition of nursing a child and violently killing id (emphasised by the onomatopoeic “dash’d”) demonstrates the psychotic nature of Lady Macbeth and her determination to have her murderous plan enacted. / Lady Macbeth / Act 1 scene 7 / SEE earlier Elizabeth I comparisons. / power, gender, violence
“Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.” / The question emphasises Macbeth’s loss of control as he seems unsure and seems to be hallucinating. The imperative “come” followed by the caesura echoes Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy where she instructed the “spirits” to help her, suggesting Macbeth is now embracing the occult. / Macbeth / Act 2 Scene 1 / SEE Earlier Regicide points / power, gender, violence, madness, fate
The alliteration using the letter “C” highlights Macbeth’s own disgust at his actions.
“I see thee yet, in form as palpable
As this which now I draw.” / Shakespeare shortens the meter dramatically for the line “As this which now I draw” to cause a dramatic pause as Macbeth draws his own dagger and the audience realises he is actually going to murder Duncan. / Macbeth / Act 2 Scene 1 / SEE Earlier Regicide points / power, gender, violence, madness, fate
“Macbeth does murder sleep” / The personification of sleep emphasises how Macbeth realises his murdering of Duncan has transgressed the natural order and how he will never escape the consequences of his actions. / Macbeth / Act 2 Scene 2 / SEE Earlier Regicide points / Occult, gothic transgression, power, gender, violence, madness, fate
“LADY MACBETH is carried out” / The stage directions reveal Lady Macbeth’s fainting suggesting that she uses her gender to feign a collapse. / Stage directions / Act 2 scene 3 / SEE earlier gender points / gender
“'Tis said they eat each other.” / The bizarre description of horses eating eachother emphasises the unnatural act that has taken place. / Old man / Act 2 scene 4 / SEE Earlier Regicide points / Occult, gothic transgression, unnatural
“O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!” / The animalistic metaphor highlights the corruption of Macbeth’s mind by his murderous thoughts. / Macbeth / Act 3 scene 2 / SEE Earlier Regicide points / Occult, power, gothic transgression, unnatural, madness
“Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,” / The patronising term “dearest chuck” shows the audience how Macbeth has become the dominant partner in the marriage / Macbeth / Act 3 scene 2 / SEE Earlier gender points / gender, power
“Thou marvell'st at my words: but hold thee still;
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
So, prithee, go with me.” / Shakespeare usually ends his scenes with a rhyming couplet in pentameter. Here Macbeth delivers a conventional rhyming couplet to end the scene, but then Shakespeare subverts his convention by adding a six syllable line to end the scene. The added instruction echoes the meter of the witches, and Lady Macbeth in Act 1 scene 5, emphasising Macbeth’s embracing of the witches’ evil, and his taking control of the situation. / Macbeth / Act 3 scene 2 / SEE Earlier gender points or occult / gender, power, occult, gothic
“It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood:” / The monosyllabic statement and repetition of “blood” three times emphasise Macbeth’s realisation that their murderous actions will bring murderous repercussions back on them. / Macbeth / Act 3 scene 4 / SEE Earlier Regicide points / Fate, violence, power, occult, gothic
“Come, we'll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse
Is the initiate fear that wants hard use:
We are yet but young in deed.” / Shakespeare usually ends his scenes with a rhyming couplet in pentameter. Here Shakespeare subverts his convention by adding a six syllable line to end the scene. The added monosyllabic sentence instruction is ominous in its suggestion of more violence to follow and echoes the meter of the witches, and Lady Macbeth in Act 1 scene 5, emphasising how Macbeth’s mind has been corrupted by the witches’ evil / Macbeth / Act 3 scene 4 / SEE Earlier Regicide points or witch craft points / Fate, violence, power, occult, gothic
“Out, damned spot! out, I say!--One: two: why,” / The repetition of “out” emphasises the madness of Lady Macbeth as she hallucinates the blood on her hands and highlights how she has succumbed to madness and is consumed by the guilt of her actions. / Lady Macbeth / Act 5 scene 1 / See the points on regicide / Fate, violence, power, occult, gothic
The multiple caesurae break up her speech and reflect Lady Macbeth’s fragmented mind highlighting her descent into madness as the guilt has consumed her sanity.
“give me my armour” / Macbeth commands a character previously unseen by the audience called “Seyton” to give him his “armour”. Shakespeare’s use of a pun (Satan) and the potentially symbolic need for Macbeth to ask for him to “arm” him emphasises the depth of evil in which Macbeth has submerged himself. / Macbeth / Act 5 scene 2 / See the points on regicide / Fate, violence, power, occult, gothic
“Now does he feel his title
Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe
Upon a dwarfish thief” / The imagery of ill-fitting clothes highlights the concept of fate placing Macbeth in a cursed and illegitimate position. / Macbeth / Act 5 scene 2 / The concept of pre-destination and fate would have been debated in Shakespearean times as the Renaissance had stimulated questions about divine predestination and whether fate exists. / Fate, violence, power, occult, gothic
“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day” / The repetition of tomorrow and the plosive alliteration of “petty pace” highlight Macbeth’s regret and disgust at fate and his inescapable position. / Macbeth / Act 5 scene 2 / The concept of pre-destination and fate would have been debated in Shakespearean times as the Renaissance had stimulated questions about divine predestination and whether fate exists. / Fate, violence, power, occult, gothic