English Literature Flashcards
What is Macbeth a symbol for throughout the play?
Toxic and repressive masculinity who associates manhood with violence
What does Macbeth value?
Ideals of valour and power and violence become synonymous with his masculinity. Macbeth believes that lack of violence and not being powerful will lead to him being effeminate.
What is the relationships between Macbeth and his lady?
Equal or maybe she is his superior i.e. he is easily manipulated by her as she can strip him of his masculinity
What does Macbeth mention about his afterlife?
” Jumping the life to come”- Macbeth is sacrificing an eternal life in Heaven for power and luxury on his finite life on Earth
What does the title of the play signify?
Macbeth is an eponymous character of Shakespeare’s tragedy
Why is Macbeth a Tragic hero?
Starts with glory and power but falls due to his hamartia ( ambition). Through the play, Macbeth descends from a brave male warrior to a passive feminine coward- do breaking the norms of society make you vulnerable to temptation?
What happens to Macbeths morals and why so?
Killing Duncan is symbolic to his moral life choices and its a conscious choice and Macbeth chooses to embrace corrupt temptation
Why is Macbeth not a hero to the patriarchal society ( think about his betrayal to Duncan)?
Macbeth betrays his male king which goes against all values and ideals of the great chain of being and shows his actions are preposterous. Macbeth is oblivious to morality and natural order
Why are the witches to blame for Duncan’s death?
Their prophecies by the “ supernatural soliciting” are a catalyst (cause) for Macbeths extreme ambitions and his change of character
What is Macbeths soliloquy full of?
Debate, anxiety and guilt
What is the difference between noble men like Banquo and Duncan vs Macbeth?
Duncan is a rightful king from god- whereas Macbeth is a tyrant. Banquo is a self restraining loyal warrior who understands his place in the great chain of being, but Macbeth is not self restraining and desires to be more than just a warrior and thanes.
Witches quote: fair is foul and foul is fair
When the battles lost and won
Chiasmus and a paradox. Alliteration of the f to make it sound abrasive and harsh to give a witch a sinister feeling
Also a paradox
Witches quote: In thunder lightning or rain
Pathetic Fallacy to suggest that the upcoming weather has been predicted to be ghastly which sets the scene
Witches quote: Where hast thou been sister? Killing swine
The intimate relationship of sisters juxtaposes the verb killing as this is an action of a murderer which makes the audience think the witches are crazy
Banquo quote: Merciful powers restrain in me cursed thoughts
Banquo is clearly a god fearing man and has self restraint- This differentiates him from Macbeth and shows the audience the qualities of a true noble man
Duncan quote: O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman
Macbeth and Duncan share a blood relationship which horrifies the reader even further in Act 2- Duncan is full of praises which shows he is a good king.
Macbeth is called a gentleman which is ironic as he is quite violent and brutal… even to Duncan!
Duncan quote: His virtues will plead like angel
Simile to show the religious importance of Duncan- Also creates pathos for Duncan as he is such a noble man who will be seized of his life
Duncan quote: Hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to hell or heaven
Knell associated with death to show the dark images in Macbeths mind which shows the reader his change in ethos. Furthermore, it is dramatic irony as we know Duncan will die which is suspense
Macbeth quote: Bathe in reeking wounds or memorise another Golgotha
Verb bathe( in wounds) shows Macbeths masculinity and showcases violence and the religious allusion of Golgotha shows Macbeth wants to be remembered like Christ- which shows his desire for power and legacy
Macbeth quote: Is this a dagger I see before me? Come let me clutch thee
Macbeth is mentally unstable as weapons have taken over his mind which shows he is turning sadistic. Shakespeare’s use of a rhetorical question implies Macbeths mind is bombarded with unanswered questions which further heightens his state of paranoia
Shakespeare uses multiple caesura to show Macbeths fragmented mind.
Furthermore, the rhetorical question used in his dialogue suggests that he is hallucinating and therefore portraying Macbeths loss of control
Macbeth quote: heat oppressed brain + and what if I shall fail?
The personification of heat oppressed brain shows that Macbeth is sick as his intense emotions may have caused his blood to become overheated
Shakespeare uses another rhetorical question to show Macbeths confused mind- creates pathos?
Macbeth quote: Stars hide your fires and let light not see my deep and dark desires
Personification. The stars are being asked to give Macbeth darkness, so no one can see his “black and deep desires.
“ Calling his desires black and deep is a metaphor, because the thoughts are not literally dark, but he is saying they are dark because they are evil.
Stars align fate but Macbeth asks them to hide which suggests he is constructing his own fate
Macbeth quote: Like valour’s minion carved out his own passage
The verb carved suggests Macbeth is skilled and like an artist as he knows what to do.
Alternatively, it shows he is violent and the verb carve shows he is defying the natural passage from god= against chain of being
Valour’s minion suggests he is not subservient to the king but is loyal to bravery- shows he thinks he is the highest mortal? proud?
Macbeth quote: unseamed him from the naves to the chaps
Verb unseamed makes Macbeth seem mighty BUT shows us that Macbeth undoes gods work= outrageous and shows he is sadistic. But it is a hyperbole
Macbeth Quote: As sparrows, eagles, or the hare, the lion
The imagery of animals makes Macbeth seem like a predator as he displays animalistic behaviour.
The noun lion= correlation to Macbeths desire to be king as the lion is often called the king of the jungle to a contemporary audience and he wants to be king
Lady Macbeth Quotes: Hie thee hither! May I pour my spirits in thine ear
The use of the exclamation mark shows LM is impatient and excited to kill= sadistic
The noun spirits inside of thoughts makes LM seem like a witch and warns the audience of her satanic influence
The verb pour means to flow rapidly- which makes lady Macbeth seem impatient
Lady Macbeth Quotes: 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!
use of an imperative verb- unsex me and come
use of a superlative- direst to show how evil her intentions are
The noun crown had dual meaning as in crown on top of your head or the symbol for power/ wealth
Lady Macbeth seems like a witch as she calls the spirits - this would frighten a Jacobean audience as she may be a witch but she has a lot of power
Lady Macbeth Quotes: Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it
The serpent is a symbol used to represent treachery. The symbolism is also religious allusion as it could also refer to the bible when a serpent had bewitched eve. LM is influencing her husband= ironic
Lady Macbeth Quotes: I fear thy nature is too full o’th the milk of human kindness
Ironically, LM is criticising her husband for being too kind! She displays no humanity/maternal affection.
Biologically, women produce milk for nurturing and milk has symbolism of purity and innocence.
LM subverts gender norms and is a female fatalae.
