English Macbeth Flashcards
Macbeth’s madness
After the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth believes he has “fil’d” his mind (defiled it) (3,1). This means that he has harmed his sanity and can’t have peace in his life.
it could also suggest the evil he has let guide him in life ruined his mind with evil which was once filled with “human kindness”
“O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!
This metaphor suggests that he cannot control his thoughts and that he lives under a constant threat. he is engulfed in concern due to the witches prophecy and thus cant rest without dealing with them.
Lady Macbeth’s madness
When she is sleepwalking, Lady Macbeth speaks in prose rather than the iambic pentameter, which is usually used for the speech of key characters. This change from poetry to prose shows the breakdown of her mind.
blood
In Act 1, Scene 2, blood symbolises Macbeth’s bravery. His sword “smok’d with bloody execution”.
Macbeth doesn’t think he will be able to wash the blood from his hands after King Duncan’s murder: “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood. it symbolizes the weight of the crime and how even gods cant wash it away.
linage
Children are lineage: they continue the bloodline after death. They inherit and secure the family name.
This is why Fleance becomes a threat to Macbeth. If he inherits the crown, as the witches predicted in Act 1, Scene 3, Macbeth’s family will lose it.
sleep
sleep represents innocence.
After King Duncan’s murder, Macbeth believes he has murdered sleep: “Methought I heard a voice cry, ‘Sleep no more: / Macbeth does murder sleep’, murder sleep shows he has murdered his innocence and peace
Banquo cannot sleep – he has nightmares after seeing the witches: “A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, / And yet I would not sleep; merciful powers, / Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature / Gives way to in repose” (2,1). he is not innocent from supernatural affairs. lady Macbeth sleep walking shows how she is possessed from the evil sprits
act 1 scene five
LM TO M
“to full of the milk of human kindness”
‘“full” had no room for ambition. only room for kindness and loyalty to his king
“milk” shows Macbeths innocence as this connotates that Macbeth is still like a child. its also is used to show that Macbeth is not masculine as he contains the milk which originates from a female. the change from milk to the motif of blood shows his progression from innocence to stained with evil.
“human kindness” lady Macbeth wants him to be something animal like and barbaric (so that he will commit treason) instead of being an innocent human. (context Scotland) she sees kindness as weak and feminine
metaphor
themes = masculinity and femininity
act 1 scene 5
LM
“unsex me here and fill me to the crown to toe full of direst cruelty”
“unsex” reduce femininity and more masculine. this shows how she understands how in order to be powerful, she needs to be masculine.
“here” desperation shows how she seeks for power and speaking in imperative also shows how she is a commanding and dominant person which goes against the the ideals for a Jacobean woman.
“fill me” to do bad things she needs the evil spirits.
“crown to toe” the entire body
“cruelty” wants to be filled with evil so that she can go against the word of God/ The chain of being. this shows her ambition
context (femineity and supernatural)
act 1 scene 5
LM TO M
“look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it”
“look” pretend to be
innocent flower= personification, pretend to be all good and pure. “innocent” emphasizes this.
“be” commanding Macbeth to be like the
“serpent” wants Macbeth to deceive people like devil and be like the devil. religious imagery. wants him to be filled with evil
juxtaposition of innocent and serpent shows how lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to be two faced.
context (supernatural, betrayal and ambition)
act 1 scene 7
LM TO M
filler quote means quotes used in rtw
when thou durst do it, then you were a man
“do it” manipulate him and commanding him into committing treason.
“man” not seeing him as a man unless he does the murder. prove his masculinity to her. maybe he kills to prove his masculinity, tipping point for Macbeth to commit treason.
out dammed spot
