Essay Plans Notes. Flashcards
Essay Plan Notes on Kingship Question:
Introduction:
Thesis statement -
‘Shakespeare shows Kingship by using the reign of King Duncan to illustrate how powerful the country is under the right Leader, whilst Macbeth shows chaos is created when a wrongful leader is in power.’
2x Paragraphs - PEELink + extract
Macbeth - he is unable to handle being a King because he focuses solely on keeping power. He repeats the word ‘Kings’ - (repetition) shows how Macbeth is in a frenzy due to the fear of Banquos sons overpowering him. Macbeth is used as a ‘cautionary figure’ to show the noblemen of King James not to overthrow him.
Duncan - he is trustworthy and considers all people a friend and rewards his men ‘worthy cousin’ - to Macbeth.
Malcom - a strong man, Duncans son. He is the perfect King as he has the same qualities as his father but is not gullible and has a judge of character/appearance. Tests Macduff too before asking him to fight Macbeth as he trusts no one now.
(Make sure to look for literary techniques)
Essay Plan on Ambition Question:
Shakespeare wants to highlight how corrupting ambition is and the influence it has on all the characters.
Lady Macbeth - she schemes on how she can manipulate and persuade Macbeth to kill the King. She is ambitious as she wants to obtain power. Lady Macbeth is worried that Macbeth is too loyal to Duncan as he sees he is a good person. Ambition corrupts Lady Macbeth and turns her into an evil and callous character who has a lust for power. Her ambition leads to people referring to her as the ‘fourth witch’ as well as the fact she talks in blank verse.
Macbeth - has a vaulting ambition that ‘overleaps itself’. The witches have planned the seeds of ambition in his mind but he does not know if he can handle the ambition it takes to become King.
Banquo - He refuses to believe the things the ‘instruments of darkness’ are saying. He fears Macbeth has become too ambitious due to the Witches prophecies. Lacks ambition and as a result does not become plagued by the paranoia that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have gained.
Essay Plan on Supernatural Question:
Thesis - Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth and Macbeth to warn us against the corrupting influence of the supernatural, which leads to their downfall.
The witches - They are supernatural agents of chaos who cause wanton (unnecessary) destruction. ‘Fair is foul, foul is fair’. They realise with glee that they have managed to manipulate Macbeth to trust what they say. ‘Wicked this way comes’ as they see they have made him evil. The supernatural is feared by the Jacobean audience and King James who wrote a book (Daemonologie) on it.
Supernatural Hallucinations - These are used to symbolise the guilt that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience as a result of violating the great chain of being. ‘Is this a dagger which I see before me?’
‘never shake thy gory locks’
‘out dammed spot’
They see these hallucinations due to guilt because of betraying the King and they are beyond redemption.
Lady Macbeth - She illustrates the corrupting influence of the supernatural as she calls upon the supernatural forces to remove her gene. She uses her power of manipulation to manipulate Macbeth.
‘unsex me’
‘pour my spirits’
‘durst do it’
This led to many audience members to call her the ‘fourth witch’.
