Fear Flashcards
his virtues will plead like angels… against his taking off (Macbeth)
TS1: Duncan is presented as a morally good king who does not deserve to die. His murder disrupts the natural order.
L = simile. Duncan is such a morally good king, heaven will
react with horror to his murder and make sure the murderer is discovered
C = DRK. Jacobeans believed King was appointed by God.
To kill a king = act against God. God will punish murderer.
The earth was feverous and did shake’
TS2: However, Lady Macbeth fears that Macbeth is too good natured to murder to become king.
L = metaphor. LMB feminizes MB as milk is
associated with women and maternity. Off the battlefield she thinks he is too good-natured to kill Duncan to become King himself. She realises she must persuade him.
“I could not say
Amen….. every noise appals me’
TS3: After murdering Duncan, Macbeth fears punishment from God; he also fears that Banquo’s sons will become kings
C = after the murder, MB cannot pray, therefore he
cannot ask God for forgiveness. He is also terrified the murder will be discovered. Jacobeans believed in the DRK: the King was appointed by God. MB realises his soul is damned as he has murdered God’s representative on Earth and this terrifies him.
“Our fears in Banquo stick deep…my genius is rebuked as it is said Mark Antony’s was by
Caesar (MB)
L = imagery. Macbeth compares himself to Mark
Antony and Banquo to Octavius Caesar (Caesar eventually defeated Mark Antony). Adjective:
‘deep’ shows how much MB fears Banquo.
they rise again..and push us from our stools’ (MB)
TS3: After murdering Duncan, Macbeth fears punishment from God; he also fears that Banquo’s sons will become kings
D = MB is terrified by the appearance of Banquo’s ghost,
which is a projection of his guilty conscience. The ‘stool’ could symbolize the throne. Macbeth is afraid that the murders he’s committed will lose him his throne.
‘I have almost forgot the taste of fears’
TS3: After murdering Duncan, Macbeth fears punishment from God; he also fears that Banquo’s sons will become kings
TS4: By the end of the play, Macbeth has become desensitised to fear and chooses to die fighting.
L+ alliteration. In contrast to scenes after Duncan’s murder, MB no longer feels fear. He has no loyalty from his people and is ready to die. The natural order - and rightful king - can then be restored.
