Macbeth Flashcards
Macbeth-Supernatural
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen”
What does “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” show?
The use of a paradox. Adjectives ‘foul’ and ‘fair’ contrast. Macbeth meets witches, uses oxymoronic language to subtly link Macbeth with the supernatural as it echoes the witches words, this could spark a slight suspicion in the audience of Macbeth as the supernatural is closely linked to the idea of evil. James killed 2,500 witches, James believed witches were responsible for causing a storm that nearly sunk a ship he was on when he was travelling to Denmark, James was obsessed with witches, James wrote a booklet called Demonologie in which he talked about them. Shakespeare may have done this to interest James and gain his performing company patronage.
What is a hamartia?
A fatal flaw.
What is Macbeths hamartia?
Ambition.
Macbeth-Bravery and violence
“Bloody execution”
What does “Bloody execution show”?
Shows he is ruthless and brutal, noun ‘execution’ is usually a word used do describe killing somebody as a punishment which makes his fighting seem very one sided as if the enemy couldn’t fight back, showing he is a brutal warrior. The adverb ‘bloody’ creates violent imagery in the minds of the reader and Shakespeare might have done this to set him up as a tragic hero by first labelling him as loyal and brave to his country. The violent imagery could also contrast to him being womanised later on by Lady Macbeth.
Macbeth-Power and ambition
“Speak I charge you”
What does “speak I charge you” show?
Macbeth demands that the witches tell him more which hints at his underlying ambition and interest in gaining more power, even at this early stage, the noun ‘charge’ is very commanding showing him to be a controlling person who gets his own way. Furthermore, the imperative verb ‘speak’ shows how he has power over the women of the play to begin with as he is speaking to the witches.
Macbeth-Loyalty
“Noble Macbeth”
What does “Noble Macbeth” show?
Shows that Macbeth’s brutality is in the honourable context of defending his country at this point in the play, creating a relatively good first impression of the character within the audience.
Macbeth-Religion
“I could not say ‘Amen’”
What does “I could not say Amen’” show?
After Duncan’s murder, the fact that he could not say the holy word shows that by committing regicide he has become disconnected from God and all goodness, possibly because at the time the king was seen to be chosen by God. Here Shakespeare uses religion to illustrate Macbeth’s illustration as a character.
Macbeth-Ambition and indecision
“I have no spur, to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself, and falls on th’other”
What does “I have no spur, to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself, and falls on th’other” show?
The verb ‘vault’ means jump or leap. He has the desire and intent but no spur to get him to do it, is Lady Macbeth the spur. Complex metaphor used to characterised his ambition as a horse that neds a spur to satisfy his ambition. Imagery shows that he stuck between not acting, or acting too much which will lead to him falling.
Explain some context in link to ambition.
The great chain of being had monarchs above all living things on earth, to kill one would be committing regicide and going against God himself. Due to the great chain o being, it is a transgressive act even to think about moving up a step to become king. Transgressive means the violation of accepted social boundaries.
Macbeth-Ambition and mental weakness
“Art not without ambition, but without the illness that should attend it”
What does “Art not without ambition, but without the illness that should attend it” show?
Repetition of ‘without’ emphasises his lack of wickedness which Lady Macbeth calls illness. The verb ‘attend’ here means to have as a servant and Lady Macbeth is suggesting that if you have ambition, you mist have the immorality that comes with it. Macbeth’s superego is getting in the way.
Macbeth-Ambition and mental weakness 2
“Like the poor cat i’th’adage”
What does “Like the poor cat i’th’adage” show?
Simile. This proverb is about a cat who wanted to eat a fish in a river but didn’t want to get his feet wet. Lady Macbeth is urging him to be physically and mentally brave to follow through on his actions.
What does “Like the poor cat i’th’adage” show?
Simile. This proverb is about a cat who wanted to eat a fish in a river but didn’t want to get his feet wet. Lady Macbeth is urging him to be physically and mentally brave to follow through on his actions.
Ambition-Natural disorder
“Strange screams of death”
What does “Strange screams of death” show?
Alliteration and sibilance draws attention to the supernatural and mystery. This could create an eerie atmosphere in the audience and make them unsure about what is going to happen next. The proper noun ‘death’ has connotations of grief which the nation may have been feeling due to the murder of the righteous king as they fall into the hands of the unstable Macbeth. Additionally, James wanted people to believe that is the divine right of kings was disrupted, then it would cause pure chaos. To protect his place as king. Did not want to be executed or for his company to be shut down.
What were the audience?
Jacobean era.
What is the play propoganda for?
Showing what happens to you if you kill the king.
What happened a year before the play was written?
The gunpowder plot, Guy Fawkes and some Catholics tried to kill James but they were captured and tortured and their heads were placed on spikes on London gate as an example. Shakespeares double talk could be a clever way to avoid accusations of having catholic sentiments as the king was protestant.
Who did women belong to?
Fathers and then their husbands.
What could women not do?
Attend school or university, could not vote, could not go on stage, wives expected to be obedient.
How much older was Anne Hathaway?
8 years older so had previous sex so did she trap him?
When did they have a baby?
6 months after marriage so sex before marriage.
Why was LM created?
Challenge patriachy?
75
How is Macbeth described at the start?
Bloodthirsty.
Macbeths lack of fear to the witches.
“What need I fear of thee?” Rhetorical question.
Macbeth invincible.
“No man born of woman shall harm great Macbeth”.
Violent imagery, fighting.
“I’ll fight till all my bones my flesh be hacked”.
Metaphor showing Macbeth is scared of losing the crown?
“Fruitless crown”.
Metaphor for appearance v reality.
There’s daggers in men’s smiles.
What else does the vaulting ambition quote show?
Vaulting shows he is committed, ambition is destructive.
Lady Macbeth milk.
“And take my milk for gall”>
What does “And take my milk for gall, show”?
LM wants all of her good and purity to be taken out to leave her with evil. Her drive for power has lead to her becoming insane and leads to her downfall. She is acting like a witch so could be under influence of with.
Witches setting quote.
“Thunder, lighting or in rain?”
What does “Thunder, lightning or in rain” show?
Pathetic fallacy, weather and environment sets the mood, witches meet in eerie spooky times. Witches caused storm in Denmark. Power over weather. Thunder and lightning is seen as evil and happens when the witches enter, Shakespeare making the audience anxious as something is coming, startles them.
LM flower quote.
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it”
What does “Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it show”?
LM is directing M in how he should act, manipulation. Shows how controlling she is as she drives for power. Challenge to patriarchy. Anne Hathaway, shock as it goes against typical views of Victorian women.
What does “Serpent” show?
Reminder of Adam and Eve and how Eve was tempted and so was LM. Link.
What is parasomnia?
Sleepwalking.
Natural order being disrupted again.
“The earth was feverous and did shake”
What does “The earth was feverous and did shake” show?
Divine right of kings has been disturbed. Audience believed this would cause chaos.
LM spirits.
“Pour my spirits in thine ear”
What does “Pour my spirits in thine ear” show?
Metaphor suggests she wishes to share her thoughts with here husband, supernatural.
Banquo ambition?
“say which grain will grow and which will not, speak them to me”
What is masculinity associated with?
Cruelty.
“Unsex me here”
Take her womanhood away.
Who was Shakespeares patrion?
James the 1st.
Supernatural, structurally.
Begins play with witches, pathetic fallacy.
What is wanting to do evil?
Malevolent.
2 ways in which witches are supernatural.
Choral speech and reference to familiars.
Dagger.
Could be a supernatural creation by witches to guide Macbeth into killing Duncan.
Banquos ghost.
Supernatural manifestation of Macbeths guilt.
Why does he not have spur?
He knows the ambition is wrong, this ambition is transgressive.
Why does he only have vaulting ambition?
Only jumping no moving forward, dangerous leap and not sensible.
What does fall show in “And falls on the other”
Biblical language, used to talk about Adam and Eve and the original fall. To remind his audience about transgression.
M toLM
“Dearest partner” Treat her equal but it is a lie.
Appearnace v reality.
Let light not see my black and deep desires.
Black v gold.
juxtaposes. duncan.
Appearance v reality, opening .
“Fair is foul and foul is fair
Hover through the fog and filthy air”
What does “Fair is foul and foul is fair
Hover through the fog and filthy air” show?
Repetition of “f”. Fair and foul suggests confusion between good and bad. Fog and filthy predicts the way the characters will struggle to understand what is going on around them.
Banquo talking to withces, appearance v reality.
“Are ye fantastical, or that indeed which outwardly ye show?”
Macbeth, appearance v reality. Similies.
“Into the air, and what seemed corporal, melted, as breath into the wind”.
What does “Into the air, and what seemed corporal, melted, as breath into the wind”. show?
Corporal means to have a physical body. But they disappeared into thin air.
Stars, appearance v reality.
“Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires, the eye wink at the hand”
What does “Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires, the eye wink at the hand” show?
He doesnt want the starlight to pierce the dark to reveal what he is doing, ,metaphorical. Light of goodness shouldnt enter his soul and see the desires. If he can close his eyes he wont see the hand murdering.
Another Macbeth bravery quote.
“Unseam’d him from the nave to the chaps”
LM violence.
“And dash’d the brains out had i so sworn”
Macbeth washing blood of his hand?
“Will all great neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hand”
Banquo ambition quote.
“I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters: to you they have show’d some truth”.
What does “I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters: to you they have show’d some truth”. show?
Ambition is also his hamartia. so ambitious he dreamt before they met. Shakespeare is saying all good men can be destroyed by ambition.
What else does “And take my milk for gall” show?
Mothers milk to be turned into poison, metaphor for what society does to women, need to be unatural to get power.
How does Macbeth respond to the idea of killing Duncan?
“I dare do all hat may become a man-who dates do more is none”
What does “I dare do all hat may become a man-who dates do more is none” show?
Cannot go as far as regicide, positing idea that if a society celebrates a cruel form of masculinity which Macbeth has shown and been prasied. Then small step to contunioung savegary in life. Patriachy forces men to be ruthless.
Who was his main audience
King and nobles at court,
James natural enemy?
Many people in court or watching play would be catholic and worshiping at home, wants to promote idea of divine right of kings and what mortals thought was irrelevant, make it easier for people to accept him, warning rebels not to proceed further.
Quote to stop people rebelling.
“Bloody instructions, which being taught, return to plague the inventor”. Gunpowder plot, would not have led to better world. cycle. Would only teach bloody instructions.
What does Shakespeare present himself as?
A lover of peace.
What are Shakespeares two main motives?
Stop any rebellion against King james and stop king james becoming vicious ruler. Protecting his family as he is catholic?
LM showing her ambition.
“But i shame to wear a heart so white”
What does “But i shame to wear a heart so white” show?
Ashamed to be coward, feels no remorse, adjective ‘white’ links to milk and womenhood.
How does SHakespeare have appaeaacne v realioty.
Catholic he had to hide, making illusions for plays. Perspective.
What does Duncan say as he is about to be murdered in the castle?
“This castle hath a pleasent seat”
What does “This castle hath a pleasent seat” show?
We fool ourselves when we should know better
How does Shakespeare questions god?
Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell”.
What does Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell”. show?
Even god was able to fool himself that satan was the brightest angel until satan became evil and rebelled. Suggesting that god should have been able to see satan is a traitor but he didnt as we all think we are wise enough.
Appereance v reality politcs.
Full of spies, if you are a catholic you will be seen as part of a future plot potentially, traitors everywhere.”False face must hide what the false heart doth know” audience would be interested as it was at the heart of politics at the time.
Why else could Shakepeare have been interested in the theme of appearance v reality?
Wants to convince king he has nothing to do with those who plot against him, rather he is in favour of him.
What does thw flower quote show?
Direct reference to the medal that james had produced to celebrate his surival of the gunpowder plot. Snake is ploters, monarchy is flowers. Flattering king james and to show his loyalty, therefore do not be suspicious.
Why would Shakespeare not want james to be suspicious of him?
Grew up with christopher Marlow who was murdered in May 1593 for being an athiest. He would have felt vulnerable.
When was the gunplowder plot?
1605.
pubs.
Shakespewarw went ot same pubs as plotters.
Unsex me bigger quote”
“Unsex me here and fill be from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty”
What does “Unsex me here and fill be from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty” show?
“Here” shows desperation. fill shows full ambition, FULL.
Women.
All bad in the play.
Banquo quote.
“I fear thou play’st most foully for it”
What does “I fear thou play’st most foully for it” show?
Comrades to suspicion.
What does Macbeth say after his wife dies?
“out out brief candle, Life is but a walking shadow”
What does “out out brief candle, life is but a walking shadow “ show?
First sign of remorse. Would have seen this Macbeth if witches didn’t intervene.
tale
“Tale told by an idiot…signifying nothing”
“Tale told by an idiot…signifying nothing”
means nothing.
Macbeth’s lack of love for LM.
“She should have died hereafter”
What does “She should have died hereafter” show?
Death happens off stage to symbolise lack of love and interest, ignores her and only speaks about himself.
How does LM show she is better than M?
“Art thou a man”.
What does M focus on?
The pointlessness of his own life.
How does he show he is focusing on the pointlessness of his own life?
“A tale told by an idiot…signifying nothing”
How did LM humiliate M?
“Coward”.
How does shakespeare point out her propert subservient place in society?
She dies offstage.
M loving LM.
“Throw physic to the dogs”
What does “Throw physic to the dogs” show?
Wants to get rid of all medicine cos doctor cant cure her, he was atracted to powerfull women as she was 8 years older.
LM saying she would have killed if he didnt look like her father.
“Had he not ressembled my father as he slept, I had done’t”
Insanity Macbeth dagger.
“Is this a dagger which I see before me”.
What does “Is this a dagger which I see before me”. show?
His lust and greed has driven him to insanity.
Macbeth not treating LM equally.
“Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou applaud the deed.”
Scorpion quote.
“O full of scorpions is my mind dear wife”
Woman crying.
“A cry of women within”
What does “A cry of women within” show?
What does the chaps quote show?
Jacobean qualities, verb undseamed, pronoun him dehumanises the traitor and ruins his legacy. His desire to mutliatenand murder everyone. Not tolerate traitors. Curiosity about betrayal and needs to see inside what changes.
Part before “bloody execution”
Which smoked with bloody execution.
Daggers in men’s smiles
Donalbein is saying he is not safe as people who seem to smile at them are conceiving daggers.
What does Valours minion show?
Join minion means submissive follower and adjective valor means great courage in battle.
Battle.
“When the battles lost and won” paradoxical, victory for Macbeth will lead to downfall.
Tradegy, stars
“Stars shall shine on all deservers”v
Macbeth’s ascension to the throne
“Swelling act of imperial theme
Irony in link to banquos ghost.
“Unreal mockery” it is his only paranoia and guilt that mocks Macbeth himself creating irony.
How is “I shame to wear a heart so white” ironic?
She ends up parisomniarif sleep waking.
Snow quote
“Black macbeth will seem as pure as snow”
What does Black macbeth will seem as pure as snow” snow”
I’m not sure.
