Macbeth Flashcards
Opening of macbeth pathetic fallacy
The opening of Macbeth uses pathetic fallacy to present the witches as dangerous and dark forces
What does the play opening with 3 supernatural creatures foreshadow
Danger to come as they are feared
What is superstition
Superstition is an excessive belief in supernatural influences. Shakespeare’s use of witches would have caused fear within highly superstitious audiences
What is cyclical about macbeth?
Cyclical use of pathetic fallacy in macbeth
Witches thunder quote
“In thunder, lightning or in rain”
“In thunder, lightning or in rain”
explained
Pathetic fallacy=negative weather so that the audience associate the witches with darkness and danger
Witches hurly quote
“Hurly burly
“Hurly burly” explained
Means disruption and commotion so reveals their manipulative intentions for Macbeth
Witches meeting quote
“Meet with Macbeth”
“Meet with Macbeth”
explained
It is beyond Macbeth’s control (he is going to be a victim fate) they are seeking him out
Witches familiars quote
“I come, Graymalkin…Paddock calls”
“I come, Graymalkin…Paddock calls”
explained
Referring to their familiars-fulfilling the stereotypes of witches
Witches “fair is foul and foul is fair” explained
Suggests they are unified in their plans to disrupt Macbeth as they say it all together
Introduces witches ability to manipulate the senses of others, they can make good things appear evil and vice versa=creates fear in audience due to their supernatural power
Witches hover quote
“Hover through the fog and filthy air”
What does “Hover through the fog and filthy air” show
Hover means levitation=magic=reinforcing supernatural characteristics
Cyclical use of pathetic fallacy to reinforce their dark nature
“Fog” = confusion, lack of clarity, not being able to see clearly=reinforces their ability to manipulate
What is ominous foreboding?
hint at a negative future event
How is Macbeth ominously foreboded?
Shakespeare’s gory and hyper-violent introduction to the character of Macbeth ominous forebodes his murderous actions
What is a pawn
-A person used for the purpose of others
What does Shakespeare introduce M as in link to pawns
Shakespeare introduces Macbeth as a pawn of God as he savagely kills his country’s enemies, foreshadowing a tendency to be used by others
What is the great chain of being
Great chain of being, idea that every human has a pre-destined place in society determine by god, if you transgress this you will be punished
What is an overreacher
someone who reaches beyond their own strength and position, often resulting in their downfall and punishment
M brave quote
“Brave Macbeth”
What does “Brave Macbeth”
show
Protagonist is well-liked and a positive introduction
M deserves quote
“Deserves the name”
What does “Deserves the name” show
suggests he fought and worked hard for his recognition which contrasts to end of play when he is impatient and murders in order to achieve his goals
Minion quote
“Valour’s minion
What does “Valour’s minion show
Metaphor for M being a pawn of God=god’s executioner as he is protecting the people in his country, later he will be lady M’s pawn…creates a contradicting image of strength and powerlessness, physically strong but mentally weak due to lack of will-power
Execution quote M
“Bloody execution”
What does “Bloody execution” show
Initial glimpse at M’s savagery but it is justifiable as he is a soldier in war
Unseamed quote M
“Unseamed him from the nave to the chaps”
What does “Unseamed him from the nave to the chaps”show
M cut open an enemy from his navel to his lips. Bloodlust and hyper-violence. Savage and barbarous. This is extreme violence, unnecessary and not justifiable
Head quote
“Fix’d his head upon our battlements”
What does “Fix’d his head upon our battlements”
show
Extreme violence, hubris ego (excessive pride, links to hamartia) unnecessarily gory behavior-again hinting at darker sides to M’s character
Milk quote
“Too full o’ the milk of human kindness”
What does “Too full o’ the milk of human kindness” show
metaphor, LM thinks M is weak and likens him to a baby=concerns that he is not capable of achieving the witches prophecy
Spirits quote
“More my spirits in thine ear”
What does “More my spirits in thine ear”
show
“Spirits” is a metaphor for her evil and manipulation-she wants to manipulate her husband through her words
What does unsex me here show
take away my gender, LM does not want to be viewed as a stereotypical, archetypal jacobean women-she is strong, intelligent, cunning not weak and unintelligent
LM blood quote
“Make thick my blood”
What does “Make thick my blood” show
Metaphor-after distancing herself from femininity she then distances herself from being human-extreme desire to be evil
Milk quote
“Come to my women’s breasts and take my milk for gall”:
What does “Come to my women’s breasts and take my milk for gall”: show
LM again distancing herself from female, “gall” bile(empty liquid from body) disgusting imagery used to evoke shock and disgust in the audience
Night quote LM
“come , thick night…the dunnest smoke of hell”
What does “come , thick night…the dunnest smoke of hell”
show
LM asks a higher power to cover earth in smoke so that her evil may be disguised =-introduces her cunning and callous nature
LM heaven quote
“Nor heaven peep through the blanket of dark”
What does
“Nor heaven peep through the blanket of dark”
show
Her evil is so extreme that heaven should not be able to fight it and tell her to stop-Blasphemous + shocking-going against the natural order (challenging god)
What does audacious mean
Audacious- no respect but willing to take risk
Prick quote
“To prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other”
Macbeth ambition jump quote
“Jump the life to come”
What does jump quote show
Crave to leap forward which comes ironic when this causes his downfall. Audience would have relief. Notion of a jump alludes his intention to cheat through the great chain of beings
Alternate reading of “brave Macbeth, well he deserves that name”
The royals were a terrible judge of character because the old thane of cawdor betrays him and then Macbeth betrays him as well. The idea of patriarchy is shown when they call him “brave” to show that they don’t judge on one’s values and character but rather on his bravery and loyalty. That was there “measuring stick”
“Brave” could also foreshadow his ruthless murders as we associate the word brave a person who is daring to do something hence why he kills the king.
Instrument quote (banquo)
“The instrument of darkness tell us truths, To betray’s in deepest consequence
What does “The instrument of darkness tell us truths, To betray’s in deepest consequence show
An instrument is to be plated and this is portraying that both macbeth and banquo is to be played wrongly by the witches which is foreshadowing something terrible and evil is going to happen. This is a juxtaposition because Banquo admits that the witches will tell the truth, because something so nasty and something truthful. They do this in order to lie to Macbeth and cause his downfall to lure him in which foreshadows that they drop him for trusting the witches.
Desires quote
Let not light see my dark and deep desires”
What does Let not light see my dark and deep desires” show
His desires are “dark and deep” implying that his desires are deep within him, almost being part of him. This also amplifies the power of the supernatural as evidenced by transforming Macbeth’s personality within only one scene. Macbeth’s main catalyst at the start is when he approaches the witches.
Alternate reading of “Let not light see my dark and deep desires”
These devious thoughts are stuck within him. Macbeth was already thinking of killing King Duncan even before being manipulated by Lady Macbeth.
unsex full quote
“unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty”
What does “unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty” show
When she says “unsex me here” she wants to reduce her femininity, to take away her qualities that make her feminine. Back in that time, being a woman would be soft, elegant, caring, she wanted to take this away and become evil feeling no emotion.
“Fill me” She wants to be fully immersed with the worst possible evil. Women were suffering so much from patriarchy that they had to become as masculine as possible.
flower quote
“Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”
What does “Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t” show
Lady Macbeth is being duplicitous and multifaceted here. She is telling him to look guilt free but be devious and corrupt.
Durst quote
When thou durst to do it, then you were a man
What does “When thou durst to do it, then you were a man”
Patriarchy oppresses man, and this is an example. For a patriarchal man, he had to be brave, courageous, importantly in the eyes of his wife. Lady Macbeth knew that, consequently, Lady Macbeth takes advantage of this and emasculates Macbeth whilst doing so. And this is what kicks Macbeth over the edge leading to his corruption and ultimate downfall. So, Macbeth kills Duncan to prove his masculinity to his wife rather than his desire to be the king.
Neptune quote
Will all great neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand”
What does Will all great neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand” show
blood” is a representation of macbeth’s never ending guilt, it seems to follow him wherever he goes. Once Macbeth has killed someone, he feels extreme guilt, but as he repeats his sins, his guilt starts to decay. From act 2 scene 2, to act 5 scene 2, macbeth gradually becomes almost emotionless by killing king duncan, banquo, macduff’s family, son.
Scorpion quote
Full of scorpions is my mind
What does Full of scorpions is my mind show
The “scorpions” are eating away at his mind and this can foreshadow the fact for the inevitable downfall of macbeth and losing his mind as result of the scorpions eating away at him.
Candle quote
“out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow
What does “out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow show
You can never catch your shadow, you are always chasing it, in this case for Macbeth, getting the crown and power. For example, when he kills banquo in order to keep his lineage of becoming king intact. “Candle” is the metaphor for his life, he releases that he is immortal. Just like how a candle will eventually finish eventually. For the first time in the play, he is questioning himself if what he did was all worth it as he realises that he is chasing a shadow that he cannot catch. For the first time he shows a sign of regret and contemplation.
5 paragraphs for poetry
Subject matter, speaker, tone deeper meaning and structure
What is ceasura?
Break in middle of line
What is enjambment
when a line carries on to the next line
What does rhyme scheme mean?
Child like and melodical
What does rigid mean
Solid view
Where should a metaphor go
In deeper meaning
Perfume quote
“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand”
What does “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand”
show
Reveals to the reader that her guilt is so powerful that essentially nothing will free her of it. Collective noun “perfumes” connotes femininity which greatly contrasts LM in the start of the play when she wants to be separated from feminine stereotypes. Presents LM as mentally weak whereas at the start she is mentally strong due to her ambition and audacious nature. This has been done by Shakespeare in order to show that women are weak and to highlight the patriarchy. In this time period women would have been seen as inferior to men so her downfall would have been expected. This quote mirrors Macbeth;s moment of deep remorse (neptunes quote) .
Gate quote
“To bed, to bed; there’s knocking at the gate”
What does “To bed, to bed; there’s knocking at the gate” show
Reveals that either Banquo or LM’s conscience is knocking on her gate which reveals her weak state of mind. Noun “gate” could be a metaphor for her mind or the gates of hell. Shakespeare has done this to cause fear among the superstitious audience who would have believed in evil and hell and they would see it as a warning not to transgress the great chain of beings.
What does LM’s downfall show
Even those who think they are devoid of emotion will feel mental trauma after a murder
What does valour mean
Courage
What is M
Physically strong but mentally weak as he is a pawn
What were men supposed to do in these times?
Men are supposed to adhere towards these hyper vioent connotations
sleep quote
“Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep”
What does “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep” show
Murdered king duncan while he was asleep and foreshadows a consequence of murder which is a struggle to sleep because your conscience is affecting him
Macbeth deception quote
“Masking the business from the common eye”
Instruments quote
“The instruments of darkness tell us truths”
What does “The instruments of darkness tell us truths”
show
This reveals to the audience that Banquo believes in the witches and the supernatural.
Noun “darkness” connotes evil and unknown/supernatural
Noun “instruments” connotes manipulation, and how Macbeth is an instrument to the darkness
He has used language in this way to spark fear among the highly superstitious audience. James 1 heavily believed in witches and thought they were the cause of his ship nearly sinking on the way to Denmark. Shakespeare has done this to adhere towards James 1st interests as this play was performed at court not in theatre
All knowing (witches)
Omniscent
Daggersa quote
“Theres daggers in mens smiles”
Quote to show why Macbeth thinks he is invincible
“none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth”
machiavellian villain
Good on outside but will do anything to stay in power, manipulative
Who is that type of villain
LM
Love quote M to LM
“Dearest love”
What does “Dearest love” show
Suggests she is the one in the power and he is the weaker and more emotional partner in the relationship
what is m fata l flaw
Love for lm
Why does he write letter
So she can be the spur
