Macbeth 12 Main stages of the play Flashcards
12 stages that are important with quotes
Macbeth’s rebellion against Scotland
Fearless warrior - kills traitor hence a hero
“unseemed him from the nave to chops” - shows that this development of his hamartia
Meeting with the witches
Meets with the witches to speak to King James about his obsession with witches
Witches never tell him what to do but give hints
Straight away he becomes thane of Cawdor - fate
His mind turns to murder,
“Why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair”
If chance will have me king why chance may crown me without my stir”
Letter to Lady Macbeth
“my dearest partner of greatness what greatness promised thee”
Writes letter to make LM create plan -> showing psychological understanding of LM by Macbeth
Lack of deep understanding by Lady Macbeth of Macbeth
“Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me her - And fill me from crown to toe full of the direst cruelty.”
- wants cruelty inside her
- says Macbeth is full of the human kindness which contrast to Macbeth at the beginning taking pleasure in killing - inaccurate.
Doesn’t understand herself and her husband leading to her psychological weakness / downfall
Plan to kill Duncan
“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which over leaps itself and fall on the other side” - Macbeth has ambition however it isn’t enough said through metaphor.
Macbeth makes LM make a plan that he wants and manouvers LM to carry out the plan.
Trusts LM’s plan - Unusual in a patriarchal society that they are “partners of greatness”
Macbeth focuses on the dagger because it excites him, blood excites him
Reaction to the murder
“To know my deed, twere best not know myself, (knocking within), Wake duncan with thy knocking! would thou coudst”
Attack against god - since king chosen by god - divine right of kings
Regrets killing because it has made him not have a story of being the hero of his own life - given in to desires. Filled with blood lust - personality.
Macbeth about Duncan - “silver skin laced with his golden blood” - obsessed with blood.
Macbeth’s plan to kill Banquo
Kills Banquo through jealousy - “Upon my head they placed the fruitless crown and barren sceptre in my gripe”
Banquo description from the murderers - “With twenty trenched gashes on his head”
Banquo’s ghost
“Thou cans’t not say I did It. Never shake thy gory locks at me” - focuses on the blood coming down his hair. Blood that catches attention since it fascinates him most - All the nobles have a reason to suspect him. Macbeth has created his destruction - fatal-flaw. Hamartia - loves killing.
Meets witches, witches say - “By the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes” - proves Macbeht is driven by his own evil.
Macduff family murder
Macbeth loves killing so kills his whole family - “I am in blood stepped so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go over”. - sees it as more exciting. Again his hamartia.
Lady Macbeth sleepwalking
His earlier prediction of psychological harm is correct.
She recognises that she created a monster - “All the perfumes of arabia will not sweeten this little hand”.
Macbeth cares about his wife getting better - “Cure her of that - cans’t thou not minister to a mind disease, pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow.
Reaction to the death of Lady Macbeth
“Out, out brief candle” - light on candle may be biblical reference showing help of god isn’t there anymore.
“She could have died hereafter”
Life is pointless is what macbeth decides
“Why should I play the roman fool and die on my own sword?”
“Lay on, Macduff, and damned be him that first cries “Hold enough”.
Contextual Points
Jacobean era - King James - Usarpation - stealing the throne - Regicide.
Gun powder plot - Warning people from attacking King James.
The great chain of being - people are formed in order - but Macbeht creates chaos.
Paradigms - Religious - Ghosts, Witches, Hell & Heaven - fate vs freewill = christianity vs humanism
King James + witches - demonologae
Gender roles are subverted by LM and Macbeth - warning, challenges in society to come.
