Macbeth Flashcards
1
Q
“let not light see my dark and deep desires”
A
- Macbeth is having horrifying desires driven by his consuming ambition before lady macbeth in even introduced
2
Q
“i have no spur” “but only vaulting ambition”
A
- only argument for killing Duncan is his vaulting ambition
- attempts to rationalise his future actions
- “vaulting ambition” recognises power of his ambition
- “vaulting” suggests he is throwing himself into this plan wary it may not end well, yet the power of his ambition is inescapable
- “only” suggests he feels following his ambition is his only option as its strength makes it seem like its all he has
3
Q
“fair is foul and foul is fair”
A
- ambiguous, introduces idea of appearance vs reality, uncertainty
- direct contrast to greek tragedies (hero tries to avoid fate but fail)
- if macbeth had simply waited to be crowned king ( according to witches prophecies) it would have been “fair” but he chose to distrupt the natural by comitting regicide, which is “foul”
- shows his engulfing ambition
- sends a message to the audience about King James
4
Q
Machiavellian
A
Macbeth is cunning and scheming
5
Q
“who’s there”
A
- “doesnt trust what he sees”
- guilt
6
Q
“full of scorpions is my mind”
A
- seems agitated
- scorpions are dangerous creatures who poison anything they come in contact with - symbolises his mind is being taken over and consumed by guilt
- metaphor
- confessing near insanity therefore likely furious
- scorpions are nasty creatures - represents how nasty macbeth has become
7
Q
“will all great neptunes oeans wash this blood clean”
A
- blood serves as symbol of guilt that is persistent and cannot be removed
- all great neptunes oceans - enough blood to turn an entire sea red, stay on him until his death
- “clean” suggests he feels riddled with sin, inescapable
8
Q
Thesis macbeth
A
- Macbeth is the eponymous character a
- tragic hero - starts in power and falls from grace
- Can’t restrain himself from ambition no matter the moral consequences
