Macbeth Flashcards
Blood will have blood
Violence
Killing leads to more killing
Emphasis on blood
Fruitless crown
Metaphor
Unhappy
Regret
Blood instructions
Violence
Committing the murder will lead to a dark sinful world
Soliloquy
Imagery showing the scene is dark
To prick the sides of my intent but only vaulting ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other
He admits the main reason for committing murder is because of ambition
How does Macbeth show ambition
He becomes thane of Cawdor and murders his way up to become king of Scotland and he is influenced by the witches and his wife
How is Macbeth worried about the strength of his own ambition
He refers to it as black and deep desires he knows that there will be things in his way and hopes that nobody will notice it
How is Macbeth shown to be brave
He is a mighty warrior as he leeds the Scottish troops to victory Duncan Rewards him by making him thane of Cawdor and in the play when he knows he’s going to die Macbeth regains some of his old bravery to fight Macduff
What strong verbs and adjectives did the captain use to show how brave Macbeth has been
Brandished smoked carved undreamed fixed
How does Macbeth keep on changing his mind
About whether or not he should murder Duncan as his ambition conflicts with his sense of loyalty and morality however Lady Macbeth is key to persuading him and keeping him determined
How has Macbeth shown guilty conscience
Macbeth is tormented by thoughts of evil things he has done and he’s caught in a spiral of evil and can’t stop himself
How is Macbeth’s guilty conscience triggered
Banquos ghost appears to Macbeth alone showing his overactive imagination
Macbeth cannot command his own emotions
Social and historical context
A king in Shakespeare’s time was thought to rule by divine right (chosen by God) the killing of a king (known as regicide) was considered The worst crime anyone can commit that is why Macbeth’s decision to murder Duncan seemed so horrific to an audience of the time
Is this a dagger which I can see before me
Dagger a dagger of the mind Macbeth uses a dagger as the murder weapon after the murder Macbeth’s conscience will continue to stab him just like a dagger
This which now I draw
Macbeth compares imaginary dagger to one he is actually holding
