Macbeth Flashcards
“Brave Macbeth”
Macbeth was knowing as someone that was brave and honourable.
After Macbeth beats traitor Thane of Cawdor he is told he’ll be the new thane.
But Macbeth was prophesised that he’ll be king by the three witches.
“Are less than horrible imaginings. My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical”
The thoughts of killing the king overtake Macbeth’s mind to have power.
“horrible” has connotations of something terrible and unsettling, “fantastical” has connotations of something that will come true. However Macbeth goes on to quickly contradict himself by using the word choice of “yet” this exposes Macbeth of having serious thougths of murder.
“let not light see my black and deep desires”
He doesn’t want people to know anything about his inner ambition, to kill the king as he needs to act quick as the king made his son the heir.
“black” has the connotations of dark and mysterious thoughts and the connotations of “deep” is that these desires are embedded and are hard to get rid off.
The word choice of “desires” shows that thoughts of becoming king have hardened and become a need.
“I have no spur, To pick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition”
“no spur” gives connotations of Macbeth not having any motivation or desire to kill the king and that his only motivation or desire to kill the king and that his only motivation is his ambition which is described as “vaulting”. The word choice suggests he realises his ambition is over inflated and much bigger than it should be.
“I am settled”
Turning point in the play for Macbeth and there is no turning back.
Allows his ambition to take over leads to him killing the king.
Macbeth change in heart is sudden and definite these three words highlight the turning point as now Macbeth’s mind is made up and the killing of the king is inevitable.
“To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus.”
Macbeth’s now king wants to keep his status as king, as he remembers the witches prophecy about his close friends Banquo son becoming king.
Therefore sends assassins to kill both of them shows new depths he’s willing to go
the word choice “ nothing” gives connotations of being pointless and empty. Macbeth realises that it is not enough to only kill the king, he has to murder Banquo and feance in order to be secure in his position as king
“His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls”
Macbeth is now willing to kill family’s to keep his status.
He kills Macduff’s family as he was told by the witches to beware Macduff
His ambition has lead to him doing things unimaginable.
The list of people highlights the climax of the play as Macbeth orders a killing spree on innocent people purely because they are linked to his enemy Macduff.
“It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signify nothing”
“tale” is a metaphor of life. He talks of life being of “sound and fury” which has connotations of a lot of noise and anger, but finally in the end it is “nothing”. “nothing” has the connotations of life being empty, pointless and meaningless.
“dead butcher”
These two final words are how Macbeth will be remembered. “ butcher” gives connotations of someone who slaughters and cuts up meat there will be no heroic end for Macbeth, he will not be remembered as heroic or “brave”
“honour ,love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have”
loses everything
“Dearest partner in greatness”
love
wants glory for both
equality values opinion and respects
“we will proceed on further in this business”
Decision ultimately destroys relationship
“when you cluist do it then you were a man”
no longer a man that she once knew
“you must leave this”
plots a plan alone without his wife
“be innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck”
Doesn’t want her to be apart of his plans slowly drifting away and sounds like he’s making her seem like a pal.
