Macbeth: Bravery/Violence Flashcards
Animals describing Macbeth and Banquo
The Captain telling the King of Macbeth and Banquos Bravery
- Bravery
- Violence
- Loyalty/False Appearences
“as sparrows, eagles or the hare ,the lion”
list shows how captain was not able to easily describe Macbeth and Banquo actions in just one animal showing the significance/powerfulness of their actions
Apex Predators show Macbeth and Banquo power
Eagles and Lions are very loyal creatures - false appearances
Brave Macbeth
Sergeant Telling King about Macbeth bravery in battle
“For brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name - Disdaining Fortune, with his brandishd steel which smoked with bloody execution”
CONT: violent acts were rewarded in jacobean era
smokd - connotations of fireshowing speed and violence of attack showing macbeth power
Other people describe macbeths actions which allows us to imagine it which will make us exaggerate some of his positive qualities
Macbeth easy
Captain describing Macbeth violent actions
“till he unseamd him from the nave to the chops”
unseamd - shows the ease behind brutal attack showing macbeth skill but also his unneccesary brutality
CONT: Violent acts rewarded in Jacobean Time
Macbeth masculinity
Macbeth justyfying not killing Duncan to LM
“I dare do all that may become a man”
The modal verb “may” expresses possibility showing his wavering ocntingency on doing the right thing showing his lack of claroity on what to which allows LM to easily manipulate him
Dagger
“Is this a dagger is see before me,the handle toward my hand?”
Rhetorical question conveys Macbeths loss of control as hallucination acts as a manifestation of Macbeths guilt.
In different some versions of the play the dagger is real and in some it is a hallucination
Macbeth before killing duncan
Macbeth last lines before killing Duncan
“hear it not duncan for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or hell”
Mirrored “heaven” to “hell” as macbeth in his guilt ridden state cant tell the difference and is confused
Rhyme echoes the witches manner of speaking
Ends the scene with “hell”
Macbeth sleep
Macbeth hears a voice after he kills Duncan
“Sleep no more… Macbeth does murder sleep,innocent sleep”
“sleep” symbolizes tranquillity and peace so by murdering his sleep he has destroyed his inner peace. Also when he murders duncan he brings the people of scotland into turmoil destoying their peace too
“sleep” can alternatively be seen as innocence so this destoys his innocence as he murders duncan and is left impure and this si his shift from hero to villain
Different plays either say the voice is a hallucination or it is real which has different effects
Water Imagery
Macbeth panicking after he kills duncan and says
“Wil all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”
adverb “all” shows the huge amount of water needed compared to his small hand shwoing the extent of the blood and therefore the extent of his guilt
“great neptunes ocean” - hyperbolic imagery and the fact that a deity cant wash his guilt shows the extent of his guilt
blood acts as a symbol of all of his evil actions or alternatively can be viewed as a symbol of guilt
questions shows macbeth unsureness and panick at situation
CONT: Macbeth refers to a roman god after commiting murder shocking audience
LNK “perfume of arabia” and “a little water clears us of the deed”
Snake burnt
Macbeth after finding out Fleance is still alive and says
“We have the scorched the snake not killed it…both the worlds suffer”
“scorched” - shows the powerfulness and the dominance of the murder on banquo showing Macbeths stronger than Banquo
LNK lesser than macbeth yet greater
“snake” represents Macbeths rivals emphasising their evil nature - calling a innocent child a snake shows Macbeth damaged mind. Snake is only wounded danger not over yet
“both worlds” suffering could represent living and dead - death is preferable, good and bad - doesnt know the difference, Internal turmoil and external reality. Macbeth murderous action to get king have left him in murderous turmoil
gory locks
Macbeth utters these words soon after he has seen Banquo’s ghost appear at the banquet table.
“Thou Canst say i did it; never shake thy gory locks at me!”
adjective “gory” shows the brutality of banquos death as gory connotates blood and could be seen as to show macbeth cowardice the brutality of attack was done by other people not him - LNK earlier in the play when he was seen as brave
“gory” is quite descriptive language so other people wouldve been quite confused at macbeth not only talking to someone invisible but also to describe him in such detail emphasising macbeth madness
blood x 3
M and LM talking after banquet
“It will have blood they say:blood will have blood”
Repetition of “blood” shows he feel trapped in inevitabiltiy of his violence as that is all he can think about
Macbeth recalls an old saying that “blood” shed through violence seeks more blood in revenge, creating a cycle of bloodshed; he feels trapped in the inevitability of this violence.
Blood wade
Macbeth talking with LM after banquet
“I am in blood stepped in so far that should i wade no more returning were as tedious as go over”
“blood” represents all the voilent acts he has comitted and can almost be seen as a metaphor for his violent state of mind
“tedious” such a trivial adjective to describe killing vs not killing shows macbeths corrupted mind and how killing has corrupted him
“as” shows macbeth killing vs non killing side is equal yet macbeth still chooses to keep on killing showing a deep sense of violence inside of him that always been tehre - his true self without any manipulation
Macbeth vs banquo black
Macbeth talks to witches
“How nowst you secret,black and midnight hags what ist you do”
Macbeth refers to witches as “hags” showing lack of repect and his rudeness/arrogance contrasting with how he first met them - shows progression of macbeth - witches have corrupted him
“black” - shows macbeth recognition that witches are evil
Malcolm wary of Macduff - heavenly imagery
Malcolm and macduff testing each other loyalties
“this tyrant whose sole name blisters our tongues,was once thought honest; you have loved him.. you may discern of him through me to offer up a weak, poor innocent lamb to appease an angry god” - Malcolm
describing macbeth as an angry god - shows malcolm awareness of macbeth power - juxtaposition of angry and god shows how evil of a king he is
“weak poor innocent lamb” - emphasises strength of macbeth as well as innocnece of malcolm can contrast macbeth
