Macbeth: Deception Flashcards
Witches famous line
Witches meet, plan to meet Macbeth - Act 1 Scene 1
“fair is foul and foul is fair”
- deception
-Witches and Lady Macbeth - LNK
Contrast of adjectives shows false appearances and that goodness can be superficial
connective “and” shows two sides to a story - dont believe what you see
CONT: equivocation
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
Macbeth linking to Witches
When Macbeth and Banquo first meet the witches
“So foul and fair a day i have not seen”
LNK to “fair is foul and foul is fair”
CONT: how witches were viewed at that time
- False Appearances
paradoxical nature conveys the deceit and deceptiveness of Macbeth
First line Macbeth says in the entire play links him to the witches immediately - both have evil nature
women beards banquo
Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches: prophecy. Banquo speaking
“You should be women/yet your beards forbid me to interpret you are so”
CONT: women were seen as very delicate in jacobean era so a beard would have shocked the audience
contrast of “women” and “beards” show ambiguity of human gender showing witches supernatural nature/ lack of human qualities such as kindness
commanding verb - forbid shows the extent to which they are not human
Banquo compared to Macbeth
Macbeth and Banquo and Witches meet for the prophecy
“lesser than Macbeth, and greater…Not so happy yet much happier”
Paradoxical statement shown by the comparative adjectives of “lesser” and “greater” show jealousy and contempy that Macbeth will have of Banquo in future as according to witches banquo will be more successful and this shows macbeth has been infuenced by the witches from the start.
CONT: Witches were considered evil in jacobean times/Equivocation
LNK “fair is foul and foul is fair”
False appearences/Supernatural
Macbeth aside link to witches
Macbeth in an aside after talking bout phrophecies witches have given them
“cannot be ill, cannot be good, if ill”
Contradictory statement shown by contrasting adjectives “ill” and “good” and this link to “fair is foul and foul is fair” showing how Macbeth is already thinking like the witches
CONT: equivocation
aside - shows Macbeth ambition and deceit as he is concealing thoughts from Banquo
Duncan art
King Duncan talking about the previous Thane of Cawdor and his reaction to being betrayed by him
“There’s no art to find the minds construction in the face. He was a gentleman who i built an absolute trust”
“art” shows it is a hard skill showing how easily it can fool you showing duncan isnt to blame - sympathy
False appearences - Duncan admits to be susceptible to them showing human side of kingship
after “absolute trust” Macbeth enters showing the comparison between him and the previous than of cawdor
-false appearances
stars fires
Macbeth is in an aside plotting Duncan murder
“Stars hide your fires let not light see my black and deep desires”
contrast of light imagery shown by “stars” and “black” emphasises Macbeth conflicted personality and tumultuous mental nature
Imperative verb “hide” to command nature like “stars” could be seen as blasphemous by jacobean audience and seen against nature
In an aside showing his true feelings/ deceitful and flase appearences as not sharing true feelings with anyone else
ryhming mimcs witches showing macbeth is becoming more like them
- false appearences
- LNK to “dunnest smoke of hell” quote
serpent and flower
Lady Macbeth advising Macbeth
“Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it”
imperative verb “Look” shows she is in control of Macbeth
noun “serpent” has religious connotatios of the snake in the the bible trying to tempt eve in the garden of eden LM is the serpent trying to tempt Macbeth into evil showing her own eveil nature
shakespeakere might be trying to say blashphemous acts always lead to ruin
Contrast of serpent and flower show the extent of false appearence in macbeth and the deceit and deceptiveness that LM and M portray in Macbeth
Macbeth copying LM
LM has convinced M to kill duncan and end the scene saying
“False face must hide what the false heart doth know”
imperative verb “must” shows Macbeth knows consequences of regicide placing lots of importance not to get caught
“hide” continues theme of false appearences and links with look lik innocnet flower showing Macbeth has been manipulated by LM
CONT: role reveral - man being manipulated by woman
Donaldbain Important quote
Malcolm and Donalbain talking after Duncan has been murdered and Donalbain says “There’s dagger in men’s smile the nearer in blood the nearer bloody
“daggers in mens smiles” metaphors shows idea of false appearences and contrasts donalbain and his father as donaldbain is more careful who to trust.”daggers” shows the violence of those around him”
“the nearer in blood the nearer bloody”
blood shows guilt/violent actiosn so donalbain is very aware of the dangers around him (dramatic irony) showing how he is reponsible and fit to be a king
Macbeth wicked
Second witches talking about macbeth
“Something wicked this comes”
describing macbeth as “something” dehumanises him as not someone something - guilt has consumed him to no longer be human - too evil
Further emphasised as witches themselves are wicked so calling macbeth emphasise3s his evilness
Malcolm vs Duncan
“my thoughts cannot transpose, angels are bright still though the brightest fell though all things foul would wear the bows of grace yet grace must still look so”
Contrast of “foul” and “grace” show false appearences and malcolm is aware of them unlike his father hsowing his lack of naivety - untrusting
“brightest” refers to lucifer - macbeth compared to lucifer emphasisng malcolm awareness of evil contrasting with duncan -
