Macbeth's Deceit Flashcards
Thesis Statement:
1.Warning against choosing dishonesty over integrity
2.The pursuit of power can lead to the betrayal of trust and destroy relationships
3.Macbeth’s deception is especially heinous as it leads to the death of the king and subverting the Great Chain of Being
4. Not only deceptive to others but with him himself as he struggles to grapple with his inner conflict
Quote 1: Act Scene 4
“Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires.”
1.Desire to hide his innermost thoughts
2.Sinister nature of his desires
3.Metaphorically asks for his intentions to be concealed
4. Contrast between light and dark could symbolise his public vs private persona
Quote 2: Act 1 scene 7
“False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”
1. Acknowledges the necessity to adopt a facade
2.Willing to present himself in a way that is completely different from his own thoughts
3. Duality between appearance and reality shows his deceitful nature
4.He is self aware that his heart harbours bad intentions
5. Inherent insincerity
Quote 3: Act 3 Scene 4
“Thou canst say I did it; never shake thy gory locks at me.”
1.Blatant denial of responsibility
2.Absolve himself of the guilt of his deceit
3.Highlights his inner turmoil and grief despite outward assertion of confidence and innocence
4.Deteriorating mental state- resorts to deceiving others and himself as a coping mechanism
5.Tries to deceive himself, the physical manifestation of Banquo exposes the futility of his deceit
Quote 4: Act 5
“Out, brief candle. Life’s but a walking shadow.”
1.The candle symbolises how life is fleeting and ephemeral, shows the insignificance of his deceit in the grand scheme of things
2.His deceitful pursuits ultimately led to a meaningless existence
3.Left his morally bankrupt and spiritually hollow
4.The deceit lead to a brief, superficial sense of achievement
5.Poignant reminder of the tragic outcome of his choices
