Macbeth Themes And Quotes Flashcards
Responsible Intro
Shakespeare’s play “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, depicts the journey of a tragic hero.
tragedy is a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character. tragic hero is defined as someone who is noble but their hamatra causes a reversal of their fortune. Macbeth begins the play as a “worthy gentleman” and a brave solider but his hamatra, his ambition turns him into a tyrant
doesn’t listen to his own conscience, is manipulate by his wife him and blindly believes the witches prophecies and willingly commits crimes
The witches plant the seed, Lady Macbeth waters it with her manipulative ways, no direct control over his actions, simply pointed out different paths for him to take
Macbeth most responsible for tragic downfall as ambition which was already evident prior to any interference, that lead to turn into a tyrant ultimately resulting in his death.
How are the witches responsible
- responsible for planting the idea of kingship in Macbeth’s head, effectively guide him on his own path to destruction, continues by himself.
- desire to manipulate Macbeth into committing immoral and evil acts by convincing him that the prophecies are true.
Second prophecy Macbeth will be “Thane of Cawdor” becomes, gives Macbeth an “earnest of success, commencing in a truth”.
The third prophecy, Macbeth will be “King hearafter” doesn’t make him king, it triggers his ambition, and this is all the witches have to do to send Macbeth on his bloody journey.
may seem as though the witches use supernatural powers, all they do is foretell Macbeth’s future.
In Act 1, scene 3 one of the witches speaks about punishing a sailors wife;
“Weary sev’nights nine times nine, Shall he dwindle, peak, and pine: Though his bark cannot be lost”. The witches can do no more to Macbeth than they did to the sailor’s wife, can toss the ship about but cannot cause it’s sinking.
The witches may tell the future and tempt Macbeth but have no direct influence
How is lady Macbeth responsible
Takes on the role of being the dominant partner, manipulating Macbeth, playing a substantial role in his downfall.
letter to “dearest partner of greatness”, plans to murder the king as a result of her own ambition to be queen
- asks the spirits to “unsex [her] and fill [her] from the crown to the toe, top full of direst cruelty”
- Believes that Macbeth has ambition but “is too full o’the milk of human kindness” and doesn’t have the cruelty or wickedness to go ahead with the murder
- instigator of the murder, informing Macbeth to “put this nights great business into my dispatch”
acts a as catalyst for Macbeth pushing him to do what he never would have been able to do on his own, by assaulting his manliness when Macbeth wants to “proceed no further in this business” by saying “when you durst do it, then you were a man”.
- Without her persuasion Macbeth would have been too cowardly to follow through murder, initial act that lead to his downfall.
- However, while she goaded and shamed her husband into the plan he is the one who voluntarily carried it out.
- After murder Macbeth take responsibility for actions without blaming anyone else, Everything that happens, including his death, is his own fault.
How is Macbeth responsible
- If Macbeth had not wanted to become king, the witches predictions wouldn’t have had an affect on him, it was mostly Macbeth’s own ambition, along with other influences
- Blindly believes the witches prophecies, without knowing enough information or having any proof just because the second prophecy comes true he thinks he should believe in the rest of the prophecies.
- The second set of apparitions give Macbeth false confidence as he blindly believes that “cannot taint with fear.. The spirits that know me this all mortal consequences have promised me this”.
- dismiss Banquo “oftentimes to win us to our harm the instruments of darkness tell us truths; win us with honest truffles to betray in deepest consequences” and is ultimately deceived by them.
- before Wife’s persuasion he is aware that he wants to be king “[there is a step] on which I must fall down, else overleap for in my way it lies” and that he has “black and deep desires”.
knows he is easy to manipulate and plans to “pour [her] spirits in thine ear” - doesn’t listen to his conscience, suppresses his guilt, continues with the murders even aware “blood, stepped in so far, that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er” but still continues on his bloody journey.
Willingly commits crimes to fulfill his ambition becoming ruthless and “Devilish” as lets the “the very firstlings of [his] heart… Be the firstlings of [his] hands” becoming ruthless “
fear and need to make “assurance double sure” causes him to murder Banquo and Macduffs family.
Macbeth not supernaturally controlled by the witches, nor did Lady Macbeth tell him to kill people, he was aware of the consequences, committed these crimes himself.
Supernatural Intro
In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth the characters are influenced by supernatural forces in particular the once “worthy gentlemen” Macbeth, who throughout the course of the play becomes “devilish”.
The witches plant the initial idea of becoming king in Macbeth’s head, have a major influence on his decision making
Lady Macbeth evokes the supernatural forces to give her the power to carry out the murder of Duncan and is therefore a supernatural force that influences Macbeth into killing Duncan.
The ghost of Banqou causes Macbeth to suffer from a mental breakdown with his wife having to reassure the guests of his mental state and the floating dagger encourages him to kill Duncan, the initial act that led him on his bloody journey. Throughout the play supernatural forces have a significant on the characters in particular Macbeth.
Supernatural influences- the witches
-have a significant influence on Macbeth’s decisions, plant the initial idea of becoming king in his mind.
-possess supernatural powers -vanish into the air, conjure up aspirations and foretell Macbeth’s future.
-desire to manipulate Macbeth, planning to meet him and convince him that the prophecies are true.
When the second prophecy Macbeth shall be “Thane of Cawdor” true it gives Macbeth an “Ernest of success commencing in a truth”.
-Macbeth shall be “King hereafter” influences Macbeth into believing that he will be king and leads to his admission that he has “black and deep desires”.
-The witches appear to be aware of his ambition because of this, tempt Macbeth.
-don’t need to say much or how the future be accomplished
- Slowly looses grasp of his sanity, so influenced by their prophecies, “thou shalt get kings, though thou be none” murders Banqou
- ability to deceive him, aspirations give Macbeth a false confidence, manipulating him to believe he is invincible “the spirits that know all mortal consequences have pronounced me thus. Fear not Macbeth; no man that’s born of woman Shall e’er have power upon thee”.
-The apparition “beware of macduff”, despite the fact that “none of woman born shall harm Macbeth”, influences Macbeth to make “assurance double sure” and kill Macduff’s family.
Supernatural influence- lady Macbeth
-evokes supernatural forces, therefore a supernatural force
-relies on the supernatural, calling the “spirits that tend on mortal thoughts [to] unsex [her]” and “fill her from crown to the toe, top full of direst cruelty” , give her the power to plot the murder without conscious thoughts or guilt
evokes newfound power to influence Macbeth into
-acts as a catalyst for Macbeth pushing him to do what he never would have been able to do on his
- When Macbeth wants to “proceed no further in this business” she manipulates him by assaulting his manliness saying “When you durst do it, then you were a man”
Without Macbeth would have been too cowardly to follow through with king Duncan’s murder, the initial act that lead to his downfall.
Floating dagger and Banqou
TS: dagger encourages Macbeth kill Duncan initial act and ghost causes mental breakdown.
Prior to murdering, Macbeth sees floating dagger suggesting that Macbeth killing Duncan was preordained as the dagger presents itself with “the handle towards [Macbeth’s] hand”.
-drives and encourages him to commit the murder as if it’s given him permission
- foreshadows Macbeth’s mental instability as after the murder of Duncan he begins to lose his mind and signifies the beginning of Macbeth’s bloody journey.
ghost impacts not only Macbeth “Avaunt! and quit my sight! let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;”, but his wife Lady Macbeth must defend her husbands mental state
ghost opens up Macbeth to the criticism of his guests and influences him to return to witches
- this is significant as people begin to become suspicious and dagger causes him to mudsr Duncan, initial act
Role reversal- Intro
In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth as the play unfolds the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are reversed
-beginning Lady Macbeth is like the stereotypical male of the relationship.
- is ruthless, strong, instigator, a catalyst for the weaker more stereotypical female like Macbeth who experiences extreme guilt
However after the murder Duncan the reversal begins to take place with Macbeth planning murders if his own and keeping these a secret from his wife, no longer being manipulated by her. relationship transforms into a more typical marriage ,Macbeth being dominant and Lady Macbeth powerless
also exchange roles in expression of guilt
Macbeth no longer being plagued by guilt, becoming devilish while his wife is no longer able to restrain guilt ridden conscience and discovers that “little water does not clear [her] of the deed”. Shakespeare uses the Macbeths to comment on the unfixed nature of gender roles.
Role reversal- Beginning
TS- LM originally has power over her husband, instigator and is strong showing no signs of guilt in comparison husband who is weaker and more like the stereotypical female
Lady M motivation murder ambition to be queen, she is strong believing that being gentle is a weakness.
asks “spirits that tend on mortal thoughts to [unsex] her and fill her from the crown to the toe top full of direst cruelty” to take away her feminine side and replace it with cruelty so she can carry out the murder.
believes that her husband has ambition but is “too full o’ the milk of human kindness” to carry out the murder
She takes on the more dominant role, instigator informing Macbeth to “put this nights great buisness into my dispatch”
weak, indecisive and more female like Lady Macbeth wants to “proceed no further in this buisness” however Lady Macbeth acts as a catalyst providing shrewd manipulation, assaulting her husbands manliness by saying “when you durst did it then you were a man”
manipulates him to commit a crime he never would of been able to on his own
Macbeth comments on his the manliness of his wife saying her courage “should compose nothing but males”.
M experinces extreme guilt after the murder of Duncan and is “afraid to think about what [he has] done”
Lady Macbeth on the other hand, is calm and rational reassuring her husband that “little water clears us of this deed” and to consider it not so deeply”
wife shows not guilt and appears to have no conscience in stark contrast to himself. Shakespeare criticizes the sexist nature of society at the time by subverting the gender roles, at making Lady Macbeth bolder and more manly than the men
The middle (reversal)
TS: After murder of Duncan the reversal begins to take place with Macbeth assuming the the assertive position while his wife assumes the submissive role and relationship transforms into a more typical marriage
both have different ideas about how to proceed. Macbeths mind “full of scorpions” and beliveshe should murder those who are a threat while his wife desires no more murders and believes that it is best to continue as they are
dismisses the words of his wife to “leave this”, telling her to be “innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck” and the role reversal begins to take place
Macbeth assumes the assertive position arranging the murder and keeping this a secret, and Lady Macbeth is no longer the instigator
While Macbeth suffers after ghost LM is able to conceal inner turmoil trying her old ways of manipulation to stop thinking those “thoughts which should have indeed died. What’s done is done”
no longer holds the same power over her husband
The relationship has now transformed into a more typical relationship Macbeth dominant and Wife powerless
appear to be more like their stereotypical gender roles.
Reversal- The End
As Macbeth becomes more tyrannical, Lady Macbeth is no longer able to restrain her guilt ridden conscience and they exchange roles in regard to their expression of guilt
Macbeth no longer distressed by the murder continues to murder Macduff’s family
complete contrast to the extreme guilt he felt after murdering Duncan
Lady Macbeth finds herself plagued by guilt, unable to remove the blood from her hands muttering “out damn spot”.
also complete contrast previous statement “a little water clears us of this deed” and it is ironic as while her husband continues his massacre free of guilt, Lady Macbeth can no longer restrain her guilt ridden conscience and this causes her to have a mental breakdown.
Macbeth is more of a tragic hero than a tyrant
- Along with the influence from external factors the witches and Lady Macbeth
Macbeths ambition lead to his demise making him more of a tragic hero. Although
eventually becomes a “tyrant, whose sole name blisters [peoples] tongues”, this is only at the end of the play, he has more qualities of a tragic hero and is one for majority of the play and therefore he is more of a tragic hero
If Macbeth had not wanted to be king the witches prophecies wouldn’t of had an influence on him and therefore it was Macbeth’s ambition combined with external forces that lead to his demise
ambition causes him to blindly believe the witches prophecies without having enough information or proof
he dismisses the words of Banqou who warns him that “oftentimes to win us to our the instruments of darkness provide us with truths. Win us with honest truffles to betray us in deepest concequences”
His ambition to be king is present prior to Lady Macbeth’s persuasion and he admits that he has is aware that “[there is a step] in which I must fall down or else overleap, for in my way it lies” and that he has “black and deep desires”, she only pushes him into committing the murder
ambition is so strong that he suppresses was his guilt not listening to his conscience even though he is aware that he is in “blood stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er”
willingly commits crimes to full fill this ambition becoming ruthless and “devilish” letting “the very firstlings of his [heart] be the firstlings of his hand”. His fear and need to make assurance double sure causes him to murder Banqou and Macduff’s family
The witches nor lady Macbeth told him to kill these people, therefore Macbeth is a tragic hero as it was not only the outside forces that caused his demise but also his fatal flaw his ambition.
Tragic hero and tyrant
In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the protagonist is more of a tragic hero than a tyrant. A tragic hero is someone who’s fatal flaw, combined with other external factors, bring about ones demise. Macbeth begins the play as a worthy gentleman however, his fatal flaw his “vaulting ambition” along with external factors the Witches and Lady Macbeth leads to his demise. The witches plant the initial idea of becoming king in his idea and have a significant influence in his decision making. Lady Macbeth acts as a catalyst for Macbeth and without her persuasion Macbeth would of been too cowardly to follow through with the murder and Macbeth willing commits crimes to fulfill his his ambition. Macbeth lacks the qualities of a tyrant at the beginning of the play, he has more qualities of a tragic hero than a tyrant and therefore he is more of a tragic hero.
