shakespeare's techniques Flashcards
STRUCTURE
how does Shakespeare prepare the audience for what’s going to happen?
- keeps audience on edge of their seats. especially near the start.
- in A1S1, Witches let the audience know they’re evil (‘Fair is foul’) and that they’re going to meet Macbeth. creates dramatic tension - who is Macbeth? what are the Witches planning?
- in A1S3, Witches tell Macbeth he’ll be King: plants idea in both audience and Macbeth’s minds, anticipation.
- A1S4, Macbeth hears Malcolm is heir to the throne, not him. Macbeth will have to do something to get the throne. audience start to wonder what Macbeth is capable of, how strong his ambition is.
- prophecies in A4S1 hints at things to come. audience suspects they’ll become true, but don’t know how, builds suspense.
STRUCTURE
how does the theme of the supernatural tie into the idea of Shakespeare preparing you for what’s going to happen in ‘Macbeth’?
THEME: SUPERNATURAL - supernatural elements (Witches, apparitions, visions, ghosts) create tension. things seem uncertain and evil.
MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE
how does Shakespeare use setting to create atmosphere?
- Witches always appear in spooky settings, deserted places. sense of isolation, secrecy, highlights the fact they’re separated from the rest of the characters. often accompanied by ‘thunder and lightning’, seem menacing. each apparition is also introduced with more ‘thunder’, so they appear threatening.
- most scenes take place in and around Macbeth’s castles in Scotland. reminds the audience the Macbeths are noble. the way they act contrasts sharply with this (not noble at all).
MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE
how does Shakespeare use language to set the scene and create atmosphere?
SETTING:
- A1S1, Witches appear in ‘fog and filthy air’. creates gloomy atmosphere, makes them seem ambiguous, can’t be seen properly.
- A1S6, dramatic irony is used. Duncan describes Macbeth’s castle as ‘pleasant’, not knowing he’ll be murdered there.
- A2S1 takes place on a dark night. Banquo says the ‘candles are all out’ (no stars) - appropriate setting for murder.
EMOTIONS:
- A4S1, Witches talk about ‘poisoned entrails’. unpleasant, gruesome language reflects their evil intentions.
- A1S7: ‘dashed its brains out’. violent language reveals LM’s true nature. evil atmosphere.
- Shakespeare uses short lines of dialogue, questions and exclamations to create feelings of panic and confusion.
MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE
how does Shakespeare use the sense to set the scene?
- using senses, makes scenes more vivid, audience can imagine what’s happening - wouldn’t have been many props at the time.
- Macduff has just discovered Duncan’s body. describes how he’s gone blind from seeing something so terrible - emphasises horror of discovery.
- earlier, Duncan’s arrival introduced by ‘flourish’ (fanfare) - ‘hideous trumpet’ announces his death. atmosphere has changed.
- night of Duncan’s murder, ‘strange screams of death’ can be heard - dark, frightening atmosphere.
THESE NOISES CONTRAST with the moments of silence - e.g. the quiet calm when everyone’s sleeping, just before Macbeth murders Duncan.
MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE
how do unnatural and supernatural events create tension?
- supernatural events create a tense, uneasy atmosphere. uncomfortable - are these visions real or is Macbeth going mad?
- after Duncan’s murder, there are a number of unnatural events (e.g. horses eating each other). troubled atmosphere, the natural order has been disturbed.
- every appearance of the Witches has a dark, spooky atmosphere. ‘imperfect’ speech and ‘filthy’ appearance.
MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE?
how does the use of humour create a sense of atmosphere?
- A2S3 is one of the few bits of comedy. drunken Porter rambles for a bit. delays the discovery of Duncan’s body, increasing the tension.
- the atmosphere is still dark. talks about ‘hell’ and the devil. refers to the castle as ‘hell-gate’ and calls himself a ‘devil-porter’. suggests the visitors are entering hell to be greeted by the devil (Macbeth).
- A4S2 gives audience light relief, when Lady Macduff and her son chat and joke. their jokes are dark and touch on serious subjects, though. since Macbeth ordered their murder in the previous scene, the banter increases the audience’s suspense.
POETRY
describe shakespeare’s use of mainly blank verses:
- blank verse = lines usually don’t rhyme. 10/11 syllables, 5 big beats.
- used mainly for serious and important bits. regular rhythm. mainly lords speak in this rhythm, makes them sound posh.
- the Porter, however, speaks in prose, without much rhythm. sets him apart from upper-class, his speech sounds more natural.
- LM speaks in prose when she sleepwalks: her madness has made her lose control.
A1S7, M and LM speak in blank verse - one character starts line, other character finishes. initially, LM finishes M’s, in an attempt to influence him into killing Duncan. at the end, M is finishing her lines - he’s convinced, emphasises her dominance over him.
POETRY
explain why the Witches always speak in rhythm:
- rhyming couplets. 7/8 syllables. 4 big beats.
- emphasises the fact they’re different to other characters. unnatural speech.
- A4S1, rhyme and rhythm makes their speech like a chant. they’re casting a spell.
- Hecate, apparitions speak similarly - they’re also supernatural.
- sometimes other characters like M and LM speak in rhyme - usually to make two lines of speech more final or to emphasise something important. maybe shows how influenced they are by the Witches?
POETRY
describe:
- Shakespeare’s use of rhyme to emphasise different emotions.
- how the word order emphasises different words.
- changes punctuation and choice of words.
- in some parts, the punctuation is choppy and the rhythm is inconsistent. for example, when Macbeth has just seen Banquo’s ghost. the rhythm and short words shows his terror and tension. his questions show his uncertainty and disbelief.
- word order may be changed to make things stand out more.
- ‘Macduff was from his mother’s womb / Untimely ripped.’ having ‘untimely ripped’ at the end of the sentence makes it more dramatic. the whole sentence builds tension by saving the key info at the end.
PUNS AND WORDPLAY
describe Shakespeare’s use of puns:
- puns very popular at the time he was writing. sometimes funny (dark humour), sometimes just clever wordplay.
- uses puns to reveal what characters are thinking. ‘And fill me from the crown to the toe topfull / Of direst cruelty’. LM isn’t making a deliberate pun - she’s using ‘crown’ to mean head, but it shows her desire to become Queen is always on her mind.
PUNS AND WORDPLAY
how does Shakespeare use wordplay to create dramatic irony?
- Macduff describes LM as ‘gentle’ and says the news of Duncan’s death would ‘murder’ her. ironic, the audience knows LM has planned Duncan’s murder.
- A2S3, Porter scene. jokingly refers to Macbeth’s castle as ‘hell-gate’ and talks about someone who’s sent to hell for committing ‘treason’. audience knows Macbeth has committed treason by killing the king.
PUNS AND WORDPLAY
how do some character use paradoxes and oxymorons to heighten the tension?
- Witches’ predictions are ambiguous. the things they predict seem impossible, and yet they come true.
- often speak in paradoxes. ambiguous. can’t be trusted. what are their motives? nothing is as it seems.
IMAGERY AND SYMBOLISM
describe the use of similes:
‘like a giant’s robe / Upon a dwarfish thief’. Angus compares Macbeth to a ‘thief’ because he’s stolen power from Duncan/ Angus is saying Macbeth’s responsibilities as King are too much for him.
IMAGERY AND SYMBOLISM
describe the use of metaphors:
‘There the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled … will venom breed’ - Macbeth describes Banquo as a snake and his son as a ‘worm’. he still sees Fleance as a threat, and is afraid of his ‘venom’.
- snakes and serpents are used as an extended metaphor to describe deception or betrayal. ‘look like th’innocent flower / But be the serpent under’t’.
