Themes Flashcards
1
Q
Ambition - Main theme
A
- Motivates Macbeth to commit terrible deeds - Changes him from a “valiant” soldier to a “dead butcher”.
- Play shows ambition is dangerous because it can quickly spiral out of control. Macbeth considers morality of killing Duncan for a long time but doesn’t hesitate about killing Banquo.
- Once he starts killing, he has to kill more to get what he wants and secure his position. Shows ambition can make people ruthless and selfish.
- Both Macbeth and his wife are eventually destroyed by their ambition, so the play can be read as a warning against ambition that isn’t balanced by reason or morals.
2
Q
Kingship - king didn’t have to be old king’s son
A
- In the play, Macbeth suddenly becomes king, even though he’s not the heir to the throne. Duncan chooses his eldest son as his heir, but makes Macbeth next in line after Malcolm and Donalbain.
- Macbeth wins throne by killing king and framing his children after they have “stol’n away and fled”. Gradually, other characters realise Macbeth is not a true king.
3
Q
Kingship
A
- Duncan is an example of an ideal king - he’s described as “gracious” and inspires loyalty in his subjects, who see him as a “most sainted king” and therefore the rightful first of Scotland.
- In contrast, Macbeth is described as a “tyrant” because he rules selfishly, using violence. He’s rarely referred to as “king” which shows that the other characters don’t accept him as the true king.
- A bad king is “bloody, Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful, Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin That has a name.”
• Malcolm is describing Macbeth’s reign here - he’s avaricious because he is motivated by selfish greed. His lies make him “false” and “deceitful”, and he’s “bloody” because he uses violence to keep control over his people. - A good king has “king-becoming graces, As justice, verity, temperance, stableness, Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude”
• Malcolm could be describing Duncan in this speech - Duncan shows “temperance” in his calm, peaceful manner, “lowliness” (being humble) in his gratefulness for loyalty, “justice” when dealing with those who betray him and “Bounty” in his generosity.
4
Q
Kingship - Holy
A
- Malcolm says that a good ruler is holy - at the time, people believed the King was appointed by God.
- The King of England, Edward, has a “healing benediction” and uses “holly prayers” to cure sick people. He’s surrounded by “blessings” that “speak him full of grace”.
- In contrast, Macbeth is “Devilish” - he commits murder and talks to evil witches.
5
Q
Loyalty + Bravery - Different characters
A
- Macduff/Malcolm - loyal to Country
- Thanes/Macbeth(start) - loyal to Duncan
- Banquo - loyal to his sense of honour
6
Q
Loyalty is rewarded, betrayal is punished
A
- Thane of Cawdor executed, Macbeth receives title
- Macbeth betrays his sense of right and wrong, leads to his loss of self-worth and his death
- Betrayal linked to power often - can be given or taken away depending on loyalty
- Macduff’s LOYALTY to Scotland leads him to BETRAY his family - hand in hand
7
Q
Macbeths pretend to be loyal
A
- Macbeth initially loyal to Duncan as “his kinsman and his subject” - even more shocking when he puts his own desires ahead of his loyalty.
- Lady Macbeth fakes appearance of loyalty. Tells Duncan she and Macbeth are “Your servants ever” while plotting murder. Shows how easily she can pretend to be loyal.
- Shakespeare juxtaposes Lady Macbeth’s plotting to kill Duncan with get welcoming him into their castle, This develops get character and makes her murderous intentions more dramatic.
8
Q
Supernatural - Witches
A
- An evil supernatural force - their “strange intelligence” and ability to predict future gives them power over humans. However, when planning to harm sea captain, they say his ship “cannot be lost”, which hints their power is limited.
- Not in many scenes but drive action of play. Unlikely that Macbeth would’ve committed so many terrible crimes if he hadn’t been influenced by witches.
- Associated with chaos - they try to impose an unnatural order on what’s good and natural. Macbeth says they “untie the winds” and make “castles topple”. Witches are motivated by “destruction” rather than goodness- they represent the struggle between natural and unnatural order.
- Presented as completely eveil. Cruel, inhuman and dont show any remorse - they even celebrate evil.
9
Q
Supernatural
A
-Supernatural elements add to the atmosphere - they make the play darker and more frightening. Shakespeare only hints at what’s real and what’s not, which adds to the drama
Social Context:
- At the time Shakespeare was writing, many people thought witches were real, so the Weïrd Sisters would’ve seemed believable and frightening to an audience in the 1600s.
10
Q
Supernatural - visions are signs of guilt
A
Act 2 Scene 1 - Macbeth sees vision of a dagger just as he’s about to kill Duncan. Unclear whether it’s leading him to Duncan or warning him against murder. It represents the “bloody business” he’s about to do.
Act 3 Scene 4 - Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, which gives him a “strange infirmity”. Nobody else sees it, which suggests it’s a sign of Macbeth’s guilty conscience.
Act 5 Scene 1 - Lady Macbeth is driven mad as she imagines that her hands will “ne’er be clean” of Duncan’s blood - her guilt is so great that she kills herself.
- Visions are ambiguous - they could be real or imaginary.
- Visions fill the characters who see them with fear. Macbeth is “blanched with fear” by Banquo’s ghost and his language is agitated and nervous: Prithee, see there! Behold, look, lo!” His fear has made him lose control of his speech. Macbeth calls his own reaction a “strange infirmity” - it links to other signs of madness later in the play.
- Lady Macbeth’s language when she sleepwalks is desperate, “O, o, o!”, and shows she’s disturbed by the visions of blood on her hands. The doctor says her heart is “sorely charged” - he sees the vision is the result of her guilty conscience.
