Violence/Macbeth Flashcards
Violence
- Macbeth in entirety is a play about conflicts
- Smallest conflict are Macbeth’s internal feuds, whereas the largest conflict are fate vs free will, affecting the entire universe even God.
- Violence is synonymous to manhood and masculinity, whenever his manliness is questioned he responds with violence
- Ideals such as bravery and honour are used to disguise injustice. Warfare and violence are presented as necessary and respectable measures, allowing men to follow selfish emotion rather than selfless logic.
- Macbeth’s seemingly inexorable (unstoppable) descent into violence could also be attributed to his paranoia. As we discovered before, Macbeth’s public image is very important to him, because it helps him believe he’s still a good man. Though he kills people in cold blood, he doesn’t do it without a reason. At least, in his eyes, he has a good reason. And that reason is always protection. Anyone who could defeat him or expose him is killed.
- As Act 3 comes to a close, Macbeth comes to a resolution. He decides to embrace his new life of violence, believing he has to see it through to the end. It’s clear Macbeth thinks he has paid the price of murder by sacrificing his innocence and peace of mind, and he needs to make it worth the cost. This perspective marks the third and final part of his character development as we enter the final scenes of the play
- As with the rest of the play, in the final acts it seems like two different Macbeths walk the stage One is violent and ruthless, hellbent on furthering his own power and status, no matter the cost. The other is dejected, dispirited, and nihilistic, someone who knows his power is meaningless and is haunted by his own mortality, but can’t do anything about either. He is friendless, loveless, and hopeless, as Shakespeare shows that killing your king and going against God will bring nothing but misery and suffering, Undoubtedly, Macbeth has become a tyrant. To repress all feelings of quilt and regret, he embraces violence and greed. He wants to feel invincible and unstoppable - like God.
“Blood will have blood”
Importantly, Shakespeare demonstrates how violence and bloodshed are used to maintain tyranny and corruption. They are tools for bad kings! Unlike Duncan’s reign, which is portrayed as a nurturing, fruitful harvest, Macbeth’s is plagued by diseases and murder If he was an effective ruler who obtained his power through fair means, he wouldn’t need to use violence to protect himself. As it is, his power is wrongly gained, and his reign is corrupt.
He declares that “blood will have blood”. Shakespeare arques that violence breeds
more violence. Macbeth is trapped in a cycle of bloodshed and conflict.
“disdaining Fortune” and “smoked with bloody execution”.
This recount of the battle against Norway and the rebels portrays Macbeth as the
hero Scotland needs. He is “brave” and highly skilled with his sword - both traits
typically associated with heroism. Shakespeare shows how violence and
bloodshed are romanticised in the context of war, with impressive imagery such
as “disdaining Fortune” and “smoked with bloody execution”. Because Macbeth is fighting for his country, his actions are righteous and honourable. It’s
interesting to note how, when he behaves in the same ruthless way later in the
play, he’s viewed as tyrannical and horrific. Shakespeare could be criticising the culture of aggressive masculinity and honorable warfare.
“smoked with bloody execution”
The metaphor “smoked with bloody execution” implies violence is a
destructive force, like fire. Shakespeare combines smoke and blood, two
motifs that recur throughout the play and are linked to Macbeth’s guilt. The
imagery could be an allusion to the flaming swords featured in the Bible.
“like Valour’s minion”
Macbeth is referred to with the simile “like Valour’s minion”, portraying him as
the epitome of courage and chivalry. “Valour” refers to a demonstration of courage in the face of danger, especially in battle, while “minion” suggests a loyal follower. This implies Macbeth can be trusted because he will always show
courage in battle, and is dedicated to victory in the face of defeat. He is a saving
grace for Scotland. Alternatively, “minion” connotes a slave or an unimportant
servant. This would mean Macbeth is the inferior servant of a greater power, in
this case Valour. This implies he will blindly turn to violence and conflict, and
foreshadows his vicious and brutal ambition.
“disdaining Fortune”
“unseam[ing] him from the
nave to th’chaps”
“his head
fixed upon [the] battlements”
Another interesting aspect of this quote is how it perfectly summarises the events
of the play. Describing how Macbeth is “disdaining Fortune” alludes to his later
hubris and defiance as he tries to dodge destiny. The description of how he ruthlessly and mercilessly slaughters his opposition, “unseam[ing] him from the
nave to th’chaps”, predicts his tyrannical behaviour as he chooses to murder any possible threat to his power. Lastly, the traitorous Macdonald has “his head
fixed upon [the] battlements”. The same fate meets Macbeth in the final scene of the play. This implies that Macbeth had the ability to be evil within him all along. Alternatively, Shakespeare may be demonstrating how evil will always be
punished. The balance between good and evil is maintained, so the same paths
are followed again and again as God keeps order.
“I could with my barefaced power sweep him from my sight, / And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not,”
Macbeth acknowledges his ability to control others using violent means by saying that “I could with my barefaced power sweep him from my sight, / And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not,” (3.1) when pondering what to do about Banquo. “Barefaced” implies he could be shameless and outright in his murderous ways, while “sweep him from my sight” connotes a godlike control over reality.
“brave Macbeth - well he deserved that
name // Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel // Which smoked with bloody execution // Like valor’s minion, carved out his passage // Till he faced the slave” (A1.S2).
However, at the beginning of the play, blood does not symbolise sin and therefore imply guilt. Instead, it represents Macbeth’s loyalty and bravery as a soldier. Macbeth is introduced by an army captain, who declares that “brave Macbeth - well he deserved that name // Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel // Which smoked with bloody execution // Like valor’s minion, carved out his passage // Till he faced the slave” (A1.S2). In convoluted and gruesome language, the captain thus describes how ruthlessly Macbeth executes - this is meant to be a commendation and a sign of his valour. Later in the play, Macbeth changes from “noble” (A2.S3) to a “butcher” (A5.S8) and an “abhorred tyrant” (A5.S8) and his hallucinations of blood represent his quilt. Thus, blood is a complex symbol and its changing meanings mirror Macbeth’s changing character.
