Woven Messages in Shakespeare 's Macbeth
Megan Ball 16 June 2015
Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn ad cauldron bubble. (Macbeth, 4.1.10)King James I 's obsession with witches and the supernatural sparked Shakespeare’s creation of his most famous tragedy Macbeth. Macbeth illustrates the story of the General, who ruthlessly murders the King in order to gain power which he did not deserve. Along with being an entertaining piece of literature, it also serves as a successful piece of political propaganda. Key themes in this play which link together to form the political propaganda of the time include the Natural Order, Gender and Kingship.
Political propaganda can be defined as ideas or statements that are often false or exaggerated that are spread in order to help a cause. Macbeth certainly fits this description. 500 years earlier in Scotland, James IV of Scotland became King James I of Britain. Unsupportive citizens at the time developed conspiracies, one of which was the famous Gunpowder Plot. The conspiracy 's leader Guy Fawkes and his men attempted to blow up the British Parliament in 1605. The conspirators were betrayed and were executed for their crimes. In this manner Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is to some extent a cautionary tale, warning other potential regicides of the awful fate that will inevitably overtake them. In similar ways, other texts have been used as allegories and symbols for historical political events. George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an
Not surprisingly, Macbeth has received volumes of critical commentary over the years. Not only is the play an audience favorite, but its complex characterization, deeply woven themes, and characteristic Shakespearean style make it rich ground for scholarly inquiry. Critics such as Harold Bloom have remarked on the importance of Macbeth in the context of Shakespeare 's works. In Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, Bloom writes, ' 'The rough magic in Macbeth is wholly Shakespeare 's; he indulges his own imagination as never before, seeking to find its moral limits (if any). ' ' Bloom also remarks, ' 'Macbeth is an uncanny unity of setting, plot, and characters, fused together beyond comparison with any other play of Shakespeare 's. '
Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, is a play that transcends time due to its timeless and universal themes. The themes presented in this play are just as relevant to modern audiences as they would have been to contemporary Elizabethan audiences. The play has been able to maintain its textual integrity, withstanding the fact that it is now performed out of its original context to remain a successful play for modern audiences. The issues of heroism, abuse of power and the deceptiveness of appearances are all key within the play, conveyed through the use of dramatic and literary techniques, are issues which still resonate with contemporary audiences. Shakespeare has tested the parameters of the conventional tragedy that was extremely popular during his lifetime and in doing so has created text, which is still relevant today.
“Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals.” – Buddha. Buddha was a wise man and knew that someone who is ambitious can get very impatient when it comes to delaying their plan and having rivals that share the same goals. Ambition is often the result of one good thing happening which leads to one pursuing their dreams more and more. Although ambition can be a good thing, it can also be bad. Twisting people 's judgment on reality and making them perform actions they wouldn 't normally do. Such is the case in Macbeth where ambition causes Macbeth to go through with a murderous plot to become king that involves his wife plotting the murder and going insane. In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare expresses the theme of ambition by
Shakespeare’s play ‘Macbeth’ is about the leading male protagonist succumbing to his ambition and need for power. Though Macbeth is liable for his own actions, he is not solely responsible for the events that eventually result in his downfall. Macbeth is corrupted by his wife, Lady Macbeth, as well as the three weird sisters. Macbeth’s contribution towards his downfall is his strong ambitious nature. Lady Macbeth is the person who induces Macbeth to assassinate King Duncan. The three weird sisters (witches) play with Macbeth’s ambitious nature and sense of security. Macbeth’s downfall is due to himself and two external factors.
With anger, illusions, stress and so much more I will analyze Macbeth and lady Macbeth for their problems and disorders. In my research I will decipher between certain diseases such as bipolar disease, anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, sleeping disorder, and paranoia to see exactly which one of these stress/hurtful symptoms in which they both share. I’ve got my observation information from many resources such as doctor, psychiatrist, prison guards, and the dictionary. And overall I would find them very resourceful.
Every one of Shakespeare 's plays are heavily imbedded with motifs. A motif is any element, subject, idea or concept that is constantly present through the entire body of literature. (motif) I chose to examine the play Macbeth. It is a very intense play full of violence, betrayal, and even the supernatural. It is well known to be saturated with themes and motifs that are repeated throughout the play. These motifs are important because they often foreshadow events on the play. They also create a atmosphere that helps shape the events of the play. I am going to focus on two motifs that seem to play a heavy role in the storyline of Macbeth. The two I have chose to focus on are the motifs of blood and nature. Since Macbeth is know for its violence blood is a very important part of the play. Nature also is representative of things to come and upsetting the natural balance of things. These are only a fraction of motifs that are present in this tragic play.
Throughout history, writers have developed a plethora of literary devices. This allows them to essentially spice up their writing, or make it more interesting to the reader. One of the most commonly used and talked about literary devices is theme; theme is a specific idea or lesson that an author is trying to get across. Just a few examples are, ambition, guilt, things may not always be what they seem, or even nature verses the unnatural. In fact, these are common themes used by one of the greatest play writes of all time, Shakespeare. All throughout arguably his most renowned play, Macbeth, we see Shakespeare use each of the four previously listed themes.
While the rest of the characters speak in a blank verse, the witches often use rhyming couplets, distinguishing them as special characters. Whether through their synchronized chanting or their creepy choice of words, the witches’ odd speech give the audience a sense of eeriness.
In life, there are two types of people: those who do the right thing and those who don’t. In the play Macbeth, by Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth is given a prophecy by three witches that says he will become king; however, there is no descending line of kings of his own blood. With the knowledge of the Witches’ prophecy, Macbeth’s ambition, and manipulation from his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth is quickly dragged into a never-ending, bloody murder rampage to obtain the crown and get rid of those who stand in the way of obtaining it as well. Macbeth constantly battles with his moral dilemmas; however, he easily falls victim to influences that go against his morals. Influences on major characters emphasize how easily one’s decision making can be negatively affected, resulting in one going against his or her morals/integrity.
Shakespeare used clothing both symbolically and as a vehicle of character definition. Clothes were often used in Macbeth's case to symbolize his titles. Symbolic clothing is identified when Ross tells Macbeth of his new title Thane of Cawdor when Macbeth does not know of the Thane's treason,
It is human nature to be intrigued by all things mystical and dangerous. We fear the unknown but seek it nonetheless out of greed. Most of Shakespeare’s works hold an element of the supernatural and the play Macbeth is no exception. In this play we see a contemporary morality that warns of the dangers of trafficking with instruments of darkness; the witches in the play prophesize of Macbeths future as king, and Macbeth blinded by his hunger for power fails to recognize that the witches prophecies are luring him to evil . In act 1 scène 3 we see the effect that the excitement of the prophecies has had on his imagination as he begins to contemplate murdering the king. As Macbeth gets closer to
At the very beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is provoked by the letter she receives by Macbeth and starts plotting the murder of Duncan. She also wishes she were a man such that she could commit the murder all by herself saying so in Act 1 Scene 5, “Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty” (Macbeth 1.5.36-52). She appeals to these spirits to remove all aspects of her femininity and seeks to gain power through the prophecy of the witches. Her fear about the ability of her husband to commit the murder is subdued in her designated gender. Lady Macbeth manages her feminine power through her sensuality and pretended weakness through her fainting streak at the notice of Duncan’s death. Manipulation, usually through sexuality is often depicted as the source of women’s power still Lady Macbeth uses this power of hers to commit murder, a masculine demonstration of power. Lady Macbeth in her soliloquy about the planning of Duncan’s death refers to her husband as an individual who plays honestly and does not engage in wrongdoing.
As a virgin to The Shakespeare Theatre, I was pleasantly surprised when my recent encounter with Macbeth was a stimulating and enjoyable excursion. The two and a half hours I had predicted to be less than enchanting were filled with symbolism, and an overall attitude towards the Shakespeare classic that I had never contemplated before.
Macbeth is a very complex character whom reflects man's thirst for power through the drastic changes of his personality; thus being one of the slightest reasons in which make this intriguing character, greatest of all Shakespearean’s well-known works.
An individual’s imagination is an incredible and persuasive influence on his or her actions. Imagination is defined by Google as “the. . . action of forming new images or concepts . . . not present to the senses.” Many tales and stories have a protagonist with a game-changing imagination. Imagination often persuades people to think one way or another, even though it is often obvious that the reality is much different from their perception. In William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, the main character is often influenced by his imaginative mind, and evidence of this can be found in three scenes: act 2, scene 2 after the murder of king Duncan; act 3, scene 4 when banquo’s ghost haunts the feast; and act 5, scene 3 before the final battle.