NCEA Formal writing 1.5, Literary Essay: Macbeth

In the famous Shakespeare play Macbeth , the lead character Macbeth starts of as a noble and heroic figure. But as the play progresses Macbeth falls into the trap of becoming hungry for more power and his mind falls with it. He becomes like an eagle constantly watching above for prey to extend his monumental power, but also on the lookout for predators that threaten his place up in the sky. As Macbeth continues to be consumed by this role as an eagle for his every lasting power, his mind begins to spiral out of control. We will also get an insight of Shakespeare’s ideas that absolute power, will absolutely corrupt. Shakespeare shows the deterioration of Macbeth’s mind through many theta and language techniques until his final breath.

Throughout the play Macbeth Shakespeare shows the destruction and deterioration of Macbeth’s mind by using many theta techniques throughout the play. One technique used is hallucination. When he does this he creates tension and would really make the audience think ,is Macbeth even fit for this place . A prime example of this is in Act 3 scene 4 when Macbeth is hosting a banquet to celebrate him coming to the position of king but in the middle of it he sees the ghost of Banquo and you see Macbeth freak out. “Avaunt, and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee.Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold.Thou hast no speculation in those eyes“.  This use of hallucination gives many effects. Shakespeare illustrates that Macbeth can see the ghost of Banquo by allowing Macbeth to use very direct actions such as pointing towards the ghost, but the rest of the characters on stage can not and this is done by the characters not seeming to notice the ghost in the chair. This makes Macbeth’s look like he is seeing something which simply isn’t there and betrays Macbeth mental state as unstable as he can see things which aren’t really there and in the process also gives hints away that he killed Banquo. This obviously further proves his mind is deteriorating as anybody in their sane mind wouldn’t tell or give away information that could to lead to their death, and in Macbeth’s case it would only take one person to fit the pieces together and he would be caught. He continues to use language to show his thoughts.

As Macbeth continues to do whatever it takes to obtain or endure his position of king, the more he begins to fear over smaller and smaller things. Shakespeare shows this through soliloquies .“Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleepIn the affliction of these  dreams That shake us nightly.”.  This tells us that no matter what Macbeth does ,whether its eating or sleeping, he is in constant fear that Fleance is still alive and is aware that the Witches prophecies say he is next in line to the throne. Macbeth expresses his fears”Than on the torture of the mind to lie In restless ecstasy” that knowing Fleance is going to become king leads Macbeth questioning what he should do next and that his fear is torturing him. “Better be with the dead,Whom we, to gain our peace,”. Macbeth is saying here that it would be better dead because at least you have peace.

But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer,”. Macbeth here is referring to that the something has disturbed universe and is causing both the earth and heaven to suffer. What Macbeth is implying here is that his universe , or his own world and thoughts, has been disturbed by some entity. This disturbance is Fleance because Macbeth knows ,because of the Witches, that Fleance will become king sometime after him. This can only happen if Macbeth loses his position of king, meaning he will have to be killed. This is putting Macbeth under a tremendous amount of fear .This proven when Macbeth personifying that both earth and heaven is suffering. Back when the play was written ,the christian beliefs that there are two main worlds, the earth and heaven. So when Macbeth personifies  hat both earth and heaven is suffering he is saying that every part of him is suffering. This is further proving Macbeth’s Mind is deteriorating as he is worrying about future, which the Witches keep saying is out of his control.

Macbeth throughout the play always seems to think he is the one in charge in what the future will be for him.  However Macbeth is actually no more than a puppet being pulled by strings. The unearthly witches use foreshadowing to manipulate Macbeth. “Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! -All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane Cawdor!-All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter“.   Macbeth is being told that he is thane of Glamis,which is true, but also that he is thane of cawdor and will be king, which he thinks is unimaginable  at the time. Soon after he is named Thane of Cawdor and at first he surrenders himself to fate and let it decide whether he will become king or not”If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me Without my stir.” This is a nice reference to fate and almost like the play where a character allows a higher power take control of their life. One like in ”Romeo and Juliet”  when Romeo surrenders himself to a greater power .”…He that hath steerage of my course,direct my sail”.However as time passes the thought of being king grows on him and eventually consumes him. This foreshadowing that the witches gave him, leads him to do unspeakable things to get on the throne, even killing his best friend. If the witches never came to him and gave this foreshadowing, Macbeth never would have seriously thought being king was achievable or what he even wanted. If he never wanted to be king then he never would have pursued it and the events that unfolded in the play may of never happened. This never would have led to the deterioration of Macbeth’s mind. So the Macbeth was nothing but a puppet and the witches are performing the show.

 As the play Macbeth draws to a close Macbeth’s state of mind continues to decline and as time passes it is shown in many ways, even the way which he speaks. Macbeth is a very high status character and every high status character in Shakespeare’s play speaks in perfect iambic pentameter to show this status. However in the speech after he hears the news that Lady Macbeth has died, Macbeth expresses his thoughts and many of his lines do not use iambic pentameter. His first line,”Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” has 11 syllables and his third line “To the last syllable of recorded time,” also has 11 syllables. This inconsistency of Iambic pentameter continues throughout Macbeth’s speech. Lady Macbeth’s death has pushed Macbeth mind over the edge and is now to far gone. This is shown vividly for the fact that he can not even use iambic pentameter properly, which as king he has used so often.

All of these features, and there are many more, show us the true destruction of Macbeth’s mind. We also see that the more Macbeth grasped for power the more his mind fell. Although this play was written hundreds of years ago it still has the underlying message that power corrupts. During the play Macbeth did many terrible things. But at the end of the day,Macbeth was the to pay.

 

 

Act 5 Scene 2

Characters: Menteith,Angus,Caithness and Lenox

Scene set:Near Macbeth/The hill castle of Dunsinane

Meneth enters and says that the English army is near led by Malcolm and Macduff and that they are burning for revenge. They confirm that they will meet at birnam forest and that Macbeth is fortifying his Castle

Act 5 Scene 1

Characters: Lady Macbeth,Gentle Woman and Doctor

Scene set: Dunsinane castle

Summary: Doctor enters and says i have not seen lady macbeth sleep walk. The Gentle woman says every night she writes a letter. Lady Macbeth walks in and both keep hidden. Lady Macbeth then begins speaking that no one can confirm that they are guilty but she is still scared. She then starts saying that her hands will never be clean, like shes referring to all the bad things she has done. She then admits that the smell of the blood is still on her hands. Lady Macbeth then says she will wash her hands (as if there is something like blood on them) and that Banquo is buried and she shouldn’t be scared. The Doctor then realises that people guilty will often admit what they have in there sleep,and that she could danger herself as her mind is sick. The doctor suspects what might be going on but doesn’t speak.

This scene has great significance for 2 main reasons. The first reason is that it is showing that even now lady Macbeth mind is begging to dteritae ,like Macbeth’s, under all the terrible things she has done. “What, will these hands ne’er be clean?“….”Wash your hands.” This quote proves this as it shows that she thinks that she has done to much evil and she is cracking under this pressure and she washes her hands as if she has blood. This is similar to Macbeth’s symptoms of him seeing things that are not there,eg the dagger that appeared in front of him and had a part to his final decision to kill the king. Instead Lady Macbeth is thinking (or seeing) that there is physical blood on her hands and that she tries to wash them to get rid of it. Like Macbeth, these visions effect her greatly and compromises her decision making them rash.

 

Act 4 Scene 3

Characters: Macduff, Malcolm,Doctor and Rosse

Scene set. England at Kings palace

Macduff and Malcolm enter. At first Malcolm is suspicious that Macduff could be working for Macbeth as he left his family behind. So to test Macduff’s loyalty he makes himself look bad by saying he is greedy and dishonorable. But Macduff loyalty to scotland then leads him to admit that Malcolm is not fit to rule or even live. This then proves to Macduff that he is loyal and can be trusted. A doctor then enters and tells Malcolm that people are in need of a healing touch. Malcolm explains that King Edward can heal people with just a touch because he is loyal with god so he gets these powers. This makes him as if he belongs to his position. Rosse then enters and tells both Malcolm and Macduff that Scotland is still frightened and every minute something terrible happens. Rosse then tells Macduff that Macbeth army has attacked Macduff’s castle and killed everyone inside including his wife and children. Macduff griefs but Malcolm urges Macduff to put this sorrow into anger angastant Macbeth.

Act 4 Scene 1

Characters: 1 Witch,2 Witch,3 Witch ,Hecate,Macbeth,Lenox,Apparition 1,Apparition 2 and Apparition 3

Scene set: A Dark cave

Summary: The 3 Witches are brewing a potion together and dancing while putting some unusual items into the cauldron Hectare calls in some dark spirits to help brew there potion. Macbeth then enters and “orders” the Witches to tell him his future. First apparition appears and tells him to beware of Macduff. Second apparition appears and tells MAcbeth that o one woman born will harm Macbeth. Third apparition appear and tells him that Macbeth will stay king until the Great Birnam forest comes to fight him on Dunsinane hill,Macbeth laughs and say forests cant move so he thinks he is safe. The Witches then show him a line of kings and the first is a older Fleance. Witches disappear and Lenox enters and tells Macduff has fled to England.

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff.Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.” This quote said by Appiatration 1 means that Macbeth should beware of Macduff. This confirms Macbeth’s suspicion of him as he did not attend Macbeth getting crowned or his banquet.

be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth.”…..”Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are.shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him.” These quotes are said by the second and third apparition. The first one states that Macbeth should be bold as he can not be killed by anyone woman born and the second one states that Macbeth shall remain king until the forest of Great Birnam battles him at Dunsinane hill. Macbeth’s views both of these predictions as he is invincible as everyone is woman born and forests cant move. However in Act 3 Scene 5 Hecate says this about Macbeth.“He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear His hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace, and fear. And you all know, security Is mortals’ chiefest enemy.” This quote means that Macbeth is will think he can defy fate and death and that his sense of security will be his worse enemy. This quote by Hecate was also said at the same time as she was wanting to on up the 3 witches on what mischief they were doing. So i would think the Witches are not lying(as everything they have said has been true so far into the play) but they are talking to him in riddles in the form of the three apparitions and there is somehow a way round what they were saying. For example the Apparition said he cant be killed by anyone man born, but what if a unearthly creature like the witches killed him. Because Macbeth at the moment thinks hes immortal this could be the false sense  of security that Hecate was talking about and will lead to his down fall

Act 3 Scene 6

Charecters: Lenox and Lord

Scene set: Somewhere in scotland (time has passed)

In this scene it is clear that both Lenox and Lord ar both suscpiocuis of Macbeths actions and that Macduff has gone to England to meet up with Malcolm to combine there forces (amrys) agasiatnt Macbeth. There is also a ironic quote that Lord says. “Give to our tabels meat,sleep to our nights” and Macbeth in act 3 scene 2″Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleepIn the affliction of these terrible dreams That shake us nightly” This is Macbeth addmiting that he eats his meals in fear and has sleepless nights,ever since he killed king Duncan. Lord is also saying that Macduff has gone to England to combine forces with Malcolm and king of England so they can restore food to the tabels and sleep.

Act 3 Scene 5

characters:Hecate and Witch 1

Scene set: A heath

Hecate is angry at the witches for not letting her on the plans with Macbeth and confirms that she will go and will go and 1 up them by doing so more evil things and will trick him into thinking he knows all and will defy fate.

He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear His hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace, and fear. And you all know, security Is mortals’ chiefest enemy.” This is a quote from Hecate telling us that Macbeth will defy fate and will think that once they tell him his future he will think he is greater than wisdom and fear. He will also be to confident which will lead to his down fall. This is a scene like Act 1 Scene 1,showing that the witches may indeed be real and not just a figment of his imagination. It also shows that the witches do indeed seem to know the future which could mean that these witches and Hecate are possibly minions to a higher power such as God. This could be debatable whether the Witches first came to try to manipulate fate as they could be about to do by telling Macbeth’s future. The witch and Hecate are continued to be viewed as un earthly by their diffrent speech pattern and extensive use of rhyming.

Act 3 Scene 4

Characters:Macbeth,Lady Macbeth,Rosse,Lenox,Lords,Murderer

Scene set: Room in the palace,banquet prepared.

Macbeth welcomes and invites his dinner guests to sit down. Murderer enters and tells Macbeth that Banquo has been dealt with but Fleance had escaped. This leads to Macbeth being very worried. Macbeth then gives a toast but sees the tables full. Macbeth then sees the ghost of Banquo and reacts wildly which make him look a little crazy. Lords then exit. Macbeth then wants to see the witches again to know what the future is for him.

Quotes and other analysis:”I had else been perfect,Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,As broad and general as the casing air.But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined” Macbeth’s says tis quote when he finds out that fleance has escaped and on the run. This is a major issue for Macbeth because the witches had said that Banquo’s children will become king as well which means he is not safe as the witches predictions could still come true. Macbeth also says that if the murderers had also killed fleance he would have been safe and out of dangers way. He then says “But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined” This is also another reference on what is going on inside of him and it seems that he feels trapped and restrained. This means that he has lost his freedom that he once had as he now has to carefull what he does otherwise he could be exposed.The witchs had said that he will become king but so far nothing on how he is removed from that place and how it goes into fleances hands. This leads to Macbeth being fearful. This is then proven by this quote from Macbeth”There the grown serpent lies. The worm that’s fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed

 

Act 3 Scene 2

Charecters:Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Servent

Scene set:A room in Macbeths palace

But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer,Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleepIn the affliction of these terrible dreams That shake us nightly. Better be with the dead,Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,Than on the torture of the mind to lie In restless ecstasy” This quote is explainng Macbeths fear and uncertainanty on what may happen next. He is in constant fear as everthing he does he is always fearfull and it is effecting hugely mentally. He thinks it would be better to be dead with Duncan than to live with the things he has done and says later on that Duncan is even lucky. Because he is living in so much fear he may also be doing ratinol things whitch may not make him a good king and if hes not carefull he may let somthing slip or do somthing to rash. This also shows that Macbeths state of mind continues to delcine and that he may of been better of to not of killed duncan. He also mentions this “, both the worlds suffer,” This is refred to erath and heaven.Back in Act 1 Scene 5 he said this quote “Stars,hide your fires! let not light see my black deep desires“. Stars here is also a refrence to heavean and that he doesnt want heaven or anyone else to see what he has planned. The eath of king Duncan however did indeed reacact to the death of Duncan and now Macbeth see this and is very worried about what the furture may hold. “Oh, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wifethou know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives“. This is a efrence that Macbeth says him self almost admitting that he is going crazy about the events that are occuring. It aslo show thatb even now he is king he still doesnt feel better off.