...seen minimally in Macbeth. Written during a time when female actors were never cast, maybe that is why. Although, most likely Shakespeare did that on purpose, trying to make a statement. Even though they have been given small parts, lady macbeth, Hecate, three witches, and Lady Macduff leave the play dramatically different when they stop speaking. Lady Macbeth defies gender roles with her willingness to be a leader in her marriage. Similarly, Lady Macduff shows a gentler side of women than seen in Lady Macbeth showing the complexity of a woman's nature. The weird Sisters and Hecate also step out of the dome of domesticity as they play with Macbeth's ambition. Lady Macbeth is first scene in Act 1 scene 5 when she receives the news that Macbeth has been named Thane of Cawdor. Upon that news Lady Macbeth’s ambition automatically takes over. Lady Macbeth realizes that there is still an opportunity to gain an even more prestigious position “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised” (1-5. 14-15). Then what is really important is she takes the role of gaining that prestigious position on herself as she views Macbeth as “too full of the milk of human kindness” (1-5. 39-50). Lady Macbeth then asks...
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...“Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.” Quoted by General George Patton for a description of a strong leader similarly to Machiavelli’s definition of a leader. Niccoló Machiavelli was an Italian politician who wrote The prince. Making Machiavelli the father of modern political theory. Influenced the term “Machiavellian.” “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.” (1.5.62) Quoted in Macbeth written by Shakespeare relevant to Machiavelli’s definition of leader. According to Machiavelli’s definition of a leader comparing Macbeth from Shakespeare's Macbeth a leader in the eyes of Machiavelli’s? “People have to be afraid of you.” However “he must endeavor only to avoid hatred.” (Machiavelli XXII) Macbeth’s personality is...
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...Title Comparing and contrasting between two characters of two unique novels cannot be more profoundly illustrated than comparing that of the character of Lady Macbeth authored by William Shakespeare within the book Macbeth to that character of Abigail authored by Arthur Miller within the book the Crucible. .......... The act of manipulation overwhelms the mindset of Lady Macbeth and Abigail. Although, how they choose to react to such a feeling is where individuality from one another occurs. The concept of Macbeth revolves around Lady Macbeth corrupting her husband’s mental stability and convincing him to commit a murder. She does so by questioning his manhood and referring to him as a coward. “[He] is too full o’ the milk of human kindness” (I.ii.16). Lady Macbeth is worried that he is not strong enough to perform such a task, so she manipulates him by telling Macbeth how far she will go if it is necessary. “While [the baby] was smiling in my face, / have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums/ and dash’d the brains out” (I.VII.56-58). With such ideas of murdering someone and manipulating someone else, only for self gain, does not come without the feeling of remorse. “What need we fear who/ knows it, when none can call our power to account? / yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” (V.i.36-39). The manipulation of Lady Macbeth’s husband leaves her feeling guilty to a point where it leads her to her own demise. Abigail also manipulates others...
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...text 'Macbeth' and in the film 'Gladiator' directed by Ridley Scott and how it can lead to one's downfall. Macbeth is shown as the "noble" hero by the King after slaying the Thane of Cawdor and claiming victory in the war for Scotland, while Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator' portrays Maximus as the "noble" hero but still not comparing to Macbeth like Commodus does in the film. Shakespeare effectively focuses on the cynical repercussions of ambition in 'Macbeth' and how it can lead to one's failure. Macbeth is shown as a wellborn protagonist after being regarded as "Noble Macbeth" by the King of Scotland, King Duncan after slaying the Thane of Cawdor and winning the war for his country. This starts to show the effects of Shakespeare's Aristotelian Tragedy where the tragic hero is established. Macbeth's ambition begins after he and Banquo are told their fates by prophesising witches. "All hail, Macbeth, that shall be king hereafter". This quote is indicated by one of the witches that starts to show the beginning of the end for Macbeth. The behaviour and attitudes of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth leading up to the murder of King Duncan are completely contrasted. Macbeth expresses great reluctance to act, convincing himself that the murder is unjustified, and will bring him great troubles, grief and negative consequences. "I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition". Macbeth says this to Lady Macbeth to show his hesitancy towards this act. Lady Macbeth on...
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...Macbeth is a play written for James I after the death of Queen Elizabeth. James was intrigued with witchcraft and the love of Scotland. In order to understand Shakespeare's Macbeth you have to understand the time and historical period which it is set. This is the Elizabethan period which is the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century when there was an authoritarian government. In this era the monarchy ruled the governments, they needed to raise strong and loyal armies to protect and rule their counties. Shakespeare chose legends and events in Scottish history to dramatise Macbeth, which he uses from the "Holinshed's chronicles around 1050 AD", that he alters and manipulates these freely to portray Macbeth's loyalty and then his destruction...
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...Another way in which Shakespeare would have tried to impress his audience, mainly the monarch at the time (King James 1st) was through the character Banquo. King James believed himself to be a descendent of Banquo, therefore he was written to be a noble, wise and regal man whose good qualities tended to make some of the other characters, particularly Macbeth, envy him. King James 1 considered himself to be an expert on witchcraft, he wrote a book which stated that witches made a pact with the devil, so including the evil ways of the witches and showing them to be dark creatures that turn good loyal men into murderers would have pleased the King as that is how he viewed them himself. If you continue to look into Macbeth’s character, he starts to spiral out of control very quickly. He starts to fear betrayal, which is extremely ironic considering the amount he has already betrayed his king and his country. “But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo, stick deep; and in his royalty of nature.” Macbeth is worrying whether he can trust Banquo because of him witnessing Macbeth’s conversation with the witches; this is the point where Macbeth decides that it would be easier to kill...
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...Lady Macbeth found via Google - not my own work In typical Shakespearean tragedies, female main characters aren't always treated brilliantly. In Hamlet, Ophelia goes down the "I shall obey, my lord" route. In Othello, Desdemona goes down the "To you I am bound" route. Yet in Macbeth, this isn't quite the case. The most important female figure is Lady Macbeth, a cunning and manipulative woman who is associated with the supernatural. Instantly it can be argued that Lady Macbeth fits in with the later idea of certain Gothic women being 'sinister predators', or 'femme fatales'. | Dame Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth | Lady Macbeth has been the subject of much debate for hundreds of years. Her role in the play is incredibly important and she is the subject of various interpretations. Her first appearance in the play is in act one, scene five. She opens by reading Macbeth's letter; instantly this seems to present her as a typical Shakespearean woman (when I say typical, I mean typical in terms of main female characters in tragedies being passive), since her first words are that of her husband's, as though she is bound to him. Then she stops reading the letter, and we start to realise that she isn't at all typical. She instantly states that Macbeth will be "what thou art promised", which shows a determination and strength of will that we may not have been expecting. She goes on to criticise her husband's nature, since he is "too full o'th'milk of human kindness". A wife...
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...At the time, it was not usual for women to create something so influential, but Eliza made the impossible possible. Shifting gears into Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is another woman who shows the power she has over her husband, Macbeth. She is known to be a manipulative yet fearless character, which is the pivotal reason for her husband being crowned king. Similar to Eliza, Lady Macbeth proves societal expectations wrong. An example of her taking charge would be after the death of King Duncan when Macbeth forgot to plant the daggers with the guards she decided to go and do it herself. This showed her ability to control Macbeth with force, but she still had to make a notable change in plan. Although, it was all fun and games for Lady Macbeth. She had consequences for her actions which serve as an example of the power women had, and how society's expectations can be influenced by that historical time. Moving on from the literature aspect, Mary the Mother of God has insights into the Catholic faith offering a strong female role. Her story captures her devotion to God, but also her strength by having her son at a young...
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...are still relevant today. Shakespeare Macbeth and Mark Brozel’s reworking strongly suggest that Shakespeare does write about these issues. Macbeth is a classic tragedy which is so versatile that it can be set in any context. Ambition is the most prominent theme in Macbeth. The audience sees ambition run riots in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s mind, who try so hard to fulfil their desires, no matter what the cost is. For example, Macbeth goes from a good, loyal and honest general to a murdering maniac. This is what ambition does to a human being. It brings out the darkest of demons in a human being. “For mine own good All causes shall give away. I am blood Stepp’d in so far that, I should wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er”- Macbeth (Act 3, Scene 4) Shakespeare uses the technique of similes to compare Macbeth’s crimes as that of him walking through a bloody river. In this simile, Macbeth is comparing his heinous crime to wading through a bloody river. It is Macbeth’s thinking that once a man commits a murderous act for his personal gain, it is impossible to stop. Macbeth implies that turning back would be as tedious as committing the crime. In Mark Brozel’s 2005 adaptation of Macbeth, Macbeth-Shakespeare Retold, the theme of ambition is explored in a different context but with the same plot. Joe Macbeth (Macbeth) knows that he will always be over worked and under paid for his work and so does his wife Ella (Lady Macbeth). In order to eradicate this problem...
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...fate of Macbeth and his companion, Banquo. Macbeth is currently the Thane of Glamis. The strange witches announce to him that he will become Thane of Cawdor and later King of Scotland. Lady Macbeth seeks this as an opportunity and advises Macbeth to murder King Duncan so he can take over the throne. At first, Macbeth is hesitant and fears the consequences of the action of murder. Macduff discovers King Duncan’s corpse and thereafter conveys the news to Ross. King Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee to England. The realization that Duncan’s sons and thereafter, Banquo and Fleance becoming heirs to the throne is a threat to Macbeth. He understands that as long as they are alive, the fear of his power will remain insecure. He succeeds in the murder of Banquo, however, Fleance is still alive. Macbeth begins to start hallucinating fatal images of daggers and blood stains after the ghost of Banquo visits him. Macduff...
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...Holsclaw English IV James Byrd November, 10, 2013 The Witch Trio’s Infamous Chant “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” and its Relevance to Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth One of the most important lines in the drama The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare originates from one of the last lines in Act I, Scene I. The three witches speak the simple line “Fair is foul, and foul is fair,” (I: i, 10) shortly before they disperse. This quotation becomes a prophecy as well as an underlying warning foreshadowing the rest of the drama. “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (I: i, 10) can be interpreted as saying good is bad and bad is good. The quotation leads the reader to question their standpoint on the good and bad depicted in the drama. This quotation is a major line in the drama because it implies that some of the characters are not who they claim to be. This quotation affects the Witches because although they speak of the future, they do not seem to affect its course. In Macbeth's case, the prophecies serve only to suggest the future, not to affect it. They do not predict that he will commit murder to become king but simply that he will become king. For example, they hail Macbeth as king by saying, "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!" (I: iii, 50). So furthermore, even if the witches did not exist, Macbeth would still have taken the throne due to fate. When the line comes from the witches, the reader assumes at first that they are speaking plainly. That the line means...
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...male warrior that “Odysseus the great soldier” is, he, like many of the female characters, weaves his way through conversations to solve his problems. For instance, in book five, Kalypso the nymph, who is keeping Odysseus captive, says: “’though you wanted her forever, that bride for whom you pine each day… can I be less desirable than she? Less interested? Can mortals compare with goddesses in grace and form’ To this the strategist Odysseus answered: ‘My lady goddess, here is no cause for anger. My quiet Penelope… would seem a shade before your majesty.’” (Bk. 5 ln 218-226)...
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...legally subject to their husbands. Women of all classes were expected to perform, first and foremost, the duties of housewife. Peasant women worked in the field alongside their husbands and ran the home. The Italian renaissance article shows how the wives of middle class shop owners and merchants often helped run their husbands' businesses as well. Even women of the highest class, though attended by servants, most often engaged in the tasks of the household, sewing, cooking, and entertaining, among others. Women who did not marry were not permitted to live independently. Instead, they lived in the households of their male relatives or, more often, joined a convent. From this article I collected a good bit of information on how and why Lady Macbeth acted the way she did back in the renaissance era BeyondJane , The role of women during the renaissance era , May 20, 2010 Women were often placed in arranged agreements to marry as early as the age of eight years old. A woman in the Renaissance usually got married somewhere between the ages of sixteen and twenty years old. Marriages were arranged not for reasons of romantic love, but for business reasons, in the interest of trade relations, and sometimes to make or maintain peace between families. A woman would also carry all her belongings in a special trunk, called a cassino, that would be presented to her husband. Women were treated as mere decorations in public; they were often seen as no more than a prize around a man’s arm...
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...In the play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, William Shakespeare develops the theme of hunger for power through the use of irony, foreshadowing, and symbolism. Shakespeare ultimately proves that hunger for power can mislead a person from situations and turn good intentions, to bad intentions all because of there blind lust. Power, as grand as it may be, can always be misleading. William Shakespeare, often called the English national poet, is widely considered the greatest dramatist of all time. Known throughout the world, the works of William Shakespeare have been performed, taught, and studied for more than 400 years. William Shakespeare was born in 1564 to a successful middle-class glove maker in Stratford Upon-Avon, and created the play “Macbeth” in 1606. In 1582 William at the age of 18, married an older woman named Anne Hathaway. They had three children, Susanna, Hamnet and Juliet. Their only son Hamnet died aged just 11. By the early Seventeenth Century, Shakespeare had begun to write plays in the genre of tragedy. These plays, such as Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and King Lear, often hinge on some fatal flaw in the lead character, and provide intriguing insights into the darker aspects of human nature. You can now see where this comes into play in other situations Macbeth is a play of contradiction and ambition. Macbeth, a well-known war general driven to become King, killed not only King Duncan to receive his kingship, but also all the heirs to the thrown which happened...
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...Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a play about the limitations of one’s free will. In the play, a character named Macbeth is prophesized to be the next heir to the throne of Scotland by three witches. Whether Macbeth chooses to believe the prophecy is entirely not up to him since it already seems that fate had been decided, which is the central theme for the play. In this play, one may believe that he or she have authority over his or her life. However when examining the behavior of Macbeth, supernatural forces become the template for his fate that he is destined to follow. His wife, Lady Macbeth, is an important character because of her influences towards Macbeth. In fact, if it were not for her, Macbeth would probably still be alive by the...
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