...Shakespeare’s Macbeth uses three main literary elements throughout the play. In this paper I will discuss the symbolism, irony, and metaphors portrayed thought this play. I will use the play from our required text from the Ashford University online book, “Journey into Literature “by R.W Clugston, Ch.14.3 (2010). The parts leading up to, during, and after the murder of the character Duncan shows these three literary elements to their fullest. The use of symbolism, irony, and metaphors has captured my attention, and I find it interesting on how they all tie in together. Symbolism is defined as “One thing stands for another.” (Wikipedia). In the play Macbeth, I believe that Shakespeare uses symbolism to capture the reader’s attention and keep it thought the entire piece. For an example when Lady Macbeth helped commit the murder of Duncan, she could not escape her feelings and emotions of compassion and the guilt became overwhelming which drove her insane. Lady Macbeth dreaming of a blood on her hands is how Shakespeare portrays her guilt. “Out, damned spot! Out, I say! (Clugston, 2010, Shakespeare Act V scene 1). The blood is symbolic of Lady Macbeth’s guilt of the murder. According to our book, irony is “created when a discrepancy or contradiction occurs between what is expected to happen and what actually happens in a situation (situation irony) or in an expressed statement (verbal irony). (Clugston, 2010). Shakespeare uses irony to connect the murder of Duncan and Lady Macbeth going...
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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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...Clothing and Accessories in Macbeth Of the many plays that William Shakespeare wrote, critics and theatre fanatics alike consider The Tragedy of Macbeth to be his most dark and brooding work. Taking place in eleventh century Scotland, the tragedy follows the main character, Macbeth, and all the unfortunate events that unfold around him. However, despite being the title character, Macbeth and his tragic flaws are what lead to the demise of many other characters in the story. A Scottish nobleman and general at the beginning of the play, he quickly manages to rise to power as the King of Scotland after hesitantly resorting to performing immoral acts, such as killing Duncan, the country’s previous king, to fulfill his ambitions. Ironically, this trait of his is exactly what leads to his death by the end of the play. Macbeth’s false ambitions that arose out of the desire to fulfill the evil witches’ prophecies end up pushing him to commit one murder, which quickly escalates into the slaughter of many residents in Scotland, solely for the sake of securing his rule and power. As one of Shakespeare’s most symbolic and psychological works, there are many motifs that foreshadow and lead to Macbeth’s downfall, such as the type of clothing and accessories that each character adorns. Throughout the play, many characters metaphorically refer to the different titles of Scottish nobility as various apparel. For example, when Macbeth asks Ross, “The Thane of Cawdor lives; why do you dress...
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...Languages Program Literature and Theory Professor Gomez Julian Andres Ospina Correa The Tragedy of Macbeth: the thirsty for power In history, a vast majority of tragedies have been written causing excitement and other effects on the reader. Indeed, William Shakespeare and his work The Tragedy Macbeth is not the exception, on the contrary, great value and critics unfolded from this work. Macbeth opened up several ways for tragedy within the literature world, forasmuch as the high quality of its elements, such as its plot, thought, character, diction, and so. Hereafter, I will proceed to go beyond the lines and leave my analysis of the most relevant elements of the magnificent tragedy of Macbeth by the master William Shakespeare. Thrilling from beginning to end is how I perceive The Tragedy of Macbeth as in its plot, which I am going to analyze right after, some important moments take place which makes this tragedy brilliant upon the reader’s eyes. The story is developed during the eleventh century in Scotland lands of which Macbeth looked after as the thane, although some parts of the story take place in England. Some of the most important characters within this tragedy are Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, the three witches, Duncan, Banquo, Fleance, Malcolm, MacDuff, the three murderers, among others of minor relevance. The rising action initiates when both Macbeth and Banquo encountered with the three witches who predict their future telling them about their fortune...
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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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...What Makes Art: The Subconscious, The Reactionary, or The Forster Order? It is mid-afternoon on a Saturday at the Highline: a trajectory of abandoned railroad tracks the city of New York converted into a public park. The banks of the park are full of plants and sculptures, and street art is scattered within and around all of the Highline. Tucked into a gravel bed, beneath the shade of a green sapling, sits an upright rectangle. About five feet tall and two feet wide, the face of the rectangle is a dull mauve color, and at the center of the rectangle rests a bean-shaped oblong, jutting out like a flaccid balloon. It’s a fetus, one may think, or a bladder...but what is the point of the piece? The exact purpose of the art piece, the meaning or explanation is not written there plainly. To understand a piece of art like this, one must engage in their own interpretation. Some people appreciate art because they consider it beautiful; some consider it pointless; some consider art necessary to society, and many refrain from further evaluation of art. In his essay “Art for Art’s Sake,” E.M. Forster explores precisely what this essay title proclaims. Forster acknowledges his argument is an “unpopular” one, but strives to ratify some misconceptions about art for art’s sake. In my initial reading of the essay I am not exempt from resisting the idea of art for art’s sake. Immediately, the notion seems to say that art can have no effect on society, and be appreciated nonetheless. I would...
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...Macbeth Analysis Brian Williams English 125 Melissa Edison April 22, 2013 Macbeth Analysis The poem that I have selected is Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. I will identify three elements in this poem that I found very engaging/interesting. I will give insight on how these elements affected my personal opinion on this poem. Analyzing how these elements affected my response in its entirety will be the vocal point of my paper. Macbeth is a tragedy and is considered one of Shakespeare’s most powerful poems. Shakespeare introduces Macbeth as a strong, power wanting, and noble fighter. Macbeth talks to the witches in the start of Act 1 scene 3 by commanding them to speak to him and for them to tell him what they are. “Speak if you can. What are you” (Clugston, 2010)? Indicating that Macbeth talks with authority, that he has power over the witches, as he does not politely ask the witches. The way that Macbeth is speaking here is using imperative verbs. Shakespeare here uses language to show us what Macbeth character is like. He also tells us by using language that Macbeth is respected by others at the start of the play. In Act 1 scene 2 it states “O valiant cousin, worthy gentlemen” (Portman, 1995). Duncan expresses this about Macbeth. This reveals that people do respect Macbeth and his bravery proves he has a quite high status. Symbolism plays a prominent role to emphasize the theme of corruption of power. Throughout the play there are several main symbols repeatedly...
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...Title: Macbeth Analysis Instructor: Erin Schwartz English 125 Introduction to literature Amanda Manley 11/25/2013 Macbeth Analysis The poem that I have selected is Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. I will identify three elements in this poem that I found very engaging/interesting. I will give insight on how these elements affected my personal opinion on this poem. Analyzing how these elements affected my response in its entirety will be the vocal point of my paper. Macbeth is a tragedy and is considered one of Shakespeare’s most powerful poems. Shakespeare introduces Macbeth as a strong, power wanting, and noble fighter. Macbeth talks to the witches in the start of Act 1 scene 3 by commanding them to speak to him and for them to tell him what they are. “Speak if you can. What are you” (Clugston, 2010)? Indicating that Macbeth talks with authority, that he has power over the witches, as he does not politely ask the witches. The way that Macbeth is speaking here is using imperative verbs. Shakespeare here uses language to show us what Macbeth character is like. He also tells us by using language that Macbeth is respected by others at the start of the play. In Act 1 scene 2 it states “O valiant cousin, worthy gentlemen” (Portman, 1995). Duncan expresses this about Macbeth. This reveals that people do respect Macbeth and his bravery proves he has a quite high status. Symbolism plays a prominent role to emphasize the theme of corruption of power. Throughout the...
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...treacherous reptile in Macbeth to convey the same evil. In his poetic prose, Shakespeare may not speak of a character's malevolence directly; rather, he alludes to it through serpentine imagery. I analyzed four images of this type in Macbeth. What is their purpose, and what do they signify? A deep undercurrent of meaning flows beneath each image. In act one, scene five, Lady Macbeth tries to instill invisible evil into herself and her husband in preparation for Duncan's murder. She asks for supernatural unsexing, for a thickening of her blood that will "stop up th' access and passage to remorse." She fears her husband is too weak to murder Duncan, which she believes is Macbeth's only path to the crown. After tauntingly questioning her husband's manhood, she convinces him to follow her gory plan and gives him instructions to do so. "To beguile the time, look like the time. Bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue. Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it." She says that to succeed, they must feign mediocrity amongst their guests, concealing their sinister desires. Appearing normal will not invoke suspicions. The serpent Lady Macbeth speaks of is the evil ambition Macbeth has, craftily slithering out of the shade of the virtuous flower when the deed is to be done. This image is used in a traditional manner, denoting mischief and concealment. It represents Macbeth's hidden ambitions and his wife's plans. This is the first example of an extensive amount...
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...for the play “Macbeth”, in which Shakespeare spins a web of lies, deceit and treachery as the tragic hero, Macbeth, spurred on by vaulting ambition, overleaps, ultimately leading to his death. Throughout the play, recurrent imageries of clothing, blood and butchery as well as light and darkness are employed, propelling the play to its tragic end. The imagery of blood and butchery is employed when Macbeth is first introduced in the play, gives off the impression of a brave, courageous warrior, who was loyal to his King, and blood carried positive connotations of “valiancy” and other similar virtues, where “his blade smok’d with bloody execution”. However, it becomes clear that Macbeth has darker, more sinister intentions/wants beneath his warrior exterior: his desire to be King, which can be seen through his subscription to the Witches’ prophecy, foretelling that he will be King, and his frequent discussions with Lady Macbeth as they plot to usurp the throne from King Duncan. Blood then becomes a symbol of treachery, such as when Lady Macbeth calls upon the spirits to “make thick my blood” and to carry out the murder with no regrets, and in her plan to frame Duncan’s guards with his murder by “smear[ing] the sleepy grooms with blood”. The meaning of blood further descends into guilt, as we observe Lady Macbeth’s slow descend into madness and her suicide that follows. During one of her sleepwalking incidents prior to her death, Lady Macbeth is seen to be...
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...A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSIC EDITION OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S MACBETH LINDA NEAL UNDERWOOD S E R I E S E D I T O R S : W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS and UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth 2 INTRODUCTION William Shakespeare developed many stories into excellent dramatizations for the Elizabethan stage. Shakespeare knew how to entertain and involve an audience with fast-paced plots, creative imagery, and multi-faceted characters. Macbeth is an action-packed, psychological thriller that has not lost its impact in nearly four hundred years. The politically ambitious character of Macbeth is as timely today as he was to Shakespeare's audience. Mary McCarthy says in her essay about Macbeth, "It is a troubling thought that Macbeth, of all Shakespeare's characters, should seem the most 'modern,' the only one you could transpose into contemporary battle dress or a sport shirt and slacks." (Signet Classic Macbeth) Audiences today quickly become interested in the plot of a blindly ambitious general with a strong-willed wife who must try to cope with the guilt engendered by their murder of an innocent king in order to further their power. The elements of superstition, ghosts, and witchcraft, though more readily a part of everyday life for the Renaissance audience, remain intriguing to modern teenagers. The action-packed...
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...Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ is a classic example of a Jacobean Tragedy; the appearance of the Witches, Banquo’s ghost, the settings and the Good vs Evil dichotomy all provide evidence for this. Perhaps the most distinctive feature is the inclusion of major characters with a single obsessive motive. When Malcolm refers to Macbeth as a “dead butcher” in Act Five, Scene Four, the point is clear: the events of the play have been created and undertaken by a man with a driving blood-lust and lack of respect for propriety. This would suggest Macbeth’s commitment is to status, position and power however, Shakespeare offers us a different Macbeth in the opening scenes. During the course of the play, the audience witness Macbeth dealing with various commitments – his commitment to being a soldier, his commitment to his wife, and perhaps, a commitment to evil. In addition, Shakespeare presents to the audience other characters who demonstrate adherence to, and dismissal of, their own commitments. Thus, ‘Macbeth’ can be read as a play of commitments, as each of the characters struggle to find balance among their various allegiances. At the start of the play, ‘brave Macbeth’ is clearly committed to King and country in his actions of ‘disdaining fortune’ and ‘[unseaming] him from the nave to th’ chops’. His commitment is rewarded as he is named as Thane of Cawdor. The combination of the Witches’ prophecies and his commitment to his ‘dearest partner of greatness’ offer Macbeth a new focus: his...
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...“In most parts of the world, when a girl is born, her wings are clipped. She is not able to fly.” -Ziauddin Yousafzai What do men still have that these women lose? In this quote, it states that in most parts of the world girls lose something because of society. After that, they are no longer able to feel confident or feel that part that they lost. This quote was incredibly powerful and proves that society has always made men more powerful even from the beginning. Also this metaphor has to do with flying. These boys get to fly while these girls must stay stuck on the ground. This means that women are limited and can only do few things while men have the ability to “fly” and become a doctor or a businessman and these women become nurses and receptionists which is always lower. This quote belongs in this essay about men because these men that have the wings must live up to their word and have to learn how to fly and be excellent at flying. The men in Macbeth had to live up to their word and avenge their families, , avenge father. These men have to also, be a good king ad Also some women explain this in this story to just state what a man must act and be like. Some women believe that they should stay with their family and be loyal, while others believe that they must keep their word and stay loyal....
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...witches from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, symbolizes a common theme found in English literature: the effect of the supernatural. The supernatural is constantly exploited by authors to develop their plot. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the supernatural is something “belonging to a realm or system that transcends nature, as that of divine, magical, or ghostly being.” As well as William Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte and Jean Rhys utilize the supernatural in their books Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea, respectively, to affect the amount of power each character has the ability to attain. No matter the gain or loss of power, the supernatural...
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...Surname 3 Student's Name Professor's Name Course Date Antigone vs. Macbeth In attempting to discern the legitimate and analytical issues in the two plays, Antigone and Macbeth, it is important to take into account the two key characters that all actions revolve around (Antigone and Lady Macbeth). In both plays, the characters appear to have comparative destiny and fate intertwined deeply within their societies. (Powell et al. 12). Antigone stands harshly rebuked by the state whose rule she contradicts. Antigone's fierce deviance is fully displayed when she declares that she'll bury Polyneices in total disregard of Creon's law. It is this rebellious act and Antigone's innate loyalty to the memory of her brother that forms the spine of the play. On the other hand, Lady Macbeth stands denounced by the laws of God and man having so eagerly disregarded them for the purpose of affection and enthusiasm towards her husband. The inclination that destiny appears to have in setting up these sorts of plays is portrayed undeniably by Sophocles in his piece of work, as well as Shakespeare in his Macbeth. The authorial intent ( a tragedy in contemporary society) as developed by both plays is similar in context. This is mainly detectable while considering the way both playwrights depict the condition that has befallen a nation. Aristotle, an outstanding scholar, and craftsman described tragedy as a mimic of a movement that is morally right. He further came up with guidelines towards...
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