When we have mark’d with blood those sleepy
two Of his own chamber, and us’d their very
daggers, That they have done’t? (1.7.76-78,
Macbeth)
Act 2
One cried 'God bless us!' and 'Amen' the
other, As they had seen me with these
hangman's hands. List'ning their fear, I
could not say 'Amen' When they did say
'God bless us.' (2.2.29-32 Macbeth)
Macbeth refers to his own hands as "hangman's hands", which would be
covered in blood from disembowelling victims of execution. When Lady
Macbeth urges him to wash the blood off, he realises the impossibility of
washing away his guilt. His crime is so wicked that the blood will "the
multitudinous seas incarnadine, / Making the green one red". His guilty hands
will stain everything he touches with blood.
Act 3
Better be with the dead,
Whom we, to gain our
peace, have sent to peace
(3.2.19-20, Macbeth)
Act 4
Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo.
Down! Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs.
(4.1.112-113, Macbeth)
Act 5
But get thee back, my soul is too much
charg’d With blood of thine already. (5.8.4-6,
Macbeth)
BLOOD
Jealousy
Act 1
Your children
shall be kings.
(1.3.86,
Macbeth)
Act 3
To make them kings, the
seed of Banquo kings!
(3.1.69, Macbeth)
-Repitition of 'kings' = resentment, -Macbeth's jealous remarks are often shorter than
his guilty discourse. The length of his speech for each emotion implies his brashness
in making decisions, this gives reason for the audience to suspect Macbeth's
decision-making skills to be tinged with jealousy because of them being made quickly.
-Highlights the irony of his ambition to be king as he cannot make thorough
decisions. -The potential effect on the audience is their expectance of Macbeth's
downfall. Although written as a tragedy, the tragic hero's downfall is enivitable due to
the protagonist's own dimise, this has a gothic element very similar to other gothic
literature. For instance in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the doctor Frankenstein brings
about his own path of destruction when following head on in his pursuit of knowledge
of the unknown (life and death). Both the consequence's of the protagonists illustrate
the disturbances that occur when not confroming to the social order.
One of Shakespeare's reasons for writing the play
was to illustrate the terrible consequences of
murdering a king. The play was first performed in
1605, the year of the Gunpowder Plot, and this
theme would be very politically acceptable to an
audience composed of members of James I's
court. Shakespeare shows the murderers of a
king tormented by their own guilt and driven to
their doom.
Shakespeare playing with the idea of
conformity? = Gothic genre is scandalous due
to exploring the fragility of socially accepted
norms.
Act 4
Shall Banquo’s issue ever
Reign in this kingdom
(4.1.102-103, Macbeth)
Act 5
Why should I play the Roman fool, and
die On mine own sword? Whiles I see
lives, the gashes Do better upon them.
(5.8.1-3, Macbeth)
Having a high position and
being able to contiue that
on down your blood line.
Ambition
Act 1
Thou wouldst be great; Art not without
ambition (1.5.18-19, Lady Macbeth)
Act 2
‘Gainst nature still: Thriftless
Ambition, that will ravin up Thine
own life’s means! (2.4.27-29, Rosse)
Act 3
I will to-morrow (And betimes I will) to the
Weird Sisters: More shall they speak; for now I
am bent to know, By the worst means, the
worst. (3.4.131-134, Macbeth)
Act 4
Come, go we to the King: our
power is ready; Our lack is
nothing but our leave.
Macbeth Is ripe for shaking
(4.3.236-238, Malcolm)
Act 5
I’ll fight, till from
my bones my
flesh be hack’d.
(5.3.32,
Macbeth)
- Gory imagery -False courage
-Links back to the beginning
when we are told of
Macbeth's violent nature
during warfare.