Macbeth

Macbeth

Language
1. Blood - appears all throughout the play as a symbol of guilt - 'make thick my blood' ''Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?'
2. Night - shown throughout as it often signifies evil - 'Come, thick night, / And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell'
3. Time - is important in the play - as time passes the events are more intense and consequences more significant - 'If you can look into the seeds of time / And say which grain will grow and which will not, / Speak then to me'
4. Imagery is used, especially using birds and animals to describe the characters qualities
Characters
1. Macbeth
  1. He is ambitious, brave, changeable and has a guilt conscience
  2. 'Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires'
  3. 'Is this a dagger I see before me'
  4. 'My mind is full of scorpions'
2. Lady Macbeth
  1. 'You are to full of the milk of human kindness'
  2. She is cunning, ambitious and conscience striken
  3. 'Look like the innocent flower but serpent under't'
  4. 'Out damned spot'
3. Banquo
  1. He is questioning and noble
  2. 'I fear Thou played’st most foully for ’t'
4. Macduff
  1. Discovers Duncan's body. Goes with Malcolm to England to raise an army against Macbeth. Feels guilty for leaving his family, allowing Macbeth to kill them - he seeks revenge. Ultimateley killing Macbeth
  2. 'I have no words, my voice is in my sword'
  3. 'Macduff was from his mothers womb, untimely ripped'
5. The witches
  1. 'Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!'
  2. 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair'
  3. 'Macbeth shall never be vanquish'd until Birnam wood to Dunsinane'
Structure
1. Exposition
  1. The main characters are introduced, the witches make their predictions and the thoughts of murder begin
2. Rising action
  1. Macbeth is indecisive so Lady Macbeth takes control, Duncan is murdered
3. Climax
  1. The turning point of the play. Macbeth becomes King, Banquo is murdered, Fleance escapes. Macduff joins Malcolm in England
4. Falling Action
  1. Macbeth returns to the witches, Macduff's family are killed. Malcolm and Macduff plan their attack
5. Catastrophe
  1. The invasion is carried out - Macduff kills Macbeth and becomes King. The witches predictions come true in unexpected ways. Lady Macbeth commits suicide
Themes
1. Ambition and Power
  1. The fatal flaw - he is driven by the need for power
  2. Leadership - Macbeth is strong but becomes a bullying dictator
  3. Greed - Macbeth doesn't want to share his power
2. Evil and Supernatural
  1. Wicked thoughts and actions - they cause Macbeth to do evil deeds
  2. Activities of the Witches - Control weather, predict the future and cast evil spells
  3. The disruption of nature - pathetic fallacy, it takes place during a storm
3. Appearance and Reality
  1. Seeing things - the play is full of ghosts, spirits, illusions and visions
  2. Sleep and Dreams - they are tormented by bad dreams and LM often sleepwalks
Plot
1. - Macbeth meets the witches
  1. - Lady Macbeth encourages, macbeth kills Duncan
    1. - Macbeth has Banquo killed
      1. - More predictions from the witches
        - Lady Macbeth suffers guilt
        Macduff defeats Macbeth

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	Created by Emily Louise Brown over 7 years ago