MACBETH SLICED in QUOTES LEARN KEY QUOTES KNOW
MACBETH SLICED in QUOTES LEARN KEY QUOTES KNOW: STRUCTURE, LANGUAGE, IDEAS, CONTEXT, EFFECTS ON READER
Act 1 Scene 1 The Witches Structure Ideas Language Context Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. Effects / Explore
Language: repeated fricatives give menacing feel. Oxymoron implies the world has turned upside down (‘topsy-turvy’). Pathetic Fallacy. Act 1 Scene 1 The Witches Ideas: theme of the SUPERNATURAL is introduced here. Audience will expect ‘unnatural’ events. Unusually, we don’t meet the hero (? ) Macbeth in the opening scene – is he in the plot with the witches? Structure: Rhyming couplet gives resolution to the scene plus adds sense of casting spells / witchcraft. Shakespeare uses DIFFERENT METRE (rhythm) for the witches: it’s not iambic (unstressed then stressed) but trochaic instead (stressed then unstressed) Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. Effects / Explore: the scene uses narrative enigma to keep audience confused and questioning: is Macbeth evil? What are the witches plotting? Context: Shakespeare uses popular beliefs about witches. 1604 law passed making witchcraft punishable by death under King James. People believed witches servants of the devil. Also, Shakespeare uses Classical Literature here as the 3 witches are like the 3 FATES of Greek mythology: ‘wyrd’ means FATE in Old English & these witches are ‘the weird sisters’ – in ancient myths one Fate spun the thread of someone’s life, one measured the thread and one cut it.
Quick Slice of Learning: Macbeth & Metre • Trochaic tetrameter is a rapid meter of poetry consisting of four feet of trochees. A trochee is made up of followed by one stressed syllable and one unstressed syllable: DAdum / DAdum. (8 syllables in total) • The witches in Macbeth speak in incomplete trochaic tetrameter (7 syllables instead of 8). Shakespeare uses this to show they are different / not ‘normal’ as a trochaic metre is the opposite of an iambic metre (and most of the play is iambic) • Most of the play is iambic pentameter: five feet of iambs with an unstressed syllable then a stressed syllable: IAMBIC de. DUM / de. DUM (10 syllables)
Act 1 Scene 2 Army Camp Structure Ideas Language Context King Duncan: “What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won” Effects / Explore
Act 1 Scene 2 Army Camp Structure: use of repetition to structure the line gives a sense of inevitability which links to theme of FATE suggesting it’s Macbeth’s fate to be a great nobleman and have social status under King Duncan Ideas: King Duncan is referring to the old Thane of Cawdor being a traitor and that he is about to give the title to Macbeth instead (due to his ‘brave’ actions fighting the Norwegians). Introduces theme of APPEARANCE Vs REALITY (whether you can trust what’s on the surface) Language: the play uses a lexical (semantic) field of winning and losing which are also opposites. This hints that fortunes / FATE may change suddenly. The words also echo the witches, suggesting that they predicted this would happen (prophecy) King Duncan: “What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won” Effects / Explore: the audience see Macbeth as a good soldier and loyal to the King in this scene. It makes it more shocking later when he thinks about killing Duncan Context: the King is the most important person on Earth under God. Society at the time believed in ‘THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING’ - everything had a place / a hierarchy of status. Even heaven had a hierarchy with god ruling over different groups of archangels & angels. On Earth, it was Kings, churchmen, nobles, merchants then peasants.
Act 1 Scene 3: a heath Structure Ideas Language Context Macbeth’s first words in the play: “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” Effects / Explore
Structure Language Act 1 Scene 4: King Duncan’s Castle Ideas MACBETH: [Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires Effects / Explore Context
Act 1 Scene 5 Macbeth’s Castle Structure Ideas Language Lady Macbeth (after reading the letter): …yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way Effects / Explore Context
Ideas Act 1 Scene 7: Macbeth decides Structure Language Macbeth: “We will proceed no further in this business” Then (after persuasion by Lady M): “False face must hide what the false heart doth know” Effects / Explore Context
Act 2 Scene 1: Macbeth outside King’s chamber Ideas Structure Language Context Macbeth: Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. Effects / Explore
Act 2 Scene 2: after the killing Structure Ideas Language Context Lady Macbeth: My hands are of your colour; but I shame To wear a heart so white Effects / Explore
Act 2 Scene 3: Macduff, Malcolm and Donalbain Ideas Structure Language Context Macduff: O horror, horror! Tongue nor heart Cannot conceive nor name thee! Effects / Explore
Act 2 Scene 4: Ross and an ‘old man’ outside castle Ideas Structure Language Old Man: 'Tis unnatural…On Tuesday last, A falcon, towering in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd Effects / Explore Context
Act 3 Scene 1: Macbeth’s Palace Ideas Structure Language Banquo: Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird women promised, and, I fear, Thou play'dst most foully for't: Effects / Explore Context
Act 3 Scene 2: Macbeth’s Palace Structure Language Ideas Lady M: Nought's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content: 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy Effects / Explore Context
Act 3 Scene 4: the Feast & Banquo’s Ghost Structure Language Ideas Context Macbeth: Thou canst not say I did it: never shake Thy gory locks at me Effects / Explore
Act 4 Scene 1: a cavern (witches) Structure Ideas Language Context Second Witch: By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes. Effects / Explore
Act 4 Scene 2: Macduff’s Castle Structure Language Ideas Context Macduff’s Son: He has kill'd me, mother: Run away, I pray you! Effects / Explore
Act 4 Scene 3: England – Malcolm & Macduff then Ross brings latest news of Scotland Structure Language Ideas Macduff: Bring thou this fiend of Scotland myself; Within my sword's length set him; if he 'scape, Heaven forgive him too! Effects / Explore Context
Act 5 Scene 1: Lady Macbeth sleepwalking scene Structure Language Lady Macbeth: Out, damned spot! out, I say!--One: two: why, then, 'tis time to do't. --Hell is murky! Effects / Explore Ideas Context
Act 5 Scene 3: Macbeth hears of the English Army Structure Language Ideas Macbeth: Bring me no more reports; let them fly all: Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane, I cannot taint with fear. Effects / Explore Context
Act 5 Scene 5: Macbeth learns of Lady M’s death Structure Language Macbeth: To-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death Effects / Explore Ideas Context
Act 5 Scene 8: Macduff confronts Macbeth Structure Language Macbeth: Of all men else I have avoided thee: But get thee back; my soul is too much charged With blood of thine already. Effects / Explore Ideas Context
Act 5 Scene 8: Macbeth’s epiphany Structure Language Macbeth: Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, For it hath cow'd my better part of man! Effects / Explore Ideas Context
Act 5 Scene 8: Macduff appears with Macbeth’s head and Malcolm takes his rightful place as King of Scotland Structure Language Ideas Malcolm’s closing speech describes “this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen” Last lines: So, thanks to all at once and to each one, Whom we invite to see us crown'd at Scone Effects / Explore Context
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