Pathos In Macbeth

Examine shakespeare's use of logical, emotional, and ethical by arguing using a passage from Hamlet, Kind Lear,and Macbeth.

4 souce from internet, work cited, mla, 12fonth, 7-10 paragraph

William Shakespeare, the greatest writer in English language uses techniques such as logic, emotion, and ethic throughout his writings. These elements which are called logos, pathos, and ethos are represented in his plays. They play an important role in audience attitude toward the play. Effects of these techniques can be seen in plays such as Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth.

Shakespeare uses rhetorical appeals in his writing. The soliloquy by Hamlet for example uses more the expression of pathos. Pathos interferes with emotional appeals, the sentimental imagery, and the visualizations represented in the writing. The character expression of pathos is obvious since he says everything from his heart and is serious about considering suicide. He has an effect on the reader by making the reader feel sympathy towards him and his situation. For example, he says, “For who would bear the whips and scorns at time” (Shakespeare, Pg.4), which means who would deal with life struggles. He also says, “Thus conscience makes coward of us all” (Shakespeare, Pg.4), which means our own inner self stops us from doing what we want.

Logics or logos present common sense appeals and the comparison between two things. Hamlet uses logos when he asks himself if it is more honorable to live with life’s misfortunes or to die young and skip the hardships. He states, “The undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns” (Shakespeare, Pg.4), meaning that the reason why we choose to live life is because we know nothing about death, except that it is final. He follows h...

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... his kinsman and his subject"(act.1 scene.7). Macbeth also explains that he is Duncan's current host, as well as the fact that Duncan is a good king. There are several more reasons not to kill him. However, upon hearing this, Lady Macbeth appeals to pathos, ridiculing Macbeth's masculinity: "When you durst do it, then you were a man; / And to be more than what you were, you would/ Be so much more the man"(P.2, act1, scene7). Pathos is effective because Macbeth feels emasculated after his wife tells him this. Macbeth further defines his ethos, stating that he is not afraid to die: "I will not be afraid of death and bane"(P.3, Act.5, scene3).

In conclusion, Shakespeare uses three different rhetorical appeals in his plays to completely persuade someone. These rhetorical appeals are Logos, Pathos, and Ethos which are used to reveal the characters throughout the play.