Within the pages of the play Macbeth, one can find the five distinct literary devices of symbolism, allusion, alliteration, personification, and repetition used throughout. These three devices aid the story along and help develop the plot and characters each in a different way. With the use of symbolism, or the practice of representing things by means of symbols that give significance to objects (The Free Dictionary 2011), events, or relationships, one can see that this device helps the overall plot and development of characters by showing the significance of emotions, such as guilt, by the players. Symbolism brings a lot to the overall work as it gives the readers a deeper look into the emotions brought up in the play, helps the reader associate symbols to actual meanings, and gives the story a kind of depth that would not be there without. One quotation that shows the use of symbolism is by Lady Macbeth, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say…Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” (Act 5, Scene 1, lines 30-34) (Sparknotes 2011). This quote shows the imagined blood on Lady Macbeth’s hands as the symbol of the guilt and remorse, as well as fright, that she feels over all the deaths that have been implemented by her in the play. Lady cannot get rid of the blood which is a symbol for how she cannot get the deaths out of her consciousness. Allusion, or a passing reference to something in the Bible, history, or literature, is used in the play as a way of letting the reader and audience gain depth into the story and overall it helps the actors get the meaning they are trying to convey across to the audience. One quotation that shows the use of allusion is by Malcolm, “Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.” (Act 4, Scene 3, line 23) (Sparknotes 2011). This quote is a biblical allusion that refers to the angel Lucifer’s fall from grace. In the context of the play, the quotes is in reference to Macbeth and how even though everything that is evil tries to present itself as good, there will always be a flaw and evil will never prevail. Alliteration, or the repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables (The Free Dictionary 2011), is used in the play Macbeth to get an actor’s point across in a powerful and intense fashion.
The first literary device is a simile and it paints a picture in the readers head.
Lady Anne’s monologue in act 1 scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s historical play Richard III is one of sorrow and hate. Anne is mourning the loss of her father in law King Henry VI who was murdered by the same man that killed her husband. Although she never says it during the monologue, we soon find out that the Lady knows that Richard is the one that has caused her all of this pain. The beginning of this section of Lady Anne’s monologue uses alliteration to emphasize her pain, by having many of the words start with the same continent it stresses the word allowing the reader to see that it is much more important than other sections of the text. Anne also reuses the word cursed when referring to how she believes the murderers life should be.
(Macbeth 1. 1. line 1). This is a good example of darkness imagery because when
William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is truly a masterpiece of writing, and a great example of this is Shakespeare’s use of the writing technique Elision to create a feeling of suspense, as well as provoking imagery and emotion throughout the play. This writing technique is used by making key events take place of stage. These such events were the killing of king Duncan, the death of Lady Macbeth and the beheading of Macbeth.
The songs that I will be dedicating in this play are for the character Macbeth. He is the most unique entity who is constantly changing his personality and developing more evil traits. These songs will represent all of the Macbeth’s major characteristics and the events that led to demonstrating and revealing what kind of person he is. Every crime he committed had a big consequence on his conscience. The lyrics or the mood of the song will, in some way, describe Macbeth and his behavior in this play.
God and the devil have a strong presence in “Macbeth”. The characters look to heaven and hell as places they have to try and strive towards or steer away from. God and the devil seem to be the driving and obvious force behind the happenings of the tragedy. They mold the characters into what they are. Even when things do not end up in their favor. The witches have an impact on the whole theme of the play. They are the ones who start to label Macbeth with titles, which he does not yet posses. The witches predict the future, which is to Macbeth’s liking. “All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis. All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor. All hail Macbeth, that’s shalt be king hereafter!”(1.3.46-48). Macbeth at this time was only the Thane of Glamis and he knew he had aspirations of becoming king, but wanted to know how these witches would know to say such things. “…tell me more…But how of Cawdor? The thane of Cawdor lives, a prosperous gentleman, and to be king stands not within the prospect of belief.” (1.3.68-73) The witches at this point fade out and leave Banquo and Macbeth to speculate. Ross and Angus enter and tell Macbeth that that the Thane of Cawdor is going to be executed and that Macbeth will take on the title. In Macbeth’s mind this means that he is going to be king. Since the witches were able to predict that he was going to be Thane of Cawdor then he believes he is definitely going to be king. “What can the devil speak true?”(1.3.107) This is Banquo’s reaction after Ross “hails” Macbeth with his new title, Thane of Cawdor. Banquo starts to wonder if what the witches proclaimed, would actually come true. If what they said did come true for him it would mean his children would be kings. This quote is sort of strange to me. I am taking it as he refers to the witches as the devil. I don’t know how he came to this conclusion; maybe it is just how he is trained to think towards anyone that can see the future. The witches planted this thought into Macbeth’s head about being king. Since the Cawdor topic came true with ease he believes that him becoming king will also be an easy transition.
Through the chronicles of history there have always been heroes. Men and women that stand up and take charge and are moral leaders of countries. Joan of Arc, Napoleon, Genghis Khan and Churchill are only a few examples of people that are remember eternally for what they have done. There are also other leaders that people would like to forget because they are moral cowards killing their subject and causing evil. Stalin, Fidel Castro, and the Character of Macbeth are all examples of this. Macbeth is a moral coward. During the play Macbeth often shows that he is morale coward. For instance, when he is planning Duncan’s murder. Likewise he also shows cowardice by killing Banquo. Lastly he shows how spineless he is when he orders Macduffs family to be murdered.
Literary Devices used in Macbeth Imagine how dull a Shakespearean play would be without the ingenious literary devices and techniques that contribute so much to the fulfillment of its reader or viewer. Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy that combines fact and legend to tell the story of an eleventh century king. Shakespeare uses numerous types of literary techniques to make this tragic play more appealing. Three literary devices that Shakespeare uses to make Macbeth more interesting and effective are irony, symbolism, and imagery. One technique that Shakespeare uses is ironic.
Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood in MacBeth to represent treason, guilt, murder and death. These ideas are constant throughout the book. There are many examples of blood representing these three ideas in the book.
Darkness evokes feelings of evilness and a disturbance in nature. Macbeth's statement, "Now o'er the one half-world / Nature seems dead" (Lines 49 - 50), might mean that the world seems dead everywhere he looks, or it might give him the idea that the murder he is about to commit will have far-reaching repercussions. In Act V, Scene i, Line 10, the doctor says, "A great perturbation in nature," while talking about Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking, emphasizing how nature is disturbed by human doings. The witches' chorus on Act I, Scene i, Line 10, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," is a paradox and a prophecy that makes the reader think about the line to find some meaning for themselves.
In the first scene of the first act, three witches plan their next meeting in which they will encounter Macbeth. It is in this scene that the motif is first presented, as the tree witches chant, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air" (1.1.11-12). The witches meet again in scene three of act one. One of the witches discusses a curse she has placed on a woman's husband, because she refused to share her food. This display of evil powers and spitefulness, suggests that the witches may have some influence in the development of the motif. Macbeth enters during this scene along with Banquo, arriving from a victorious battle. He uses the motif to describe the day as "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" (1.3.38). When Macbeth encounters the witches, they give him two predictions. One is that he will become the thane of Cawdor, and then the king of Scotland.
Macbeth, the shortest and perhaps darkest play by Shakespeare, is a tale of over-riding ambition, human nature, and supernatural meddling. Macbeth is the main character in the play, and although he begins the story a loyal subject and brave hero, the power bestowed on him poisens and corrupts him until he eventually turns evil and seeks more, to his downfall. As the central figure of the play, Macbeth sets in motion a sequence of events that brings about the destruction and eventual rebirth of Scotland, giving the play an essentially dark tone. There are, however, varying degrees of evil, subtly different in texture and context. One way Shakespeare indicates the styles of evil throughout the play Macbeth is through the use of sounds. Sounds in the play fall under four categories: nature, man-made, the sounds of battle, and human cries.
Macbeth, and all of William Shakespeare's other works include several universal themes. Shakespeare incorporates these themes into his works to emphasize meanings and points. Several times in Macbeth nature is out of order which coincides with unpleasant events occurring. This happens many times in Macbeth. Shakespeare demonstrates this using setting, characters, and dialog.
William Shakespeare’s usage of stage techniques and language effects in Macbeth are extraordinarily used in creating gradual tension from the moment King Duncan is killed by Macbeth, followed by a short relaxation period and then increasing it again until the climax point of the act of regicide. The reader and the audience are kept in suspense right from the beginning of the play until the final scene.