Of all of Shakespeare’s plays, Macbeth is perhaps the most effective in its use of rhetoric, most notably within Act One, Scene Seven. This scene portrays an interesting clash between both the logical and pathos driven concerns of Macbeth, and the overwhelmingly pathetic argument of his spouse. The two argue over whether or not Macbeth should commit regicide in order to obtain the throne from the current king, Duncan, with Macbeth initially against doing so and his wife emphatically in favor of the assassination. The passage is exemplary in its usage of rhetorical devices, which, for example, are particularly seen in Shakespeare’s avid employment of parallel sentences and metaphors, and of course the scene's artful use of pathos. Arguably, only through thoughtful and analytical reflection, can one garner a true appreciation for the rhetoric involved in Macbeth's acquiescence to the ad hominem argument of his wife and his inner ambitions.
The scene begins with Macbeth alone on stage, contemplating the prophecy he had received from the three witches. Almost immediately into Macbeth’s soliloquy does one find a notable rhetorical device; demonstrated in a short but powerful parallel sentence. Speaking of Duncan’s assassination, he says that it, “Might be the be-all and the end-all here”. (1, 7, 5) By having the two parallel phrases, “be-all” and “end-all” Macbeth establishes an ultimatum through his use of absolutes; his decision now will be forever lasting and forever his only decision. Within the next line Shakespeare employs the use of imagery for an rhetorical effect; his statement that, “But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, / We’d jump the life to come.” (1, 7, 6-7) Here Shakespeare constructs a creative metaphor; by ref...
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...at of pathetic argument. There is also a large degree of other devices such as parallel sentences and metaphors, and not to forget instances of contrasting and juxtaposing images; as well as the use of imagery merely for its own ends. Many of these devices are used to reinforce the arguments of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, as well as to simply enliven the quality of the play. It should be noted that the latter’s argument is close to being entirely pathos driven, with much of her language focused on arousing emotion within both Macbeth and the audience, while the former is mixed in his utilization of the Aristotelian triangle. As blatant as some of Shakespeare’s rhetoric may seem, one must truly analyze his works in order to gain a deeper appreciation of how he utilizes rhetorical devices and twists the English language to his liking, all to great dramatic effect.
Theatre has always been riddled with superstitions and curses throughout history. Be it the last lantern lit to ward off ghosts, to saying “break a leg”, to prohibiting whistling in the theatre. ( ) However one of the most popular superstitions is about Shakespeare’s Macbeth. This superstition states, that if the name “Macbeth” is spoken outside the lines of the play, disaster will strike the theatre. Performers, stagehands, producers and essentially all who interact with the play can bypass this “Scottish Curse” by referring to the play as “the Scottish play.” Macbeth is full of violence, disorder and blood, it's got ghoulish ghosts, manipulation, deceit, assassination, and witchcraft and provides bountiful ground for dark musings. This “Curse” has run rampant throughout the ages. The cause of this is most likely its mild hazing aspect. Veteran actors spin a tale of woe and tragedy that they witnessed due to someone invoking the curse, lending credibility to the “Curse” Then when accidents occur around Macbeth, those that believe in the superstition mention and mutter about the “Curse”. Thus the “Curse of Macbeth” has grown into one of the most infamous theatre superstitions because of the many legends behind its origin, the numerous rituals to “cleanse” the evil the “Curse” invokes, and the multiple tragic accidents and events the “Curse” supposedly caused.
For every occurrence there must be a motivation; this ideal is exemplified in Macbeth by Shakespeare. As this story progresses many ghastly murders unfold, furthering the ideal of how a simple drive for ambition can turn dark very quickly. Throughout this illustrious play, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth develop, and then suffer the consequences of their cold-blooded corruption of ambition.
The format of this written task is me interviewing the three main characters that appear in one of the most famous plays of Shakespeare, Macbeth: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and one of the witch from the three witches. The questions that I am focused on are the characterization of each character or about how they think about the other characters that appear in the play or thoughts on Shakespeare on how he described him or her self as a character appearing in the play.
Pressure is inevitable – it is something that is felt by all, whether the source is from within or as a result of other people and events. Throughout Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the main character is faced with many pressures, both internal and external. Although his pressures are external at first, they later become internal and affect his character as well as his sanity. Macbeth feels externally pressured by his wife and the three apparitions given to him by the witches. Consequently, he begins to feel mentally pressured by his fear to secure the throne, his paranoia, and his sense of tyranny and blood lust. These pressures cause his character to change, which leads him into greater downfall. When one is faced with pressure, both from within or from an outer source, their character is greatly influenced and subject to many changes.
“If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me Without my stir?” Macbeth ponders after three witches foresee that he will become king in the tragic play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare (349). Macbeth is wondering how he could become king of Scotland without him intervening as he is not in line for the throne. He believes that he will have to take action to gain this position. Macbeth was right to doubt fate, because his choices led to his ascension to the throne and, later in the play, to his downfall.
Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's more popular plays, and nearly everyone knows about the abundant blood and gore, the witches, Lady Macbeth's ambition, and the ghost of Banquo. However, not as many people know about the superstitions that surround this play. There's a long-standing belief that the play is jinxed, than any company that produces it is courting disaster, and that quoting from the play (or even saying the title) leads to serious bad luck.
The main theme of Macbeth-the destruction wrought when ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints-finds its most powerful expression in the play's two main characters. Macbeth is a courageous Scottish general who is not naturally inclined to commit evil deeds, yet he deeply desires power and advancement. He kills Duncan against his better judgment and afterward stews in guilt and paranoia. Toward the end of the play he descends into a kind of frantic, boastful madness. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, pursues her goals with greater determination, yet she is less capable of withstanding the repercussions of her immoral acts. One of Shakespeare's most forcefully drawn female characters, she spurs her husband mercilessly to kill Duncan and urges him to be strong in the murder's aftermath, but she is eventually driven to distraction by the effect of Macbeth's repeated bloodshed on her conscience. In each case, ambition helped, of course, by the malign prophecies of the witches is what drives the couple to ever more terrible atrocities. The problem, the play suggests, is that once one decides to use violence to further one?s quest for power, it is difficult to stop. There are always potential threats to the throne?Banquo, Fleance, Macduff?and it is always tempting to use violent means to dispose of them.
Can any reader of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth not feel the dark hand of death hovering over his head? Why does this sensation occur?
In the play of “Macbeth”, Shakespeare gradually and effectively deepens our understanding of the themes and most importantly the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The main theme of Macbeth is ambition, and how it compels the main characters to pursue it. The antagonists of the play are the three witches, who symbolise the theme appearance and reality. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relation is an irony throughout the play, as most of their relation is based on greed and power. This is different from most of Shakespeare’s other plays, which are mostly based on romance and trust. There is also guilt that leads Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the final consequences of the play. As the progresses, the constant changes in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are exposed.
When looking back on the recent decades or even last week, it is not difficult to find a Macbeth-like figure in mainstream American culture. In this it is meant that these individuals experience a downfall in an attempt to gain power. One such figure was former President Richard Nixon.
Lady Macbeth was “choked with ambition”. Her infatuation to be queen is the single feature that Shakespeare developed far beyond that of her counterpart in the historical story he used as his source. Lady Macbeth persistently taunts her husband for his lack of courage, even though we know of his bloody deeds on the battlefield. At this point in time, with all her will converging towards seizing the throne, she has shown no signs of remorse or hesitance in her actions and hence preventing the events in the narrative from digressing away from imperative themes and climaxes of the play.
Lady Macbeth, one of the main characters in the play Macbeth, is an example of a character that throughout the course of the play has had a change of heart of some sorts. Lady Macbeth's conscience, which seems to have never appeared or mattered to her before, suddenly becomes an uncontrollable part of her psychological state of being.
"Metaphors in Shakespeare's Macbeth - A Detailed Look at Biblical Imagery in the Tragedy Macbeth." Shakespeare Online. Web. 11 Jan. 2012. .
text of the play seems to imply that Macbeth is indeed responsible for his own
Macbeth is performed over two thousand times each year and as a result makes it one of the most produced plays ever. William Shakespeare is by far the greatest playwright to ever live. He inspired many, and 420 years have gone by and he is still known and his plays are read. Shakespeare’s eloquent words and famous quotes are what make his plays interesting. In Macbeth, the flow Shakespeare’s ideas throughout the various lines are put in a way that they create a mood for the audience and intrigue them more in what’s is happening. Shakespeare’s distinctive use of iambic pentameter, expressive style and most importantly his use of literary elements amplify the dialect in Macbeth. Irony, similes and alliterations are used to attract and confound the Elizabethan audience.