Shakespeare's Macbeth is a tragic hero story, where the leading man dabbles with magic and murder. In Shakespeare's tragedy, the leading man Macbeth comes across a trio of witches, who give him a prophecy. The prophecy states that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor then ultimately become king of Scotland. Macbeth is pressured by outside forces to kill the King to be named King of Scotland himself. Shakespeare utilizes clothing imagery to indicate the titles that Macbeth wears. The recurrence of clothing is one of Shakespeare's motif meant to inform the reader or listener of the theme. Throughout the play, Macbeth receives two new titles; one that he had earned and the other he had stolen. The first title in the story is the Thane of Cawdor, and …show more content…
this title was given to him for his achievements therefore rightfully his.
However, the second title, King of Scotland, was stolen and it is apparent that it doesn't fit Macbeth honestly. Once the theme of corrupted ambitions emerges in the play, the clothing motif is also used to hide one's intent. Clothing in the tragedy is used to represent the titles that Macbeth acquires and further depicts the personas that coincide with them.
Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses a clothing motif to represent Macbeth's different titles and what others think of him. At the start of the play, Macbeth already bears the title Thane of Glamis. After Norway invaded Scotland and Macbeth captures the Thane of Cawdor in a local rebellion, Macbeth receives the title of Cawdor. When Macbeth was announced Thane of Cawdor by Ross, he replies with, "Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?" (Act I, Scene III, Line 108-109). When Macbeth says "borrowed robes" he is referring to the previous Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth is under the assumption the Thane of Cawdor is still alive and is unaware that Duncan, the King of Scotland, has deemed the previous Thane of Cawdor to death. The "borrowed clothes" in the quote are a symbol for the title of Cawdor. The importance of this symbol is, it describes Macbeth as uncomfortable and uneasy
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with the thought of taking someone else's place, and by using the word, "borrowed" suggests that he recognizes the title is not rightfully his.
Macbeth has told his wife, Lady Macbeth, that he has changed his mind about killing King Duncan, "We will proceed no further in this business: / He hath honored me of late, and I have bought / Golden opinions from all sorts of people, / which would be worn now in their newest gloss, / not cast aside so soon." (Act I, Scene vi, Lines 31-35) Macbeth feels honored that the King trusts him and doesn't want to go further with the plan to assassinate Duncan so he can be King. The clothes being “worn” represents Macbeth's newly gained respect and title of Cawdor. He believed he and Lady Macbeth should be content with and delighted to show off this title, instead of throwing it all away, to achieve something else. This quote demonstrates Macbeth does not start off as overly ambitious, but rather is initially appreciative and satisfied with his title and
desires to be noble. Macduff is the Thane of Fife mistrusts Macbeth and suspects him of regicide, “Well, may you see things well done there. Adieu,/Lest our old robes sit easier than our new!" (II.iv.37-38) Macduff is wishing everyone all the best but also implying that they may find Macbeth to be a worse king then Duncan was. The clothing motif has consistently been used metaphorically, to represent title and respect, as well as Macbeth's internal conflicts. Macduff has used the metaphor of "robes" to represent the "king" and "old robes" to represent King Duncan. This quote suggests that the new title may not fit Macbeth properly. Angus, a thane, speaking about Macbeth, implies he took on to great of a role as king “...now does he feel his title/ hang loose about him, like a giant's robe/ upon a dwarfish thief.” (V.ii. 20-23). Angus states that Macbeth's title as king is ill-fitting and fits him as if it were oversized clothes. Angus believes the “loose” clothes no longer fit Macbeth since he no longer has the greatness or ability to fill them. The clothing motif has consistently been used metaphorically, to represent title and respect, as well as Macbeth's internal uncertainty. Shakespeare makes use of articles of clothing to represent the actions and intentions that the play must convey. While Macbeth is contemplating on whether or not to kill Duncan he understands he has no justification for the act. He then goes on to say the only reason for committing murder is for is own “vaulting ambition,” “I have no spur/ to prick the sides of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself...” (I. vii 26-27). Macbeth has no intent to rush to something that is too good to be true and would ultimately lead to a big downfall. The use of the “spur” is interpreted as Macbeth's feeling to want to stop or yelled his intent to kill. In this metaphor Shakespeare utilizes a “spur”, a tool that attaches to a riding boot that controls a horse's movement; an object to get the horse to move. This “spur” symbolizes Macbeth's intent to kill, and without it, “I have no spur”, Shakespeare relays to the audience that Macbeth has no motivation to kill Duncan. This metaphor shows Macbeth's less intense side and indicates and that he understands the consequences that could follow the act of killing Duncan. While Macbeth and Lady Macbeth discuss their discomfort of knowing Banquo, a friend of Macbeth and one who heard the prophecy with him, is still alive; he states, “Unsafe the while that we must have our honors in these flattering streams and make our faces vizards to our hearts.” (III.ii.32-34) . Macbeth suggests that Lady Macbeth and himself have to disguise their true intentions with “vizards,” a mask. The definition of a vizard is a mask or visor, and Macbeth is stating that they must once again hide their true appearances. Macbeth doesn't literally mean they must wear masks but means they must produce false emotions. Malcolm, Duncan's son, is trying to figure out if Macduff is a friend or a foe and in doing so he states, “Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace,/yet grace must still look so.” (IV.iii. 23-24) Malcolm is saying that evil people try to look like innocent people and they wear metaphorical disguises to hide their real intention towards a person. What seems good may be evil, and what appears to be evil may be good. Once again Shakespeare uses clothing or something someone can wear, to hide one's true intentions. The clothing motif has been utilized numerous of times throughout Shakespeare's tragic hero story, Macbeth. These motifs have represented the titles that Macbeth obtains and the secret agendas that must be concealed. Shakespeare intends for the motif of clothing to develop the themes of the play, such as ambition. The motif is also used as imagery and allows the readers and listeners to understand the play better. Further, he uses them to incorporate his audience into the play. For instants, Shakespeare writes “borrowed robes” and in doing this, he prompts the audience to feel uneasy, along with Macbeth simultaneously. The audience, being anyone from lower or upper class, can all relate that sharing clothes can make one feel uncomfortable, especially if priorly worn. The idea of Shakespeare connecting his writing to the audience is also seen when he uses “new robes” to identify a class. The audience can relate to the idea that new clothes mean one has the money to afford them and with that they have respect.
The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare starts off with a noble warrior Named Macbeth that is titled thane of Glamis by his own uncle, King Duncan. Macbeth is awarded thane of Cawdor due to the switching sides of the original title holder who is hanged for treason. Macbeth who is deceived by his wife kills the king in a plot for power and they put the blame on the guards by laying bloody daggers next to them. Macbeth begins to lose himself as the play goes on. He kills his best friend Banquo and Macduff’s wife and kids. Lady Macbeth kills herself as she goes crazy from all the killings and then that is when Macbeth completely loses himself. Macbeth is told by the witches that he cannot be killed by any one of women born. Macduff and Malcolm, heir to the throne who fled Scotland think of a plan to kill Macbeth. Macbeth faces Macduff and Malcolm’s army alone as he is labeled a tyrant and is abandoned by everyone. He faces the army fearlessly as he cannot killed by any one of woman born but fails to realize that Macduff was born of C-section leading to his downfall and Macbeth is Beheaded. Malcolm becomes the new king. Lady Macbeth's deception had a dramatic effect on the play leading to a dramatic change in many lives. The three main points that will be discussed are how Lady Macbeth becomes deceived; how Lady Macbeth deceives others and the results from Lady Macbeth deceiving others. Lady Macbeth, was simply minded and became easily deceived.
Through the course of the book Macbeth transforms from an honorable and noble man to a selfish and hateful person. His bravery is apparent to all and a captain reporting to the king put it best when he said, I must report he was a cannon overcharged with double cracks (Act I, scene II). Macbeth also shows a great deal of loyalty when he is greeted by the king, as thane of Cawdor (Act I, scene IV) . The Captain boldly explains to the king how Macbeth fought with such valor and loyalty for the King. The King is excited with joy and happiness for Macbeth and sends two knights to inform Macbeth of his new title thane of Cawdor. Macbeth receives the news with a shock saying that the thane of Cawdor is still alive and well, the knight responds telling Macbeth that the thane of Cawdor has betrayed the king.
In the first Act of Macbeth, Shakespeare uses loose clothing as a symbol of changing times. After Macbeth defeats Macdonwald, a traitor, he becomes the new Thane of Cawdor. Once he accepts his new title, he removes his fighting armor and replaces it with robes. He asks the people present, “Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?” (1.4.108-9). Macbeth infers that the clothes of the previous Thane of Cawdor, the traitor, do not fit him. Shakespeare uses this symbolism throughout the play to show how Macbeth evolves into a greedy and murderous monster. Toward the final scenes of the play, Macbeth realizes what he has become. While Macbeth requests to be put into his armor for his last battle, Angus makes a comment about him to Menteith, Caithness, and Lennox, “Those he commands move only in command, nothing in love. Now does he feel his title hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief” (5.2.19-22). Angus says that anyone who follows Macbeth does so only out of command to do so, not out of love. He also remarks that the title of “King” does not fit Macbeth, but rather it hangs around him like a dwarf in a giant’s clothing. Shakespeare shows the transformations of Macbeth simply through what he we...
Shakespeare uses the technique of foreshadowing to increase the tension as the play gets more intense. It is incredibly evident that he uses the group of witches as the main source of foreshadowing. It is when Macbeth first comes across the witches that they share their thoughts and revelations with him. When the witches initially see Macbeth they welcome him with three names "Thane of Glamis," "Thane of Cawdor," and "King Hereafter”, all of which foreshadow the coming days. In the next scene the Thane of Cawdor is killed so Macbeth is faced with the title, as he is next in line t...
Macbeth begins to defer from his original character when he learns of the witches’ prophecies, which leads him to believe he is fated to be king and to pursue that “destiny.” After the witches make the prophecies, he merely views the thought of himself becoming king as something that “Stands not within the prospect of belief” (I. iii. 77). Macbeth’s disbelief of their claim of him obtaining the crown reveals how Macbeth does not trust the witches’ words and has no true ambition to become king. However soon after Banquo’s and Macbeth’s encounter with the witches, a messenger of the King greets him with the title of Thane of Cawdor as well as the title of Thane of Glamis as the witches had also done. These two titles are seen from Macbeth as “Two truths [that] are told/ As happy prologues to the swelling act/ Of the imperial theme” (I. iii. 140-142). Having one of the two prophecies become reality validates the witches’ words and makes Macbeth take their words seriously to be the truth, sparking his desire for power to fulfill the last prophecy. He now believes that what the witches have made it his destiny to become king, and it is his duty to fulfill it. Through Duncan and Macbeth’s dialogue, Macbeth hears about Malcolm b...
Macbeth is the story of how an ordinary war hero becomes king and later goes chaotic with power. The story starts off in Scotland when Macbeth and Banquo meet some witches who predict their futures, telling Macbeth that he will be Thane of Cawdor, and the king of Scotland. Ross; one of the king’s lords, delivers the news that Macbeth has become the new Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth now believes that he will become king. To achieve this, Macbeth invites King Duncan over for a dinner.
The literary clothing motif is connected most with loyalty. If Macbeth had truly been loyal to Scotland and his King, then Duncan would not have been killed for his power, status, or wealth. Macbeth was persuaded by Lady Macbeth to kill their King, Duncan. After Duncan’s death, Macbeth took his position as King, and doing so, he started wearing higher status clothing. Act 4, scene 3, Malcolm speaks to Ross and Macduff about “pulling down a man’s hat”, to pull down a man’s hat is a symbol of decreasing his social status. Lower class, slaves, servants, bums, and lower status people typically
Macbeth uses his appearance to deceive others on several occasions throughout the play. For example, in Act 3, Scene 1, after hearing the witches’ prophecies and becoming the Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth begins to consider murdering the current king of Scotland, Duncan. He says:
Act I of Shakespeare’s Macbeth serves as the beginning and exposition for the story to come, a tragedy filled with deceit and dishonor. This is made clear through the introduction of the titular character, Macbeth himself, and the dichotomy that develops within him. Before Macbeth ever enters the act, he is spoken of by a Scottish captain as among the bravest and most valuable soldiers in the army under King Duncan. After hearing of this account, Duncan has the utmost respect for Macbeth, exclaiming that he is “smack of honor” (ii. 61) and rewarding his courage with the title of Thane of Cawdor. At this point in the play, Macbeth is not only appears as a noble and worthy subject, but every indication suggests that this is the reality of his
In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a courageous and well-respected soldier who is loyal to his King and country. He is described by one of King Duncan's men as “brave Macbeth.” As a result of his bravery on the battlefield, Duncan decides to reward Macbeth with a new title – the Thane of Cawdor – as the last Thane was proven to be disloyal; however, Macbeth is unaware of this, and this creates tension in the audience. The opening scenes show that Macbeth is a powerful and courageous man who is not naturally inclined to do wrong, but is capable of being brutal when he needs to be. The meeting with the witches also reveal that Macbeth is a very ambitious man who craves an even greater power. There is contrast between Macbeth’s and Banquo’s attitudes towards the witches’ prophecies. Whilst Banquo dismissed the witches’ prophecies, Macbeth was “rapt withal.” This shows that Macbeth has thought about being “king hereafter.” Macbeth's first soliloquy reveals his deep desire to be king. His soliloquy also reveals that he would do anything to achieve it.
Using clothing imagery, Shakespeare develops Macbeth's character. This is evident, as, imagery of clothing shows us Macbeth's ambition and the consequences thereof. We see this ambition, through Banquo, when he says, "New honours come upon him, / Like our strange garments, cleave not to their / mould but with the aid of use." (Shakespeare, Macbeth I, III, 144-146), meaning that new clothes do not fit our bodies, until we are accustomed to them. Throughout the entire play, Macbeth is constantly wearing new clothes (titles), that are not his, and do not fit. Hence, his ambition. This ambition, as we see, is what leads to his demise. When Macbeth first hears the prophecy that he will be King, he does not see how it can be so, "to be king / Stands not within the prospect of belief" (I, III, 73-74). However, Macbeth's ambitious nature becomes visible when he considers murdering King Duncan to claim the throne, "If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well / It were done quickly" (I, VII, 1-2). His ambition is encouraged by Lady Macbeth, of whom attempts to convince him to commit this crime, and lay claim to the throne. He is reluctant however, as Macbeth states, "I have bought / Golden opinions from all sorts of people, / Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, / Not cast aside so soon" (I, VII, 32-35). Macbeth compares being recently named the Thane of Cawdor to a new set of clothes. He believes that he his not ready to be king, and thus not ready for a new set of clothes. He states that the clothes that they have should be worn for a little while longer. However, Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth otherwise, and he proceeds, and murders King Duncan.
One of the biggest hidden concepts in this play is the idea of deception. Deception happens very prominently throughout the play by many different characters. These individuals used deception in order to achieve a personal gain, though there is an opportunity cost to this personal gain, thus leading to cloaking of true individual intent. Lady Macbeth faultlessly portrays this idea of deception when she tells Macbeth to “Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, Your hand, Your tongue look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under’t” (1, 5, 65-66) she wants Macbeth to hide his true intentions that way he can grow close to his aspiration of killing the king. In addition, Macbeth continues his deception as he exclaims “That
King Duncan trusts Macbeth too much. Macbeth appears as a superhero and faithful to King Duncan. He fights against the traitor Macdonwald, and he helps the king to solve a great problem that wins the war. Duncan trusts Macbeth very much because of Macbeth’s heroic efforts and he gives Macbeth the title “Thane of Cawdor”. In actuality, Macbeth is not as faithful to the king as he appears. He has the ambition to become king after hearing the prophecies from the three witches. After Macbeth returns to his castle, he makes plans with Lady Macbeth to kill Duncan when he comes to visit. As soon as Duncan arrives, he says something very important. Duncan says, “This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air/ Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself/ Unto our gentle senses” (I.vi.1-3). This quote shows that Duncan, like Macbeth, even feels that Macbeth’s place is comfortable for him. Duncan never suspects the trustworthiness of Macbeth and never does anything to guard himself. Macbeth kills Duncan easily. Therefore MacBeth’s appearance deceives Duncan.
William Shakespeare draws Macbeth as an ambitious usurper who nevertheless has certain virtues: courage, righteousness, and a devoted love for his wife. In doing so, Shakespeare shows he understands the dual nature of human beings. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a courageous and noble warrior, who valiantly fought for his King, until he finally meets the witches. “For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name”, (Act 1, Scene 2, Line 16). Dramatic irony is tied in as only the audience know that Macbeth will soon betray the king – displaying his duplicity. Macbeth is praised for his courage in battle by the Sergeant. “O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!” replies Duncan, and we, the audience see the esteem Macbeth is held in and the nobility he has shown as a loyal solider and kinsman. This leads to Macbeth being ennobled with the Thaneship of Cawdor which later engenders in him hope for inheriting the crown. Soon, Macbeth meets the witches and they prophesise that Macbeth will be crowned king of Scotland – unleashing his passion for ambition whi...
In the play, Macbeth possesses many strengths such as honor, respect, and he was viewed as being courageous. Macbeth was given the title “Thane of Cawdor " because he used his strengths to his advantage and was recognized for them. “For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name--Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel, Which smoked with bloody execution, Like valour's minion carv'd out his passage, Till he fac'd the slave" (Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 16-20). This is the king speaking highly of Macbeth and the qualities he has and praising him for them. The one major event that changes Macbeth forever is when he murders Banquo. After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth slowly lo...