Shakespeare’s Literary Elements in Macbeth Several literary elements are used in Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. These elements help better understand the play. One literary element that he uses is symbolism. One example of this is in act one, scene three, when the Witches are together saying their chant one of them said, “A drum, a drum!/ Macbeth doth come” (Shakespeare 1. 3. 30-31). The significance of this is it represents how great Macbeth is and how well he is respected. Later in the play, during the third act, Macbeth appears to see a floating dagger right before he kills King Duncan, “dagger/ [...] a false creation,/ Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?” (Shakespeare 2. 1. 38-40) The reader knows the dagger symbolizes killing King
The dagger is a representation of Macbeth 's intent to kill Duncan, as he reaches out to take the murder weapon when he sees it, saying "come, let me clutch thee," and it leads him "the way that [he] was going," to Duncan 's room (2.1.35;2.1.43). The blood staining the dagger, therefore, is a way for his conscience to manifest the guilt and horror he feels at killing the king. The fact that there are "gouts of blood" rather than a few drops tells the reader of the depth of his guilt, and foreshadows both the gory visions he will have and the way they will stick with him (2.1.47). The symbol of blood enhances the theme by providing a stronger, visual image for it, which, coupled with the dagger and what it represents, delivers a more impactful message to the audience than a mere statement of the theme could.
Macbeth is aware that the dagger is only a figment of his imagination, but he believes it is only because heat (considered a fluid in the Renaissance era) was pressing on his brain which was causing his fever and
The play “Macbeth”, by Shakespeare, contains many motifs. Two very powerful motifs that Shakespeare illustrates in this play are blood, and weather. Blood is important because it shows that this play is violent, and the blood physically shows that these characters in the play are warriors. Weather plays an important role because it usually foreshadows events that are about to take place. For example, a storm usually foreshadows terrible things, like death and destruction.
“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.
(5.1.46-48) This shows that Lady Macbeth wants to rid herself of guilt, to wipe her hands clean of blood. At the start of the play, Lady Macbeth has an intense desire to become queen and will go to great lengths to become royalty. However, this passionate ambition causes her to conduct wicked deeds, the consequences of which tear her apart from the inside, first by driving her insane, then taking her life. The vision of the dagger encourages the pursuit of ambition, and Lady Macbeth’s suffering demonstrates the deadly results of it.
Upon his return home, Macbeth and his Lady decided upon a course of action that was dastardly and by no means legitimate. The terrible twosome prepared to assassinate their good King Duncan, in order to clear the way for Macbeth to take the throne. On his way to Duncan’s chambers, Macbeth is visited by a hallucination of a bloody dagger, floating in the air before his eyes. This leaves him shaken, questioni...
Macbeth is centered on the murder of the godly king of Scotland, Duncan, by his subordinate Macbeth. Upon receiving supernatural prophecy that he, Macbeth, would be a future king of Scotland, Macbeth immediately begins to plot Duncan’s death. Prior to Macbeth’s corruption, he is indeed seen as an honorable soldier and friend of Duncan. It is Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth, who hears of the prophecy of the witches and becomes determined to see that Macbeth takes matters into his own hands. Shakespeare enables the reader to closely monitor both the mind and imagination of Macbeth as he falls from his nobility. The night of the planned murder, Macbeth witnesses a vision of two daggers – the soon-to-be murder weapons – in his hands. As his mind slips from reality, he cries, “Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight?” (2.1.36). His delusional state spawns from his self-inflicted anxiety, which cuts into his conscience deeper than any physical blade. The more the evil grows in Macbeth’s heart, the more the apparent – and ironic – reality of the dagger becomes to him. According to Harold Bloom, Shakespeare emphasizes how “Macbeth’s imagination does the work of his will.” (Bloom 77). In other words, through the vision of daggers, Macbeth allows his imagination control over his thoughts. He becomes a sl...
The first illusion that Macbeth sees is that of a dagger, floating in the air and convincing him to commit the foul act of murder. Macbeth, at this point, is still together enough to realize what this dagger is. He says, speaking to the dagger, "Art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat oppressed brain?" (II.1, ll. 38-40) Not only does he see a blade at this point,...
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.
text of the play seems to imply that Macbeth is indeed responsible for his own
One of the most important themes in Macbeth involves the witches' statement in Act 1, Scene1 that "fair is foul and foul is fair." (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 10) This phrase aptly describes the macabre status quo within the character Macbeth and without. When Macbeth and Banquo first see the weird sisters, Banquo is horrified by their hideous appearances. Conversely, Macbeth immediately began to converse with these universally known evil creatures. After hearing their prophecies, one can say that Macbeth considered the witches to be "fair" when in reality their intentions were quite "foul." Macbeth's possession of the titles of Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland came by foul means. Macbeth became the Thane of Glamis by his father Sinel's death; he became Thane of Cawdor when the former namesake was executed for treason; and he was ordained King of Scotland after murdering the venerable Duncan. Thus, Macbeth has a rather ghastly way of advancing in life.
Macbeth rejects conformation to traditional gender roles in its portrayal of Lady Macbeth’s relationship with her husband, her morals and their effect on her actions, and her hunger for power. Her regard for Macbeth is one of low respect and beratement, an uncommon and most likely socially unacceptable attitude for a wife to have towards her spouse at the time. She often ignores morality and acts for the benefit of her husband, and subsequently herself. She is also very power-hungry and lets nothing stand in the way of her success. Lady Macbeth was a character which challenged expectations of women and feminism when it was written in the seventeenth century.
away if she isnt grateful for the food that she has recieved. Katharine eventually thanks her husband, but still does not get enough food to satisfy her hunger. Katharine is then told by his “loving” husband to get ready in her best outfit to meet his dad at his house. The tailor then enters the scene, and Petruchio sends the man to get a bigger cap than he initially brought for his wife. Katharine told Petruchio that she is able to talk for herself, and shows more of a dominant role in the relationship that was not initially expressed before. Then, although Katherine thinks highly of the dress, Petruchio fires the tailor after complaining about the dress that he made. Petruchio decides that it is what’s on the inside that counts, and announces
Tragedy is defined as a cause of great suffering, destruction, and distress (Dictionary.com). Macbeth was a great follower to King Duncan. He changed instantly when he heard about the witches’ prophecy. Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s wife, helped him out through all his troubles he has planned. After the first killing, which was King Duncan, Lady Macbeth was not involved in other schemes Macbeth has been planning because of his change in mood. Three of Macbeth’s tragedy elements that impacted the story were his seize of power, subsequent destruction, and his blind ambition.