At the end of Act I, scene v,
we see Lady Macbeth urge her husband to “look
like th’ innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”. In other words, she
encourages him to hide his true feelings. In this scene, we see an interesting
insight into Lady Macbeth’s true feelings. Read her four-line soliloquy at the
beginning of the scene and write a paragraph about its deeper meaning with quotes and techniques. 200 words.
Again, as in Act II, scene ii,
we find Lady Macbeth attempting to stop Macbeth’s spiralling journey into a
state of guilt and anguish. Whether she is worried only for him or for the both
of them, Macbeth appears unable to think about anything else. Discuss the role
they play in this scene and how it lays the platform for how they cope later in
the play. Use quotes and techniques. 200 words.
Post your answers by the end of period 3.
M
Lady Macbeth at the end of Act I, Scene V urges her husband to “look like th’innocent flower but be the serpent under’t” suggests her ambitious intent and manipulative nature through the metaphorical term of juxtaposing a flower and a snake. In her four-line soliloquy, ironically reveals that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth feel that they have spent everything and “nought’s had”; nothing has been won… until that she feels that she safely in her position by having no one against her which is not realistic. The soliloquy expresses that she hasn’t obtained what she wants, ironically when she has what she wanted - she is Queen however she wants to be “thus is nothing but to be safely thus” which Macbeth later says in the play. Her thoughts allegorically tell us that she would rather be the one that “which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy”. The juxtaposition between destruction and joy reveals her hesitation and uncertainty in the kingdom with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s reign and she would rather she be the murderer but be in this position with anxiety. She is always pushing for more and more.
ReplyDeleteLady Macbeth’s 4 line soliloquy at the beginning of Act 3 Scene ii gives the audience an insight into her heart beneath our initial impression. Lady Macbeth says, that they have spent everything by killing Duncan, but gained nothing, even though they are king and queen, because they got what they want but they are still not happy. The reasoning behind the lack of gain is explained by Macbeth earlier quote “To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus”, which means that being King is nothing, but to be safe while King is something. We see that Lady Macbeth is only seeing now that killing Duncan is only part of the battle, and that they would be in a better situation if they had never committed treason. Lady Macbeth also says that it would be a greater situation if they were Duncan and had already been murdered rather than being the murderers and being racked by guilt.
ReplyDeleteWe are reminded throughout the play that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are deeply in love with each other. Lady Macbeth expresses her love to her husband after he returns from his victory in war she praises “Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor,” expressing in alliteration her pleasure and support. She cares greatly for the welfare and future of both of them not only Macbeth nor herself. We understand that Macbeth slowly spirals into the state of “guilt and anguish”, we are reminded that he reassures himself with euphemism, that its a “deed”, “business” “enterprise”. This is a military general who has slaughtered hundreds of soldiers in the battle field but refuses to acknowledge that he is murdering the king. Lady Macbeth senses this and in her role she explains that they should “be bright and jovial among your guests tonight” to disguise “what they are”. She wants Macbeth to relax and enjoy their evening fittingly as royals do. The instant that Macbeth agrees to her, the inversion of roles is reversed. Macbeth leads the descent into darkness calling upon the “seeling night” providing us with darkness imagery. This further outlays the platform for how the attempt to cope later. Macbeth believes the solution for his insecurity is to “scarf up the tender eye of the pitiful day” hiding his “bloody and invisible”. In Shakespeare’s plays, the environment reveals the true consequence that is about to hit them. The cloud brews up as Macbeth speaks “good things of day begin to droop and drowse” relating and sounding similar to the witch’s most famous line “fair is foul and foul is fair”. Shakespeare conveys to us that the day is has turned from great to horribly wrong and shall continue. He says this in relation to the inversion of the roles of the characters.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1
ReplyDeleteAct three scene two reveals a bit more depth to the character of Lady Macbeth in the language that is used and the techniques that are hidden. The reason why this scene reveals such a deviation to previous encounters with Lady Macbeth is due to her masked intentions behind her words. Lady Macbeth begins her soliloquy by saying, “Naught’s had, all’s spent, Where our desire is got without content.” Essentially this subjective language on Lady Macbeth’s behalf is saying what good is it if you get what you want and you’re still not happy, you’ve spent everything and gained nothing. Juxtaposition is used in this phrase to advance the idea that Lady Macbeth is not content with receiving her desires. Irony of the situation is also seen in this quote as Lady Macbeth now has what she wanted but is now uncertain of what she wants anymore.
Lady Macbeth then goes on to say “'Tis safer to be that which we destroy, Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” Once again this phrase reflects a different façade to Lady Macbeth’s traditional mindset. So in a way, she is saying that it’s better to be the person who gets murdered than to be the killer and be tormented with anxiety. This sentence is overflowing with techniques stating off with allusion in the whole sentence. By Lady Macbeth saying these things, she alludes to the fact she is beginning to regret her actions; and it is at this point that her guilt kicks in. In the last line of this phrase, she also uses the word destruction as a powerful verb and then goes on to Juxtapose the idea of dwelling in doubtful joy. These two techniques work hand in hand, foreshadowing what is about to happen. This of course points to later on when she cannot handle the guilt, so she takes her life. All in all, this soliloquy by Lady Macbeth reveals a completely new side to her character in comparison to Act 1 Scene 5. This soliloquy leaves the audience bewildered because in Act 1 Scene 5 it is the quintessential scene of her evil intents being highlighted.
Question 2
Act 2 Scene 2 reveals quite an abnormal relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as it is usually the male that has the authoritarian type of character; and the female has the loving motherly love characteristics. This strange norm begins with Macbeth saying “One cried, “God bless us!” and “Amen” the other, As they had seen me with these hangman’s hands. List'ning their fear I could not say “Amen,” When they did say “God bless us!” This extract stands testimony to the fact that Macbeth is slowly losing his mind as a result of guilt. He is beginning to draw unnecessary attention to minor detail, which just shows that he is paranoid of what he has done. Colloquial and exclamatory language in the word “Amen!” is used to marinate this phrase so that it captures the culture of the time.
Lady Macbeth replies to him by saying “Consider it not so deeply.” Once again, this plays on the disturbance of the natural order that Shakespeare creates in his plays so aptly. Lady Macbeth’s subjective language suggests that she has no problem with handling guilt. This juxtaposes the idea that she is more of a masculine figure than Macbeth who is acting all worried about the actions of servants. Due to this alteration that has been made to the natural order it lays the platform for future strife’s that they may go through together. An exemplification of this would be when Lady Macbeth says to Macbeth,” What’s to be done?” Then Macbeth replies, “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night”. This utterance, despite only being 2 lines returns the natural order to its habitual setting. Macbeth is once again more dominant in masculinity than Lady Macbeth.
Question 1.
ReplyDeleteLady Macbeth is a strong and ambitious woman but with an outstanding underlining of weakness and fear that is cursed through her actions and feelings. All through the beginning of the play she usurps her role in the natural order through her Husband Her power four line soliloquy in Act 3 Scene 2 is a powerful and deep and meaningful resemblance of her thoughts and ideas. “Naughts had, all’s spent”, this foreshadowing embodies the meaning and ending of this play. If you get what you want and you’re still not happy evidently happens at the very end because they get what they want but are still not happy and riddled with guilt. “Where our desire is got without content”, Shakespeare’s use of paradox that she has spent everything but gained nothing from what she and Macbeth have done and the negative outweighing the positives. Yet again the paradox of “Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than be destruction dwell in doubtful joy”, explaining how it’s better to be the person who gets murdered than to be the killer and be tormented with anxiety and be riddled with guilt and live with the depression. The inversion of gender is a persistent and a recurring motion between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth.
Question 2
After Macbeth murders Duncan, he descends into a constant spiral of guilt and depression with death of Duncan, the only thing Macbeth can think about. Macbeth’s guilt and denial compels him to be the weakest link with Lady Macbeth usurping her role with her diarist quality “That death and nature do contend about them, whether they live, or die”. It is clear that he is suffering from the initial stages of remorse and guilt as he admits “this is a sorry sight”, his perturbed tone plain to see to see, offering a window into his soul. Lady Macbeth shows her mental toughness as she urges her husband to “consider it not so deeply”, and, “A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight”, Shakespeare’s use of simple language and unemotional tone highlight that she has indeed been filled, “from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty”. Further on she urges Macbeth that, “These deeds must not be thought after these ways; so it will make us mad”, Her blasé attitude is contrasted with the guilt Macbeth feels now that he has begun his march down his murderous path, even using a clever metaphor and imagery as well as the foreboding of being “mad”, and it eventually destroying one of them. As we know by the end of the play, Macbeth's guilt trip vanishes and is transformed into the ambitious warrior that his wife was so embedded in when he murdered Duncan. The juxtaposition of that strength and the previous guilt was, “To know my deed, ‘twerse best not know myself”.
Question 1:
ReplyDeleteLady Macbeth’s soliloquy at the beginning of Act 3 Scene 2 gives the readers an insight into her beneath the first impression which she gives us. The power of Lady Macbeth has been usurped by her husband and she believes that “Tis safer to be that which we destroy by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” She would rather be dead than have to live in doubt. “Nought’s had, all’s spent” is foreshadowing the end of the play because even though they get what they want, they are still riddled with the guilt of the whole business. Lady Macbeth is really doubting the whole plan of it all, “Nought’s had, all’s spent, Where our desire is got without content.” As she is saying what good is it if you have what you want but you are still not happy, you have used up all your resources but gained nothing. The inversion of power and gender between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is constantly shifting and it is a recurring motion throughout the entirety of the play.
Question 2:
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have an unusual relationship, generally the male is the one in control and is the authoritative person but in Act 2 Scene 2 we see that the roles between these 2 have been swapped. It is clear that he is suffering from the initial stages of remorse and guilt and he admits “this is a sorry sight”, his perturbed tone plain to see, offering a window into his soul. He does not like the look of his King’s blood on his hands, it makes him feel dirty, guilty and unworthy of taking the throne. Lady Macbeth shows her mental toughness as she urges her husband to “consider it not so deeply”, Shakespeare’s use of simple language and unemotional tone highlight that she has indeed been filled “from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty”. Lady Macbeth constantly rebukes him though. “The sleeping and the dead are but as pictures; ’tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil.” The use of a metaphor is powerful as Lady Macbeth relates Macbeth to being that of a child who is constantly afraid. Macbeth is still unable to think about anything else apart from the anguish of it all, he believes that nothing can wash him clean. “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” The use of a hyperbole helps the audience to feel how great the task of it all is weighing down upon Macbeth. Lady Macbeth seems to think nothing of it though and that “A little water clears us of this deed;” is all that she needs to wash it away. Macbeth is still in his spiralling state of anguish, guilt and denial as he is constantly wishing that he did not do it and he would rather not know himself for committing this dreadful act. “To know my deed ‘twere best not know myself.”
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ReplyDelete1. At the start of act 3 scene 2, Lady Macbeth’s true feelings are shown. At first in the play, we actually see that Lady Macbeth has heartless thoughts, trying to convince her husband, Macbeth, to do bad deeds that he never would do if it were his choice. She tells Macbeth to “look like th’ innocent flower but be the serpent unde’t” which is an encouragement to do bad deeds. She tells the spirits to ‘invert’ her gender, to be filled “from the crown to the toe topful of direst cruelty” so she can do the immoral business without feeling guilt in her actions. However, in act 3 scene 2, her true feelings are beginning to be revealed, and the audience can see the guilt that is really within her. The four line soliloquy presented by Lady Macbeth’s character can be considered a pivotal moment of the storyline to the play itself. Within the paragraph, it can be found that Lady Macbeth has found cracks in her plan. “Noughts had, alls spent” informs us that Lady Macbeth and her husband have spent everything on killing King Duncan, however they have gained no assets. She also thinks to herself that “Tis safer to be that which we destroy, than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” This is an important line of the soliloquy, as it reveals her true feelings. She believes deeply in her evil heart that it would be better to be the victim of murder, rather than to commit the deed and live with severe anxiety, which relentlessly traumatises your conscience.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1;
ReplyDeleteAmbition against the natural order defies the logic that could be previously predicted by any mortal being. In the search for Lady Macbeth’s unknown potential, it is said by unearthly beings; that could only be brought through tragedy that is made unspeakable by the murderers, being committed by both herself and her husband, Macbeth. Long after the serpent like murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth has been inaugurated and is made now the Queen of Cawdor. But the means and the drive causing her to reach this point have taken her to the end of her journey, they have now left her with much more than she had ever imagined, with the added weight on her heart now being the wretched grief brought on from the unjust murder of her king. “Tis safer to be that which we destroy, Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” Is it better to be the man left slain or the one left to deal with the bereavement of others? In Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy, it asks a seemingly simple quest; is it better to die or live with grief of murdering? The answer seems simple in that it is human instinct to protect their existence, but living in fear of what you have done previously is hardly living. This juxtaposition is brilliant in contrasting death and remorse as it challenging human instincts.
Question 2;
Macbeth is not what his wife he is a nobleman and has been for years. Although he is a warrior battle hardened and trained to kill, he fights for his king betraying a man that sees him as “My noblemen and my friend”. He risks his life fighting, not for Scotland, but for his King who wills him on in times of hardship. He spars against champions from all over Europe, for the love of one man who would rightly reward him as he has been previously. In killing the man who he has risked his life for many times, killing many men previously for him, it changes him. It’s betraying the man that has given him everything, he even made him a Nobleman, gave him land and everything in between. Once the murder is complete, he is sent into a state of almost giddiness as he comes to terms with what he has done, he realises that he has just defied all of his moral beliefs, and in doing so he has to some how change his mindset from serving and fighting for his king, into thinking it was a justified murder to further his place in society.
At the end of Act I, scene v, we see Lady Macbeth urge her husband to “look like th’ innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”. In other words, she encourages him to hide his true feelings. In this scene, we see an interesting insight into Lady Macbeth’s true feelings. Read her four-line soliloquy at the beginning of the scene and write a paragraph about its deeper meaning with quotes and techniques. 200 words.
ReplyDeleteThis soliloquy shows us that the power of lady Macbeth has begun to be usurped by her husband. Even though she states, “things without all remedy should be without regard”, her powerful four-line soliloquy shows that she believes, “Using those thoughts which should have indeed died”, this ultimately indicates the previous inversion of gender, which is portrayed throughout ‘Macbeth’. “Come, you spirits that tend to mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe top full of direst cruelty”, Lady Macbeths outburst to the evil spirits shows the audience, through the use of clever metaphors, Shakespeare has displayed her venomous nature, trying to corrupt Macbeth into being the hidden ‘serpent’.
Again, as in Act II, scene ii, we find Lady Macbeth attempting to stop Macbeth’s spiralling journey into a state of guilt and anguish. Whether she is worried only for him or for the both of them, Macbeth appears unable to think about anything else. Discuss the role they play in this scene and how it lays the platform for how they cope later in the play. Use quotes and techniques. 200 words.
Lady Macbeth has seen with her own eyes the destruction form inside to out of her husbands, Macbeth, from the guilt over the death Duncan. “These deeds must not be thought after these ways; so, it will make us mad.” The use of foreshadowing in Lady Macbeths speech indicates that she will in fact fall under her husband’s guilt. Again, Lady Macbeth is trying to aid Macbeth in getting over his guilt by stating, “the sleeping and the dead are but pictures”, through this metaphor, Lady Macbeth has seen that guilt is taking over Macbeth, ultimately in the long run knowing that that itself is going to effect her as well. At the beginning she is portrayed to be the superior one of the relationship, with Macbeth being portrayed as the women, thus the inversion of gender. However, through the sequence of events, Shakespeare again, flips the story so Macbeth becomes the one wearing the pants within the relationship. This unfortunately has negative effects for both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, this is ultimately portrayed through Lady Macbeth’s suicide and through Macbeth killing his best friend, “to be thus, is nothing, until be safely thus.”
Question 1:
ReplyDeleteIn Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy, we understand for the first time how she truly feels about the situation. “Naught’s had, all’s spent,
Where our desire is got without content“ references to the “enterprise” that was killing Duncan. The ambition that had driven them to do so ever since she asked “fill me from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty” had receded and it was now a useless cause that had not given them anything. This act, brought on by gender inversion was the first and most controversial act that had a major weigh on the story. “'Tis safer to be that which we destroy, than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” This second half to her soliloquy is the most fundamental part to it. The idea that it is safer to be Duncan than to be haunted by the act of killing him is a new one and this is when we first see that she is returning to her maternal ways of nurture and care. The change to a regular gender role brings a change in Lady Macbeth that is obvious in its haunting nature.
Question 2:
Lady Macbeths gender inversion becomes clearer and clearer towards the middle of the play and her attempt at trying to rid her husband of any guilt or emotions he has about the ‘business’ he had done earlier is very important in building the rest of the play “Consider it not so deeply” is one of the phrases she uses to try and get the thought of it out of his mind. “Things without all remedy should be without regard; what’s done is done.” As Lady Macbeth tries to calm Macbeth down it is clear that she has been cleaned of any mortal thoughts and that her focus is pushed towards ridding her husband of guilt. But it is quite an interesting way in the fact that it is all dramatic irony. We know for a fact that later on they will switch roles once again and conform to normal gender routes where Lady Macbeth will eventually kill herself and Macbeth continue on the path that he had chosen. Lady Macbeth finally says “But in them Nature’s copy’s not eterne” and with the personification of ‘Nature’ Macbeth is known to the fact that they will not live for ever just as Nature intented.
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ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of Act 3 scene 2 she has a soliloquy that gives us an sight into Lady Macbeth's true feelings. She says, "Nought's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content. 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy, Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy." This roughly translates into: "If you get what you want and you’re still not happy, you’ve spent everything and gained nothing. It’s better to be the person who gets murdered than to be the killer and be tormented with anxiety." This is showing us that she is not guilt free and manly like she begun. She is now feeling the initial stages of remorse and guilt; she has done her best, tried her hardest, and did the most she could but hadn't really gained anything. So she feels that it would have been an improvement on her situation if she had been killed that to have to live with the burden of having the the murder of someone weighing on your conscience. This excerpt is not too dissimilar to Macbeth's line, "To be thus is nothing. But to be safely thus". The use of an AABB rhyme scheme also draws out the emotion that is trying to be conveyed.
ReplyDeleteAct II scene ii has each of the main characters playing a specific role. It has Macbeth coming back form the business that he had to attend to, and he is slightly mad by this time (maybe he had some insane root - act I scene iii). He says mid conversation with his wife, "they had seen me with these hangman's hands."
He immediately tries to separate himself from the guilt, as he knows – but won't admit – is getting to him, by claiming it wasn't him, that it can't be him, through blaming it one the hands of another. But he quickly realise that he can shift the blame that easily and looks for forgiveness. He says, "I could not say 'Amen'…I had most need of blessing and 'Amen" The religious imagery juxtaposes his deed, and so gives us a yardstick to measure his wrong doing. Lady Macbeth sees this and tries to pull him out of the hell bound spiral by saying, "These deeds must not be thought after these ways; so, it will make us mad." This foreshadowing is her role in this scene as she has set the platform for the latter parts of the play by making him guiltless so he can murder maliciously. This foreshadowing also hints to us that madness will strike at least one of them, where indeed it does, killing Lady Macbeth.
Question 1:
ReplyDeleteAt the end of Act I, scene v, we see Lady Macbeth urge her husband to “look like th’ innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”. In other words, she encourages him to hide his true feelings. In this scene, we see an interesting insight into Lady Macbeth’s true feelings. Read her four-line soliloquy at the beginning of the scene and write a paragraph about its deeper meaning with quotes and techniques. 200 words.
Answer:
Lady Macbeth's disruption of the Natural order in Act one is starting to have the direst of consequences and she may be one the verge of making this realisation her self, this becomes clearly apparent to us through Shakespeare's use of a soliloquy to grant the viewer insight into Lady Macbeth's changing motives 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy, Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy" Her fretful tone highlights her insecurities that she wish banished from her soul in Act 1 Scene 5 by the spirits of the world, her pleas to be "from the crown to the toe top fill of direst cruelty" and to be "unsex'd" to be able to stand the unspeakable murders that her and her 'beloved' husband were about to commit are now in stark juxtaposition to what is addling her mind in Act 3 Scene 2. The reality of what Lady Macbeth has just now thought; that she believes that it would be better to not exist at all rather then to live racked with the guild and anxiety that she thought had been banished from her soul, battles against basic human instincts of survival, once again illumination the theme of the natural order that is so prevent in this Shakespearian tragedy.
Question 2:
Again, as in Act 2 Scene 2, we find Lady Macbeth attempting to stop Macbeth’s spiralling journey into a state of guilt and anguish. Whether she is worried only for him or for the both of them, Macbeth appears unable to think about anything else. Discuss the role they play in this scene and how it lays the platform for how they cope later in the play. Use quotes and techniques. 200 words.
Answer:
The inversion of gender that is so prevalent through out this quintessential Shakespearian tragedy, plays drastically on the relationship between Macbeth and his beloved wife as we can see in Act 2 Scene 2 as we can see the start of Macbeth's slow spiral into madness and guilt becoming the more 'feminine' of the pair with Lady Macbeth being the only one to comfort him in his pain stating that 'These deeds must not be thought of" and goes one to say "So, it will make us mad" which is a classic example of Shakespeare's use of foreshadowing for it is Lady Macbeth who in the end is driven to madness and suicide both Lady Macbeth and her husband use euphemisms such as 'deed' or 'bloody business' for the nuder that has just taken place as a sort of coping mechanism and an attempt to distance them selves from the atrocities that they have committed, showing that they are both clearly at an unrest on the whole ordeal that they have put them selves through.
Macbeth displays himself as the weaker of the two as he wonders 'will all great Neptune's oceans wash this blood Clean from my hands?" being is stark juxtaposition from Lady Macbeth who thinks that "A little water clears us of this deed" the clear perturbed tone of Macbeth's speaking and his use of hyperbole's showing us the panic that he is in is in complete contrast to Lady Macbeth's almost casual demeanour and almost blasé tone lays a solid foundation for the reversal of gender that will take place once again amongst the pair, latter in the play aiding even greater to the depth and layers of the play and characters present within it.
At the end of Act I, scene v, we see Lady Macbeth urge her husband to “look like th’ innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”. In other words, she encourages him to hide his true feelings. In this scene, we see an interesting insight into Lady Macbeth’s true feelings. Read her four-line soliloquy at the beginning of the scene and write a paragraph about its deeper meaning with quotes and techniques. 200 words.
ReplyDeleteWhen we are first acquainted with Lady Macbeth in Act 1 Scene 5, Shakespeare hits us with an insight into the “too full o’th’milk of human kindness” that attends Macbeth. She discovers that “the king comes here tonight” and she begins to prepare for the “fatal entrance of Duncan”. From the very first moment after she has finished reading the epistle, Shakespeare positions us to understand the true nature of Lady Macbeth. She desires for the “agents of evil” to “unsex me here” but also for it to fill her “from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty”. Shakespeare’s application of darkness imagery uncovers a window into the Macbeth’s “dearest partner of greatness”. Lady Macbeth understands that Macbeth is a noble man, but for her ambition as queen and Macbeth’s ambition for kingship, she uses the spur to prick the sides of her intent, when Macbeth clearly states that he “has no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on th’other”, suggesting a metaphorical sense that Lady Macbeth is driving force behind the Macbeth’s “illness”. Shakespeare, when Lady Macbeth says “look like th’innocent flower, But be the serpent under’t” uses an oxymoronic contrast of two objects. The flower symbolises the good, while the snake resembles the evil. The biblical allusion is also attained through the application of the snake being the source of evil behind most people.
Again, as in Act II, scene ii, we find Lady Macbeth attempting to stop Macbeth’s spiralling journey into a state of guilt and anguish. Whether she is worried only for him or for the both of them, Macbeth appears unable to think about anything else. Discuss the role they play in this scene and how it lays the platform for how they cope later in the play. Use quotes and techniques. 200 words.
Act 2 Scene 2 is where the action happens. Here Duncan has been murdered and Macbeth is already spiralling into a state of guilt and anguish. Lady Macbeth, who has been drinking, remarks, “What hath quench’d them, hath given me fire”, indicating that a drug that has drunken the two chamberlains, has given her strength. Here we see that she believes that these “evil spirits” are already doing their work inside Lady Macbeth. Just like Act 1 Scene 5, where Lady Macbeth assures Macbeth that “these deeds must not be thought after these ways; so, it will make us mad”.
Soliloquy – Act 3 scene 2
ReplyDeleteIn Act 3 scene 2 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth starts to feel the impact and consequences of her convincing Macbeth to kill King Duncan. She says “Naught’s had, all’s spent”, stating that she has given everything, but gained nothing “desire is without content”, and she is tormented with anxiety. This juxtaposition of her former self, where she tried to coerce Macbeth into not feeling guilt at what he’s done is a sharp contrast of her previous state of mind. She also hates not being safe, as Banquo’s and his son still live to her knowledge, and she heard Macbeths prophesy. This is how the characters stay for the rest of the play, Macbeth trying to secure his position and Lady Macbeth riddled by guilt and a sense of discontent.
Lady Macbeth tries to stop Macbeths spiral into a state where he is too guilt-ridden to continue to operate. Lady Macbeth appears to completely accept her actions, and be totally at ease about her part in the killing of Duncan. In this scene, there is a large amount of dramatic irony, which results from Macbeths later complete acceptance of his actions, and Lady Macbeths guilt ridden lamentations, which eventually led to her death. In this scene, it appears Lady Macbeth is dominant, emphasizing a gender role reversal, however, later in the book, in a running theme of the play, Lady Macbeth becomes guilt ridden, and Macbeth less so, putting the gender roles back to normal – fixing the natural order of things.
1. Lady Macbeth’s original intent of murdering Duncan without remorse and guilt eventually fails, despite having the supernatural aid from the witches. Lady Macbeth initially gives the impression that obtaining royal status, especially queen, is worth any action, regardless of it consequential guilt and atrocity. Even though she states that “things without all remedy should be done without regard,” her powerful 4 line soliloquy shows otherwise. We are given an insight into Lady Macbeth’s true feelings, which are a contrast to the original image she intended to convey. It is revealed that Lady Macbeth is obsessed and possessed by the guilt, as shown in, “Tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” The gloomy tone that is evident in this extract from the soliloquy identifies Lady Macbeth’s attitude of murder, which, essentially is that it is better to be the person who gets murdered than to be the killer and be tormented with anxiety. This unanticipated attitude of Lady Macbeth is accentuated by “Naught’s had, all’s spent,” which suggests that in spite of defying her moral and physical limitations in the act of murder, she did not gain the satisfaction that was expected of obtaining queenhood.
ReplyDelete2. As a result of murdering King Duncan, Macbeth spirals into a state of guilt and anguish. Lady Macbeth, who refuses to show remorse and endorses a façade of mental stability, attempts to stop Macbeth’s emotional downfall. The idea of gender inversion is highlighted in this scene, and its prominence is evident in the use of satanic imagery in, “the sleeping and the dead are but as pictures; tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil.” The supernatural features insinuate that the dead and sleeping cant hurt you, this gruesome imagery which is usually used by males is used by Lady Macbeth. The utilization of gender reversal allows the audience to depict the continual dominance that Lady Macbeth has over Macbeth. The influence of Lady Macbeth over Macbeth suggests that Macbeth is almost a ragdoll in his own life, in that external forces such as Lady Macbeth and witches constantly control him. The dramatic irony of this quote further shows the foreshadowing of Lady Macbeth’s descent into lunacy due to the guilt that haunts her.
2. Again in Act 3 scene 2, we see very important parts of the play that are quite pivotal in how the end result actually occurs. Earlier in Macbeth, we see the concept displayed by Shakespeare to perform a ‘gender inversion’ on Macbeth and his wife, as Lady Macbeth tells the spirits to invert her gender. However, in this scene we can subtly see that this inversion is reverting back to its original status, where Macbeth is the ‘man’ as such. Lady Macbeth tells her husband to “consider it not so deeply,” and “these deeds must not be thought of” to try and convince Macbeth that everything will be work itself out. Although, as an audience we perceive that Lady Macbeth is becoming riddled with guilt from the “business” that they committed. This is a very important turning point of the play, and we must understand it with great depth. The reason being that it is discovered that Lady Macbeth, the lady that told the spirits to fill her “from the crown to the toe topful of direst cruelty,” is weakening, and reverting back to her feminine gender qualities. As a whole, we see dramatic irony shine throughout this scene, revealing Lady Macbeth’s infirmity, and Macbeth’s ambitious characteristics. Macbeth shows his determined side when he tells Lady Macbeth to “be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou applaud the deed.” He is practically telling his beloved wife not to worry about the guilty “business” that has gone on and to wait until further notice. He is showing his dominance, and taking care of the nasty situation ahead, which again displays the gender inversion retreat back to its primitive position.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1
ReplyDeleteAmbition continuously plagues Lady Macbeth whose resultant immorality exceeds that of Macbeth. “Nought’s had, all’s spent where our desire is got without content. ‘Tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” Her soliloquy reveals her inner deprivation and guilt as she continually tries to supress her true feelings in front of Macbeth. Contrary to her earlier soliloquy, shown through macabre imagery “Unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe top full of direst cruelty”. Shakespeare aesthetically emphasizes this moral depravity through this dramatic device which exposes her desire to relinquish all effeminacy and “stop up th’access and passage to remorse” in order to expedite the murder of King Duncan. Consequently, her hamartia guides her to cureless sedition that is reflective of her eternal downfall in which she suffers from remediless guilt and remorse. “Here’s the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hanexd”. Through this blood and olfactory imagery, Shakespeare depicts her penitence that soon exacerbates to kill her. Paralleled to that of Macbeth, her death is hopelessly propelled by her avaricious ambition. This hamartia is ingeniously portrayed in the aesthetic language of Shakespeare that characterizes it as a corruptive quality, which blinds one’s morals.
Question 2
Although Lady Macbeth may be a strong cause for Macbeth’s reign of tyranny, she still profoundly guides him through his “flaws”, which is his lack of ambition, state of guilt and anguish, and his pusillanimous nature. She creates a façade of permanence leading her husband throughout their deceitful ‘deed’. Shakespeare’s use of binary opposition within Macbeth and Lady Macbeth explore concepts of gender inversion, something that was unheard of in the Elizabethan Age. The unconventional marriage portrayed through the new kings and queen directly accentuates the destruction of natural order. Lady Macbeth’s, intrepid approach to the ‘deed’ exemplifies her fearlessness, and Macbeth’s predestined hamartia. “The sleeping and the dead are but as pictures; ‘tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil.” Shakespeare’s metaphor encapsulates Lady Macbeth’s manipulative nature, comparing Macbeth to that of a child, disregarding his ‘noble strength’. The characterisation of Lady Macbeth through this metaphor further amplifies her dominant nature towards Macbeth, and the influence that the “spirits that tend on mortal thoughts” have upon her. She challenges Macbeth to “look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under it” which is an appropriate analogy to help Macbeth deal with his wretchedness.
Answer Q1
ReplyDeleteLady Macbeth’s character whose psychological breakdown and related problems seem to arise marking the beginning of the inversion of gender in the play. In act 1 scene 5 lady Macbeth says “look like th’ innocent flower but be the serpent under’t” contradicting lady Macbeths ending position in the play. In the beginning Lady Macbeth begins the soliloquy “Naught’s had, all’s spent, Where our desire is got without content.” Essentially this subjective language on Lady Macbeth’s behalf is saying what good is it if you get what you want and you’re still not happy, you’ve spent everything and gained nothing.
Had she been able to fulfill her oath to kill Duncan, rather than making her husband commit murder, she may have ironically fared much better in the play. Lady Macbeth’s awareness of her sin is enough to plague one's conscience with guilt, and to force one to live in Lady Macbeth's "doubtful joy". Lady Macbeth is aware of her damnation, and still rebukes Macbeth for his melancholy. The Notion that Lady Macbeth would rather be the ones that have been killed than in there position, forces the audience to question if her ‘unsex me speech,” Is hyperbolic and doesn’t intend to ‘sell her sole’ or if her intentions suddenly spiraled.
Answer Q2
In Macbeth the play by William Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth, pushed Macbeth in order to take action in order to put himself in a position to take the throne by murdering those ahead of him who are in line for the throne, after completing the act Lady Macbeth says “These deeds must not be thought” foreshadowing and dramatic irony is used through out that whole scene and is shown in this quote to exhibit the upcoming downward spiral. Once he ascended the throne and actually took power, In act 2 scene 2 we see that Lady Macbeth became incapable and hence the marking point in the play where he alone has to protect himself against others trying to take power away from him. In act 2 scene 2 Lady Macbeth claims that she would have killed Duncan herself except that he resembled her father sleeping. This is the first time Lady Macbeth shows herself to be at all-vulnerable. Her comparison of Duncan to her father suggests that despite her desire for power and her harsh chastisement of Macbeth, she sees her king as an authority figure to which she must be loyal. At this point in the play marks the beginning of the end for the gender inversion as the plot begins towards head back to the natural order.
1.
ReplyDeleteLady Macbeth’s soliloquy provides insight into the complicated character. Shakespeare gives Lady Macbeth a short soliloquy in which she shows her understanding of the uselessness of their newfound power. She contemplates how they have given everything and received nothing, “our desire is got without content”, she realizes that the power has not brought them happiness. With this discovery, she continues “’tis safer to be that which we destroyed/Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy” and she dwells on this sinister thought and fills herself becoming engulfed with a previously unexplored feeling of guilt and remorse. The soliloquy depicts a side of Lady Macbeth that has not yet been seen, and its here we see a women gradually sinking and turning to a depressive and remorseful state; also, a character who understands their wrongdoing.
2.
Act II, scene ii, depicts Macbeth in misery and Lady Macbeth’s cruel and sadistic antics in attempt to delay his doubts and worries. This same idea of gender inversion, prevalent throughout the play, is heavily embedded in the scene. Lady Macbeth realises that a sense of guilt has taken hold of both of them and created an atmosphere of unnatural alienation. Although they both share the same thoughts they are unable to communicate as Macbeth has detached himself completely from his wife. To escape the mind torturing ‘scorpions’ of the first murder, he will have to commit a fourth. This scene is characterised by images of restlessness and Macbeth, more and more independent from now on, no longer bothers to confide in his wife and has taken the initiative in evil. The gender inversion from the start of the play now starts to shift back to fit the natural order as the play concludes.
At the end of Act I, scene v, we see Lady Macbeth urge her husband to “look like the’ innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”. In other words, she encourages him to hide his true feelings. In this scene, we see an interesting insight into Lady Macbeth’s true feelings. Read her four-line soliloquy at the beginning of the scene and write a paragraph about its deeper meaning with quotes and techniques. 200 words.
ReplyDeleteLady Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act I, scene V of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, we see an insight into the true mind of Lady Macbeth, and her real side of her. She wants to be the anchor for Macbeth, to use her evil to influence him into committing such an evil act, as we see the epithet quote “Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex here.” We see in her soliloquy that she believes that she cannot be evil enough to commit such an act as to kill the king, so she asks for evil spirits to “fill me from the crown to the toe topfull, Of direst cruelty, make thick my blood Stop up th’access and passage to remorse.” The metaphors we see here are symbols of her asking to be sinful. She wants to be evil and impure, as the paradox “Come to my women’s breasts and take my milk for gall” shows us she wants her pure breast milk to be poisoned, symbolizing making her wicked and evil. We see Lady Macbeths urge to usurp Macbeth, and alter the natural order of life, by making Macbeth King of Scotland, by killing King Duncan.
Again, as in Act II, scene ii, we find Lady Macbeth attempting to stop Macbeth’s spiralling journey into a state of guilt and anguish. Whether she is worried only for him or for the both of them, Macbeth appears unable to think about anything else. Discuss the role they play in this scene and how it lays the platform for how they cope later in the play. Use quotes and techniques. 200 words.
Lady Macbeth, now supposedly filled with evil “spirits”, she wants now, more then ever, to be Queen. After she convinces Macbeth to perform the evil deed, after the religious imagery of Lady Macbeth going to Macbeth and decided to “pour my spirits in thine ear.” After this act of evil, we see Macbeth fall to the evil idea that was already growing in his head, and he kills Duncan. After performing regicide on King Duncan, we see Macbeth start to spire down in “guilt and anguish”. She says after what they have done to the King, through religious imagery, “The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell, that summons thee to heaven or to hell.” She knows that they performed evil, but she tries to comfort Macbeth, and say it happened for a reason, let us let it be.