Studying Notes

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 1 Notes

2008-09-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

This act is mostly on her conscience haunting her and the result of it. Credits to JiaWei (her link is at the side)

Act 5 sc 1- CONSCIENCE!!!

- She says that “hell is murky” which means she feels she is already in hell which is very dark and that she is destined to go to hell as her soul is damned for murdering Duncan

- “out, damn spot! Out, I say!” and keeps rubbing her hands as she sees Duncan’s blood on her hands

- the murder of Duncan haunts her and she is unable to get rid of his blood on her hands in her imagination

- blood symbolizing guilt that she feels over the murder

- She exclaims piteously how “the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” – she can’t get rid of the smell of Duncan’s blood on her hands even if she were to cover them with perfume – shows her strong sense of guilt

- The gentlewoman said that must have a “light by her continually.”

- This means that she has to have a candle (symbolizing goodness/virtue) with her at all times

- earlier she had called for darkness (symbolizing evil) to facilitate her evil plan to murder Duncan but now she fears darkness

- constant reminder of the evil she helps her husband to commit, the evil acts her husband goes on to commit – her soul is sickened by and terrified of the evil within and around her

- in her sleep walking, she relives Duncan’s murder as well as other murders committed by Macbeth

- shows she has lost her peace of mind as her guilt torments her nightly – they eventually drove her mad

Macbeth Notes Act 2 Scene 2

2008-09-26T21:39:00.000-07:00

Credit this to Miss Ng again... Haha. She rocks. Maybe later I will post up the essay format for this.

Macbeth : Act 2 Scene 2

Reactions Immediately After Murder

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth

Similarity

Is frightened

- her sharpened sense of hearing suggests her fear

- affected by Macbeth’s fear – short, sharp exchange between them

- by Macbeth’s incoherent/vague reference to a voice crying out – thinks at first that someone has discovered/seen the murder

Is very frightened

- at his inability to join in bodyguards’ prayer

- imagines he hears a voice crying out that he has murdered sleep

- forgets to leave the daggers behind as planned to implicate the bodyguards

Differences

1) Shows iron self-control and presence of mind

- does not allow Macbeth’s fear to unnerve her but tries to snap him back to his senses

- instructs him to bring back the daggers and does it herself when a panicky Macbeth refuses to

- identifies the knocking as coming from the “south entry”

Becomes increasingly distraught/ panicky with terror

- refuses to bring back the daggers as he is too frightened to look at Duncan’s murdered body

- every noise he hears “appals” him – unable to identify where the knocking sound is coming from

2) shows no guilt and remorse/ regret

- tells Macbeth that their guilt can be washed off as easily as washing the blood from their hands

- tells Macbeth off for expressing regret

3) shows great guilt and remorse/regret

- saying his bloodstained hands are “a sorry sight”

- talks about how the blood on his hands turning all the seas in the world red – guilt-ridden

-wish the knocking at the gate would wake up Duncan

Attitude to Duncan’s Murder

Pragmatic Attitude – concerned with practical aspects

- treats it as a physical act - can get rid of their guilt just by washing the blood off their hands

- scornfully dismisses Macbeth’s horror at idea of facing Duncan’s murdered, bloodstained corpse as childish

- is concerned mainly with practical details of covering up their role in the murder

Spiritual – preoccupied with spiritual & psychological aspects

- obsessed with his inability to say “Amen” (spiritual)

- talks about a voice crying out that “Macbeth does murder sleep” (psychological & spiritual)

Give at least 2 pieces of evidence for each pt – 1 quote per piece of evidence & explain quote (put it in context) – show how the evidence supports the point given

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 Notes

2008-09-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

Credit this to Miss Ng =) The explanation parts I will upload later, but it is my own so it might be slightly faulty!

Act 1, Sc 7:

1) Character Analysis

Lady Macbeth’s character

Lady Macbeth is a very determined woman. This is shown by how determined she was to get Macbeth on the throne of Scotland. When Macbeth tells her that “We will proceed no further in this business”, she brings the force of her personality and convince him to go ahead with the murder. To show her steely sense of purpose, she used the shocking, violent image of how she would have killed her own child regardless of her feelings if she has “sworn as” Macbeth had to get the kingship. Macbeth was so filled with admiration for his wife’s “undaunted mettle” that he exclaimed she is worthy to “bring forth men-children only”.

1) very strong-willed/ determined

Very determined to get Macbeth on the throne of Scotland

- when Macbeth tells her that he has changed his mind about murdering Duncan (“We will proceed no further in this business” ), she brings the force of her personality and all her persuasive powers to convince him to go ahead with the murder

- to show her steely sense of purpose she uses the shocking, violent image of how she would have killed her own child regardless of her feelings if she had “sworn as” Macbeth had to get the kingship / kill Duncan.

- Macbeth is so filled with admiration of his wife’s “undaunted mettle” that he exclaimed she is worthy to “Bring forth men-children only”.

2) intelligent & manipulative

Uses her knowledge of her husband to effectively manipulates him into changing his mind and going ahead with the murder

– goads him into the murder by undermining his manhood eg

“When you durst do it, then you were man” – when he dared to dream of becoming king by murdering Duncan, then he was being a man

- questions his love for her

“From this time such I account thy love” implying that if he loves her he would kill Duncan otherwise, his love is as weak as his sense of resolve

- finally convinces him to carry out the murder by making it easy for him to kill Duncan as she has already planned how they would carry out the murder

3) appears evil/ cruel and ruthless

- claims she is capable of cold-bloodedly murdering her own child - the shocking image of herself violently killing her innocent child by dashing its “brains out” (contrasting images) if she “had sworn to do so” – can disregard the strong bond between mother and child at a very tender moment when she is nursing her child - shows how totally heartless and ruthless she can be - is determined to gain the kingship and ruthlessly manipulates her husband to do the murder

- is willing to blame Duncan’s two innocent “chamberlains” for Duncan’s murder

4) Practical & Intelligent

- devises a simple but effective plan for murder

– when Duncan is asleep, she will make the 2 bodyguards drunk so that Macbeth can kill the king easily (no protection and no witness) and they can put the blame on the two bodyguards to prevent suspicion from falling on them

Macbeth’s character

1) too ambitious/ lust for power

- in his soliloquy, he admits that his only reason for killing Duncan is his “Vaulting ambition” - he aspires to be the king of Scotland

– says he is willing to damn his soul for all eternity – “We’ld jump the life to come” - if he could be assured that the success of the murder would make him king without any dire consequences

- Lady Macbeth says Macbeth wants “the ornament of life”, that is, the crown of Scotland – she also mentions Macbeth “breaking this enterprise” to her earlier, that is, the idea of becoming king (through murder)

2) Intelligent and has a conscience

- is clearly aware of the immorality/evilness of the act of killing Duncan and the consequences (spiritual, ethical and secular) of this act

- refer to his soliloquy where he contemplates all the reasons for not killing killing Duncan

1) his fear of punishment eg there is “judgment here” and “this even-handed justice” would bring “the ingredients of our poison'd chalice to our own lips”

2) his betrayal of Duncan’s trust (explanation required)

3) Duncan being a virtuous king eg how Duncan’s “virtues” would “plead like angels, trumpet-tongued” against his killing

3) Is morally weak

- against his better judgement, he allows his wife to goad and shame him into

committing “this terrible feat”, the murder

– succumbs to his masculine pride to prove that he “dare do all that may become

a man”

- also succumbs to his overwhelming desire to be king

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5 Notes

2008-09-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

Credits to my class! Mostly this chapter touches on Lady Macbeth' s character traits.

CHARACTER TRAITS! :D

1.DOMINANTJ

- Lady Macbeth is seen to have control over her husband. She seems to be dictating to him the plans for murdering King Duncan. When he is back, she tells him how to appear in front of King Duncan. She tells him that he should look like an innocent flower, but be like the snake that hides beneath the flower. She wants to handle all preparations for the night King Duncan is there as she says that that night will change every night and day for the rest of their lives. From this, we can see that lady Macbeth is a very domineering character. She is not a stereo-type woman from the Elizabethan ages. She is just the opposite. Usually, in a relationship, the veto power is the male. However, in this case, Lady Macbeth is seen to be taking the lead in the evil plans of murdering King Duncan. The fact that she wanted to handle all the preparations obviously shows that she is very dominant.

2 .Power hungry/ambitiousJ

- Just after she hears about the news, she starts thinking about how to seize the throne/gain power. She is even willing to go to the extent of calling upon the spirits to make her evil and unremorseful so that she will be able to kill the king without second thoughts. This clearly shows how power hungry she is. Lady Macbeth does not hesitate in committing the extremely committing extremely cruel acts so that she can gain power. To have called on evil spirits proves that she is ready to commit such ghastly acts just for power

Macbeth (hen pack husband) is a tool in the hands of his wife( a power hungry woman)

3. LOVING/DEVOTED WIFE J

“Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be / What thou art promised” In the soliloquy lady Macbeth she wants the crown because the husband wants the crown. She wants the crown for her husband sake than for her own. She is willing to come up and commit cruel acts for the sake of her husband, proving her love for him. By committing she is putting her life on the line

4. UNGRATEFUL+OPPORTUNISTIC J

- 1st pt: - The king bestowed on him the tile of the Thane of Cawdor. Instead of being grateful for the king’s kindness to her husband, she plotted to kill him. She did not take into consideration that the king had been generous to them, right after reading her husband’s letter, she plotted to kill the man who had given her husband another title. This proves that she had no regard for anything that the king was kind enough to give to them

- When the king came to stay with them, she saw this as an opportunity to seize the throne. (person who seize the opportunity when it comes; opportunistic )The king trusted them enough to come and stay with them, instead of appreciating this, lady Macbeth still wanted to murder him.

5. SuperstitiousJ

“Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem”/ “to have thee crown’d withal.”

- She instantly believes that what the witches said was true without even a moment of hesitation. Lady Macbeth shows her belief in the words of the witches by plotting the murder of the king despite the consequences if they were found out. Earlier in the play, Angus had mentioned that the Thane of Cawdor, who was a traitor, was stripped of his positions and executed. So if they were caught killing the king, they would probably face much worse punishments. So for the fact that she plots to do so show that she trusts that the witches’ words will come true and they would succeed in the plan.

6. DETERMINATION + RUTHLESSJ

“that I may pour my spirits into thine ear/and chastise with the valour of my tongue/ all that impedes thee from the golden round “

“make thick my blood”

She knows that her husband is too full of “milk of human kindness” and intends to persuade her husband until he follows her plan to kill the king. She also calls onto the evil spirits to make her cruel and remove her feminine emotions so that she will be able to kill the King. By calling on the evil spirits, she shows that she is willing to go to any lengths to be able to kill the King. She also says that she will try her best to make her husband change his mind. This implies that she is determined not to let anything stand on her was of seizing the throne for her husband.

7. FAST THINKER J

“this night’s great business into my dispatch;”

Her husband arrives only shortly after she gets the message that Duncan was staying at their house, yet, she managed to come up with a plan to kill Duncan. She tells her husband to leave everything to her which implies that she more or less has everything under control. This proves that she is a fast thinker because plotting a murder without getting caught requires a lot thinking but Lady Macbeth was able to come up with a brilliant plan in a short span of time.

Credits to JiaWei (her link is at the side). Also on Lady Macbeth but is in table form.

Lady Macbeth Character

Act 1 sc 5

Lady Macbeth is a loving wife

- “Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor”

- she calls him by his titles the way one would address somebody in a higher post. This illustrates the respect she has for him and that she looks up upon him a “great” man. Macbeth was more than only a husband to her but somebody with worth and value as the word “worthy” is used.

- Also she knows that by doing this, she is making her husband happy by boosting his ego

- These show that she understands Macbeth greatly and always try to make him happy

Lady Macbeth is very determined

- In order to convince Macbeth to commit regicide, she intended to “pour her spirits in thine ears” and “chatise with the valour of my tongue”

- conveys that she is prepared and willing to use all her powers of persuasion and her steely sense of purpose to get him to commit to the murder.

- She is even going to chastise “all that impedes thee from the golden round”.

- This shows her determination as she will ensure that nothing would deter Macbeth from achieving his goal and would remove all obstacles to the best of her ability.

- Her appeal to the “murth’ring ministers” to “unsex me here” illustrates her determination as she will not allow even her own feminine and human feelings to interfere with the murder.

- This shows that whenever Lady Macbeth sets out to do something, she makes sure that it is done to the best of her abilities, and never let anything stand in her way.

Lady Macbeth is opportunistic and ungrateful

- Once the messenger informs her that “the king comes here to-night”, she immediately made use of the opportunity to put her husband on the throne.

- She said that “the raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan”.

- The raven symbolises death and its cry is a harbinger of death.

- What she says means that she wanted to have Duncan murdered during his stay.

- She told Macbeth “o, never shall sun that morrow see!” which means she intended to kill Duncan and Duncan will not be awake to see tomorrow.

- She did not hesitate or think for some time but instead decided on the plan immediately once hearing of Duncan staying over as she thought that it was the perfect opportunity to strike.

- This shows that she is opportunistic as she makes use of any opportunity she has without hesitating.

Lady Macbeth is cunning and deceitful

- This is shown when she tells Macbeth that he must appear “like th’ innocent flower” but “be the serpent under’t”, suggesting to her husband to act like a welcoming host so that no one will suspect he is plotting murder.

- Moreover, as Macbeth is looking troubled, she tells him to “look up clear” as she felt that “people will be able to read it like a book.”

- Lady Macbeth was afraid that his troubled expression would arouse suspicion.

- This displays the scheming character of lady Macbeth as she thinks of ways and techniques to deceive people mainly using one’s looks.

- She tells to her husband to hide his true feelings and tries to act like a hypocrite.

- Lady Macbeth is sharp enough to know that facial expression and body language can betray one’s thoughts to others. Thus, lady Macbeth is devious.

Lady Macbeth appears ruthless and evil

- The fact that Lady Macbeth thinks of murder to get the crown although kingship was “promised” Macbeth shows that she is very ruthless.

- The punishment for killing a king is very great and Lady Macbeth decided on doing so without even thinking twice.

- Lady Macbeth willingly associates herself with evil in invoking invokes evil spirits to “unsex her” and fill her with “direst cruelty”.

- This means that she is appealing to the evil spirits to get rid of her feminine emotions so that it will not make her hesitate to kill Duncan.

- She also invokes “thick night” to hide the murder so that her “keen knife sees not the wound it makes” and even heaven cannot prevent it.

- However, she is doing this out of the great love for her husband and she obviously fear that she might not be able to carry out the murder with the help of the murder. Thus, lady Macbeth not completely ruthless and evil by nature.

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 Notes

2008-09-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

Act 1 Scene 3: Notes

I) Banquo acts as a foil/contrast to Macbeth

Similarities between the two:

1) both are successful Scottish generals and noblemen (refer to Ross’ speech describing Macbeth’s bravery on the battlefield)

2) both have predictions of greatness made for them and, therefore, are exposed to same temptation (refer to the witches’ prophecies)

Their different reactions to the witches’ prophecies

Macbeth’s reactions

Banquo’s reactions

Banquo: Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear

Things that do sound so fair?

…..

- Macbeth is shocked and frightened by the prophecies - suggests he already harbours evil thoughts – the prophecies express aloud his guilty thoughts

- hints at the moral weakness in his character

Banquo: My noble partner
You greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope,
That he seems rapt withal:

…..

Macbeth: Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more:

…..

Macbeth: Into the air, and what seemed corporal

Melted, as breath into the wind. Would they had stayed.

- Macbeth’s brooding over the prophecies, his eagerness to learn more about them, the regret as well as amazement he felt when the witches disappear reveal his great interest in them

- reinforces the idea that he is morally weak as prophecies are tempting to him since they appeal to his evil desire

Banquo: If you can look into the seeds of time,

And say which grain will grow and which will not,
Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear
Your favours nor your hate.

- Banquo shows no fear- only a natural curiosity and skepticism about the witches’ ability to predict the future – suggests he has no evil thoughts

- indicates he is morally upright / virtuous

Banquo: The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,

And these are of them. Whither are they vanished?

Is amazed, perhaps, even confounded, by witches’ sudden disappearance – shows no interest in finding out more about their prophecies for him

- suggests he does not take their predictions seriously

- reinforces the idea that he is honourable and virtuous – there is no evil ambition in him for the prophecies to appeal to

Macbeth: [Aside] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor!
The greatest is behind.

…..

Macbeth: [Aside] Two truths are told,
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme

….

Macbeth: If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair …My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical

…..

- Macbeth is susceptible to the witches’ influence - he is inclined to believe the prophecies as they seem to promise him the crown of Scotland - encourages him to act on his evil thoughts about murdering Duncan to attain it

-reveals Macbeth’s consuming ambition to be king and confirms his moral weakness

- shows he is superstitious as he believes in witches and their ability to predict the future

Banquo: What, can the devil speak true?

- does not trust the witches whom he regards as evil since they are associated with the devil - is wary of their prophecies

- shows he is less superstitious – though he, too, believes in the existence of witches, he did not believe or trust their predictions and is amazed/shocked when one of them comes true

Macbeth: [Aside] This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good:

If ill, why hath it given me earnest of success,

Commencing in a truth?

….

- is inclined to believe in the predictions because 1 of them has come true

– shows he is foolish/lacks wisdom as he ignores Banquo’s warning not to trust the witches and their prophecies

Banquo: That trusted home
Might yet enkindle you unto the crown,
Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange:
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence.

- warns Macbeth against trusting the witches who are “instruments of darkness” – regards them as evil beings whose intentions are ultimately to destroy man by tempting him to do evil

– shows Banquo is wise

Another aspect of Macbeth’s character

5) has a vivid imagination and a conscience

- his imagination conjures up such a vivid picture of himself murdering Duncan that he is paralysed by sheer horror – the “horrid image” makes his “seated heart knocked at his ribs” and “doth unfix my hair” and how “function is smothered in surmise”

- his conscience acts through his imagination – struggle between conscience and ambition - his horror at committing murder comes more from the evil of the act than the act itself – as a warrior, he is used to and unafraid to kill – Ross describes Macbeth as not fearing the “Strange images of death” he made on the battlefield – able to kill so fearlessly because his conscience is clear since he is doing it for country and king

II) Themes

1) Theme of Supernatural and its link to Theme of Evil Vs Good

- Macbeth’s internal struggle between good and evil

- the contrast between Macbeth and Banquo’s reactions to the prophecies

- Witches being symbolic of evil forces present in the world which are out to

tempt and corrupt the human soul to do evil

2) Theme of Appearance Vs Reality

- the prophecies which appear “so fair” but are actually temptations to do evil

which would ultimately “win us to our harm”

- the irony of Macbeth being bestowed the Thane of Cawdor since the present

Thane is a traitor who has “labour’d in his country’s wrack” (Why is this ironical?)

Macbeth Notes

2008-09-26T19:59:00.000-07:00

This are the Macbeth notes and I will highly like to credit them to JiaWei who provided most of them. It is a large compilation of everything that was taught.

Here are the chapters tested are:

Act 1 -Scene 3
-Scene 5
-Scene 7

Act 2 -Scene 2

Act 5 -Scene 1

If I missed out on any chapter please tell me! And any request for notes please click comments and request for it!

God bless!