Ideas: Language effects: Metaphors, Soliloquy, Symbolism Dramatic effects: Pathetic Fallacy, Dramatic irony- structure, -most clear obvious to least claer obvious -Remember to use punctuation correctly! and spelling– command attention
Paragraphs: S- Statement- what is the paragraph about E-example – a quote X-explain – how its used and what its conveying,preferably ambition. E-example -another quote X-explain -how its used ” ” Y-your opinion, -what message is shakespear sending, linking back to humans nowdays and how this language/dramatic effect shows ambition in Macbeth
Intro: summary of points, context-time,place,play,london,etc, clarity, depth through use of language effects,
In the play Macbeth, Shakespear uses many different language effects and dramatic effects to show ambition and how it affects humans and their minds. To convey these ideas to the 17th (1600s) century audience, Shakespear focus’s the play on Macbeths mind and how it changes over the course of the play.
Paragraph 1: Metaphor, is a clear way Shakespeare revels Macbeths thoughts and actions of ambition. When Macbeth says
“O full of Scorpions is my mind”
he is showing that his mind is in turmoil, and not the way it should be. He is living in constant fear, as scorpions are dangerous and fickle creatures. Such a state of mind would quickly put Macbeth on edge, where the slightest trigger will set him off into worry and despair. Later in the play Macbeth compares his life to a pool of blood, saying
“I am in blood
Stepp’d in so far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o’er.“,
revealing that he is feeling guilty for his deeds, but is also feeling helpless to change his ways and return to honesty and decency. He is quickly losing substance and respect, and his ambition is driving him to madness.
Paragraph 2: Symbolism, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.” is a metaphor that contains another language effect, symbolism. Macbeth is using blood as a symbol for his guilt, and is realising that he will never be able to cleanse himself of his guilt, and that his dark actions will poison the world around him. Hawk owl thing “A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.”pathetic fallacy unnatural actions of Macbeth, shows ambition because Macbeths ambition is making him do unnatural things ,
Shows Macbeths guilt, Shows action of ambition by Light/Dark=good/bad
“Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.“
“That darkness does the face of Earth entomb When living light should kiss it?” Another reference to Macbeths unnatural actions- could be patheric fallacy – choose which one it makes more meaning for
, Stars=heaven or God, Dagger=evil, betrayal of Duncan “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee: I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.”
Paragraph 3: Dramatic irony, is a technique Macbeth uses to invlove the audience with the play by building suspense. When Macbeth is titled thane of Cawdor, “All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Glamis. All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor. All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter.” the audience already knows that he has been promoted, while Macbeth is still in the dark.
Paragraph 4:Pathetic fallacy, Scotland falling, sanity leaving at same time as army’s,
Is this a symbolism or pathetic fallacy “That darkness does the face of Earth entomb When living light should kiss it?”
Paragraph 5: Soliloquy/ asides,
“From this moment The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand. And even now, To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done: The castle of Macduff I will surprise, Seize upon Fife, give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls” Showing Macbeths decision to not hold back or “equivocate” anymore, also dramatic irony because the Macduff don’t know his family is going to be murdered.
Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
I see thee yet, in form as palpable
As this which now I draw.
Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going;
And such an instrument I was to use.
Mine eyes are made the fools o’ the other senses,
Or else worth all the rest; I see thee still,
And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,
Which was not so before. There’s no such thing:
It is the bloody business which informs
Thus to mine eyes. Now o’er the one halfworld
Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
The curtain’d sleep; witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate’s offerings, and wither’d murder,
Alarum’d by his sentinel, the wolf,
Whose howl’s his watch, thus with his stealthy pace.
With Tarquin’s ravishing strides, towards his design
Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth,
Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,
And take the present horror from the time,
Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives:
Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.
Practice paragraph on symbolism Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare uses symbols to portray different ideas and themes in the play. Just before Macbeth is going to kill Duncan, he has a sudden vision of “a dagger” , with the handle facing towards him, read to be used. He says “I have thee not, and yet I see thee still”, showing he is hallucinating, and must be nervous and stressed about the evil deed he is about to commit. This is showing the effect his ambition is having on his mind, it’s causing him to see things that aren’t actually there and making him uneasy. This is reinforced when he says “thou marshall’st me the way I was going;” revealing he is still undecided about this deed and is fooling himself that the dagger is helping him along, hence putting less blame and responsibility on himself. This is a very negative effect of his ambition: he is putting his goals before his own judgment, common sense and gut feeling, and they are evidently destroying his clear and honorable state of mind he used to have.
