How To Write A Literary Analysis Of Macbeth
Icy Chattroranongsak
Period 3 AP LIT
September 22, 2014
Structural Analysis and Thematic Interpretation
Macbeth Act 1 pgs. 24-31
A. A short statement of what the passage is about.
Throughout the first act of the play “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare, Macbeth is introduced as a warrior hero. After the successful battle he had, Macbeth crosses the witches who predict him that he will be Thane of Cawdor and ultimately King of Scotland. At first he was in doubts but until the messenger arrives and tells him that he is granted the title Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth believes that the prophecy might be accurate after all. This is when he is first seen with ambitious thoughts and acts of engagement in treason.
B. A search for an opposition or tension within the passage.
Macbeth is a …show more content…
brave soldier and a powerful man, but he is not a virtuous one.
When the idea of Macbeth being crowned is first suggested at the beginning of the play (given his irresistible temptation to become King), he goes on planning the murder of Duncan, King of Scotland. He has no suspicion, whatsoever, that the witches were leading him into his own self-destruction. All he knows is that he will become king, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir.”
C. An analysis of the details of the passage, possibly relating to the opposition already noted.
According to the theory of divine right, God bestows on kings the right to rule and an uprising against the king is by extension an uprising against the will of God. When Macbeth and Lady Macbeth murder Duncan, this is recognized as a rebellion act against God and therefore brings us to our main theme the overturning of the natural order. In order to
become king, Macbeth has to commit his first crime into killing the king. He is easily tempted into murder to fulfill his ambitions to the throne. In Act 1 Scene 3, the three witches predicted a future as Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland for Macbeth, “All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter.” Macbeth's initial reaction was surprise, shock, fear, and disbelief. But he got used to the idea of such glorious career moves. Nevertheless, he still couldn't come up with any really good reasons for why he should be, or even should want to be, King. In Scene 7, he pinpointed his “vaulting ambition,” but he even managed to reject that reason, until his wife's arguments got the better of him, calling him “a coward.” Ultimately, Macbeth wants to be King, because he and his Lady were ambitious and particularly because his wife wanted them to claim the throne of Scotland. Their perversion of nature is reflected throughout the play. Lady Macbeth, in Scene 5, says, “unsex me here;” simply she’s asking the spirits to take her femininity and therefore her conscience, so that she will be able to commit murder. She wishes to avoid any ladylike quality that would keep her from carrying out the deed; she is subverting the natural order by denying her femaleness. These two people are perfect examples of subjects rebelling against the divine right of kings.
D. Identify the main idea of the passage, and how the main idea of the passage related to the meaning of the work as a whole.
In attempts to satisfy Macbeth’s inner longing wish to become king, he had to kill the king not considering the fact that Macbeth is a kinsman, subject, host to the king. Moreover, he is going against the god’s law that will begin a series of consequences of sin and overturning the natural order of things. From context, we know that these consequences will not stop until the natural order of things is restored.
E. A search for anything distinctive about the passage, particularly in the area of style that has been overlooked in the previous stages.
In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is introduced as a successful general, a man of action, described as noble, worthy, and ambitious. But like every other human being, he has a flaw, being naive and gullible. Lady Macbeth plays on his weakness to her advantage and persuades him to murder Duncan. Another of his flaw is self-doubt; the prediction that he will be king brings him joy, but instead creates inner turmoil. This shows even when he was committing the murder of Duncan. Before he kills Duncan, Macbeth is plagued by worry and almost aborts the crime. It takes Lady Macbeth’s steely sense of purpose to push him into the deed.
Period 3 AP LIT
September 22, 2014
Structural Analysis and Thematic Interpretation
Macbeth Act 1 pgs. 24-31
A. A short statement of what the passage is about.
Throughout the first act of the play “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare, Macbeth is introduced as a warrior hero. After the successful battle he had, Macbeth crosses the witches who predict him that he will be Thane of Cawdor and ultimately King of Scotland. At first he was in doubts but until the messenger arrives and tells him that he is granted the title Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth believes that the prophecy might be accurate after all. This is when he is first seen with ambitious thoughts and acts of engagement in treason.
B. A search for an opposition or tension within the passage.
Macbeth is a …show more content…
brave soldier and a powerful man, but he is not a virtuous one.
When the idea of Macbeth being crowned is first suggested at the beginning of the play (given his irresistible temptation to become King), he goes on planning the murder of Duncan, King of Scotland. He has no suspicion, whatsoever, that the witches were leading him into his own self-destruction. All he knows is that he will become king, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir.”
C. An analysis of the details of the passage, possibly relating to the opposition already noted.
According to the theory of divine right, God bestows on kings the right to rule and an uprising against the king is by extension an uprising against the will of God. When Macbeth and Lady Macbeth murder Duncan, this is recognized as a rebellion act against God and therefore brings us to our main theme the overturning of the natural order. In order to
become king, Macbeth has to commit his first crime into killing the king. He is easily tempted into murder to fulfill his ambitions to the throne. In Act 1 Scene 3, the three witches predicted a future as Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland for Macbeth, “All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter.” Macbeth's initial reaction was surprise, shock, fear, and disbelief. But he got used to the idea of such glorious career moves. Nevertheless, he still couldn't come up with any really good reasons for why he should be, or even should want to be, King. In Scene 7, he pinpointed his “vaulting ambition,” but he even managed to reject that reason, until his wife's arguments got the better of him, calling him “a coward.” Ultimately, Macbeth wants to be King, because he and his Lady were ambitious and particularly because his wife wanted them to claim the throne of Scotland. Their perversion of nature is reflected throughout the play. Lady Macbeth, in Scene 5, says, “unsex me here;” simply she’s asking the spirits to take her femininity and therefore her conscience, so that she will be able to commit murder. She wishes to avoid any ladylike quality that would keep her from carrying out the deed; she is subverting the natural order by denying her femaleness. These two people are perfect examples of subjects rebelling against the divine right of kings.
D. Identify the main idea of the passage, and how the main idea of the passage related to the meaning of the work as a whole.
In attempts to satisfy Macbeth’s inner longing wish to become king, he had to kill the king not considering the fact that Macbeth is a kinsman, subject, host to the king. Moreover, he is going against the god’s law that will begin a series of consequences of sin and overturning the natural order of things. From context, we know that these consequences will not stop until the natural order of things is restored.
E. A search for anything distinctive about the passage, particularly in the area of style that has been overlooked in the previous stages.
In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is introduced as a successful general, a man of action, described as noble, worthy, and ambitious. But like every other human being, he has a flaw, being naive and gullible. Lady Macbeth plays on his weakness to her advantage and persuades him to murder Duncan. Another of his flaw is self-doubt; the prediction that he will be king brings him joy, but instead creates inner turmoil. This shows even when he was committing the murder of Duncan. Before he kills Duncan, Macbeth is plagued by worry and almost aborts the crime. It takes Lady Macbeth’s steely sense of purpose to push him into the deed.