Macbeth Essay Planning

To what extent is Macbeth responsible for his own actions as opposed to being influenced by others?

Key Quotes Matching Essay Topic
“All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!”
“If chance will have me king, then chance will crown me, without my stir.”
“A little water clears us of this deed.”
“Fair is foul and foul is fair”
“When you durst do it, then you were a man;”

"To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus!"
(This shows he'll never be content with his situation as he will always feel at threat.)

“for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth.”
“Then live Macduff: what need I fear thee?”

“Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him.”

“Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle before my hand?”- On his way to murder King Duncan, Macbeth sees the vision of the bloody dagger leading the way.

“Macduff was from his mother’s womb Untimely ripp’d”

Organising Ideas for Paragraphs 5. The witches influence ton Macbeth through their prophecies, especially their initial one 6. The witches influence on Macbeth through their apparitions an what the apparitions represented 7. Lady Macbeth’s influence gained through emasculating and manipulating Macbeth, so she can become queen 8. Counter argument – After Macbeth committed his first murder his paranoia inundated him, causing him to take more drastic measure to maintain his designation

Thesaurus: Synonyms for Key Terms
Extent: degree, scale, level, magnitude, scope; size, breadth, width, reach, range
Responsible: accountable, answerable, to blame, guilty, culpable, blameworthy, at fault, in the wrong
Actions: deed, act, move, undertaking, exploit, maneuver, endeavor, effort, exertion; behavior, conduct, activity.
Influenced: effect, impact; control, sway, hold, power, authority, mastery, domination, supremacy; guidance, direction; pressure.

Key Themes Matching Essay Topic 4. Fortune, Fate & Free Will * The interference of fate, in the form of the witches, is what caused his inevitable downfall. * Macbeth didn’t exhibit any ambition to usurp the throne until he heard the prophecy. * His wife really forced it upon him, using tactics such as questioning his manhood and assuring his success. 5. Ambition & Greed * Macbeth’s efforts to maintain his power became increasingly more drastic according to the amount of power that he obtained. 6. The Supernatural & Superstition * The witches, Banquo’s ghost, the apparitions with their prophecies, and in the air-drawn dagger that guides Macbeth towards his victim * The witches represent Macbeth's evil ambitions. They are the catalyst, which unleash Macbeth's evil aspirations. * Apparitions- first is Macbeth’s head, the second says “he can not be harmed by no one born of woman” and the third is a child representing Malcolm (all 3 give Macbeth false sense of security) * Banquo’s ghost reveals Macbeth’s confused and deteriorating state of mind.