Macbeth Research Paper
Matt Prieto
Mr.Furlong
English 3
14 February, 2011
The Collapse of an Ambitious Mind
Ambition is a very desirous trait. Macbeth’s ambition leads him down the path to perform wicked deeds that ultimately lead to his demise. Throughout the play of Macbeth, Shakespeare utilizes many forms of imagery. Some forms of imagery are shown through the character’s appearance in clothing, light and darkness and blood imagery. The most dominant form of imagery in the play is expressed through the clothing worn by the characters. In Macbeth, a play written by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare utilizes imagery of clothing and equivocation to demonstrate Macbeth's over ambitious mindset, which ultimately leads to his collapse. This is exemplified through Macbeth as he becomes the Thane of Cawdor, during the murder of King Duncan, and as Macbeth faces the forces of the British and Scottish.
Equivocation and the three witches lead to the house of the Thane of Cawdor. Ross and Angus deliver the news to Macbeth. The Thane of Cawdor is to be executed for treason and Macbeth is to be given the title. When first called the Thane of Cawdor, he is skeptic at the prophesy. However, when the prophesy is realized he states, "The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me/ in Borrowed robes." (1.3 114-115)
Macbeth does not literally mean that he's going to wear the old thane's clothing. The robes represented the title, the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth did not believe that the title belonged to him. However, along with the title of being named the Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth gained the power that came along with it. As a result, he became more greedy and began a demented pursuit for more power. These new robes ultimately acted as a catalyst for his tragic plunge into madness and eventual death. This tragic plunge was due the equivocation that the three witches provided. The witches stated that Macbeth would become the Thane of Cawdor but at what cost? The witches
Mr.Furlong
English 3
14 February, 2011
The Collapse of an Ambitious Mind
Ambition is a very desirous trait. Macbeth’s ambition leads him down the path to perform wicked deeds that ultimately lead to his demise. Throughout the play of Macbeth, Shakespeare utilizes many forms of imagery. Some forms of imagery are shown through the character’s appearance in clothing, light and darkness and blood imagery. The most dominant form of imagery in the play is expressed through the clothing worn by the characters. In Macbeth, a play written by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare utilizes imagery of clothing and equivocation to demonstrate Macbeth's over ambitious mindset, which ultimately leads to his collapse. This is exemplified through Macbeth as he becomes the Thane of Cawdor, during the murder of King Duncan, and as Macbeth faces the forces of the British and Scottish.
Equivocation and the three witches lead to the house of the Thane of Cawdor. Ross and Angus deliver the news to Macbeth. The Thane of Cawdor is to be executed for treason and Macbeth is to be given the title. When first called the Thane of Cawdor, he is skeptic at the prophesy. However, when the prophesy is realized he states, "The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me/ in Borrowed robes." (1.3 114-115)
Macbeth does not literally mean that he's going to wear the old thane's clothing. The robes represented the title, the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth did not believe that the title belonged to him. However, along with the title of being named the Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth gained the power that came along with it. As a result, he became more greedy and began a demented pursuit for more power. These new robes ultimately acted as a catalyst for his tragic plunge into madness and eventual death. This tragic plunge was due the equivocation that the three witches provided. The witches stated that Macbeth would become the Thane of Cawdor but at what cost? The witches
Bibliography: Brooks, Cleanth. The Well Wrought Urn; Studies in the Structure of Poetry. New York: Reynal & Hitchcock, 1947 Elliott, George Roy. Dramatic Providence in Macbeth; a Study of Shakespeare 's Tragic Theme of Humanity and Grace. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1958 Wills, Garry. Witches and Jesuits: Shakespeare 's Macbeth. New York: New York Public Library, Oxford UP, 1996 Zaixin Zhang. "Shakespeare 's Macbeth.” The Explicator 47.2 (1989): 11-13. ProQuest. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. & Hitchcock, 1947. Print. Elliott, George Roy. Dramatic Providence in Macbeth; a Study of Shakespeare 's Tragic Theme of Humanity and Grace. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1958 Wills, Garry. Witches and Jesuits: Shakespeare 's Macbeth. New York: New York Public Library, Oxford UP, 1996 Zaixin Zhang. "Shakespeare 's Macbeth. " The Explicator 47.2 (1989): 11-13. ProQuest. Web. 9 Feb. 2011.