Power of Simile
The Power of Simile
Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare seems to choose his words with care. Although written in a formal style, the author fabricated a colorful play with the use of metaphors, imagery, and iambic pentameter by cautiously placing the words in order to fulfill a certain rhythm; however, Shakespeare exhibits a somewhat distinct use of simile throughout Macbeth (Hudson). As stated by the Oxford Dictionary, a simile is a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind. In order words, a simile is the comparison of two or more unlike things (Hudson). The author exercises simile by conveying a concept to the reader and portraying a picture to be more emphatic or vivid than it is especially in the following scenes: when he describes the battle between Norway and Scotland, when he describes the fervor with which Macbeth and Banquo fight in the beginning of the tale, and when he describes the murderers that he hires to eliminate Banquo (Hudson). Shakespeare conveys the concept of the battle between Norway and Scotland by using simile. “Doubtful it stood, as two spent swimmers that do cling together and choke their art” (I.ii.7). Here, the Captain tells King Duncan that the armies were like two effete swimmers clutching each other for their lives. At the commencement of the play, Shakespeare seems to use a significant amount of similes in order to make the reader visualize the battle. The author attempts to relate similar ideas that may be known to the reader in order to explain the occurring event. Shakespeare depicts the force Macbeth and Banquo used to fight the counterattack of the Norwegian King vividly by using simile. “…They were as cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they doubled strokes upon the foe” (I.ii.35). Here, the Captain tells King Duncan that Macbeth and Banquo fought Norway with double force. The Captain then compares Macbeth and Banquo to cannons with double ammunition.
Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare seems to choose his words with care. Although written in a formal style, the author fabricated a colorful play with the use of metaphors, imagery, and iambic pentameter by cautiously placing the words in order to fulfill a certain rhythm; however, Shakespeare exhibits a somewhat distinct use of simile throughout Macbeth (Hudson). As stated by the Oxford Dictionary, a simile is a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind. In order words, a simile is the comparison of two or more unlike things (Hudson). The author exercises simile by conveying a concept to the reader and portraying a picture to be more emphatic or vivid than it is especially in the following scenes: when he describes the battle between Norway and Scotland, when he describes the fervor with which Macbeth and Banquo fight in the beginning of the tale, and when he describes the murderers that he hires to eliminate Banquo (Hudson). Shakespeare conveys the concept of the battle between Norway and Scotland by using simile. “Doubtful it stood, as two spent swimmers that do cling together and choke their art” (I.ii.7). Here, the Captain tells King Duncan that the armies were like two effete swimmers clutching each other for their lives. At the commencement of the play, Shakespeare seems to use a significant amount of similes in order to make the reader visualize the battle. The author attempts to relate similar ideas that may be known to the reader in order to explain the occurring event. Shakespeare depicts the force Macbeth and Banquo used to fight the counterattack of the Norwegian King vividly by using simile. “…They were as cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they doubled strokes upon the foe” (I.ii.35). Here, the Captain tells King Duncan that Macbeth and Banquo fought Norway with double force. The Captain then compares Macbeth and Banquo to cannons with double ammunition.