Shakespeare's Effect On Macduff
Background/Context
William Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights and poets of all time, was born in April of 1564. He grew up and was raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Shakespeare attended the King's New School in Stratford where he learned basic Latin and English grammar.Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582 at the age of eighteen. Shakespeare and Hathaway had three children: Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith. Shakespeare began his career as a playwright working for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. His work included 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 narrative poems. Shakespeare died in April of 1616 at the age of 52.
William Shakespeare’s work of 1606, Macbeth, thrilled audiences with its dark context and cynical plot. The most noteworthy theme displayed in Macbeth is that an overabundance of ambition and a thirst for power can lead to malicious results. This tragedy begins with three witches prophesying that a general, Macbeth, will eventually become king of Scotland. Macbeth may not have been Shakespeare’s longest or most complex masterpiece, but it's intense dramatic effect …show more content…
has captivated English society for over 400 years.
Character Analysis
Macbeth Macbeth is a medium sized, fit man who was titled as the Thane of Glamis. As the plot starts off, Macbeth appears to be a great warrior and a courageous hero, but as the story spirals into reverse, he proves to be a selfish and greedy murderer. Macbeth’s belief system involves killing off those who threaten his position of power. His over ambition and thirst for powers showed awful results to his future. An example of this belief is shown in Act I Scene 4 Lines 55-60( “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down or else o’erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see”-Macbeth) . At the start of the plot Macbeth is viewed as an honorable general of Scotland. He is highly respected by the king and nobles, but as the storyline unfolds, most people can see his crazy nature and evil intentions. Act V Scene 8 Lines 23-27 (“Then yield thee, coward, and live to be the show and gaze o' the time: We'll have thee, as our rarer monsters are, painted on a pole, and underwrit, Here may you see the tyrant.”-Macduff) clearly states Macduff’s thoughts of Macbeth.
Macduff
Macduff is a medium sized, middle aged man who was titled as the Thane of Fife.
Macduff appears to be a quiet but extremely loyal man. In the play he is viewed as a close advisor of King Duncan. Macduff’s loyal nature and moral character pushed Macbeth to view him as a threat. Macduff’s loyalty and moral character is shown in Act II Scene 3 Lines 25-26(“I’ll make so bold to call, for ‘tis my limited service”.-Macduff) Macbeth kills off Macduff’s family when Macduff is away. When Macduff hears of the news he returns with hatred and vengeance. Most of the kingdom views Macduff as a very respectable man and a great leader. An example of these descriptions includes Act IV Scene 3 Lines 1-9(“Let us seek out some desolate shade and there weep our sad bosoms empty”-Malcolm). Here, Malcolm speaks of the sorrows of his father's death. By this we know that Macduff is highly trusted by
Malcolm.
Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth is a medium sized, young woman with red hair. Her ambition to become queen was ultimate downfall of the Macbeth name. Lady Macbeth is a well respected woman within the kingdom. She taunts Macbeth into killing Duncan, but in the end it is her who receives the bulk of the guilt from the act.”Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be
What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it”-Lady Macbeth (Act 1 Scene 5 Lines 15-20). This quote shows Lady Macbeth’s ambitious nature and charming ability to consider the idea of killing Duncan.
Act I
Summary
The play starts out with three witches waiting for Macbeth in a storm. They say that they will meet him “when the battle’s lost and won” and “when fair is foul and foul is fair”. The next scene shows a trader being hung. King Duncan names Macbeth Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth meets with the witches and speaks of three prophecies. At this time he is confused and frightened about their message. The witches disappear, and Ross brings forth the good news. King Duncan names Malcolm the heir to the throne. The second prophecy involves killing Duncan in order for Macbeth to become king. Lady Macbeth believes that Macbeth has too kind of a heart to perform such a deed. Macbeth deeply contemplates the decision, but in the end he follows through.
Commentary
“We will proceed no further in this business:
He hath honour’d me of late; and I have bought
Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
Not cast aside so soon.”
This quote shows that Macbeth has a conscience because he has temporarily cancelled the plans of killing Duncan. This is important to examine because it proves that Macbeth was not evil stricken the full time of the play.
Act II
Summary
Lady Macbeth gives Macbeth the signal of a bell to perform the murder. After he performs the deed, Macbeth meets with back with Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is deeply shaken and washes the blood off of his hands. He claims that he heard a voice saying “Macbeth shall sleep no more. Lady Macbeth goes to return the daggers, and while she is gone Macbeth hears constant knocking. When Lady Macbeth returns she says that everything will be okay. The knocking came from Macduff and Lennox. Macduff finds the king dead and alerts everybody of the news. Macbeth kills the guards that he has framed. After the occurrence of this horrible event, Malcolm and Donalbain choose to flee to different locations. Macbeth is crowned king, and suspicion arises between Duncan's two remaining sons.
Commentary
“The night has been unruly. Were we lay, our chimneys were blown down and, as they say, lamentings heard i' th' air, strange screams of death, and prophesying, with accents terrible, of dire combustion and confused events new hatched to th' woeful time. The obscure bird clamored the livelong night. Some say the earth was feverous and did shake.”
In these lines Lennox notices that something is off about the night. As the reader, we know why this is the case. This quote may worry Macbeth to know that others may be catching on. Lennox also states that there have been a disruption in order and confusion in events. This may be the result of Macbeth’s nightly actions and guilt he endured.
Act III
Summary
Act III starts with Macbeth ordering two murderers to assassinate Banquo and Fleance. Macbeth feels as if he must take out all that could potentially be a threat to him. As Banquo and Fleance enter the scene, the murderers attack. They are able to kill Banquo but Fleance escapes the massacre. The murderers deliver the news to Macbeth before dinner. Macbeth goes insane and speaks of nonsense at the banquet when he sees Banquo's ghost and nobody else can. Lady Macbeth orders all of the guests to leave. Later that night Hecate meets with the witches to state that she is unpleased with Macbeth’s actions for interfering with fate. This act ends with Lennox speaking of Macbeth’s wrongdoing.
Commentary
“We here our bloody cousins are bestowed in England and Ireland, not confessing their cruel parricide, fillling their hearers with strange invention.”
In this quote Macbeth is referring to the wrongdoings of Malcolm and Donalbain. He has accused them of killing Duncan. He indicates that they are lying to the people of England and Ireland about their intentions.
Act IV
Summary
Macbeth seeks out the witches to ask more questions about his future in a demanding tone. The witches use magic to deliver three visions to Macbeth. The first being an armed head warning him of Macduff. The second being a bloody childing stating that no man born of a woman can defeat Macbeth. The third being a child with a tree in its hand stating that Macbeth shall not fall until the woods move to Dunsinane. Macbeth chooses to act on the first vision and kills Lady Macbeth’s family. Macduff and Malcolm meet in England. They form an army of ten thousand to take back the country from Macbeth. Later a messenger informs Macduff that his family has been brutally murdered. He is enraged and feels guilty that he was not present to defend his family. Malcolm tells Macduff to get revenge on Macbeth, and to obliterate his dwindling kingdom.
Commentary
“Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.”
In this first apparition, Macbeth is warned about Macduff. Macbeth should have been more worried about Maduff than he truly was. Macbeth did chose to kill Macduff’s family but that was not enough. That action only fueled Macduff’s motivation to take down Macbeth.
Act V
Summary
Act V begins with a scene in which Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking with a candle. She enters a room where a doctor and gentlewoman watch her reenact the murder scene of Duncan. The doctor indicates that his help is useless and that she must see a priest. Lennox will meet Malcolm and Macduff at Birnam Wood to prepare for the attack on Dunsinane. Many of Macbeth’s people begin to leave Dunsinane. Macbeth is not worried because the prophecies appear to him as if there is no way he can be defeated. Macbeth is notified of his wife’s death. He responds by saying that she should have died at a more convenient time. Soon after this happening, a messenger states that a large mass of forests have moved. Macbeth becomes worried, but he is still confident that the other prophecy will hold true. As the massive English army enter the castle, Macbeth’s first dual is with Young Siward, killing him easily. Next, Macduff challenges Macbeth to a fight. Macduff claims victory by beheading him. The English celebrate the beheading and get ready to crown Malcolm as king of Scotland.
Commentary
"Thou wast born of woman. But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, Brandished by man that's of a woman born..”
In this line Macbeth is still confident that he is invincible to all that have been born from a woman. Ironically, he does not know that Macduff was not naturally born. As Macbeth laughs off Macduff’s challenge, little does he know that his reign is headed quickly to the end.
Themes
Ambition and Temptation
“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent by only vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other.”
Macbeth clearly states that his ambition and temptation for power has caused him to consider killing Duncan. Macbeth even says that Duncan is a good king and a kind cousin. In the end Macbeth’s ambition overrides his moral instinct as it does in many times of this play. He is so ambitious that he kills off all that appear as a threat to his power(Banquo and Fleance). Macbeth’s temptation takes so much of his mind over that he shakes his own wife’s suicide off in order to prepare for battle. The themes of ambition and temptation have been key elements on how the plot evolved throughout the story.
Guilt and Remorse
“I am in blood
Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.”
Macbeth speaks these line after he sees the ghost of Banquo. His guilt makes him go insane at this banquet as he rambles on about nonsense. Macbeth is not the only one to show remorse during the play though. As the plot progresses we can see that Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and speaks of the horrid actions made by her and Macbeth. Her overwhelming guilt even causes her to commit suicide. Macbeth’s guilt actually shifts from the beginning where he is crazy. Towards the end of the play he is cold hearted and only cares about his current possession of power.
William Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights and poets of all time, was born in April of 1564. He grew up and was raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Shakespeare attended the King's New School in Stratford where he learned basic Latin and English grammar.Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582 at the age of eighteen. Shakespeare and Hathaway had three children: Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith. Shakespeare began his career as a playwright working for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. His work included 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 narrative poems. Shakespeare died in April of 1616 at the age of 52.
William Shakespeare’s work of 1606, Macbeth, thrilled audiences with its dark context and cynical plot. The most noteworthy theme displayed in Macbeth is that an overabundance of ambition and a thirst for power can lead to malicious results. This tragedy begins with three witches prophesying that a general, Macbeth, will eventually become king of Scotland. Macbeth may not have been Shakespeare’s longest or most complex masterpiece, but it's intense dramatic effect …show more content…
has captivated English society for over 400 years.
Character Analysis
Macbeth Macbeth is a medium sized, fit man who was titled as the Thane of Glamis. As the plot starts off, Macbeth appears to be a great warrior and a courageous hero, but as the story spirals into reverse, he proves to be a selfish and greedy murderer. Macbeth’s belief system involves killing off those who threaten his position of power. His over ambition and thirst for powers showed awful results to his future. An example of this belief is shown in Act I Scene 4 Lines 55-60( “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down or else o’erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see”-Macbeth) . At the start of the plot Macbeth is viewed as an honorable general of Scotland. He is highly respected by the king and nobles, but as the storyline unfolds, most people can see his crazy nature and evil intentions. Act V Scene 8 Lines 23-27 (“Then yield thee, coward, and live to be the show and gaze o' the time: We'll have thee, as our rarer monsters are, painted on a pole, and underwrit, Here may you see the tyrant.”-Macduff) clearly states Macduff’s thoughts of Macbeth.
Macduff
Macduff is a medium sized, middle aged man who was titled as the Thane of Fife.
Macduff appears to be a quiet but extremely loyal man. In the play he is viewed as a close advisor of King Duncan. Macduff’s loyal nature and moral character pushed Macbeth to view him as a threat. Macduff’s loyalty and moral character is shown in Act II Scene 3 Lines 25-26(“I’ll make so bold to call, for ‘tis my limited service”.-Macduff) Macbeth kills off Macduff’s family when Macduff is away. When Macduff hears of the news he returns with hatred and vengeance. Most of the kingdom views Macduff as a very respectable man and a great leader. An example of these descriptions includes Act IV Scene 3 Lines 1-9(“Let us seek out some desolate shade and there weep our sad bosoms empty”-Malcolm). Here, Malcolm speaks of the sorrows of his father's death. By this we know that Macduff is highly trusted by
Malcolm.
Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth is a medium sized, young woman with red hair. Her ambition to become queen was ultimate downfall of the Macbeth name. Lady Macbeth is a well respected woman within the kingdom. She taunts Macbeth into killing Duncan, but in the end it is her who receives the bulk of the guilt from the act.”Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be
What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it”-Lady Macbeth (Act 1 Scene 5 Lines 15-20). This quote shows Lady Macbeth’s ambitious nature and charming ability to consider the idea of killing Duncan.
Act I
Summary
The play starts out with three witches waiting for Macbeth in a storm. They say that they will meet him “when the battle’s lost and won” and “when fair is foul and foul is fair”. The next scene shows a trader being hung. King Duncan names Macbeth Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth meets with the witches and speaks of three prophecies. At this time he is confused and frightened about their message. The witches disappear, and Ross brings forth the good news. King Duncan names Malcolm the heir to the throne. The second prophecy involves killing Duncan in order for Macbeth to become king. Lady Macbeth believes that Macbeth has too kind of a heart to perform such a deed. Macbeth deeply contemplates the decision, but in the end he follows through.
Commentary
“We will proceed no further in this business:
He hath honour’d me of late; and I have bought
Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
Not cast aside so soon.”
This quote shows that Macbeth has a conscience because he has temporarily cancelled the plans of killing Duncan. This is important to examine because it proves that Macbeth was not evil stricken the full time of the play.
Act II
Summary
Lady Macbeth gives Macbeth the signal of a bell to perform the murder. After he performs the deed, Macbeth meets with back with Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is deeply shaken and washes the blood off of his hands. He claims that he heard a voice saying “Macbeth shall sleep no more. Lady Macbeth goes to return the daggers, and while she is gone Macbeth hears constant knocking. When Lady Macbeth returns she says that everything will be okay. The knocking came from Macduff and Lennox. Macduff finds the king dead and alerts everybody of the news. Macbeth kills the guards that he has framed. After the occurrence of this horrible event, Malcolm and Donalbain choose to flee to different locations. Macbeth is crowned king, and suspicion arises between Duncan's two remaining sons.
Commentary
“The night has been unruly. Were we lay, our chimneys were blown down and, as they say, lamentings heard i' th' air, strange screams of death, and prophesying, with accents terrible, of dire combustion and confused events new hatched to th' woeful time. The obscure bird clamored the livelong night. Some say the earth was feverous and did shake.”
In these lines Lennox notices that something is off about the night. As the reader, we know why this is the case. This quote may worry Macbeth to know that others may be catching on. Lennox also states that there have been a disruption in order and confusion in events. This may be the result of Macbeth’s nightly actions and guilt he endured.
Act III
Summary
Act III starts with Macbeth ordering two murderers to assassinate Banquo and Fleance. Macbeth feels as if he must take out all that could potentially be a threat to him. As Banquo and Fleance enter the scene, the murderers attack. They are able to kill Banquo but Fleance escapes the massacre. The murderers deliver the news to Macbeth before dinner. Macbeth goes insane and speaks of nonsense at the banquet when he sees Banquo's ghost and nobody else can. Lady Macbeth orders all of the guests to leave. Later that night Hecate meets with the witches to state that she is unpleased with Macbeth’s actions for interfering with fate. This act ends with Lennox speaking of Macbeth’s wrongdoing.
Commentary
“We here our bloody cousins are bestowed in England and Ireland, not confessing their cruel parricide, fillling their hearers with strange invention.”
In this quote Macbeth is referring to the wrongdoings of Malcolm and Donalbain. He has accused them of killing Duncan. He indicates that they are lying to the people of England and Ireland about their intentions.
Act IV
Summary
Macbeth seeks out the witches to ask more questions about his future in a demanding tone. The witches use magic to deliver three visions to Macbeth. The first being an armed head warning him of Macduff. The second being a bloody childing stating that no man born of a woman can defeat Macbeth. The third being a child with a tree in its hand stating that Macbeth shall not fall until the woods move to Dunsinane. Macbeth chooses to act on the first vision and kills Lady Macbeth’s family. Macduff and Malcolm meet in England. They form an army of ten thousand to take back the country from Macbeth. Later a messenger informs Macduff that his family has been brutally murdered. He is enraged and feels guilty that he was not present to defend his family. Malcolm tells Macduff to get revenge on Macbeth, and to obliterate his dwindling kingdom.
Commentary
“Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.”
In this first apparition, Macbeth is warned about Macduff. Macbeth should have been more worried about Maduff than he truly was. Macbeth did chose to kill Macduff’s family but that was not enough. That action only fueled Macduff’s motivation to take down Macbeth.
Act V
Summary
Act V begins with a scene in which Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking with a candle. She enters a room where a doctor and gentlewoman watch her reenact the murder scene of Duncan. The doctor indicates that his help is useless and that she must see a priest. Lennox will meet Malcolm and Macduff at Birnam Wood to prepare for the attack on Dunsinane. Many of Macbeth’s people begin to leave Dunsinane. Macbeth is not worried because the prophecies appear to him as if there is no way he can be defeated. Macbeth is notified of his wife’s death. He responds by saying that she should have died at a more convenient time. Soon after this happening, a messenger states that a large mass of forests have moved. Macbeth becomes worried, but he is still confident that the other prophecy will hold true. As the massive English army enter the castle, Macbeth’s first dual is with Young Siward, killing him easily. Next, Macduff challenges Macbeth to a fight. Macduff claims victory by beheading him. The English celebrate the beheading and get ready to crown Malcolm as king of Scotland.
Commentary
"Thou wast born of woman. But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, Brandished by man that's of a woman born..”
In this line Macbeth is still confident that he is invincible to all that have been born from a woman. Ironically, he does not know that Macduff was not naturally born. As Macbeth laughs off Macduff’s challenge, little does he know that his reign is headed quickly to the end.
Themes
Ambition and Temptation
“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent by only vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other.”
Macbeth clearly states that his ambition and temptation for power has caused him to consider killing Duncan. Macbeth even says that Duncan is a good king and a kind cousin. In the end Macbeth’s ambition overrides his moral instinct as it does in many times of this play. He is so ambitious that he kills off all that appear as a threat to his power(Banquo and Fleance). Macbeth’s temptation takes so much of his mind over that he shakes his own wife’s suicide off in order to prepare for battle. The themes of ambition and temptation have been key elements on how the plot evolved throughout the story.
Guilt and Remorse
“I am in blood
Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.”
Macbeth speaks these line after he sees the ghost of Banquo. His guilt makes him go insane at this banquet as he rambles on about nonsense. Macbeth is not the only one to show remorse during the play though. As the plot progresses we can see that Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and speaks of the horrid actions made by her and Macbeth. Her overwhelming guilt even causes her to commit suicide. Macbeth’s guilt actually shifts from the beginning where he is crazy. Towards the end of the play he is cold hearted and only cares about his current possession of power.