Structure of an essay, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
Macbeth:
We know that Macbeth is a brave and valiant soldier, ready to die for his king, Duncan. However, the prophecies of the witches have a powerful effect on him, especially when he learns the first has come true, and he becomes the Thane of Cawdor. He thinks more and more about being king, and he is easily persuaded to agree to murder Duncan. However, he often appears weak - he starts to have visions, he asks lots of questions, he cannot make a decision and never really seems sure of himself. For instance, he panics just after the murder and has to rely on his wife to find an alibi.
Later in the play he appears to be more in control and less reliant on his wife. For instance, he plans to murder Banquo without even telling his wife. He also ignores his visions and makes decisions quickly, giving orders rather than asking questions. At times he is full of confidence but he is also distant and seems to ignore the death of his wife. When he realizes he will also die, he 'will not yield' and fights to the very end.
Knowing the facts about a character is only the start - we need to be able to use these effectively. One way to do this is to have details or quotes from the play to support our ideas. For instance:
The character of Macbeth:
Point Evidence
Macbeth is brave in battle Duncan calls him "noble Macbeth" because he is so tough
He is tempted by ambition He talks about his "black and deep desires" (to be king)
He considers killing Duncan He thinks about "that suggestion" (of killing Duncan)
He is led by his wife She tells him to "Leave all the rest to me."
Macbeth has hallucinations "Is this a dagger which I see before me"
He has a conscience He cannot say "Amen" after the murder
He regrets killing Duncan He says he would "wake Duncan" if only he could
Macbeth changes in the play He becomes more confident and quick to act
He becomes rude He calls a servant "whey-face"
He is not afraid to die "I'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hack'd"
We know that Macbeth is a brave and valiant soldier, ready to die for his king, Duncan. However, the prophecies of the witches have a powerful effect on him, especially when he learns the first has come true, and he becomes the Thane of Cawdor. He thinks more and more about being king, and he is easily persuaded to agree to murder Duncan. However, he often appears weak - he starts to have visions, he asks lots of questions, he cannot make a decision and never really seems sure of himself. For instance, he panics just after the murder and has to rely on his wife to find an alibi.
Later in the play he appears to be more in control and less reliant on his wife. For instance, he plans to murder Banquo without even telling his wife. He also ignores his visions and makes decisions quickly, giving orders rather than asking questions. At times he is full of confidence but he is also distant and seems to ignore the death of his wife. When he realizes he will also die, he 'will not yield' and fights to the very end.
Knowing the facts about a character is only the start - we need to be able to use these effectively. One way to do this is to have details or quotes from the play to support our ideas. For instance:
The character of Macbeth:
Point Evidence
Macbeth is brave in battle Duncan calls him "noble Macbeth" because he is so tough
He is tempted by ambition He talks about his "black and deep desires" (to be king)
He considers killing Duncan He thinks about "that suggestion" (of killing Duncan)
He is led by his wife She tells him to "Leave all the rest to me."
Macbeth has hallucinations "Is this a dagger which I see before me"
He has a conscience He cannot say "Amen" after the murder
He regrets killing Duncan He says he would "wake Duncan" if only he could
Macbeth changes in the play He becomes more confident and quick to act
He becomes rude He calls a servant "whey-face"
He is not afraid to die "I'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hack'd"