Macbeth Key Themes Flashcards
(5 cards)
How is the theme of ABUSE OF POWER AND KINGSHIP portrayed/ significant?
Intrinsically (naturally) linked throughout (power and kingship)- the ascension of power is the main motivational force for many of the characters- Shakespeare portrays the contrast between the righteous Duncan and the violent and tyrannical Macbeth
Macduff, being the only one who can and does kill Macbeth, is seen as loyal and patriotic- he respects God’s wishes and gives the throne to Malcom for he is the righteous heir
Malcom is seen as wise- for he’s the righteous king.
DEVELOPMENT
It’s the push and pull for power between the opposing sides that drive the play forward
Edward isn’t talked about, but he is the kind and merciful king that lends Malcom the army. He provides a stable country, and therefore the chaos of Scotland unfolds in the FOREGROUND of England’s stability
How is the theme of ABUSE portrayed/ significant?
Macbeths’ manipulative ambition is what pushes the play onward- both exploit those around them to gain a higher social class, motivated by the witches
Ambition corrupts Macbeth as he loses his nobility and becomes increasingly violent
They both suffer- Lady Macbeth kills herself
DRAMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE DEVASTATING PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES of pursuing one’s ambitions without ANY REGARD FOR MORALITY
In the Jacobean era, AMBITION WAS EQUATED WITH SIN
Sources of Macbeth’s ambition- Lady Macbeth and the Witches
Guilt is the result of ambition
How is the theme of DECEPTION/ APPEARANCE VS REALITY portrayed/ significant?
Loyalty and trust are juxtaposed by ultimate betrayal
How reality is manipulated is facilitated through the use of the supernatural
“Fair is foul and foul is fair”- Shakespeare is stating to never trust anyone in the play- a wider perspective= no certainties when it comes to morality
Witches aren’t violent or cruel- they’re scary due to the confusion and chaos they cause
The prophecies and the witches show how greed can make people vulnerable to deception and betrayal
Lady Macbeth= outwardly feminine, but inwardly masculine- this leads to her downfall
Macbeth= a symbol of deception and facade
DEVELOPMENT
Shakespeare organises the slow breakdown of order in Scotland- appearance vs reality is tied with order vs chaos
NOTE- Macbeth and Lady Macbeth start to talk in prose at the end- mental instability
Macbeths’ suffer because they have driven their appearance away from their reality
How is the theme of GENDER portrayed/ significant?
Context= Males are strong and dominant, females are obedient
Macbeth- he becomes drawn in to Lady Macbeth’s manipulation and becomes obsessed with wanting to be a man. However, his fear and paranoia leads him to become more feminine. However, his last moments seem to be very masculine- he fights bravely and doesn’t give in the thought of suicide
Malcom and Macduff= more emotional exploration of manhood. When Malcom is testing Macduff, he becomes the epitome of aggressive lust. Macduff mourns for the death of his family, implying that repressing his grief would be like denying his love- this suggests that the expected coldness of man’s heart isn’t natural
Lady Macbeth- she calls upon spirits and ‘unsexes’ herself to become more manly, and she is a strong woman in the beginning- where she is able to manipulate Macbeth into killing Duncan. However, the guilt she suffers shows her femininity- where she once called upon darkness, she then needs a candle. Stating that “a little water clears us of this deed” turns into incessant washing of her hands, trying to wash the guilt off. In the end, she reverts back to that of a woman- perhaps it’s her punishment from God
DEVELOPMENT
Death of Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff- women suffer from the sinful deeds of men
How is the theme of GUILT, INNOCENCE and PARANOIA portrayed/ significant?
Macbeths’ downfall is their ambition- their breaking point is their guilt (the thing that causes them to go insane)
Emphasising how the Macbeths commit regicide and then fall into insanity= Shakespeare is condemning regicide
Macbeth’s guilt is from the killing of Duncan- this leads to paranoia, and then his killing sprees
Macbeth loses all his masculinity and heroic qualities because of paranoia
Lady Macbeth seems fine when Macbeth is wracked with guilt, but descends into madness when Macbeth seems to be ‘free’ of guilt
She becomes powerful and strong, then falls down into weakness and femininity
REPRESENTED BY BLOOD
Macbeth suffers hallucinations when he is feeling guilt
Sleep represents peace- Macbeth suffers insomnia
DEVELOPMENT
Macbeth constantly has guilt and paranoia, they only worsen as the play goes on
Lady Macbeth’s guilt and paranoia only seem to fully manifest itself near the end of the play
DIVISION BETWEEN THE COUPLE (BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY) CREATES A BARRIER= GUILT IS ISOLATING
