macbeth violence

Question 1

the theme in violence

Answer 1

emphasizes the destructive nature of being too greedy for power.

Question 2

the we but teach bloody executions which being taught, return to plague th’inventor

Answer 2

• The noun ‘instruction’ implies lessons, while the adjective ‘bloody’ suggests violence.
• Macbeth is suggesting that when you commit violent acts you are teaching others to do the same.
• The verb ‘plague’ implies that the initiator of violence will be ceaselessly tormented for his actions.
• he knows that this could happen but he is too ambitious

Question 3

come thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell

Answer 3

• The references to ‘thick night’, ‘pall’ ‘smoke’, and ‘blanket of dark’ reveal LM’s desire to hide her murderous intention and deeds from others, but also from herself.
• The noun ‘heaven’ is symbolic of God and goodness so she does not want God to see the murder of Duncan.
• Duncan is God’s representative on earth, so perhaps she does not want Duncan to wake and see the face of his killer.
• This idea reveals her deep feelings of guilt and shame.
• Moreover, ‘pall’, ‘dark’, ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ refer to the semantic field of death so clearly LM’s mind is preoccupied with dark and depressing thoughts.
• she knows her plan is evil and it is tormenting her.

Question 4

I have supp’d full with horrors; direness familiar to my thoughts cannot once start me

Answer 4

the verb ‘supp’d’ means drank
↳implies he has consumed/ or witnessed many ‘horrors’ meaning terrible acts
the noun ‘direness’ means awfulness
↳awful things are too familiar to his mind
a mind full of ‘slaughterous thoughts’
↳brutal murder of innocent people
‘cannot start me’
↳nothing can frighten him now because he is numb
M experiences synesthesia and he has become desensitised
this leads to him doing even more bad things and ends up in a bad ending