Macbeth…

Questions & teamwork.

Questions IV Question 1:

– What is signified by each of the three figures that rises from the cauldron to speak to Macbeth?

Question 2: – How is Macbeth’s decision to murder Macduff’s

family consistent with his developing character?

Question 3: How does the third major crime of Macbeth differ from the first (King Duncan) and second crimes (Banquo)?

Questions – Act IV Question 1:

– What is signified by each of the three figures that rises from the cauldron to speak to Macbeth (armed head, bloody child, the crowned child)?

Answer 1:– The armed head represents Macbeth, whose head is to be

cut off by Macduff; the bloody child represents Macduff and foreshadows the statement later of his unnatural birth; the crowed child with the tree in his hand represents Malcom’s order that his soldiers carry branches of Birnam Wood as camouflage for their numbers, and his being crowned .

Questions – Act IV Question 2:

– How is Macbeth’s decision to murder Macduff’s family consistent with his developing character?

Answer 2: – Shakespeare wishes to paint a character that exhibits

progressive deterioration as the play proceeds. Macbeth had intended to commit one crime and then stop, but he is driven on to commit others. There was some evil logic behind the murder of Banquo; there is no point to the murder of the Macduff family. There is also no attempt at concealment. As there had been earlier. (see next page)

Questions – Act IV Question 2:

– How is Macbeth’s decision to murder Macduff’s family consistent with his developing character?

Answer 2 (cont’d): – Murder for its own sake has come to dominate the

actions of Macbeth, and, obviously, the tragedy of the breakdown of his character near the end.

Questions – Act IV Question 3:

– How does the third major crime of Macbeth differ from the first (King Duncan) and second crimes (Banquo)?

Answer 3 :– No thought is given to this murder. For the first murder,

Macbeth carefully weighed whether he should commit the crime. For the second murder, he spent time in careful planning. But not so in this third murder. Macbeth committed the first murder himself and was closely involved in the second, but, in this case, he simply sent murderers to do the job.

Videos Soliloquy: “Tomorrow, and tomorrow”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGbZCgHQ9m8

Macbeth Themes Equivocation: to equivocate is to lie by saying

something that sounds fair, but which has a hidden, foul meaning.– https://prezi.com/-obgrixg7dsu/equivocation-in-

macbeth/

Corrupting power of unchecked ambition (ambition leading to one’s downfall)

The relationship between masculinity and cruelty

Soliloquies

Thoughts, feelings, personality mindset and motivations of the central character

Soliloquies

The raven himself is hoarse - Lady Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 5 (king coming to the castle)

If it were done when 'tis done -Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 7 (thinking about the killing the king)

Is this a dagger which I see before me -Macbeth, Act 2 Scene 1 (magical dagger)

To be thus is nothing -Macbeth, Act 3 Scene 1 (has killed the king, now the menace is Banquo)

She should have died hereafter (Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, after Lady Macbeth dies) -Macbeth, Act 5 Scene 5

Soliloquies

She should have died hereafter (Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow) -Macbeth, Act 5 Scene 5

Four possible meanings are:

(1) she should have died after the battle when there would be time to mourn properly;

(2) she should have waited for me, seeing that my death is so near;

(3) she would have died at sometime, either now or later;

(4) she should have died after the battle for now, with her gone, I know I shall not win

Macbeth motifs

Definition: Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.

Examples: -sleep-blood-animals-clothing, -light and dark, -disease and decay-appearance versus reality

Film codes/techniques (media)

Examples:- Costumes- Camera work (angles)- Lighting- Sound (audio)

Film codes/techniques (media)- Out Damned spot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS_Z4zBDItw

What differences can you draw from each scene? (staging, lighting, characters, juxtapose, etc)Which film version did you enjoy the most? Analyze it critically and explain why.