Studied by 7 people
Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
‘carved out his passage’
‘carved’: verb – like a butcher carves meat – shows Macb’s BRUTALITY + RUTHLESSNESS; shows how EASY it is for him to kill
‘eagles and lions’
Similies: linked to POWER, COURAGE and NOBILITY/ROYALTY - shows Macb’s worth and reputation
‘he seems rapt withal’
‘rapt’ is repeated twice in the scene
shows how Macb is under the witches influence already; they have power over him - seems MORALLY WEAK
metaphor of how obsessed he is with his ambition
[Aside} x3
+ [Aside] stage direction: used through the scene: shows Macb deep in thought; reveals how obsessed he is by the predictions and his ambition to be king;
+ Reveals Macb’s SECRETIVE side; begins to be DECEPTIVE; influenced by the Witches.
‘i have begun to plant thee and will labour to make thee full of growing’
Reveals D as a good king - generous and caring; contrasts Macb as a tyrant later in the play
‘plant’ - metaphor which suggests he is naturally a good leader; he is GENUINE - contrasts Macb’s DECEPTIVENESS
‘let not light see my black and deep desires’
IMAGERY OF DARKNESS links to witches; use of ALLITERATION OF PLOSIVES - reflects a powerful desire to kill D to become king; suggests the violence he will use to become king
theme: DECEPTION; wants to hide his true intentions
LM - ‘too full of the milk of human kindness’
metaphor ‘milk’ - uses a FEMENINE IMAGE LINKED WITH MOTHERHOOD for Macb
suggests she thinks he is NOT STRONG ENOUGH to fulfil his own ambition - gives impression he is WEAK
ironic as he is a war hero
LM - ‘unsex me here’
REJECTS THE FEMENINE STEREOTYPE OF WEAKNESS/FRAGILITY - she wants the strength to persuade Macb to kill D
LM - ‘take my milk for gall’
metaphor - L Macb REJECTS THE FEMENINE ROLE OF MOTHER - supresses her femininity - GIVES HERSELF MORE ‘MASCULINE’ QUALITIES TO EMPOWER HERSELF - makes her DANGEROUS
‘look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t’
COMMAND sentence: shows L Macb instructing Macb on how to behave; shows HER POWER OVER HIM; she is TAKING CONTROL;
SIMILE: theme of DECEPTION; image of serpent - links to Biblical story of Original Sin (against God) - brings chaos to world
‘if it were done when tis done, then it were done quickly’
complex sentence structure and ceasura - reflects Macb struggling with his thoughts;
repetition of ‘done’: shows Macb’s willing himself to carry out the murder - suggests he’s actually reluctant
‘deep damnation’
ALLITERATION (PLOSIVES): emphasises Macb’s intense FEAR of being judged and damned by God for eternity.
‘vaulting ambition’
Macb realises he is OVER-AMBITIOUS; he DOESNT HAVE THE COURAGE to kill D; dramatic verb
LM - ‘And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn’
uses CONTRAST; L Macb’s motherly image with her BRUTALITY and POWER;
ALLITERATION/PLOSIVES deliberately shocking and violent image to MANIPULATE Macb into killing D
contrasts idea of women as weak at the time: links to ‘unsex me here’
LM - ‘false face must hide what the false heart doth know’
Echoes L Macb’s words from earlier (‘flower… serpent’)
shows how much MACB IS INFLUENCED BY L MACB; shows her POWER over him; makes him seem WEAKER;
repetition: ‘false’ - highlights the extent of their DECEPTION
LM - ‘had he not resembled my father as he slept, i had done it’
CONTRASTS in L Macb: hints at a more human side to her - couldn’t kill D because he looks like her father
says this when shes alone - conceals weaknesses from Macb
‘amen’ x 4
Demonstrates Macb’s FEAR of DAMNATION because he’s unable to say ‘Amen’ – fears he has lost God’s blessing;
REPETITION of ‘Amen’: shows his growing PARANOIA;
Word ‘stuck’: suggests the suffering / physical pain this causes him – he is suffocated by his fear of God.
‘sleep no more’ x3
repetition: ‘sleep no more’: emphasizes Macbeth's CONSCIENCE haunting him.;
‘sleep’ symbolizes peace of mind and a clear conscience - he has lost this – the murder has traumatized him;
repetition: reflects Macbeth's paranoia and guilt.
his guilt PARALYSES HIM from taking action.
‘will all great Neptunes oceans wash this blood clean from my hand'?’
Macbeth OBSESSES about the blood on his hands;
Blood represents his guilt - feels he will be never be free of this: TORMENTED by guilt;
Macb’s awareness that he has DISRUPTED THE NATURAL ORDER -The ocean has been corrupted by his murder of Duncan.
‘Neptune’: Pagan God: reflects Macbeth's desperation to rid himself of guilt as he feels he has lost God's blessing.
‘take my milk for gall’ - LM
Metaphor: ‘milk…gall’ – L Macb OVERTURNS THE FEMALE ROLE OF MOTHER – suppresses her femininity – GIVES HERSELF MORE ‘MASCULINE’ QUALITIES to EMPOWER HERSELF – makes her DANGEROUS
‘unsex me here’ - LM
REJECTS THE FEMININE STEREOTYPE OF WEAKNESS / FRAGILITY – she wants the strength to persuade Macb to kill D
‘come, you spirits’ - LM
Command: L Macb wants the spirits to EMPOWER HER – uses language of the Witches – suggests her power over Macb.
