Key Themes in Macbeth

Key Themes in Macbeth

1. Violence

   • Macbeth has very violent thoughts all throughout the play.
   • "Is this a dagger i see before me?"
   • Violence in Macbeth leads to more violence throughout: "blood will to blood"
   • It begins in battle, contains the murder of men, women, and children, and ends not just with a climactic siege but the suicide of Lady Macbeth and the beheading of its main character, Macbeth.

2. Supernatural

   • 3 Witches that foreshadow what is going to happen to Macbeth in the future
   • Banquo's ghost at the dinner table shocks Macbeth and makes him look crazy in-front of all the people.
   • The dagger that floats in-front of Macbeth is supernatural and is suggesting for Macbeth to be violent and kill the king.

3. Guilt

   • Macbeth is very guilty of killing the king
   • Macbeth should not have listened to Lady Macbeth because he ended up dying because of it.
   • Macbeth is tormented by guilt by seeing a floating dagger to remind him of what he will do.

4. Gender roles

   • Women are shown as people who do everything for the man and dont get to choose what happens like cooking and cleaning.
   • Men are the ones that are supposed to go out and bring food home and fight in battles.
   • Children are meant to help around the house and do whatever the parents say.