Themes in Macbeth

Themes in Macbeth

1. Supernatural

   • Are they visions or really supernatural?
     • Visions would suggest guilt, or they could suggest villainy- Macbeth subconsciously thinking about killing Duncan. (When thinking of dagger- villainous, when thinking of ghost- guilty).
       • If they were visions, it could suggest villainy because they show Macbeth's conscience and his thoughts, even if he doesn't admit he is thinking them.
     • Supernatural would suggest villainy, i.e the witches. Link to context- witchcraft at the time and the witches are the root of Macbeth's ambition.
       • James I was very keen on demonology.
   • Sleep
     • "The death of each day's life"
       • He wishes for sleep, which could suggests he wishes for death, the guilt is consuming him so much.
     • "Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep"
       • "Innocent sleep" sounds almost like he's apologising for his actions. He realises how innocent Duncan was, which emphasises how villainous he must have been to kill him.
       • He his hearing voices that tell him that what he has done is wrong. He has murdered Duncan in his sleep, therefore his sleep will be taken from him also, so that there is no escape from the guilt. The voice he heard may have come from his own brain, in which case he could be punishing himself for what he has done, which shoes how guilty he feels- this suggests that Macbeth is not villainous because he is punishing himself because he feels so bad.
     • " wicked dreams"
       • When Macbeth is asleep, his feelings of guilt are hidden from himself and others. Now that his sleep is disturbed with nightmares, he can't escape from what he has done.
         • He is having bad dreams, and he wishes to get away from the guilt but he can't, which suggests a less villainous side to Macbeth because he seems to regret what he has done.
   • Nature
     • "It was the owl that shriek'd"
       • Sinister image.
       • Shrieking at what Macbeth has done- could be showing how Macbeth feels inside about his actions.
       • The owl is shrieking at Duncan's death.
         • Disruption of the natural order, representing the killing of Duncan (natural order)
     • "Nature seems dead"
       • Darkness is causing death, Night is when murder happens.
   • Dagger
     • "The handle toward my hand"
       • It is inviting Macbeth to take the dagger.
     • "A dagger of the mind"
       • The dagger represents the evil in Macbeth's mind.
     • "fatal vision"
       • Implies murder and death.
     • The dagger first appears clean, which suggests that Macbeth is optimistic that he will get away with the murder, or maybe suggests that he has decided against killing Duncan. It then appears with blood, which suggests he has realised the possible consequences of what he is about to do, and he is feeling guilty. The blood also could imply Macbeth's decision to murder Duncan.
       • "And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood"
     • Macbeth seems to know that the dagger isn't real, and he thinks he is going mad.
       • "heat oppressed brain"
     • The dagger could be a part of the witch's enchantment, in which case it emphasises the villainy of the witches.
     • The dagger shows the villainy in Macbeth's mind because the dagger points him in the direction of the Kings chamber, and appears dripping with blood. The dagger could be a creation of Macbeth's brain, in which case it shows how villainous Macbeth's thoughts and conscience is. it is pointing towards the king's chamber, which suggests it is encouraging Macbeth, and that he wants to do it.