Themes p1

Themes p1

1. Guillt

   • "A little water clears us of this deed"
     • Shows the little guilt LM feels
     • Contrasts with Macbeth's feeling of Guilt
       • "Will all great Neptune's oceans..."
         • The entire ocean will turn red and everyone will see what he has done
     • However, LM end up committing suicide due to her guilt.
       • Where as Macbeth seems to recover, and ends up killing Banquo with little remorese
       • "Will all the perfumes of Arabia sweeten this little hand?"

2. Violence

   • "Unseamed him from the nave to the chaps"
     • The verb: unseamed is very violent because lots of blood and insides will spill out.
   • "Dash'd its brains"
     • Violent act performed on a child
       • Dash'd shows quickly and without hesitation
   • Murder of Duncan
     • Euphanisms
       • "The deed"
     • Violent act, more so at the time because kings were very important
       • Shakespearian audience reaction
   • Murder of Macduff's family
     • We are beginning to not like Macbeth so much but perhaps we can still sympathize with his position.
     • Macbeth’s hired killers enter and begin their slaughter of Macduff’s family, on the orders of Macbeth, starting with the killing of the child.
     • Child stabbed on stage, unlike other murders

3. Deception

   • "There's daggers in Men's smiles"
     • People are not who they seem
       • People are not trusting of those around them
   • "That made you break this enterprise to me"
     • Even Macbeth can be deceived
     • His own wife deceiving him, pretending that he promised
   • The witches deceive Macbeth
     • "Fair is foul..."
       • Good people can be bad