Macbeth

Macbeth

1. Relationships with other characters

   • Lady Macbeth
     • She realises getting what you want doesn't always give you peace
       • Nought's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content; 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.
     • Intimate at first but we can see he becomes more isolated and intimate with her less after the turning point
     • Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to go ahead with the murder again
       • Lady Macbeth challenges Macbeth to commit the murder "But screw your courage to the sticking-place, And we'll not fail."
     • Lady Macbeth covers for macbeth here, telling the noblemen that this happen often
     • Her character
       • at the start of the play she is a strong woman, she agrees and helps macbeth plot the murder and has to give him some persuasion to carry it out
       • after the TP Macbeth and Lady Macbeth become more isolated this suggests their is a lack of intimacy between the two
         • She seems to be unable to cope with the things her husband has done, and sleepwalks and begins to seem she s becoming deranged or insane
           • Out, damned spot! out, I say!—One: two: why, then, 'tis time to do't.—Hell is murky!—Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard?
           • The things her husbands has done and her close involvement with some of them finally gets to her and she ends her life

2. Personality

   • Ambition
     • The ambition to rule, to be king, results in many things
       • The murder of Banquo
         • We can see here that ambition is beginning to control Macbeth as he sends murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance
           • Come, seeling night, Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day; And with thy bloody and invisible hand Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond Which keeps me pale! Light thickens; and the crow Makes wing to the rooky wood: Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; While night's black agents to their preys do rouse" Macbeth can not wait for the night so Banquo can be killed,
           • After the murder we begin to see what is truly underneath the tough facade of Macbeth, As the noblemen attend a banquet at Macbeths Castle and Macbeth believes to see Banquos ghost sitting in his seat.
             • Avaunt! and quit my sight! let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with!
             • This begins to make the reader think is Macbeth still sane? is his own ambition driving him crazy, is the ghost there or is it just a figment of his imagination. From this we can see the turning point of the play, he no longer looks as if he is control of himself or situations he finds himself in, therefor starts to do irrational things which invetsbly lead to his downfall and defeat.
       • The murder of the King
         • Spurred on by the prediction from the witches but also his his self ambition to be powerful
         • After this murder we can see how delicate macbeth really seems to be ridden with guilt hardly able to function
           • Methought I heard a voice cry "Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep," the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care, The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast— Macbeth fears he will never sleep again after what he has done
           • Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? Macbeth fears he will never be able to wash he guilty of his hands.
     • This is his fatal flaw, this leads to his downfall, at this point in the play in which this begins to happen is called the TP
       • I am in blood Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go over. Here we can see that Macbeth believes what he has done is bad but stopping is just as bad as continuing, this shows all sense that was unitarily in Macbeth seems to be lost.
       • He goes to visit the witches again, and sees apparitions to predict his future, he now fully puts all trust in these apparitions
   • Initial thoughts of him are bravery and courage as we see him fighting in battle.
   • The prediction from the witches gives him great joy but also great turmoil and fear
   • Before Macbeth kills Ducnan he is very anxious and nearly stops the crime he is about to commit
     • This shows uncertainty in Macbeth's character but also self-doubt
       • " have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on the other" Macbeth's soliloquy on wether to kill Duncan or not.
   • He seems to rely on Lady Macbeth for support, after the murder of duncan this begins to fade and Macbeth begins to feel more alone, and becomes more isolated from others
   • Insanity/ Irritionality
     • Murder of Macduff's Family
       • Even though the other murders were unacceptable this is the only one that seems to be without reason, which then again shows the descent of his character.
         • from this moment The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand" He justifies poorly that he will kill Macduff's family as he will follow is first impulse in which he did when he killed the king; this also conveys a lack of rational thinking in Macbeth.
   • After the death of last macbeth we cans see weak and vulnerable he really feels, and towards the end he doesn't even fear death almost welcomes it
     • "I'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hack'd"