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Techniques In Macbeth

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William Shakespeare uses several language techniques and stylistic features to engage readers of both of his time and of today in his plays. These techniques effectively highlight the issues developed by Shakespeare in each of his plays which are relevant both today and in Shakespeare’s time. In Macbeth, contrast and imagery are used in the play to engage the audience and highlights the key issue of betrayal, whether that be of friends, morals, or of a nation.

Betrayal is arguably the most significant issue discussed in Shakespeare’s play. In the play, the plot is prompted by the Thane of Cawdor’s betrayal of Scotland in joining Norway, causing Macbeth to become the new Thane of Cawdor, confirming the witches’ riddles. Macbeth’s betrayal …show more content…

Blood is often used to represent guilt as seen in Act 5 Scene 1 where Lady Macbeth frantically attempts to wash the imaginary blood off her hands in her sleep. Clothing is used to represent positions of power and expectations hence Macbeth’s words, “Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?” in Act 1 Scene 3 and in Act 2 Scene 4 where Macduff says, “Lest our old robes sit easier than the new!” implying that Scotland is now worse off than it was with Duncan as its reigning monarch. Night acts as a means to hide the actions of those who are behaving immorally. In Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth is seen praying for night to hide her actions and in Act 2 Scene 1, Banquo is shown commenting on the particular darkness of the night after Duncan is murdered. Animals are mentioned several times during the play such as in Act 1 Scene 5 where Lady Macbeth instructs her husband to, “look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it,” suggesting that Macbeth should put on an innocent façade but act as a deadly serpent. Other instances of animal imagery include the reversal of nature in regards to the mousing owl killing the falcon on the day of Duncan’s murder and the barbarity of the normally tame horses mentioned in Act 2 Scene 4. The witches also mention many animals in their chants and dialogue, particularly whilst brewing their potion in Act 4 Scene

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Rough Draft The tragedy of Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, is one of the most commonly known plays around the world. In Macbeth, betrayal and deception is always present throughout the play. Shakespeare portrays the idea of betrayal and deception through multiple characters throughout the play. Macbeth, Banquo, the Three Witches, and Macduff are all key players in how Shakespeare uses betrayal and deception in Macbeth.

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When Lady Macbeth uses the word “night”, it was always associated with the subject of murder. Also, when other characters in the play used the word, it was used to show sorrow or grief for the deaths that occurred or used for its literal sense. Macbeth was reluctant to kill Duncan because it was immoral

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Macbeth is a play written by Shakespeare in 1606. Macbeth is essentially a story of a warrior who gets consumed by his own greed and ambition. Betrayal is a prevalent theme throughout the play that shifts power between the characters. In the beginning, the Thane of Cawdor betrayed the country and the king. When King Duncan heard the news he removed him from his position, “ No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death, And with his former title greet Macbeth” (Shakespeare 1:2:63-66).

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A prominent theme in Act One of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is that appearances cannot be trusted. The first example of this theory is demonstrated through the actions of the traitorous Thane of Cawdor. After receiving news of the Thane of Cawdor’s betrayal, king Duncan is deeply troubled. He remarks,

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William Shakespeare is considered as one of the best play writers in history. One of his most well known plays is Macbeth where a Scottish general named Macbeth has a strong desire to be king which leads him to betray and murder his king, Duncan. He also kills the nobles who have been loyal to him in order to maintain his title as king. Throughout this play, Shakespeare uses the motif of ambition, guilt, and fate to characterize the characters, show the different themes present within the play, and how the motifs are still relevant today.

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The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare set in Scotland about a murderous and vehement king who spirals on a path of destruction as he suffers from the consequences of determining his own fate. The predominant theme portrayed throughout the play is honor vs. loyalty. This is represented through the identification, actions, and quotes of numerous characters. To introduce the theme of honor vs. disloyalty, the characters Banquo and Macbeth exemplify traits that are equivalent with the moral of the story.

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In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses many motifs and symbols to help develop the theme. The most effective symbols and motifs that Shakespeare uses are the birds, blood, and sleep. In Macbeth, birds are mentioned many times. "The raven himself is hoarse /

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At the beginning of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ the protagonist Macbeth is described as ‘brave’, ‘noble’ and ‘honourable’, however Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeths desire for power consumes them. Macbeth’s ambition overrides his conscience and transformed his greatest strength into his greatest weakness. Macbeth’s inability to resist temptations that led him to be greedy for power, Macbeth’s easily manipulative nature which allowed his mind to be swayed, Macbeth having no self control and his excessive pride was what allowed him to renew his previously honourable and celebrated title into one of an evil ‘tyrant’. Macbeth is led by the prophecies of the witches after they foretell he will become the Thane of Cawdor. Not only the witches, but also his wife easily manipulate Macbeth as she attacks his manhood in order to provoke him to act on his desires.

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Loyalty in a relationship or friendship is a fundamental basis in which the connection between the two parties can endure the temptations of dishonest and unfaithful deeds. But succumbing to less noble and honorable actions, which often goes against one's morals, creates conflict as one party has now betrayed the other. Betrayal is a key theme in the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare as the unchecked ambition Macbeth and his wife possess leads them to act against their friends and country. This theme is also presented through other characters in the play who quest for order and power in Scotland. In contrast to the written play by Shakespeare, Roman Polanski’s film adaptation of Macbeth focuses in on and amplifies the theme of betrayal

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Darkness can be seen in many literary works with the intention of showing a turn for the worse in many characters lives. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare displays examples of violence in order to show audience members how Macbeth’s desire for kingship, led to his demise through his guilt. The use of blood, nature and supernatural elements are used as a way of symbolizing Shakespeare's theme of Macbeth’s guilt. Is one man’s desire for nobility worth the cost of others lives? Blood alters the atmosphere throughout Macbeth through the effect it has on the main character.

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Shakespeare uses the blood symbol to express Macbeth’s horror and guilt over his crime. Blood reveals Macbeth’s feelings about murder. Overall, the constant presence of blood in Macbeth repeatedly reminds us about how serious the consequences of the characters actions

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(IV.I.127-129). Macbeth still sees a blood covered Banquo and is haunted by the sight of his friend in such a way. These ghosts not only haunt his mind, but take over his moral judgement and wipe it out. Macbeth’s ambition gets the best of him and he leaves the witched with the intent of killing

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Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is chock-full of different examples of imagery, many of which reappear throughout the entire play. Three of these major patterns include light versus darkness, clothing, and blood. The first example, light and darkness, is the most obvious and recurrent. In Shakespeare’s writing, light is associated with life, God, and acts of kindness, while darkness foretells death and evil. In the first act, Lady Macbeth asks for night to come so that her “keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry, ‘Hold, hold!’”

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Shakespeare uses the recurring symbol of blood to emphasize the effect of death and violence on the human psyche. The connotation that Macbeth associates with blood switches from a primary motivator to a guilty reminder. Prior to Duncan’s murder, Macbeth witnessed a floating dagger covered with blood (II.i.33). Macbeth had experienced violence and Blood is also used as a reminder of the guilt and trauma from the murder of King Duncan, the guards and Banquo. Macbeth refers to his hallucination of the ghost of Banquo: “It will have blood, they say.

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In Act 5 scene 5 line 9-15, This scene is before the battle at macbeth's home and Macbeth is not worried about anything because he heard the prophecy where he can’t die from people born from a woman and until the forest moves. The text states “I have almost forgot the taste of fears.” Macbeth is starting to get some very little feelings back because in the beginning of the story we see Macbeth fighting himself to kill the king and when he dies he Loses all emotions. Then later in the scene it states “The time has been my senses would have cooled / To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir / As life were in 't.” This part shows personification and symbolism, there is a symbol of night form the beginning of the text Macbeth kills the king and everything goes dark or to night so is this a symbol of light or day is coming. To add on to the personification, night can’t shriek and you can’t heat night.

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