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Theme Of Predatory Birds In Macbeth

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Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the motif of predatory birds to relay the theme of omens of unnatural behavior. The natural actions of predatory birds are to hunt and kill their prey (mice or other small animals). Accordingly, owls are known to hunt and kill mice while: “On Tuesday last,/ a falcon tow’ring in her pride and place, /was mousing owl hawked at and killed”(73). How unnatural is it that an owl decides to attack and kill a falcon which is higher on the food chain, instead of an innocent mouse? Not only does this relay an action of unnatural behavior but Shakespeare also uses this to add depth in the portrayal of the recent events in the killing of Duncan and Macbeth’s hallucinations. People become skeptic and concerned about their surroundings and others, as “The raven himself is hoarse/ that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan /under my battlements” (33). …show more content…

In the event of Macbeth rising to the position of King, Macduff, the Thane of Fife under the now King Macbeth, feels cheated as Macbeth is not fit for the title and leaves his wife in search to destroy Macbeth. As a result Lady Macduff is awestruck exclaiming, “For the poor wren,/ the most diminutive of birds, will fight/ her young ones in the nest against the owl”(133). The action of the male protecting his family is not unnatural for both birds and humans. Macduff on the other hand exhibits the unnatural behavior of leaving his wife and children instead of caring for them and protecting them like a wren (a smaller bird like

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In this quote, the Owl symbolizes Macbeth, in this case, taking advantage of the trust he had with the king. “Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last, “A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place, was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed” (2.4.14-16). This proves my claim because the owl symbolizes how he used the trust that he had with Duncan against him and shows that he is willing to do what it takes to get where he wants. This strengthens my thesis because you can already see him losing one of his values, loyalty.

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Comprising the motif of animals into Macbeth ameliorates the use of characterization, creates foreshadowing, and evokes emotion. While laminating over the absence of her husband, Lady Macduff compares herself to a “poor wren” who portrays “The most diminutive of birds,” (4.2.9-10). Shakespeare’s pitiful description of Lady Macduff illustrates the full extent of her isolation, impotence, and vulnerability. In addition to exemplifying the use of characterization, Lady Macduff foreshadows the death of her and her son. Prior to her death, Lady Macduff states to Ross: “The most diminutive of birds, will flight,/ Her young ones in her nest, against the owl” (4.2.10-11).

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This line shows pathetic fallacy by nature seemingly responding to Macbeth’s request. A second example is described by the Old Man when he is talking to Ross and mentions, “On Tuesday last, / A falcon tow’ring in her pride of place / Was by a mousing owl hawk’d at and kill’d” (2.4.11-13). This story depicts what is regarded as a lesser bird killing a falcon.

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Macduff, a thane, was called to go to a party at the Macbeth’s house but choose not to attend. Then, Macduff goes to England to speak with one of Duncan’s sons. Because of these actions, Macbeth believed that Macduff committed treason. While Macduff is the guilty party, Macbeth has Macduff’s children and wife slain because of his suspicions. All these killings, based on the actions and dialogue from the play, can be classified as different forms of treachery.

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On Tuesday last/ A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place,/ Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.” In this example, An owl, whose class was lower than the falcons, killed a falcon. The owl should have easily mislead the owl, but because the order was corrupted in human society, the same happened to the Animal Kingdom. This shouldn’t be happening in a normal setting, but because Macbeth committed regicide, the whole world was in chaos.

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Anxiety, a state of nervousness in response to uncertainty, can disclose information that would previously be unknown in a calmer condition. With his tragedy Macbeth, playwright William Shakespeare explores the interaction between anxiety versus ambition in a balance of power. At the beginning of the play, title character, war general, and Thane of Glamis Macbeth is told by three witch sisters of fate that he will also become the Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland. He murders the previous king Duncan from persuasion by his wife and his own ambition, and from this begins to experience a sense of regret about the situation, one that will frequently appear in his future endeavors to secure his crown. In his Act III soliloquy, Macbeth expresses anxiety about Banquo, his lack of a successor, and his personal safety, revealing

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When Duncan approaches Inverness in Act 1, for example, he comments on the martlets that he sees nesting on the castle walls. He takes this as a good sign, martlets are lucky birds. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, references previously in this extract that there are ravens croaking on the battlements. She takes this as a forerunner of Duncan 's death. Duncan, the naïve visionary, sees lucky birds, however Lady Macbeth sees threatening ones.

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The captain compared Macbeth and Banquo’s fear of the previous events to the fear of an eagle when it sees a sparrow. “Sparrows are small, plump, brown-grey birds with short tails and stubby, powerful beaks”, while “eagles are large, powerfully built birds of prey, with heavy heads and beaks”. Macdonwald, the sparrow, has a “powerful beak”, which means in a singular way he is strong, but Macbeth and Banquo, the eagles, are strong overall; it would be ridiculous for Macbeth and Banquo to fear Macdonwald when they posses so much valor. Also, because the tone in which the captain was saying this line was rather sarcastic, it further proved that the captain was trying to explain how absurd it would be to think that Macbeth and Banquo feared Macdonwald and his troops.

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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 only bird mentioned in the play that is not evil, is the martlet. Banquo acknowledges, “[t]his guest of summer, [t]he temple haunting martlet, does approve [b]y his loved mansionry that the heaven's breath” (I.vi.3-5). Banquo points out that since a martlet is building its nest in Macbeth’s castle, it must have the nicest air. Banquo uses this bird to describe Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s home, because of their specific taste. The reference to martlets is also used because after Macbeth has become corrupt the martlets no longer build houses in Macbeth’s castle.

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In the play The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macduff proves to be the true hero. Macduff proves to be the true hero of the play for being loyal to his country and killing Macbeth. Macbeth and Macduff differ because Macbeth is conceded and a killer, while Macduff is not. Macduff, the Thane of Fife, proves to be a loyal man when it comes to his country and his people. For example, Macduff deserts his family in order to go to England to meet with Malcolm and the king of England, so all three of them can go back to Scotland to defeat Macbeth for once and all.

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519 Words | 3 Pages

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan / Under my battlements" (1.5.38-40). The quote displays that the raven has a raspy voice from repeatedly saying that King Duncan will die. This is important because ravens are usually viewed as a low and ghoulish species which foreshadows that something bad could happen to King Duncan. Later on in the play it states “On Tuesday last / A falcon, towering in her pride of place, / Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd" (2.4.11-13). This shows an owl killed a falcon and can be interpreted as Macbeth being the owl and killing Duncan who is the falcon.

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927 Words | 4 Pages

One of the biggest representations of this is the sky going dark. “By the clock ‘tis day, / And yet dark night strangles the traveling lamp,” (2.4.6-7). Darkness is often associated with wrongdoing, and the dark sky in the middle of the day is the world rejecting the abnormality of Macbeth murdering the King. Two of Duncan’s horses - trained to be obedient and gentle at all times - broke out of their stalls despite their usual calm and ate each other. This unbalance in nature affects not only the physical world of birds and horses, but also disturbances in Macbeth’s very human nature.

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984 Words | 4 Pages

Oftentimes, birds are used to create false hope. As the play opens, Duncan asks an injured captain about Macbeth’s battle with the rebel Macdonwald, to which the captain responds that Macbeth was as scared by the enemy “[a]s sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion” (I.2.35).

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715 Words | 3 Pages

Owls, represent Macbeth often because of the several terrible deeds he is responsible for. An owl is a predatory bird that is active primarily during the night. This is an amazing representation of the murder of King Duncan by Macbeth, referred to as a mousing owl. This fits the description of Macbeth during the murder of Duncan that happens while he visits Macbeth 's castle. The morning after the vicious murder of King Duncan, an Old Man, and Ross are talking about the other unnatural things that have been happening.

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