Macbeth
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- Category: English: Plays
- Date Submitted: 04/09/2013 07:19 AM
- Pages: 4
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Extract 1 (Act One Scene 3)
1. This scene is Macbeth’s and Banquo’s entrance scene. This extract is set after Macbeth and Banquo have learned of their respective prophecies during their unintentional first encounter with the Witches. At that time, Macbeth was saluted as the Thane of Cawdor by one of the Witches.
2. The 3 purposes of this extract:
a. Are to demonstrate the truth of the prophecy
b. to show the audience that Macbeth’s ambition is greatly stirred by the supernatural forces.
3. Moving on to my 3 points of discussion
a. The use of language and literary devices to show Macbeth’s state of mind and stark ambition
i. One such device is a stage direction device, which is the use of asides. Since Macbeth is a play, William Shakespeare can only use asides to reveal Macbeth’s inner thoughts. At the beginning of the extract, Macbeth says “Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor; the greatest is behind”. This line reveals Macbeth’s inner thoughts, and how strong an influence the prophecy has on him. Macbeth thinks to himself that there is still good fortune to come, as said in the witches’ prophecies. This stirs his hidden ambition of becoming a king to replace Duncan. Macbeth states that ‘Two truths are told as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme’. Two out of three prophecies have been fulfilled. The first being the Thane of Glamis (original title) and the second being the Thane of Cawdor, his newly attained title. The third prophecy, that of Macbeth being the King baffles him because it has caused him to contemplate murdering Duncan for the throne. He deliberates that either he will have to fulfill the prophecy himself(by killing the king), or fate will make him the king without his interference(“if chance will have me king/ without my stir”). Macbeth tries to tell himself that killing the king is wrong and that it is a “horrible imagining”, but still entertains the thought of killing the King. He contemplates on leaving it to fate, but is...
1. This scene is Macbeth’s and Banquo’s entrance scene. This extract is set after Macbeth and Banquo have learned of their respective prophecies during their unintentional first encounter with the Witches. At that time, Macbeth was saluted as the Thane of Cawdor by one of the Witches.
2. The 3 purposes of this extract:
a. Are to demonstrate the truth of the prophecy
b. to show the audience that Macbeth’s ambition is greatly stirred by the supernatural forces.
3. Moving on to my 3 points of discussion
a. The use of language and literary devices to show Macbeth’s state of mind and stark ambition
i. One such device is a stage direction device, which is the use of asides. Since Macbeth is a play, William Shakespeare can only use asides to reveal Macbeth’s inner thoughts. At the beginning of the extract, Macbeth says “Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor; the greatest is behind”. This line reveals Macbeth’s inner thoughts, and how strong an influence the prophecy has on him. Macbeth thinks to himself that there is still good fortune to come, as said in the witches’ prophecies. This stirs his hidden ambition of becoming a king to replace Duncan. Macbeth states that ‘Two truths are told as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme’. Two out of three prophecies have been fulfilled. The first being the Thane of Glamis (original title) and the second being the Thane of Cawdor, his newly attained title. The third prophecy, that of Macbeth being the King baffles him because it has caused him to contemplate murdering Duncan for the throne. He deliberates that either he will have to fulfill the prophecy himself(by killing the king), or fate will make him the king without his interference(“if chance will have me king/ without my stir”). Macbeth tries to tell himself that killing the king is wrong and that it is a “horrible imagining”, but still entertains the thought of killing the King. He contemplates on leaving it to fate, but is...