1. Macbeth Revision

2. Themes Ambition Evil The Supernatural Death Appearance v. Reality
Violence & Tyranny
Guilt & Conscience
Equivocation

3. The Witches on The Heath
Act 1 Scene 1
The Witches on The Heath
“There to meet with Macbeth” (8)
At the very beginning, Macbeth is mentioned by the witches before we’ve even met him
This links him to them right from the start
If they represent the supernatural & evil, this links Macbeth to that straight away
Context
People at the time would have believed in witches and the danger they threat, so this would have made them fearful and suspicious of Macbeth right from the start

4. Duncan and his Soldiers at their Camp
Act 1 Scene 2
Duncan and his Soldiers at their Camp
“brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name” (16)
Now, Macbeth is being referred to as a brave and loyal soldier
This contrasts with the what happens in scene 1
What Macbeth is the real Macbeth? - engaging
“ he unseamed him from the nave to th’chaps And fixed his head upon our battlements.” (22-23)
This shows that Macbeth is capable of violence and bloody acts
In this instance it is loyalty to the king, but are we already suspicious that his violent nature could be used in bad ways?

5. Duncan and his Soldiers at their Camp
Act 1 Scene 2
Duncan and his Soldiers at their Camp
“No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive Our bosom interest. Go pronounce his present death And with his former title greet Macbeth.” (63-65)
Duncan is happy that the traitorous Thane of Cawdor is dead and he gives Macbeth the title
Foreshadowing – could Macbeth also become a traitor?

6. Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches on the Heath
Act 1 Scene 3
Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches on the Heath
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.” (36)
Macbeth’s first words in the play echo the witches’ “fair is foul and foul is fair” from Scene 1
Again, this links him to them and to evil and the supernatural
Banquo: “Speak to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favours nor your hate” (58-59)
Macbeth: “Stay you imperfect speakers. Tell me more.” (68)
We can compare the reactions of Macbeth and Banquo to the witches
Banquo is interested in them but not really in what they are saying
Macbeth is desperate to hear what they have to say, showing that he has more ambition

7. The witches have told me 2 things that are true that come before me being King
MACBETH [Aside] Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme.--I thank you, gentlemen. This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings: My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smothered in surmise, and nothing is, But what is not. BANQUO Look, how our partner's rapt. MACBETH If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir. BANQUO New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould But with the aid of use. MACBETH Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
This message from the witches can’t be bad or good
If it’s bad, why have they told me something true?
If it’s good, why does it scare me so much?
I am scared of what I imagine I must do to become King because to kill a king is so wrong
Look how pleased he is
Maybe I can become King without interfering
He will get used to his new title soon
What will be will be

8. MACBETH. [Aside]. Two truths are told,
MACBETH [Aside] Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme.--I thank you, gentlemen. This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings: My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smothered in surmise, and nothing is, But what is not. BANQUO Look, how our partner's rapt. MACBETH If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir. BANQUO New honours come upon him Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould But with the aid of use. MACBETH Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
Repetition of ‘cannot’ shows he is divided between the horror of the thought of killing the king and accepting whatever has to be done.
Regicide was considered a particularly terrible crime as the King was believed to be ordained by God and the closest person to God on Earth, so it was like killing God.
His first thought is murder. What does this tell us about his personality?
Appearance v. Reality: they think he’s pleased about being Thane of cawdor but he’s actually thinking about killing the King!
Appearance v. Reality
Clothes imagery: he will get used to his new title just like you get used to new clothes that don’t fit properly straight away.
Links to AvR because it is covering up what he’s really thinking about.

9. Act 1 Scene 4 At Duncan’s Palace
“There’s no art To find the mind’s construction in the face. He’s a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust.” (12-15)
Duncan is talking about the previous Thane of Cawdor and how much he trusted him.
AvR – Duncan was unable to see that Cawdor was betraying him: the face never gives away what the mind is thinking
Is this foreshadowing what will happen with Macbeth? Will Duncan make the same mistake again?

10. Act 1 Scene 4 At Duncan’s Palace
“[Aside] The Prince of Cumberland: that is a step On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires, Let not light see my black and deep desires, The eye wink at the hand” (49-52)
Macbeth responds to Malcolm being named as Duncan’s heir
Thus makes him think of murder again
AvR – He asks for the darkness to cover up the truth of what he is thinking so that the eye of his victim may not recognise the hand that comes to kill him.

11. Act 1 Scene 5 At Macbeth’s Castle
“my dearest partner of greatness” (9-10)
Macbeth’s address to Lady Macbeth in his letter
This shows how much he respects and loves his wife. He sees her as his equal
Context
This would have been very unusual during Shakespeare’s time. Marriages between the higher classes would have been arranged and women were regarded as inferior to men.
For a man of Macbeth’s status to regard his wife as his equal is not normal.

12. Emotional v physical weakness.
LADY MACBETH 'They met me in the day of success: and I have learned by the perfectest report they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me 'Thane of Cawdor;' by which title before these weird sisters saluted me and referred me to the coming on of time, with 'Hail, king that shalt be!' This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.' Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'ldst have, great Glamis, That which cries 'Thus thou must do, if thou have it; And that which rather thou dost fear to do Than wishest should be undone.' Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crown'd withal.
Macbeth’s letter to Lady Macbeth explains what the witches told him and that he is Thane of Cawdor
You shall be king
But I worry that you are too nice to murder the king
You could be a great man if you were ruthless enough
You only accept glory that is gotten morally and truthfully
Hurry home so that I can persuade you to do what you need to do to get the crown which, it seems, is destined to be your’s
She is saying her husband is weak. This is confusing because we have just heard about him being a brave and victorious soldier in a bloody and violent battle.
Emotional v physical weakness.

13. LADY MACBETH. The raven himself is hoarse
LADY MACBETH The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry 'Hold, hold!'
Duncan will die in my castle
Spirits, take away all my feminine feelings and fill me with evil so that I feel no guilt and will not stop in my mission to kill Duncan
Take my women’s qualities and turn them into bitter poison
Let the darkness overcome me and hide the awful deeds that I am about to commit

14. The raven is actually a symbol of good luck in Greek Mythology
The raven is actually a symbol of good luck in Greek Mythology. To say he is hoarse suggests that Duncan’s good luck may have run out.
She is calling on spirits to help her. This links her to the supernatural, the witches and evil.
LADY MACBETH The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry 'Hold, hold!'
She refers to it as her castle, but women cannot actually own property. Shows her dominance over her husband which is unusual for the time.
She refers to feminine attributes as weak. This is ironic because she is saying it is Macbeth who is weak.
Personal Pronouns suggest she is speaking to the spirits directly – links her even more closely to them.
AvR: She is calling on the night and darkness to hide her evil deed.
AvR: A blanket covers you up
Religious imagery: she doesn’t want God to see what she is doing as it is a deed so terrible that he would probably intervene.
This blanket is a metaphor for the night sky: she wants the darkness to cover up what she is doing.

15. Act 1 Scene 5 At Macbeth’s Castle
“look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t” (63-64)
Lady Macbeth instructs Macbeth how to behave when Duncan visits
AvR – she is saying to appear nice and innocent on the outside while plotting to kill him in reality.
Also shows her control – she is in charge of their relationship

16. Outside Macbeth’s Castle
Act 1 Scene 6
Outside Macbeth’s Castle
“This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle senses” (1-3)
Duncan comments on Macbeth’s Castle
Dramatic Irony – he thinks the castle looks lovely, but we know that it is where he will die

17. Inside Macbeth’s Castle, near the Main Hall
Act 1 Scene 7
Inside Macbeth’s Castle, near the Main Hall

18. MACBETH:. If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well. 1
MACBETH: If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well 1 It were done quickly: if the assassination Could trammel up the consequence, and catch With his surcease success; that but this blow Might be the be-all and the end-all here, 5 But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases We still have judgment here; that we but teach Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice 10 Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice To our own lips. He's here in double trust; First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, 15 Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against The deep damnation of his taking-off; And pity, like a naked new-born babe, Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed Upon the sightless couriers of the air, Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur 25 To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on the other. Enter LADY MACBETH
How now! what news?
If I must kill Duncan then it will be better to get it done quickly. His death will mean I am king in this life, but I will still face judgement in Heaven.
1. He trusts me as his subject but also as his host who should protect him.
2. He is such a good, kind and virtuous King
3. The only reason I have to kill him is for my own ambition to be king

19. MACBETH:. If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well. 1
MACBETH: If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well 1 It were done quickly: if the assassination Could trammel up the consequence, and catch With his surcease success; that but this blow Might be the be-all and the end-all here, 5 But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases We still have judgment here; that we but teach Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice 10 Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice To our own lips. He's here in double trust; First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, 15 Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against The deep damnation of his taking-off; 20 And pity, like a naked new-born babe, Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed Upon the sightless couriers of the air, Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur 25 To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on the other. Enter LADY MACBETH
How now! what news?
Macbeth is unable to speak directly of killing Duncan, instead he uses lots of euphemisms.
Regicide – A crime so terrible that Macbeth cannot even speak of it
AvR – he is covering up the awful reality of the murder with different names for it
Imagery of innocence – shows that Duncan is innocent
Lady Macbeth enters just as Macbeth has persuaded himself not to do it – suggests that she will dissuade him.

20. Are you joking. Are you mad
Are you joking? Are you mad? Are you really so scared that you’ve changed your mind when you were so certain? I’ll remember that when I’m thinking about how much you love me!
LADY MACBETH: Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept since? And wakes it now, to look so green and pale At what it did so freely? From this time Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,' Like the poor cat i' the adage?
Are you really going to give up on being King and live like a coward for the rest of your life, too scared to do anything worthwhile?
What monster has made you break this promise to me? When you promised to kill Duncan you were brave and a future King. Now your cowardice means you are neither.
LADY MACBETH: What beast was't, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place Did then adhere, and yet you would make both: They have made themselves, and that their fitness now Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this.
I have breast fed a baby and know how special and loving that is, but I would have violently murdered my own baby if I had promised you I would, like you promised you would kill Duncan.

21. Metaphor for him being scared
Metaphor for him being scared. She is calling him a coward for not wanting to kill Duncan.
LADY MACBETH: Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept since? And wakes it now, to look so green and pale At what it did so freely? From this time Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,' Like the poor cat i' the adage?
Refers to a proverb about a cat who wants to fish but is afraid of water – she is taunting Macbeth and saying he is too much of a coward to do it.
Rhetorical question – it’s almost as though she is begging him. Makes the emotional blackmail more effective.
LADY MACBETH: What beast was't, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place Did then adhere, and yet you would make both: They have made themselves, and that their fitness now Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this.
Very violent imagery. Contrasts with the image of the suckling baby, making it more shocking and disturbing.