1. Macbeth and the Great Chain of Being: First approaches
Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

2. “The Great Chain” In its simplest form:
GOD: The divine architect of all
Angels
Demons both part of the celestial group
MANKIND
KING Appointed by GOD
Nobles
Men
Women
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

3. DIVINE RIGHT O F KINGS Elisabethan and Jacobean beliefs were clear:
God appointed the monarch and only God could remove the monarch
If the order is upset at any level, God’s displeasure will show in a number of ways
Natural phenomena
Break up of natural order (gender, in Macbeth)
Supernatural occurrences.
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

4. Disorder in Macbeth…
The play opens in Act 1.1 with the appearance of the Witches
They break the expected poetic form – suggestions of more upheaval to come.
They are not referred to as witches
They are “weird sisters” – capable of some supernatural actions, though little that is an a great scale
They prophesy upheaval to the state and to those in it.
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

5. Disorder in Macbeth…
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth respond to the prophecies by craving disorder:
“stars hide your fires”1.4
“come thick night”1.5
They both wish to work under cover of night – the time of evil and devilry. “Fair is foul and foul is fair” as the sisters put it.
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

6. Gender disorder Macbeth:
“Too full of the milk of human kindness” LM 1.5
“Look like th’innocent flower/But be the serpent under it” LM 1.5 (such dissembling is seen as a female form of action in contrast to action – the male attribute)
“Bring forth men children only/For thy undaunted mettle should compose/nothing but males” M 1.7
Lady Macbeth
“Unsex me now” speech in 1.5
“When you durst do it, then you were a man” LM 1.7
“Infirm of purpose/ Give me the daggers!” LM 2.1
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

7. Gender issues 2 Jonathan Peel JLS 2016
Malcolm is clear: man equates to violence
Macduff has failed to stay and protect his wife and children. In 4.3 he hears of their deaths.
Be this the whetstone of your sword: let grief Convert to anger; blunt not the heart, enrage it.
Did you say all? O hell-kite! All? What, all my pretty chickens and their dam At one fell swoop?
O, I could play the woman with mine eyes And braggart with my tongue! But, gentle heavens, Cut short all intermission; front to front Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself; Within my sword's length set him; if he 'scape, Heaven forgive him too!
MALCOLM
Dispute it like a man.
MACDUFF
I shall do so; But I must also feel it as a man: I cannot but remember such things were, That were most precious to me. Did heaven look on, And would not take their part? Sinful Macduff, They were all struck for thee! naught that I am, Not for their own demerits, but for mine, Fell slaughter on their souls. Heaven rest them now!
This tune goes manly.
Malcolm finds his grief unmanly. Chastises him
Tears are for women.
Real men fight and face their foe.
His response compares man gender with man as general humanity
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

8. So how has Macbeth got his manhood back by the end?
He is tricked by the prophecies he hears
He has become a metaphorical Devil figure – no longer of mankind.
The Porter sets up the castle as a metaphorical Hell. Thus the castle’s ruler is a metaphorical Devil.
My thoughts on this: porter-provides-humour-but-he-is-far-from-funny/
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

9. Disturbed Nature Macbeth and LM seeking darkness over light in Act 1
On night of murder Lennox describes
“The night has been unruly: where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down, and, as they say,
Lamentings heard I’th’air, strange screams of death
And prophesying with accents terrible
Of dire combustion and confus’d events
New hatched to the woeful time…
The heath is wild and foggy for the appearance of the Sisters
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

10. The chain is broken
A king is murdered by a noble who assumes his position
The new King seems ready to dispense with social order:
"You know your own degrees, sit down".  A splendid irony since he has sought to move above his “degree”
“Stand not upon the order of your going,/ but go at once.” 3.4 LM orders the nobles to ignore their “degree”
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

11. Appearance and reality
Foul is fair…
On arrival at Macbeth's castle both Duncan and Banquo find it pleasant – full of “Heaven’s breath” B 1.6
LM and M “equivocate” – hide their true feelings behind a mask of welcome. This continues at the banquet in 3.4 – “play the humble host” M
The prophecies are double edged – “Fear not till Burnham Wood do come to Dunsinane” “no man of women born”
Malcolm pretends weakness ot test Macduff
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

12. Context:
The Gunpowder Plot of 1606, just before this play gives a real context for exploration of this theme.
The attempt to assassinate the King and his court is a clear attempt to break the Great Chain.
The play may represent an attempt to present to the audience the possible outcome of such an action.
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016

13. TASK
An essay title
“Explore the effects of breaking the Great Chain of Being presented in Macbeth”
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016