1. motifs project moccia

2. project  For the next class, you will be asked to present on your motif from Macbeth.  The presentation should be 5-7 minutes.  It should cover the following:  3-4 of the most poignant examples of your motif throughout the play, and a short analysis of the examples  A comment and possible analysis of any patterns in how the theme is introduced throughout the play  An analysis of the FUNCTION of the motif

3. function  How is Shakespeare using this motif? Toward what end?  Examples:  Thematic  Establishment of mood/atmosphere  Irony  Other literary function

4. example: violence/blood “What hands are here? ha! they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas in incarnadine, Making the green one red.” (2.2.74-78)

5. two “I am in blood Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er.” (3.4.137-9)

6. three “Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him. … What, will these hands ne'er be clean?” (5.1.42-43, 46)

7. four "Of all men else I have avoided thee. But get thee back! My soul is too much charged With blood of thine already." (5.8.4-6)

8. pattern  Violence often happens off-stage  Why?  Reason 1: evoke Greek tragedy (thematic and structural)  Reason 2: suspense  Things off screen are more frightening  Hitchcock

9. purpose  Structural: blood comes to represent guilt, and the inability to “wash” the blood the inability to “get rid of” guilt  Thematic:  “It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood” (3.4.123).  Violence, particularly unnatural violence, will have violent consequences  Thematic: humans’ uncomfortable closeness to violence  Thematic: regicide will end in violence (head cut off)