Macbeth's State of Mind

Macbeth’s state of mind is that he believes life is nothing more then an allusion. He seems a tad depressed because its almost as if he doesn’t care about his accomplishments because he is going to die anyway, what’s the point in caring. Everyone dies. He claims life is without meaning, and full of noise and emotional disturbance. He is also feeling resigned. He just doesn’t care anymore and life seems pointless to him. The line that is most powerful to me is, “The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!” It personifies candles as people because candles only last so long just as we do. When we die it’s like the candle going out and we go off to our dark deaths.

The Divine Right of Kings

The Divine Right of Kings is the rule that kings obtain the right to rule directly from God and are not accountable to their subjects. Rebellion is the worst of all crimes. This thought ties in to the play in some ways because Macbeth sees himself as a mighty ruler and no one can hurt him. Just as if he was working for God. Any one that comes to the idea of Macbeth being a murderer is killed themselves, or if he believes a said person is suspicious. In other words, he does not answer to his subjects and he can do as he pleases. A person that sees Macbeth as a killer could also be seen as rebelling against him, and not respecting him as they should. In the present, the notion has died out completly. Rebelling against the monarch is still a horrible crime however. Modern day monarchs are more involved with their people and don't think as highly of themselves.

Character Map.... Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

The Wierd Sisters

As I entered the dark cave, I saw three women with long, flowing hair. They were beautiful, but dangerous at the same time. In front of them was a pot of boiling liquid, and slowly they started to recite a spell. I then realized what they were. Witches! I saw the magic that was going on and was blown away, but a little frightened. As they chanted, their hands were waving around and the magic became stronger. It reminded me of the step-mother in Snow White transforming herself. Suddenly their master appeared, scolding them for talking to a man named Macbeth, and moments later he showed up and Hectate, as they called her, disappeared. Macbeth demanded they tell him what was in store for him and reluctantly they did. I was amazed at the images and the power that quickly unfolded. Three prophecies were shown before him, the head of a man named Macduff, a bloody infant, and a crowned child holding a branch. They warned him of what would come if he didn’t follow these aspirations and he seemed fairly convinced. It was like out of a movie. I was scared they would see me so I got out of there as quickly as possible, but I will never forget it.

Magnificent Macbeth

Macbeth’s nature is “too full o the milk of human kindness/ to catch the nearest way.” Lady Macbeth says this to Macbeth while trying to convince him to carry out with the murder of Duncan. It simply means that Macbeth’s blood is to good, he is too kind. He doesn’t want to break his loyalty to Duncan and he wants to remain a good person. He is also deeply afraid of what might take place in his afterlife if he carries out the murder. Killing King Duncan is “[catching] the nearest way,” the easiest and fastest way for Macbeth to become king.

"To be thus, is nothing,"

"To be thus, is nothing," is a masterpiece of self-deception. In this scene Macbeth is stating that now that he is king it means nothing to him. I think that it's ridiculous that he so power hungry that a title as great as "king," means very little to him. He should be pleased with his accomplishments and should be happy with where he is in life. He should take the job with pride and do his best to run his kingdom.

The Masochistic Macbeth

When Macbeth decides that he will “proceed no further in this busines,“ his wife won’t take no for an answer. She manipulates and pushes Macbeth’s buttons by questioning his “manliness,” in order to get him to carry out the murder. She also convinces him that everything is going to work out and that no one will know it was them who killed Duncan. Her actions are juvenile and impertinent.

Lady Macbeth's Gone Mad!

When the doctor announces that Lady Macbeth’s “illness” is “beyond [his] practice,” he is protecting himself. As a doctor he certainly has background knowledge on human behaviour and he should know what’s wrong with Lady Macbeth. He may have a hunch that the Macbeths’ had something to do with the murder of King Duncan due to the ramblings Lady Macbeth is uttering in her sleep walking state. If the doctor were to uncover the secrets behind her words, he may become Macbeth’s next target and he surly does not want that so instead the he keeps to himself.

Drunken Porter

The drunken porter scene is significant and it also adds some humour to the otherwise tragic play. The porter is muttering to himself about the devil, how it is ungodly to be up at this hour, and that he must be opening the gates of hell which is rather ironic considering the events that had just taken place. Macbeth murdering the king is certainly an wicked thing to do, and for someone who is so worried about his afterlife killing someone is an aweful thing to do. The “gates of hell” could also be foreshadowing Macbeth’s fate.

"I have begun to plant thee,"

King Duncan’s words, “I have begin to plant thee, and will labour/To make thee full of growing,” holds an important metaphor. This metaphor states that Duncan clearly sees Macbeth as a potential successor. He is basically saying that he has given Macbeth power, and he will stand by him to ensure he uses his power accordingly and that he lives up to his fullest.

The Death of Banquo

Procrastinating

In the past I have not procrastinated on very many assignments because I know the stress and the poor work that goes along with it. One time in particular however, where I did procrastinate was in grade 8. Ms. Odell asked us to build our own castles representing one from the Middle Ages. I collected all of the materials right away eager to get started, but I didn’t know where to begin or how to even construct the image I had in my mind. Weeks passed and the due date grew closer and closer, I was beginning to panic. Two nights before the project was due I finally got started, It was not as I would have liked but I was certain it was good enough. When we got our marks back, I received a “B.” I realised the reason that I procrastinated was because I am an over achiever. It was my first high school project and I was afraid to disappoint Ms. Odell, my parents, and myself. In the end I disappointed only myself, but I learned that the best way to do a large project is to leave yourself plenty of time to do it.

The Macbeths' Marriage

The marriage between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is seemingly an unhealthy one. Macbeth seems to be a little bit of a push-over at the beginning of the play because he does what his wife wants, with a little bit of persuading on her part, and trusts that she knows what she’s doing and what’s right. Lady Macbeth only cares about what she wants and is willing to use her masochistic ways to achieve her goals, regardless of what her husband wants. She believes that the only way Macbeth will become king anytime soon, is if he murders King Duncan. She appears to have no faith in him and doesn't think that he could do it on his own. Their relationship is manipulative, insulting, and immature.

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair,"

Fair is foul and foul is fair is one of the most famous lines in Shakesphere's plays, in fact, it foreshadows events to come in Macbeth. With these words, they are predicting the evil that will cloud Macbeth's judgments and that those judgments will appear to Macbeth as fair and just but are really foul and wrong. Through his eyes, it is necessary to kill Banquo and several others in this play to withhold his power. In reality none of these people are really threats. The only motive that could have possibly driven Macbeth to kill Banquo is when he looks in the mirror and sees several kings with Banquo’s face, but by this time he had already been murdered.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com