MacBeth Lecture Notes

-MacBeth:

• highly accomplished at the beginning (Ex. Becoming king in Act III)
• loses accomplishment by the end (Ex. losing the throne)

*Indirect characterization: 

• battlefields
• actions

--------->Scene from the porter<---------

-Most compelling character (Macbeth). Tragic Play!

• Esteem of nobles, loving wife, roll of conquest among battle (beginning)
• Macbeth ends up alone, dead wife, no one likes him (end of play)

-The architect of his own destruction.

• He destroys himself while trying to cope with issues.

*Why kill Duncan?

--------> How do you know when you succeeded? MacBeth does not know. (ambitious character flaw)

*Important Lines: Lines 25-28, 48-49 Act I Scene 7

-He is evil! only thinks of the surface impression and not why.

-Witches at beginning of the play were probably clues of what they expected to happen.

-Not a hypocrite!

• But in these cases we still have judgement here.

-Lady MacBeth is evil the whole time!

• animus/anima (May be more masculine than feminine... way of thinking)

-Kills Duncan with his own desire.

• Sees the dagger because of horror----> pulling him towards the murder against his will.

-MacBeth determination: Knows consequences but still does it.

-Lady MacBeth cannot deal and that's what causes her to destroy herself.

• fainting spell
• fretting
• sleepwalking
• commits suicide

-At beginning MacBeth and Lady MacBeth plan together but later MacBeth is left on his own.