AANTEKENINGEN BIJ MACBETH
The use of language:
- Iambic pentameter ( I am)
- Blank verse (end doesn’t rhyme) --> most characters
- Rhyme verse (does rhyme) --> mostly the witches
- Prose --> people with a lower status, porters for example
- You have to know the terms
Why is Shakespeare a genius?
- He plays with the language
- He came up with words and sentences
- His plays are for all people, for all classes --> simple scenes (comedy), more advanced scenes.
In Macbeth the porter scene (knock, knock who is there) is comedy.
- Psychologic things in the play --> he described how characters were and the characters had
psychological development. He gives a realistic inside in the characters: people could actually
react that way, people could actually be that way.
Themes:
Masculinity --> When Macbeth says he wants to feel like a man, he means being brave and fearless.
When Macduff says he wants to feel like a man, he means that he wants to have emotions.
Fair is foul, foul is fair --> things are not what they seem. Macbeth seems like a loyal servant that you
want as a servant, he is a hero. But he actually is planning to kill king Duncan.
The witches are another example. It seems great news that Macbeth will become king, but it actually
means that he has to kill king Duncan. Later on when the apparitions appear, their information is
positive, but the outcome is negative (Macbeth dies).
Murder --> Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are willing to kill king Duncan for his position. He also kills
Banquo, because he is afraid that he will betray him and because his sons will be kings.
Ambition --> what it can lead to. There are no limits. Ambition doesn’t have to be terrible, but when
you value your ambition over everything else, it is bad. In the beginning Macbeth’s ambitions are
good, but when he kills king Duncan to become king he goes to far.
Supernatural --> there are a few supernatural elements in the play. See later in this document.
Guilt --> the play is about what guilt does to a life. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can’t enjoy their role,
because of the guilt they have. Lady Macbeth even kills herself at the end because of the guilt she
has.
Symbols:
Dagger --> stands for the murder.
Blood --> blood stands for guilt. When he will put his hands in the ocean, the blood will not go away,
the guilt is too big. Later Lady Macbeth tries to wash her hands, but she can’t wash the imaginary
blood off, her guilt is too big.
Clothing --> people are wearing clothes that don’t fit. It means that the characters don’t feel
comfortable in their role, for example Macbeth doesn’t feel good in his role as a king.
, Black birds and owls --> evil is coming
Sleep --> When Macbeth kills Duncan, he can’t sleep because of his guilt. King Duncan can rest
peaceful in his grave.
Supernatural elements:
- Witches
- Healing powers of king Edward
- Banquo’s ghost
- Sleepwalking
- (flying dagger, not sure if that is what she said lol??)
Dramatic irony:
= The reader/ the watcher of the play knows something that the characters do not know (yet).
When king Duncan comes to visit Macbeth’s castle he says it is very nice and that Macbeth is very
loyal to him.
Malcolm says to the soldiers that they have to take a piece of a tree to hide behind when they are
going to attack Macbeth‘s castle. For him this doesn’t have an extra meaning, we as readers know
that the Birnam wood is moving, what means that Macbeth needs to be careful.
When the witches tell Macbeth: ‘Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor’ --> did the other one die??
Apparitions:
1: head of a warrior --> beware Macduff, beware thane of fife.
Macbeth already thought this, so it is not really new. Macduff is the thane of fife, so it is double.
2: newborn baby --> nobody who is born from a wife can kill Macbeth.
By this news, Macbeth is reassured.
3: child with a tree --> only when Birnam woods come to Macbeth’s castle, he is in danger.
Macbeth is reassured, because he thinks that that will never happen.
4: A line of kings that look like each other + Banquo at the end of the row --> Macbeth thinks shit.
When Macbeth and Banquo first meet the witches:
Witches tell Macbeth:
- he is thane of Glamis
- he will become thane of Cawdor
- he will become king
Witches tell Banquo:
- he will be lesser than Macbeth and greater.
- he will be not so happy, yet much happier.
- he will get kings, but he will be none.
The use of language:
- Iambic pentameter ( I am)
- Blank verse (end doesn’t rhyme) --> most characters
- Rhyme verse (does rhyme) --> mostly the witches
- Prose --> people with a lower status, porters for example
- You have to know the terms
Why is Shakespeare a genius?
- He plays with the language
- He came up with words and sentences
- His plays are for all people, for all classes --> simple scenes (comedy), more advanced scenes.
In Macbeth the porter scene (knock, knock who is there) is comedy.
- Psychologic things in the play --> he described how characters were and the characters had
psychological development. He gives a realistic inside in the characters: people could actually
react that way, people could actually be that way.
Themes:
Masculinity --> When Macbeth says he wants to feel like a man, he means being brave and fearless.
When Macduff says he wants to feel like a man, he means that he wants to have emotions.
Fair is foul, foul is fair --> things are not what they seem. Macbeth seems like a loyal servant that you
want as a servant, he is a hero. But he actually is planning to kill king Duncan.
The witches are another example. It seems great news that Macbeth will become king, but it actually
means that he has to kill king Duncan. Later on when the apparitions appear, their information is
positive, but the outcome is negative (Macbeth dies).
Murder --> Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are willing to kill king Duncan for his position. He also kills
Banquo, because he is afraid that he will betray him and because his sons will be kings.
Ambition --> what it can lead to. There are no limits. Ambition doesn’t have to be terrible, but when
you value your ambition over everything else, it is bad. In the beginning Macbeth’s ambitions are
good, but when he kills king Duncan to become king he goes to far.
Supernatural --> there are a few supernatural elements in the play. See later in this document.
Guilt --> the play is about what guilt does to a life. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can’t enjoy their role,
because of the guilt they have. Lady Macbeth even kills herself at the end because of the guilt she
has.
Symbols:
Dagger --> stands for the murder.
Blood --> blood stands for guilt. When he will put his hands in the ocean, the blood will not go away,
the guilt is too big. Later Lady Macbeth tries to wash her hands, but she can’t wash the imaginary
blood off, her guilt is too big.
Clothing --> people are wearing clothes that don’t fit. It means that the characters don’t feel
comfortable in their role, for example Macbeth doesn’t feel good in his role as a king.
, Black birds and owls --> evil is coming
Sleep --> When Macbeth kills Duncan, he can’t sleep because of his guilt. King Duncan can rest
peaceful in his grave.
Supernatural elements:
- Witches
- Healing powers of king Edward
- Banquo’s ghost
- Sleepwalking
- (flying dagger, not sure if that is what she said lol??)
Dramatic irony:
= The reader/ the watcher of the play knows something that the characters do not know (yet).
When king Duncan comes to visit Macbeth’s castle he says it is very nice and that Macbeth is very
loyal to him.
Malcolm says to the soldiers that they have to take a piece of a tree to hide behind when they are
going to attack Macbeth‘s castle. For him this doesn’t have an extra meaning, we as readers know
that the Birnam wood is moving, what means that Macbeth needs to be careful.
When the witches tell Macbeth: ‘Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor’ --> did the other one die??
Apparitions:
1: head of a warrior --> beware Macduff, beware thane of fife.
Macbeth already thought this, so it is not really new. Macduff is the thane of fife, so it is double.
2: newborn baby --> nobody who is born from a wife can kill Macbeth.
By this news, Macbeth is reassured.
3: child with a tree --> only when Birnam woods come to Macbeth’s castle, he is in danger.
Macbeth is reassured, because he thinks that that will never happen.
4: A line of kings that look like each other + Banquo at the end of the row --> Macbeth thinks shit.
When Macbeth and Banquo first meet the witches:
Witches tell Macbeth:
- he is thane of Glamis
- he will become thane of Cawdor
- he will become king
Witches tell Banquo:
- he will be lesser than Macbeth and greater.
- he will be not so happy, yet much happier.
- he will get kings, but he will be none.
