There Will Be Blood There Will Be Blood (Macbeth Review)(Macbeth Review)

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20 January 200920 January 2009

Macbeth in a NutshellMacbeth in a Nutshell

““Know that your people will judge Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of that you are on the wrong side of history.”history.”

The InaugurationThe Inauguration

What is This Play About?What is This Play About?

Five Main Points Five Main Points (ILISE)(ILISE)

HistoryHistory Contemporary Contemporary

ConcernsConcerns CharactersCharacters Tons of other Tons of other

themes, motifs, themes, motifs, and elementsand elements

History / ConcernsHistory / Concerns

Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s company was company was employed by King employed by King JamesJames

Specific audience, Specific audience, specific interestsspecific interests– Scottish history > Scottish history >

English historyEnglish history– James believed he was James believed he was

one of the historical one of the historical Banquo’s descendentsBanquo’s descendents

– Witches and chantsWitches and chants

Five Main PointsFive Main Points

Although there are many other Although there are many other thematic and story-based concerns to thematic and story-based concerns to study, it’s important to remember that study, it’s important to remember that most of them fit under the umbrella of most of them fit under the umbrella of the five major areas we’ve studied all the five major areas we’ve studied all semester.semester.

Shakespeare’s opinions regarding love, Shakespeare’s opinions regarding love, enlightenment, security, independence, enlightenment, security, independence, and identity are complicated – hence and identity are complicated – hence our study of his work.our study of his work.

Love (and Trust)Love (and Trust)

While reading While reading MacbethMacbeth, , it’s best to ask yourself the it’s best to ask yourself the questions that the questions that the playwright seems to be playwright seems to be prompting you to askprompting you to ask For example: For example:

– What is “love”? What is “love”? – Can we totally trust ourselves in the Can we totally trust ourselves in the

hands of another?hands of another?– Is it better to trust everyone Is it better to trust everyone

(believing in the basic goodness of (believing in the basic goodness of your fellow man) or trust no one?your fellow man) or trust no one?

EnlightenmentEnlightenment How does knowledge provide the characters with How does knowledge provide the characters with

power? power? How does it doom them?How does it doom them? How does the characters’ How does the characters’ lack lack of knowledge of knowledge

influence the play’s narrative?influence the play’s narrative? As you can clearly see, As you can clearly see, enlightenment requires more enlightenment requires more than an extensive collection than an extensive collection of facts – it requires of facts – it requires understandingunderstanding Knowledge without Knowledge without comprehension is a comprehension is a dangerous, dangerous thingdangerous, dangerous thing

Security (and Trust)Security (and Trust) Macbeth gains Duncan’s Macbeth gains Duncan’s

favor through willing favor through willing service, including his service, including his vigorous defense of the vigorous defense of the kingdom when the rebels kingdom when the rebels and Norwegians attackand Norwegians attack

Yet it is Duncan’s Yet it is Duncan’s willingness to trust Macbeth willingness to trust Macbeth – to place his security in the – to place his security in the hands of another – that hands of another – that leads to his murderleads to his murder

Macbeth’s rule is never Macbeth’s rule is never secure, because he trusts no secure, because he trusts no one; he constantly fears any one; he constantly fears any threat to his seat of powerthreat to his seat of power

IndependenceIndependence Is Macbeth independent?Is Macbeth independent? He’s certainly influenced by people (the Weird He’s certainly influenced by people (the Weird

Sisters, Lady Macbeth), as well as by less tangible Sisters, Lady Macbeth), as well as by less tangible forces (the prophecy, his own paranoia)forces (the prophecy, his own paranoia)

Can he make his own Can he make his own decisions?decisions? He doesn’t feel as though He doesn’t feel as though he can rule freely until Act IV, he can rule freely until Act IV, when another misunderstood when another misunderstood prophecy inflates his confidence prophecy inflates his confidence to dangerous levelsto dangerous levels Is he in control of his own Is he in control of his own destiny?destiny?

IdentityIdentity

Who Who isis Macbeth? Macbeth? This is something the play This is something the play

grapples with for its entire grapples with for its entire durationduration

Is he a good person? A bad Is he a good person? A bad person? Loyal? person? Loyal? Treacherous? Brave? Treacherous? Brave? Cowardly? Intelligent? Cowardly? Intelligent? Blind? Ambitious? Greedy?Blind? Ambitious? Greedy?

Macbeth is haunted by his Macbeth is haunted by his initial murder, then slowly initial murder, then slowly descends into madnessdescends into madness

Other CharactersOther Characters

How do the aforementioned points How do the aforementioned points (ILISE) apply to other characters?(ILISE) apply to other characters?– Lady Macbeth and security/identityLady Macbeth and security/identity– Duncan and enlightenmentDuncan and enlightenment– Macduff and love/securityMacduff and love/security– Malcolm and identityMalcolm and identity– Banquo and enlightenmentBanquo and enlightenment– The Weird Sisters and independenceThe Weird Sisters and independence

FamilyFamily Was Macbeth a father?Was Macbeth a father?

– We’ll go over this more when we have timeWe’ll go over this more when we have time For now, take a moment to consider For now, take a moment to consider

the families Shakespeare shows usthe families Shakespeare shows us– One is extremely dysfunctional (the One is extremely dysfunctional (the

Macbeths)Macbeths)– All are ravaged by death (Siward, Duncan, All are ravaged by death (Siward, Duncan,

Macduff, Macbeth, Banquo)Macduff, Macbeth, Banquo) Shakespeare’s characters are also Shakespeare’s characters are also

motivated by familial concerns, motivated by familial concerns, whether it is Macbeth’s deference to whether it is Macbeth’s deference to Lady Macbeth, Banquo’s desire to see Lady Macbeth, Banquo’s desire to see Fleance rule Scotland, or Malcolm’s Fleance rule Scotland, or Malcolm’s need to avenge his fatherneed to avenge his father

AmbitionAmbition

Self-ambition – Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Self-ambition – Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seek the throneseek the throne

Ambition for others – Banquo and Fleance, Ambition for others – Banquo and Fleance, Duncan and MalcolmDuncan and Malcolm

The terrible toll The terrible toll ambition takes on a ambition takes on a human soulhuman soul The terrible punishment The terrible punishment a person corrupted by a person corrupted by ambition can exact on ambition can exact on othersothers

RevengeRevenge

““Blood will have blood”Blood will have blood” Although Malcolm flees at Although Malcolm flees at

first, he comes back in first, he comes back in forceforce– Birnam Wood marches, Birnam Wood marches,

after allafter all After the slaughter of his After the slaughter of his

entire family – “all my entire family – “all my pretty ones?” – Macduff pretty ones?” – Macduff ends up carrying ends up carrying Macbeth’s head around Macbeth’s head around on a pikeon a pike

FearFear

Banquo fears what the Banquo fears what the prophecy portends – and prophecy portends – and that Macbeth has used that Macbeth has used illicit means to win the illicit means to win the thronethrone

Macbeth fears his past Macbeth fears his past (someone discovering that (someone discovering that he murdered the king) he murdered the king) and his future (His “barren and his future (His “barren scepter” refusing to scepter” refusing to produce an heir, leaving produce an heir, leaving him vulnerable to a coup) him vulnerable to a coup)

GuiltGuilt

““Out, damn spot!”Out, damn spot!” Although Macbeth is Although Macbeth is

the one who expresses the one who expresses guilt over the initial guilt over the initial action, it is Lady action, it is Lady Macbeth who is driven Macbeth who is driven insane by the deed – insane by the deed – consumed by her guilt, consumed by her guilt, unable to wash an unable to wash an invisible stain from her invisible stain from her hands or consciencehands or conscience

Pride / HubrisPride / Hubris

Macbeth’s death Macbeth’s death results (in part) from results (in part) from his own arrogance; his own arrogance; he misinterpreted he misinterpreted the witches’ the witches’ prophecies in a way prophecies in a way that allowed him to that allowed him to gain confidencegain confidence

Duncan fails to Duncan fails to protect himself protect himself adequately; is this adequately; is this the result of pride? the result of pride?

There is More to Cover…There is More to Cover…

But this will do for now.But this will do for now.