Fair is foul, and foul is fair,
Hover through the fog and filthy air. (A1, S1)
In unison like a chant/spell - emphasizes the supernatural
‘foul’ - horrible/immoral
‘Hover’ - clear indication of supernatural
Paradoxical statement
He unseamed him from the nave to the chops,
And fixed his head upon our battlements. (A1, S2)
Put his head on a spike - violent + merciless actions against Macdonald display his loyalty to King Duncan
Graphic + violent imagery
The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan (A1, S5)
The raven (connotations of darkness, mystery and death) calls out for Duncan’s death.
Motif of birds.
Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.
Not so happy, yet much happier.
Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. (A1, S3)
Paradoxical statement.
Sons will be kings - King James believed he was a descendant.
Shakespeare being sycophantic (sucking up to) King James.
Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here (A1, S5)
Imperative - ‘Come’
Asks spirits to take away her feminine qualities and make them masculine (passive + virtuous becomes dominant + cruel) so she can kill. –> LM subverts typical Jacobean gender stereotypes for women.
Link to supernatural = SHKPSRE sucking up to King James’s hyper-fixation (he got the ‘tism)
So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (A1, S3)
- So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (A1, S3)
Stop up th’access and passage to remorse (A1,S5)
Asking the spirits to block her way of feeling guilt so that she will not be affected by killing Duncan.
Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, (A1, S5)
Asking for her actions to be hidden by darkness and to be hidden from god / ‘heaven’.
‘pall’ (a cloth draped over a coffin) - connotations of death
Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under’t. (A1, S5)
Biblical reference - LM being dominant + subverting gender roles.
Simile, metaphor. ‘Two truths’ is emphasized throughout the play just like the duality of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’.
brave Macbeth + valiant cousin! (A1, S2)
Macbeth’s goodness and bravery are emphasized as soon as he is first mentioned (not introduced).
Thane of Glamis! […], Thane of Cawdor! […] that shalt be king hereafter! (A1, S3)
Past, Present, Future.
Prophecy - Macbeth is sceptical + questions their claims
yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness (A1, S5)
LM fears that Macbeth is too kind + lacks the ruthlessness required to kill Duncan to get the throne.
‘the milk of human kindness’ = everything that is good + wholesome
If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir. (A1, S3)
Repetition + lexical doubling
Basically saying ‘Why should I act if I don’t have to?’
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs […] whose murder yet is but fantastical (A1, S3)
He is already considering regicide with out LM’s input
Physical effects of his yearning
Already imagining murdering King Duncan
Macbeth does murder sleep. (A2, S2)
Macbeth is in frantic distress + scared he won’t sleep.
Sleep has connotations of peace —> Macbeth won’t have peace anymore.
Repetition of ‘sleep’.
A little water clears us of this deed. (A2, S2)
Emphasises LM’s way of minimising the word
Juxtaposition to later in the play where the guilt won’t lave her(‘Out dammed spot!’)
I hear a knocking. (A2, S2)
Knocking could represent Macbeth’s conscience haunting him + the guilt
The knocking is actually Macduff at the gate —> foil character to Macbeth’s
My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white. (A2, S2)
LM is calling Macbeth weak again.
Subverts gender roles —> LM is in control again
Help me hence, ho!
Distracts so draw attention away from Macbeth.
Pretends to faint.
Uses the femininity she is expected to have to manipulate the room.
LM powerful woman + subverting gender roles.
