Macbeth (session 1)

Question 1

How is Macbeth fearless in battle

Answer 1

“Like valour’s minion, carved out his passage til he faced the slave.”

• personification “valours minion” suggests how renowned macbeth is for his courage in battle whih emphasizes his fearlessness.
• metaphor “carved…” suggests how ruthless he is in battle as he physically slashed himself a pathway to macdonald.

In Shakepseare times men gained integrity from strength and integrity in battle. The Jacobean audience is impressed by Macbeths performance and admires his bravery.

Question 2

Fear is evoked in audience when witches meet macbeth

Answer 2

“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Than of Cawdor! All Hail Macbeth! That shall be king hereafter.”

• the future tense verb “shall” suggests the confidence the witches have in their prediction.
  immediately makes the jacobean audience fearful as witches were known for predicting the future but also being agents of devil
• This worries audience as macbeths reaction shows he is interested

Question 3

Fear is created in the audience when Banquo presents worry in act one scene three

Answer 3

“And, oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths.”

• metaphor highlights how sinister the witches prophecy is but also reminds the audinece how they decieve and shouldnt be trusted.
• in 1597 King James wrote ‘Demonologie’, in which he detailed their supposed powers of defying normal physical rule.
  -This creates fear in a Jacobean audience as they see how Banquo understands the misleading and undestands how macbeth willl be in jeopardy

Question 4

Fear is created for the audience when Macbeth considers the prophecy

Answer 4

(aside) “This supernatural solicitng cannot be ill; cannot be good”

• The sibilance highlighhts the sinister charm of the witches charm.
• The repition of “cannot” shows Macbeths realisation that the prophecy is too good to be true
• On one hand the Jacobean audience admire Macbeth for coming to this state of mind that he is being mislead but is also anxiety enducing for the audience as he speaks aside and weighs up the outcomes.
• as witches were known for defying physical normal rule. Fear is evoked as Macbeth could be going against the divine right of kings; a doctrine stating the king was gods representitive and to go against the king is to go against god

Question 5

Fear is created in the audience when Macbeth immediately thinks of murder

Answer 5

“why do i yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, and make my seated heart knock at my ribs”

• Verb “yield” shows how much control macbeth has lost
• This ties into the belief that witches can possess innocent people and in Macbeths case commit sacrelige
• Emotive lang “horrid” presents a grusome image for the audience
• personification implies how fast and hard his heart was knocking emphasising fear
• rt question shows he questions his integrity
• creates fear as he gives into murder

Question 6

Audience experiences fear when lady macbeth influences him

Answer 6

“hie thee hither that i may pour my spirits in thine ear”

-imperative suggests she is commanding macb to return to dunsinane
- metaphor suggests she is trying to infect macb with evil ideas of killing the king
- idea of women in power causes anxiety for J.A as they were beleived to be submissive to men in the great chain of being
- a religious hierarchy brought around by god
- this disruption to the rulebook causes fear

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Question 7

Introduction

Answer 7

In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the dangerous and unnatural ways in which characters act to create fear. It plays a key role in Macbeth’s downfall, influencing his thoughts and actions. Through betrayal, sacrilege, and manipulation, the creation of fear is used to highlight the consequences of ambition.