Macbeth
Language and Devices – a guided
techniques study
Ambiguities
• Many of Shakespeare’s characters say
things which are ambiguous. This means
that you can interpret them in different
ways.
• For example: "Fair is foul, and foul is
fair". The witches might be talking about
the weather, or they might mean
something completely different.
Ambiguities
• We know the witches are in the middle
of a storm and perhaps they are saying
that they like this; they are witches so
they enjoy bad things and are on the side
of evil. However, they could also be
saying that what we think looks attractive
(or 'fair') is actually bad (or 'foul'). In
other words, our ambitions can be our
downfall.
Ambiguities
• Or they could be warning us of things to
come in the play (see foreshadowing) Macbeth is tempted by their predictions
and enters a confused, unnatural world,
where he cannot trust what he sees and
cannot bear what he is.
Ambiguities
• Another example of ambiguity is when
Lady Macbeth says the daggers 'must lie
there' - she could mean the daggers must
be placed there, but also that the
daggers will hide the truth and pin the
blame on the servants.
Ambiguities
• Find an example of an ambiguity in what
the witches say to Banquo in their first
meeting (Act 1, scene 3)
– First witch: “Lesser than Macbeth, and
greater”
– Second witch: “Not so happy, yet much
happier”
Quibble
• This is an example of ambiguity. It is a
common plot device used to fulfil the exact
verbal conditions of an agreement in order
to avoid the intended meaning. The witches’
prophecies are vague and indirect and avoid
the proper meaning.
• For example, Macduff was able to kill
Macbeth, who was unable to be harmed by
anyone of woman born, because Macduff
was "from his mother's womb untimely
ripp'd” — born via a Caesarean Section.
Quibble
• What other examples of quibble can
you find in the text? (Hint: look at
the witches’ prophecies during his
second visit)
–When Macbeth is told “Macbeth
shall never vanquished be , until
Great Birnam Wood to Dunsinane
Hill shall come against him” (4.1)
Imagery
• Imagery is used a lot in Macbeth. This is
when strong pictures or ideas are
created in our minds.
• For instance, the play has lots of
references to darkness, to sleep, to
disease and even to blood (see
symbolism).
• Imagery often describes one thing in
terms of another, and there are three
main ways this happens:
Imagery
• 1. Metaphors - is when one thing is
called something else.
• For instance, when Macbeth wants to
defend his lands against others, he uses
metaphors from medicine:
– “If thou couldst, doctor, cast the water of my
land, find her disease, and purge it to a sound
and pristine health, I would applaud thee…
What rhubarb, senna, or what purgative drug,
would scour these English hence?” (5.3)
Imagery
• What other examples of metaphor can
you find in the text?
• There are many, but some examples
are:
– Lady Macbeth says Macbeth is too full of “the
milk of human kindness”
– Macbeth says that life is “a walking shadow, a
poor player that struts and frets his hour upon
the stage”
Imagery
• Personification is where something
is described as if it is human, so the
"Dark night strangles the travelling
lamp".
Imagery
• What other examples of personification
can you find in the text? (Hint – try Act
2, scene 2/Act 3, scene 4/Act 4, scene 1)
– “Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of
care…” Act 2, scene 2
– “Stones have been known to move, and trees
to speak.” Act 3, scene 4
– “Though you untie the winds, and let them
fight…” Act 4, scene 1
Imagery
• Similes is when a direct comparison
is made (with 'as', 'than' or 'like'), so
Banquo says that the witches "look
not like the inhabitants o'the'earth"
or Macbeth says something "moves
like a ghost".
Imagery
• What other examples of simile can
you find?
• There are many but one example is:
–When Macbeth refers to pity “like
a naked newborn babe.”
Paradox and Juxtaposition
• Opposite words or ideas are frequent in
Macbeth - they highlight conflicts in the story
such as appearance and reality, choice and fate
or good and evil.
• At times the opposites are in terms of single
words, such as 'heaven' or 'hell'.
• The technical term for this is juxtaposition,
when words are deliberately chosen to contrast.
• Paradox is a similar technique, where things
that seem to contradict each other (opposites)
make sense.
Paradox and Juxtaposition
• An example is when the witches say
that “fair is foul and foul is fair.”
• Another example is when Macbeth says,
“so fair and foul a day I have not seen.”
• The words ‘fair’ and ‘foul’ are opposites
(juxtaposed) and seem to contradict
each other, but it also makes sense
(paradox).
Paradox and Juxtaposition
• Can you find any other examples of
juxtaposition or paradox? (Hint – try Act
1, scene 2/Act 2, scene 2)
– “So from that spring whence comfort seemed to
come, discomfort swells.” (Act 1, scene 2)
– Lady Macbeth says “That which hath quenched
them hath given me fire.” (Act 2, scene2) - She
means it's made them tired, but made her alert
Repetition
• This is also used frequently in Macbeth repeating a word or phrase draws attention to it.
For instance:
– “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep the innocent sleep, sleep that knits up the
ravell'd sleeve of care… Still it cried ‘sleep no
more’ to all the house: ‘Glamis hath murdered
sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no
more, Macbeth shall sleep no more” (Act 2,
Scene 2)
Repetition
• Discuss with your neighbour – what is the effect of
repeating the word ‘sleep’?
• The word 'sleep' is repeated 8 times in just 10 lines.
This is no accident - Shakespeare really wants the
audience to be aware of what sleep means to his
characters - sleep is like death, but it's also an escape
from the worries of the world. By concentrating on
the word 'sleep' we can see how Macbeth has put
Duncan to sleep (he's killed him) and now will no
longer sleep (or relax) again.
• Find another example of repetition in Macbeth.
Anaphora
• Anaphora is a kind of repetition. We see
this used in the following lines by
Macbeth, in his second meeting with the
witches, Act 4, scene 1:
Anaphora
I conjure you, by that which you profess,
Howe’er you come to know it, answer me:
Though you untie the winds, and let them fight
Against the churches, though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;
Though bladed corn be lodged, and trees blown down;
Though castles topple on their warders’ heads;
Though palaces and pyramids do slope
Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure
Of nature’s germen tumble all together,
Even till destruction sicken; answer me
To what I ask you.
Anaphora
• Discuss with your neighbour – why do you think Macbeth does
this?
• The significance of this repetition is that it develops a further
change in Macbeth’s character; he places himself above
everyone else by this scene.
• As we know by now, Macbeth is already ruthless; he got rid of
Banquo to protect his throne. When he orders the witches
around, he stresses it with phrases beginning with the word
“though”, which basically is used to say that whatever the
condition, something will still happen.
• So, Macbeth is using it with exaggeration. He states all these
exaggerations about great disasters that the witches can inflict,
but he doesn’t care. This shows Macbeth’s arrogance again;
now it increases to the point where he prioritizes himself
above all else.
Anaphora
• Macbeth’s character is further emphasized by the
fact that he’s saying this to the witches, who are the
ones in control of Macbeth’s fate. He disregards the
power of the witches over nature; he makes it seem
unimportant with the repetition.
• This shows that his wisdom and caution from before
has disappeared; he now fails to see that the witches
can turn his fate in the wrong direction.
• Therefore, this passage develops Macbeth
completely to the opposite of the cautious, fair
character he was in the start of the play, and the
anaphora of the word ‘though’ emphasizes his
arrogance and lack of wisdom.
Soliloquies
• These are speeches but they are meant to be
heard only by the audience. They tell us
directly about a character's thoughts and
feelings and they are very important in
Macbeth, because we can understand
exactly what is going through a character's
mind.
• Perhaps the most famous is in Act 2, Scene 1,
which starts: "Is this a dagger I see before
me". Without this soliloquy, we would have
no idea just how confused Macbeth is.
Soliloquies
• Locate two more important soliloquies in the
text.
• One by Lady Macbeth:
– “The raven himself is hoarse…” (Act 1, scene 5)
• One by Macbeth:
– “If it were done, when ‘tis done…”
(Act 1,scene 7)
Animal Imagery
• Shakespeare using a lot of animal imagery in
Macbeth. This is done to foreshadow events,
to develop character and to evoke a variety
of emotions from the audience.
• The use of animal imagery is also important
as it links to the Chain of Being world view of
Shakespeare’s time – remember there was a
hierarchy of people over animals, and within
animals there was also a hierarchy.
Animal Imagery
• Let’s have a look at this example, after
King Duncan is found dead:
– “A falcon towering in her pride of place was
by a mousing owl hawked at and killed” –
Old Man (Act 2, scene 4)
• Discuss with your neighbour, what do
you think this could mean? What kind of
bird is a falcon?
Animal Imagery
• The falcon is representative of the highest
level of nobility (within the bird kingdom it is
high up on the hierarchy), while the mousing
owl would typically be the falcon's prey or a
lower-down.
• In Macbeth, the Falcon, or King Duncan, is
killed by a person of lower nobility, the
mousing owl, or Macbeth.
• This does not only echo the tragedy of
Duncan’s unnatural death but also
foreshadows the downfall of Macbeth.
Animal Imagery
• One of the early examples of animal
imagery in the play is when Lady
Macbeth says to Macbeth about killing
the king:
–“Look like the innocent flower but be
the serpent under’t” (Act 1, scene 5)
• What is significant about the serpent?
• What might it symbolise?
Animal Imagery
• This passage is alluding to the Bible. Lady Macbeth
is telling Macbeth to appear to be the innocent
looking fruit as the fruit of the tree of knowledge
was to Duncan, but be the snake as the Devil was
and take away Duncan’s life.
• Lady Macbeth and Macbeth at this point are fairly
innocent, they haven’t committed horrible murders
and have a clear conscience and balanced
perception of right and wrong. Both of them know
murdering Duncan is wrong and that they are the
enemy by doing it, but they are going to do it
anyway; it is made clear by the use of the image of
the serpent.
Animal Imagery
• Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth to be the
serpent, to find evil and deceit in himself to
commit this crime. After this first murder is
committed both characters change. They
have committed one murder so it is easier
for them to commit another. They no longer
see themselves as the predators fighting for
position but as proactive persons who must
fight off predators before they become the
prey. This is clear by who is being
represented by the snake later in the play.
Animal Imagery
• Just before Macbeth has Banquo killed, he says:
– “We have scorched the snake, not killed it” (Act 3,
scene 2)
Scorched means to have wounded it.
• When the image of the snake is used again, it is used to
represent Banquo. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth see
Banquo as the deceitful one; the person who could ruin
their well established place; the enemy who could wreck
their lives as king and queen in their Garden of Eden. It is
easier for Macbeth to kill Banquo because Banquo is the
snake; it is not a sin to kill what the snake is representing.
Animal Imagery
• Macbeth later says after having Banquo killed:
– “There the grown serpent lies. The worm that’s fled hath
nature that in time will venom breed, no teeth for the
present” – Macbeth (Act 3, scene 4)
• Banquo is again the serpent, the evil that has been
justly killed. The worm that has not teeth at present
is Fleance, however Macbeth suggests he has a
‘nature’ that will breed vengeance.
• Macbeth is placed with both Christian images and
wild creatures. Macbeth uses wild creatures to
describe the bad feelings and emotions he can’t
control.
Animal Imagery
• What might the following metaphor and
animal imagery suggest?
–“O full of scorpions is my mind.” –
Macbeth (Act 3, scene 3)
Animal Imagery
• Another example of animal imagery is when
Macduff finds out his family has been killed:
– “What, all my pretty chickens, and their
dam at one fell swoop?” – Macduff (Act 4,
scene 3)
• Why do you think Shakespeare uses chickens
instead of another type of bird or animal?
• Shakespeare uses chickens because they are
so vulnerable, helpless, skittish and easily
frightened.
Symbolism
• Blood is a powerful symbol in Macbeth. Once Macbeth and
Lady Macbeth embark upon their murderous journey,
blood comes to symbolize their guilt, and they begin to feel
that their crimes have stained them in a way that cannot be
washed clean.
– “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean
from my hand?” -Macbeth (Act 2, scene 2)
• Macbeth says this after he has killed Duncan, even as his
wife scolds him and says that a little water will do the job:
– “Go, get some water, and wash this filthy witness from
your hand” (Act 2, scene 2)
Symbolism
• Later, though, she comes to share his
horrified sense of being stained:
– “Out, damned spot; out, I say . . . who would
have thought the old man to have had so much
blood in him?” – Lady Macbeth (Act 5, scene 1)
• She asks this as she wanders through the
halls of their castle near the close of the play.
• Blood symbolizes the guilt that sits like a
permanent stain on the consciences of both
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, one that
hounds them to their graves.
Symbolism
• The weather is also symbolic - as in other
Shakespearean tragedies, Macbeth’s
grotesque murder spree is accompanied by
a number of unnatural occurrences in the
natural realm. From the thunder and
lightning that accompany the witches’
appearances to the terrible storms that
rage on the night of Duncan’s murder, these
violations of the natural order reflect
corruption in the moral and political orders.
Dramatic Irony
• Dramatic irony is when the audience (or reader) knows
something the character does not.
• A good example of dramatic irony is when Macbeth plans
Duncan’s murder while feigning loyalty to the king. This is
dramatic irony because, although Duncan does not know of
Macbeth’s plans, the audience does.
• When Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle, he says:
– “This castle hath a pleasant seat. The air nimbly and sweetly
recommends itself unto our gentle senses.” (Act 1, scene 6)
• This is ironic as we know that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are
planning to harm the king and therefore that Duncan’s visit to
their castle will be anything but pleasant.
Foreshadowing
• Foreshadowing is when the
audience/reader is given a hint that
something is going to happen.
• For example, when Macbeth visits the
witches and suggest that Macbeth will
become king etc, that is foreshadowing.
• The presence of witches in the story
foreshadows the evil that will come.
Foreshadowing
• Lady Macbeth states, when she has just
received Macbeth’s letter and news that
Duncan will be dining with them,
– “The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the
fatal entrance of Duncan” (Act 1, scene 5)
• Ravens were associated with death as
they were frequently seen cleaning the
corpses of those who had been executed.
A raven croaking suggests (foreshadows)
that evil will come.