An analysis of MacDeath
MacBeth
Fate? Free-will? For fun?
Sarah Oso
MacKenzie McGraw
Monica Jamison
Helena Wong
Madi Bunker
#wonder #ponder
• Witches’ Role (why him? why now?)
• Soooo… a contract?
• Duncan’s Role (oh, and don’t forget Macduff’s – foils??)
• Banquo’s Role (so he did have a role in this…?)
• The Lady’s Role – happy wife makes happy life(who’s Macbeth trying to please?)
• Fate? Free-will? Or maybe the best of both worlds?
• Does ambitious = malicious? (who even is Macbeth really? is Mac whack?)
• Character Inconsistency – wait, what??
what do you think?
OMG, the daggers must LIE THERE.
What We Found
•
Mackenzie’s musings
•
How is a contract or bond used to describe how fate plays a role in Macbeth's decision to kill
Duncan? Cohen writes, in which he references the line, “Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond /
Which keeps me pale (3.2.47-51),” that “Macbeth’s use of the word ‘bond’ suggests that he regards
himself as having made a contract with fate, which he is now trying desperately to bail out of.” Cohen
emphasis this assertion by using the extended metaphor of a contract or bond to describe how ‘fate’
plays a role in the Macbeth’s decision of regicide.
•
How do the actions of King Duncan lead to his death? “In thus overstating his indebtedness,
Duncan is compromising his kingly authority, encouraging his supporters [Macbeth] to feel entitled to
boundless rewards for having merely done their duty.”
•
How does a contract or bond also play into Macbeth's free will when given the prophesy by the
witches? Cohen writes, “When Macbeth hears the witches hail him King of Scotland, he knows
immediately that they are speaking to his desire. By accepting their words as a bond and configuring
them as a contract with fate, Macbeth is able, on the one hand, to validate his ambition, and on a
deeper level, to convince himself that he has no choice.”
•
https://thewallsofenglish.wikispaces.com/file/view/Macbeth%27s+Contract+with+Fate.pdf
• Monica’s musings
• http://proxygsusfay.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebsc
ohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aqh&AN=
9401281812&site=eds-live&scope=site
• Helena’s musings
• http://www.academia.edu/4016477/_Character_
and_Daemon_Fate_and_Free_Will_in_Macbeth_i
n_Shakespeares_Macbeth_Critical_Contexts_Seri
es_ed._Boris_Drenkov_Roman_Books_2013
•
Sarah’s musings
•
So neither fate, nor free will? A really technical take on the play mentioned the
flaws in the play’s design – inconsistent character development. Throughout the
work, Shakespeare is continually depicting his characters as magical, mad, and
almost devilish – look at the witches, the Lady, and Macbeth himself. But then look
at the Lady and Macbeth before the killing-spree. The way Macbeth is revered by his
peers and even Duncan suggests a sort of “noble nature,” and it seems pretty radical
and extreme to in an instant strip away all sort of previous moral compass and
upstanding. It’s unrealistic, actually. Lady starts off all gung-ho, but later (with no
apparent explanation!) shows weakness and regret at her deeds.... So how does
Macbeth go from on-the-fence to full-blown killer? Yes, he does feel bad… but “we
have a right to expect that this better nature would reappear; after his glowing
ambition had attained its end he ought to have made at least one attempt, or
manifested the desire, to wear his ill-gotten crown with glory, to expiate or
extenuate his crime by sovereign virtues. We could then be made to see that it by no
means follows that evil must breed evil, and that Macbeth must wade on in blood
in order not to fall.” He keeps killing! At this point, it’s difficult to decide if Macbeth
is doing what he has to do or is just evil. The inconsistency and unrealistic
manifestation of his character only lets us say he was “power-driven” and
“ambitious,” but essentially gives no insight unto the true Macbeth. Is this normal
for him? How then would we know if he was just trying to make the prophesy come
true or if he was just being a jerk? Hmmmmm…. Food for thought. This article says
that there’s not enough consistent info to answer the question and blames it on
Shakespeare for making it so unclear.
•
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=LitRC&userGroupNa
me=peac17207&tabID=T001&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm
&currentPosition=1&contentSet=GALE%7CH1420018774&&docId=GALE|H1420018774&docType=GALE&role=LitRC
• Madi’s musings
Here’s a list of some more questions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What took precedence in the play – fate or free-will?
Was there a combination of both fate and free-will? Was there an absence of either?
Why did the witches choose Macbeth? And why did they go on to tell him his prophesy? And does that give any insight unto
his previous character before the hearing of his prophesy? How does this impact the play’s theme?
Was Macbeth bound by the words of the witches? Are the witches at blame?
Did Macbeth “force” his prophesy? How?
How did Duncan play a part in his own demise?
Can Duncan and Macduff be seen as foils? Why? Why not?
If Macbeth had not heard Banquo’s part of the prophesy, how would that have affected Macbeth’s actions?
Could Banquo and Macbeth have reversed roles? Why? Why not?
Was there anyone else on Macbeth’s hit list?
Which death is shown offstage? Why?
What parts of the play are ironic upon a second reading? Whose perspective in the play does this second reading most
closely match?
How are dreams are metaphor for the larger action of the play?
Was Lady Macbeth’s role as a catalyst worse than Macbeth’s role as the murderer?
Who had a greater influence in Macbeth’s fall – the witches or Lady Macbeth?
Who is responsible for Macbeth’s actions? Was Macbeth a murderer, or just a man fulfilling his prophesy?
If there was no prophesy involved, would Macbeth’s actions more readily define his character as “evil?” (for lack of a better
word)
Does Shakespeare feel pity for Macbeth? How? How not?
How does the ending of the play show a cyclic world, and what is its thematic significance?
If ye had a chance to change yer fate, would ye?
That’s all we got for ya.
pretty egg-citing, huh?