Macbeth…
Questions &
teamwork.
Questions IV
 Question 1:
– What is signified by each of the three figures that
rises from the cauldron to speak to Macbeth?
 Question 2:
– How is Macbeth’s decision to murder Macduff’s
family consistent with his developing character?
 Question 3:
How does the third major crime of Macbeth differ
from the first (King Duncan) and second crimes
(Banquo)?
Questions – Act IV
 Question 1:
– What is signified by each of the three figures that
rises from the cauldron to speak to Macbeth (armed
head, bloody child, the crowned child)?
 Answer 1:
– The armed head represents Macbeth, whose head is to be
cut off by Macduff; the bloody child represents Macduff
and foreshadows the statement later of his unnatural
birth; the crowed child with the tree in his hand
represents Malcom’s order that his soldiers carry
branches of Birnam Wood as camouflage for their
numbers, and his being crowned .
Questions – Act IV
 Question 2:
– How is Macbeth’s decision to murder Macduff’s
family consistent with his developing character?
 Answer 2:
– Shakespeare wishes to paint a character that exhibits
progressive deterioration as the play proceeds. Macbeth
had intended to commit one crime and then stop, but he
is driven on to commit others. There was some evil logic
behind the murder of Banquo; there is no point to the
murder of the Macduff family. There is also no attempt at
concealment. As there had been earlier. (see next page)
Questions – Act IV
 Question 2:
– How is Macbeth’s decision to murder Macduff’s
family consistent with his developing character?
 Answer 2 (cont’d):
– Murder for its own sake has come to dominate the
actions of Macbeth, and, obviously, the tragedy of the
breakdown of his character near the end.
Questions – Act IV
 Question 3:
– How does the third major crime of Macbeth differ
from the first (King Duncan) and second crimes
(Banquo)?
 Answer 3 :
– No thought is given to this murder. For the first murder,
Macbeth carefully weighed whether he should commit
the crime. For the second murder, he spent time in
careful planning. But not so in this third murder.
Macbeth committed the first murder himself and was
closely involved in the second, but, in this case, he
simply sent murderers to do the job.
Videos
 Soliloquy: “Tomorrow, and tomorrow”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGbZCgHQ9m8
Macbeth Themes
 Equivocation: to equivocate is to lie by saying
something that sounds fair, but which has a hidden,
foul meaning.
– https://prezi.com/-obgrixg7dsu/equivocation-in-macbeth/
 Corrupting power of unchecked ambition
(ambition leading to one’s downfall)
 The relationship between masculinity and cruelty
Soliloquies
 Thoughts,
 feelings,
 personality
 mindset and
 motivations of the central character
Soliloquies
 The raven himself is hoarse - Lady Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 5
(king coming to the castle)
 If it were done when 'tis done -Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 7
(thinking about the killing the king)
 Is this a dagger which I see before me -Macbeth, Act 2
Scene 1 (magical dagger)
 To be thus is nothing -Macbeth, Act 3 Scene 1 (has killed
the king, now the menace is Banquo)
 She should have died hereafter (Tomorrow and tomorrow
and tomorrow, after Lady Macbeth dies) -Macbeth, Act 5
Scene 5
Soliloquies

She should have died hereafter (Tomorrow and tomorrow
and tomorrow) -Macbeth, Act 5 Scene 5
Four possible meanings are:
(1) she should have died after the battle when there would be
time to mourn properly;
(2) she should have waited for me, seeing that my death is so
near;
(3) she would have died at sometime, either now or later;
(4) she should have died after the battle for now, with her
gone, I know I shall not win
Macbeth motifs
Definition: Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts,
and literary devices that can help to develop and
inform the text’s major themes.
Examples:
-sleep
-blood
-animals
-clothing,
-light and dark,
-disease and decay
-appearance versus reality
Film codes/techniques (media)
Examples:
- Costumes
- Camera work (angles)
- Lighting
- Sound (audio)
Film codes/techniques (media)
- Out Damned spot!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS_Z4zBDItw
 What differences can you draw from each scene?
(staging, lighting, characters, juxtapose, etc)
 Which film version did you enjoy the most?
Analyze it critically and explain why.