NOTES…
TRAGEDY…
Different types of tragedy: modern, Elizabethan (Macbeth), ancient Greek.
Elizabethan: must end in a big drama which involves Elizabethan practice
Tragedy in Macbeth:
Act 1- when the witches meet Macbeth and banquo say that one day Macbeth will be king. This
leads Macbeth’s ambitions to be awakened. When Macbeth gets the title he gains more power.
Act 2- Need for ambition leads to Macbeth to see a vision of a bloodstained dagger and killing the
king.
Act3-Banquo suspects that Macbeth killed King Duncan. Macbeth kills Banquo but Fleance escapes.
Related to tragedy because Macbeth shouldn’t have killed Banquo and his son.
Act 4- Apparitions tells Macbeth that he cannot be killed by a man born of women. Related to
tragedy and Macbeth because Macbeth plans to kill Lady Macduff and her children.
Act 5- Lady Macbeth is seen to be sleepwalking
INSANITY...
Act 1- not much sanity in this act
Act 2- we see evidence of Macbeth experiencing insanity
Act 3- insanity is shown by Macbeth. Macbeth sees a ghost of Banquo
Act 5- Lady Macbeth shows insanity by sleepwalking trying to was blood off her hands (there is no
blood)
Language Techniques- asides: Macbeth uses to help the audience see how the character is feeling.
Irony: occurs when the character is aware or unaware.
Universal ideas- Macbeth and Lady Macbeth go insane we still see the same cases but not to the
same extent.
(Macbeth goes crazy because of guilt and power)
DECEPTION…
Is to lie and to be dishonest to people
Overview- Deception is seen multiple times… many characters betray each other. Macbeth is the
one that betrays his friends in this book.
Language- Symbolism, Metaphors and Irony.
Act 1- Fair is foul and fouls Is fair is the most important line relating to deception.
Act 2- Lady Macbeth deceives King Duncan she acts two faced to him. She is very nice to him but
little does he know that he will be murdered and that it was her idea.
Act 3- Macbeth is being deceptive he pretends to be loyal to his friend Banquo but he is also going to
murder him.
Act 4- Macbeth deceives the whole of Macduff’s family by attacking and murdering them.
Act 5- All the deceptive things that Macbeth has done throughout the book turns around on him,
Lady Macbeth dies!