5/10/12 Macbeth- why is her so interesting?
Shakespeare has created a play full of emotion, power and ambition. This play is known as ‘Macbeth’. Macbeth, the protagonist in the play, is clearly a fascinating character and seems to lead two different lives, but what is it that makes Macbeth so interesting?
Firstly, his link with the supernatural. He somehow has connection with evil and power throughout the play and lets the witches manipulate him easily. ‘So foul and fair a day I have not seen’. This illustrates the connection between him and the witches as it is the last thing the witches chanted in act 1, scene 1, and the first thing Macbeth says in scene 3.
Macbeth is a powerful, respected leader in act 1. His sword ‘smoked with bloody execution’, this indicates his violent and powerful character.
Further more,throughout the play, Macbeth’s mental state changes. It deteriorates and turns dark which results in a sudden change in his character. He sees ‘a dagger of the mind’ and his head is ‘o, full of scorpions’, this proves his changed state of mind, that he was confused, disturbed and insane.
Macbeth has conflicting emotions. He feels guilt, doubt, regret and always has a conscience on his mind. ‘Know my deed, ‘twere best not know myself’. This shows that Macbeth feels many emotions as he feels so much regret and guilt that he feels that he doesn’t know himself anymore. His conscience has taken over.
Shakespeare uses powerful images to describe Lady Macbeth’s death. ‘The way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle’. This portrays how Shakespeare using the image of a candle being blown out, to describe her death.
Moving on, the language used by Shakespeare is sometimes in Lambic pentameter. It can affect how fast you read as it is stressed. ‘Ring the alarum bell! Blow wind, come wrack; At least we’ll die with harness on our back’. This illustrates how it being in Lambic
