Macbeth: Thematic Elements

We have discussed many thematic elements of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

These include:
Unchecked ambition
Self-destructive character traits
The deviousness of women
The idea of manhood
Madness
Guilt
Hubris


Such a happy little play.



We haven't really discussed the characters who are still alive at the end of the play. Macduff & Malcolm do some heavy soul-searching in Act 4, scene iii. They redefine some of the concepts of manhood and leadership.

Macbeth is often seen as Shakespeare's most misogynistic play. The portrayal of women is primarily unfavorable. Let's take a little inventory and see what we find.....


Lady Macbeth: Well, we all know she can be a real nag. She asks to be "unsexed" and to have the ability to be cruel. Her husband even tells her she would only make a good mother for boys. She pushes Macbeth into murder by questioning his manhood; this opens the door for him to go on a bloody rampage. The repercussions of his bloodbath start to haunt Lady Macbeth, and she ends up going mad, sleepwalking, and it is unknown if she commits suicide or is murdered. (Act 5, scene ix, 35-36)





The Witches: We all know what kind of gals these hags are. They mess with men's lives based on the actions of their wives. Macbeth, though, seems to never have met a woman he couldn't trust, so why not trust your fate to three bearded old specters?


Lady Macduff: Here is the epitome of Scottish womanhood. She dies as an innocent, although she is a little upset with her husband for running off and leaving them. She is probably the only sympathetic woman in the play.

Based on these observations, would you agree with Ben's observation last class that Shakespeare was a feminist through his strong portrayal of female characters? Or do you feel the plays King Lear and Macbeth demonize women?

Literary Terms We Have Known

Welcome to Byrne's 12AP English.

Please take a moment to look around you and remember what you have learned so far this year.

In the unlikely event of a quiz, please make sure you know where the nearest literary terms are located. In the rare case of loss of cranial pressure, lists and review sheets will be supplied. This is one of those sheets.
So far we have discussed:

Objective Correlative
Deconstruction
Deonation
Connotation
Scansion

We will also discuss:
tension
carmen figuratum
canon

Today's Poem: e.e. cummings

Today (2/26) is the birthday of Buffalo Bill Cody, Christopher Marlowe and Victor Hugo.

Unfortunately, none of them were poets.

Fortunately, e.e.cummings was.

How does cummings use diction, style, punctuation to convey his meaning? Do you think it would be as poetic with traditional and typical form?

This is a link to this poem in the style cummings wrote it

e e cummings

Buffalo Bill's

defunct

who used to

ride a watersmooth-silver

stallion

and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat

Jesus

he was a handsome man

and what i want to know is

how do you like your blueeyed boy

Mister Death

Poem of the Day: William Blake / The Poison Tree

William Blake (1757-1827) was a poet, printer, artist, and free spirit. He started out as an engraver and artist, then became a printer and poet. Blake challenged the traditional views of religion, morality and was considered idiosyncratic and mad by most of the artistic establishment in England.Blake often used visual artistry and poetry in tandem to convey his artistic vision. Blake's painting at left is from The Song of Los, one of Blake's "illuminated books".

The Poison Tree

William Blake

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe;
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I water'd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with my smiles
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole
When the night had veil'd the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree

Macbeth Act 4: The night is long that never finds the day

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify your portfolio. He who does not trust enough will not be trusted. Or: If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.

Has Macbeth really thought through this plan of his? Did he really have a plan in the first place? Or has he been thrust into a situation where he is only reacting to prompts? How does his rejection of all advisers other than the witches affect the events in this act?

As Act 4 opens, we see the three witches in what is arguably one of Shakespeare's more familiar (no pun intended) rhyming scenes. Macbeth has rejected seeking counsel with Lady Macbeth, instead seeking out the Weird Sisters for advice. They show him some omens, which Macbeth believes, and which affect his confidence. He gets a little cocky, saying "Then live Macduff;what need I fear of thee?" (93).
Why does he feel this way?

The witches also give him confidence in the form of riddles: Macbeth won't be defeated until the woods rise and move to a hill; and no man born of woman can harm Macbeth. Well, that would make me feel invincible.

How do you think this will contribute to Macbeth's downfall? Check the definition of hubris and see if you think it applies to Macbeth.

Scene ii shows how Macbeth's drive for absolute power has corrupted him. He will kill innocents without a second thought.

Scene iii contains dialogue between Macduff and Malcolm that is either a) a test of Macduff's loyalty or b) an ominous portent that Scotland is doomed to be ruled by bad leadership.

Malcolm says: "I speak not as in absolute fear of you./ I think our country sinks beneath the yoke./ It weeps, it bleeds,and each new day a gash/ Is added to her wounds" (48-50).

How is this a universal theme? How does the last line of this act: "The night is long that never finds the day" pertinent to the events of this act?

Think of how Shakespeare might have used King James's heritage in writing this part of the play.

Macbeth Act 3: Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Lord Ashton once said "Power corrupts; and absolute power corrupts absolutely." How do the events of Act 3 show this happening to Macbeth?

You think it's easy being King of Scotland? You claw your way to the top, and what do you find? You can't trust your friends. You have to entertain as head of state. (Those parties are not always fun.) You start seeing things. You stop confiding in your wife. And you are sure that there are forces conspiring against you.

Yes, it's lonely at the top.

Macbeth's murderous acquisition of the kingship of Scotland has not come without consequences. Now that Duncan is dead, and his sons have run away, Macbeth should be happy, right? But he is starting to realize that he can't trust anyone, even his bff Banquo. It's easier to just kill him and move forward. But this action will coma back to haunt him, literally & figuratively.

Macbeth laments the "good old days" in Scotland where killing someone for the good of the country "purged the gentle weal" (92) and made the country stronger. Now, Macbeth laments, you no sooner slay someone for the good of the country, and they're out of the grave, haunting your state dinners.

What significance does the appearance of Banquo's ghost have to Macbeth's plans?

Another change we see in Macbeth is his overall distrust of everyone. Rather than take a chance and trust his Lady, Macbeth starts keeping his plans a secret. Maybe after the murder of Duncan, he is a little afraid of her. The one "trustworthy"source Macbeth clings to are the Weird Sisters.

Why do you think Macbeth turns and returns to them for advice?

Scene v includes a visit from Hecate, who was the goddess of witchcraft. She seems a little put out with how the Weird Sisters have been meddling with Macbeth, and not including her. This passage was marked in our text as probably not authored by Shakespeare. You can see the difference in diction, in the form of rhyming couplets employed by Hecate in her speech.

Act 3 also contains information in scene vi, with a discussion between Lennox and the other lord. This information shows the growing distrust in Macbeth as a leader among the other thanes. There is also foreshadowing in mentioning King Edward and England's role in Scottish politics.

Poem of the Day: Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Lawrence Ferlinghetti was one of the original Beat Poets. He was the co-founder of the City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, which also evolved into a publishing house for new poets. In 1956, Ferlinghetti published Allen Ginsberg's seminal book of poems, "Howl". Ferlinghetti was arrested on charges of obscenity after selling the book to undercover police. After a long trial, the judge decided "Howl" was not obscene, and Ferlinghetti was acquitted.



The poem "Are There Not Still Fireflies" was written by Ferlinghetti in response to the 9/11 attacks.

Think of the form the poem takes- one long question- and the idea of positive/negative as far as what there is and is not.

Lawrence Ferlinghetti:

"Are There Not Still Fireflies"

Are there not still fireflies
Are there not still four-leaf clovers
Is not our land still beautiful
our fields not full of armed enemies
our cities never bombed
by foreign invaders
never occupied
by iron armies
speaking iron tongues
Are not our warriors still valiant
ready to defend us
Are not our senators
still wearing fine togas
Are we not still a great people
in the greatest country in all the world
Is this not still a free country
Are not our fields still ours
our gardens still full of flowers
our ships with full cargoes
Why then do some still fear
the barbarians coming
coming coming
in their huddled masses
(What is that sound that fills the ear
drumming drumming?)
Is not Rome still Rome
Is not Los Angeles still Los Angeles
Are these not the last days of the Roman Empire
Is not beauty still beauty
And truth still truth
Are there not still poets
Are there not still lovers
Are there not still mothers
sisters and brothers
Is there not still a full moon
once a month
Are there not still fireflies
Are there not still stars at night
Can we not still see them
in bowl of night
signalling to us
our manifest destiny?"

Poem of the Day: Edna St. Vincent Millay

February 22, 2008
I will post poems here that may or may not be on the suggested reading list for the AP exam. They will all be (in my opinion) relevant and part of an overall canon for you to incorporate into your personal body of knowledge.


Today is the birthday of Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950).
Besides being a poet, wild woman, and literary icon, she translated the French Symbolist poet Baudelaire, who was an influence of Oscar Wilde & the Decadents.

See how everything in literature is connected?

Here are two of her poems.







First Fig

MY CANDLE burns at both ends;

It will not last the night;

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--

It gives a lovely light!

Second Fig

SAFE upon the solid rock the ugly houses stand:
Come and see my shining palace built upon the sand!

Macbeth Act 2: Absolute Power

Well, after reading this act, I'd think twice about spending a night at Macbeth's castle. Sure, the hospitality is fine, food is great, and there's even a room for your bodyguards to hang out. But there are ghostly daggers floating, and watch out for that late night drink...

The opening of Act 2 shows how Macbeth is thought of as a good person, loyal soldier and all-around good guy. Banquo, Macbeth's best friend, tells our anti-hero that King Duncan has not only rewarded Macbeth with a promotion to Thane of Cawdor, but also given MacB a big diamond for his Lady. Banquo is still troubled by what the Weird Sisters said, but Macbeth says he never thinks about it.

Do you believe him?

When Banquo leaves, Macbeth sees a ghostly dagger, pointing the way to Duncan's chamber. Where did this come from? Is it a "dagger of the mind, a false creation/proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?" Or, is this some supernatural vision, sent by supernatural powers to prod Macbeth to murder?

Macbeth alludes to the presence of witchcraft in this passage. Is he acting on his own, or are there other forces propelling him to kill Duncan?

After Duncan's murder, Macbeth is so shaken up that he forgets to leave the dagger behind. It's part of the big frame-up, and Lady Macbeth is a little upset with him.

Men. You can't get them to follow the simplest of directions.

Now Lady Macbeth has blood on her hands, literally and figuratively.

She realizes that her husband is going to have to do some pretty good acting to cover themselves. What does she tell Macbeth to do? What does Lady Macbeth do to further increase the dramatic reactions to Duncan's death?

Scene iii shows another example of Shakepearean wordplay. It's interesting how Shakespeare uses minor character to provide some comic relief in this scene, while staying true to the plot and overall tone of the work. See if you can find specific examples of this in the drunken porter's dialogue.

Macbeth: Act 1 sc . vii: A Simple Plan

Did you ever make plan, then reconsider it...only to have someone talk you right back into it?

That's the situation our protagonist finds himself in when he return to the castle.

"On the one hand, I'll have power...and I'll be king. But OTOH, I'll have to live with the guilt of killing such a great king, whom everyone loves, and I don't know if I can do that...Nah. Fuggetaboutit."

When Macbeth is faced with killing Duncan to become king, he is ambiguous about it. In Act 1, sc. vii, Macbeth debates with himself if he should kill Duncan, listing all the good things Duncan has done. In this debate, Macbeth acknowledges the heinousness of this plan, and that Duncan's murder will bring with it grave consequences.

If this were a novel or short story, the internal conflict would have been carried on as thoughts inside the protagonist's mind. Since it is a drama, dramatic devices have to be used to convey this conflict to the audience. Which specific dramatic devices are employed to show Macbeth's internal conflict?

At the beginning of scene vii, Shakespeare uses wordplay with the word "done". While not uncommon in Shakespeare's other works, in Macbeth the language is more direct and straightforward, with less wordplay.

Why do you think Shakespeare used this terse, tense diction in Macbeth? Remember, we are looking for ways in which language- whether poetic couplets, rhyme, meter, alliteration, etc. - drives the play, pointing the reader/audience to interpretation.

At the end of Act 1, Macbeth looks like he's not going to go through with his plan to kill Duncan. But, after he's been talked to by his Lady, he returns to the plot.

Look for examples of Lady Macbeth's dialogue that may have helped to get Macbeth back on track with his plot.

The other question here is of power. Who is more powerful, Macbeth or Lady Macbeth? Look for specific passages to support your point of view.

Macbeth : Act 1 sc ii-iv

So, what do we know about this Macbeth character, anyways?

We know a wounded captain in the King's army says he is a fierce warrior. Macbeth's seeming valor has no trouble "unseaming" a foe, even one he knows personally,without so much as a handshake. Macbeth doesn't seem to be afraid of much, either. He shows little fear, welcoming fresh battle. For this he is rewarded by the King Duncan.

Think about these characteristics of Macbeth. How would you categorize him, knowing what you know from this third person description? Is he brave? Loyal? The epitome of a hero?

So now it's scene iii and Macbeth has only appeared via description and his name on the Globe Theatre Marquee.



And the first thing we see in scene iii are...Witches, with their evil rhyming couplets and ominous warnings. In walks Macbeth and his pal Banquo, fresh from battle. The witches make foreshadowing statements to Banquo & McB, which they don't understand.


But are they predictions? or are they planting a seed? Starting a thought? Building a mystery? Do the witches have any power other than the power of suggestion?

The idea that supernatural forces are at work in the play is probably why this play is so different from Shakespeare's other works. Since drama is a visual representation of literature, how would an objective correlative a la Eliot fit into this play?

Macbeth : Act 1 scs i-ii

The opening scenes of the play illustrates some of the ways Shakespeare uses language to paint a picture,develop characters, and use dramatic devices to convey tone and meaning to the audience.

(Since this is a dramatic /performance piece of literature, we will refer to "audience" rather than "reader". Shakespeare would have wanted it that way.)




The first thing the audience hears is the three witches.The opening dialogue consists of rhyming couplets, which creates a certain rythym when reading or listening.

*Ask yourself: What feeling does this rythym evoke? Does it remind you of anything? How does this contribute to the overall tone of the opening?

Structurally, the Witches replace the chorus traditionally employed by Shakespeare at the beginning of an Act. Their use of the phrase "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" will reappear throughout the play,in various manifestations.

One question to keep in mind: If the witches are "foul" or "fair"...are they telling Macbeth the truth inform of prophecy, or are they planting seeds of evil in his consciousness?




My personal take on this is that inside the Globe Theatre, voices in number would signify something to the audience: "Introduction", "The Scene is Set", or "Put Down Your Tankard of Mead & Pay Attention" are some of the messages that could be sent by using multiple voices in addressing the audience. It's important to remember the setting, which may have played a part in how Shakespeare developed his dialogue.

Here are some of the books and short stories that have been mentioned in class. They are not required for reading, but you may find them interesting.I plan to add to the list as I think of it...





On The Road by Jack Kerouac. This novel is considered one of the defining works of the Beat Generation.






The Garden of Forking Paths by Jorge Luis Borges. A complete text version is available here



assignments from 2/14/08
MACBETH ASSIGNMENT:
Read in it’s entirety over break

At end of each scene, write reactions to play.

Include plot summary, character development, and cite any specific use of language which you find unique or which helps to drive the plot.
(Remember, we are looking for things that strike you, don't go "fishing" to find examples. Go with your gut.)

The journal will be graded as follows:

Timeliness- handed in on time- 25%
Completeness- It’s done- 25%
Depth- I see thought has gone into the responses- 25%
Breadth- The journal covers the entire play- and includes character development, plot, and use of language in responses.-25%

If you want to email me over break, you can reach me at: alpha_byrne@hotmail.com

Have a good break.

Theater Superstitions and Macbeth

Theatre People are superstitious folk.

There are many things theatre people think can bring bad upon a house, an actor, or a production.

Macbeth is one of those plays that is associated with very bad luck in the theatre.
Here is an exceprt from the Steppenwolf Theatre's website which explains some of the curses associated with Macbeth, er, The Scottish Play.
*************************************************************


The "Scottish Curse.”
Don’t say Macbeth, or even quote that play, in a theater. Ever. Theater people believe it will bring disaster. In actual fact, Constantine Stanislavski, Orson Welles and Charlton Heston all suffered some catastrophe during or just after a production of “The Scottish Play.” In 1849, more than 30 New Yorkers were killed when rioting broke out during a performance of the play. Abe Lincoln read it the night before he was assassinated. If someone else quotes from “The Scottish Play“ inside a theater, you must utter the words “Angels and ministers of grace defend us!” Then the offender must leave the house, turn around widdershins (counterclockwise) three times, swear and knock to be readmitted.

The superstition seems to have arisen, in part, from the play’s depiction of witchcraft, still a vital (though contested) belief in 1606, when the play was first performed. Like Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, in which staged incantations were occasionally reported to have raised real devils, “The Scottish Play“ was believed to flirt dangerously with the “Powers of Evil,“ bringing catastrophe down upon productions over the succeeding centuries.

Those seeking rational reasons for the “Scottish Curse” have pointed to several features of the play as conducive to accidents: dim lighting and stage combat chief among them. Authentic productions often use broadswords, which are heavy and difficult to wield deftly, capable of inflicting considerable blunt trauma. Moreover, as Shakespeare’s shortest and one of his most popular plays, Macbeth has often been a last–minute addition to a company’s repertoire when the company is in financial straits late in the season. Therefore, it can be dangerously under–rehearsed, and it can portend the closing of the company (which probably would have closed regardless which play was chosen).

http://www.steppenwolf.org/backstage/article.aspx?id=23

Historical Context in Shakespeare's "Macbeth"

The play "Macbeth" was written by Shakespeare around 1606, as a tribute to King James I.Prior to ascending the English throne, James was known as James IV in Scotland. Shakespere, already a successful and well-know poet & playwright, wrote the play in homage to James's Scottish heritage.

The play is loosely based on history, like a "ripped from the headlines" tv show. Set in Scotland in the 11th century, the plot follows the storyline of “Macbeth mac Findlaech,” or Macbeth McFinley, who was a general who became a ruler. This time was a time of warlords and chieftains, where the best protection for a kingdom was to have a strong ruler, and the best protection as king was to kill all your enemies.

This is a link to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre which allows you to hear actor's interpret various aspects of Macbeth.

This site also gives a lot of historical info on Scotland and the "real" Macbeth.

Decoding the Objective Correlative in Eliot's "Prufrock"

The objective correlative is the use of objects, symbols or descriptions in art by which certain emotions are evoked. For example, if you are watching a movie in which there are people dressed in black, carrying umbrellas in a cemetery under a thick voer of dark rainclouds while solemn organ music intones in the background, the driector is obviously tying to evoke a feeling of grief, sadness and loss, such as one would feel at a funeral.

Consider, then if this scene continued on to show a single mourner, a woman, turning away from the grave. She raises her face under her umbrella, and sees a ray of golden light piercing through the grey clouds. What emotions might this evoke in a viewer?

Eliot thought that by using a combination of many object together, he was creating a formula, similar to an algebraic equation, that would invoke meaning across the board to any reader. (And you thought there was no Math in English. Hah!)

It goes something like this:"black clothes + umbrellas + cracked gray headstones + darkening sky + rain droplets + faces of stone angels + veil + wedding ring + faint sobbing + turning away" is an artistic formula that equates with a complex sense of sadness. Throw in: raised face + ray of sun + piercing cloud = hope for the future?
Eliot uses this type of imagery in the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock".

When Eliot uses the phrases:

"When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherised upon a table;"

in lines 2-3, and then

"And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin,
When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,"
in lines 57-58, it brings forth an image of helplessness, of feeling ensnared, of impotence.

As you read "Prufrock", be aware of the feelings that Eliot tries to call forth by his use of images juxtaposed with each other. What emotions do you feel when you read certain passages? What words contribute to those emotions? How does this contribute to the overall interpretation of the poem?

Some additional info you may find useful:

The first few lines of the poem are in Italian, a passage from Dante Alighieri's Inferno (Canto 27, lines 61-66). They are spoken by Guido da Montefeltro in response to the questions of Dante, who Guido supposes is dead, since he is in Hell:. The flame in which Guido is encased vibrates as he speaks: "If I thought that that I was replying to someone who would ever return to the world, this flame would cease to flicker. But since no one ever returns from these depths alive, if what I've heard is true, I will answer you without fear of infamy."

A link to Hamlet and His Problems, the original essay by Eliot.

English 12AP: Week of 2/11- 2/15

Ms Byrne's 12AP English



This blog will serve as the class website. I encourage postings, discussions and questions in regards to the curriculum, readings, and assignments for this class.

Our assignments this week will allow us to review the satire of Oscar Wilde, it's effectiveness in engaging the reader, and the relevancy of satire in today's world.


TUESDAY, FEB. 12: As a closure activity, we will watch a clip from the movie "Paris, je T'aime" and compare the syntax and subject matter used in the movie to "The Importance of Being Earnest". We will also read a current satire that appeared in the Rochester City Newspaper, titled A City in Wales, and compare the two satiric pieces.



THURSDAY, FEB. 14: For Valentine's Day, we will discuss T.S.Eliot's "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock". A link to a full text of the poem can be found here. The poem is also in your text, Sound and Sense on pages 285-290. Please be prepared to discuss the poetic elements Eliot uses in the poem, including syntax and diction, irony, symbolism and the "objective correlative".

The objective correlative is defined as follows by Robert Clark:

A term introduced by T.S Eliot in his essay “Hamlet and His Problems” (1919). Eliot observes that there is something in Hamlet which Shakespeare cannot “drag into the light, contemplate, or manipulate into art”, at least not in the same way that he can with Othello’s jealousy, or Coriolanus’ pride. He goes on to deduce that “the only way of expressing emotion in the form or art is by finding an ‘objective correlative’; in other words, a set of objects, a situation, a chain of events which shall be the formula for that particular emotion; such that when the external facts, which must terminate in a sensory experience, are given, the emotion is immediately evoked.” (Selected Essays, [London: Faber and Faber, 1951], pp. 144-5).



Over February break, you will be reading William Shakespeare's "Macbeth". I would like you to keep a reading response journal and write down your ideas as pertains to plot, character development and thematic elements such as conflict and power.

Also, be thinking of how to apply the following quote to this text and to Shelley's "Frankenstein"

"Whoever fights with monsters should see to it that he does not become one himself"
Friedrich Nietzche

Questions?
email or post them.