Identify an idea that Shakespeare explores in Macbeth. Explain, using two quotes how Shakespeare uses language to convey this idea.
An idea that I think that Shakespeare conveys through is writing is guilt. Guilt is something that haunts Macbeth. An example of this is the ghost of Banquo who was a trusted friend of his before murdering him.
“Blood hath been shed ere now, i’ the olden time,
Ere human statute purged the gentle weal;
Ay, and since too, murders have been perform’d
Too terrible for the ear: the times have been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,
And there an end; but now they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools: this is more strange
Than such a murder is.”
I think that this entire paragraph is important because he refers to the murderers who killed Macbeth to be so awful they shouldn’t be talked about. I think that subconciousctly he does think this of himself. He then says that their ghosts are even more strange than the murder itself. Showing the people around the table that he did murder Banquo. He may not say it but I think that he does actually believe that he should be punished for his actions.
Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, is haunted by Duncan’s blood even after she has washed it away. She says that “Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, Oh, Oh! I still have the smell of blood on my hand.”. This causes lady Macbeth to sleepwalk and spill her dirty secrets to the doctor and the gentle-lady.
Recent Comments