Category: Writing

How does Shakespeare use language to reinforce his idea in Macbeth?

Idea: brevity of life

Language:

Metaphor     out out brief candle

use of meter

repetition

alteration

 

Shakespeare, in his tragedy Macbeth, is preoccupied with the relationship between humanity and the forces in life beyond our control. Macbeth, who has just learned of his wife’s untimely death, considers his life to be “like a walking shadow”. It is in his use of metaphor, and the interplay between symbols of light and dark, that Shakespeare communicates this idea of the nature of death. In his metaphor “a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more”, Shakespeare is communicating that in life we follow the script wr

She should have died hereafter;

There would have been a time for such a word.

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage      Metaphor: Likens life to a short insignificant part of a larger                                                                                                   more significant play. 

And then is heard no more:

it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

 

 

Characters: Macbeth, Malcolm, siward, ross, Macduff

Time: unknown

Location: dunsinane

Events: Macduff and Macbeth duel and Macbeth is slain in single combat. Malcolm, Siward and Ross talk of the successful battle. They talk of how honorable a man Macduff was believing him to be dead. Macduff enters with the bloody head of Macbeth and acknowledges Malcolm as King of Scotland. Malcolm takes the title with pride and talks of freeing the country from the tyrant Macbeth.

Quote: “We shall not spend a large expense of time
Before we reckon with your several loves,
And make us even with you. My thanes and kinsmen,
Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland
In such an honour named. What’s more to do,
Which would be planted newly with the time,
As calling home our exiled friends abroad
That fled the snares of watchful tyranny;
Producing forth the cruel ministers
Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen,
Who, as ’tis thought, by self and violent hands
Took off her life; this, and what needful else
That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace,
We will perform in measure, time and place:
So, thanks to all at once and to each one,
Whom we invite to see us crown’d at Scone.”

Characters: Macbeth, young siward, macduff and siward

Time: unknown

Location: part of the battlefield

Events: Young Siward challenges Macbeth and Macbeth slays him with a sword. Macduff roars for Macbeth to show his tyrant face. Siward leads Macduff into the castle.

Characters: Malcolm, siward, macduff

Time: unknown

Location: dunsinane, before the castle

Events: Macduff, siward, and malcolm speak of meeting and killing the tyrant Macbeth tonight.

Quote: “Do we but find the tyrant’s power to-night,
Let us be beaten, if we cannot fight.”

Throw physic to the dogs; I’ll none of it.
Come, put mine armour on; give me my staff.
Seyton, send out. Doctor, the thanes fly from me.
Come, sir, dispatch. If thou couldst, doctor, cast
The water of my land, find her disease,
And purge it to a sound and pristine health,
I would applaud thee to the very echo,
That should applaud again.–Pull’t off, I say.–
What rhubarb, cyme, or what purgative drug,
Would scour these English hence? Hear’st thou of them?

Characters: Macbeth, messenger, Seyton

Time: unknown

Location: Dunsinane, within the castle

Events: Macbeth is preparing for war. Seyton arrives and informs him of Lady Macbeth’s suicide. Macbeth talks of what a terrible day she died on. A messenger arrives and informs that an army is hiding amongst the trees of Birnam wood. Macbeth refuse to believe

Characters: Malcolm, Siward, Menteith

Time: unknown

Location: Birnam Wood

Events: Malcolm and others who oppose Macbeth meet in Birnam Wood. They discuss how to approach the coming battle.

Quote: “But certain issue strokes must arbitrate:
Towards which advance the war.”

Characters: Macbeth, Servant, doctor, seyton

Location: Dunsinane castle

Time: Unknown

Events: Macbeth is complaining about the battle and demand a report. A servant enters and informs him that there a ten thousand soldiers outside. He demands for Seyton to inform him of battle believing the servant has lied. Seyton confirms what the servant said. He ask the doctor what to he can do to remove the English from the battlefield.

Quote: “What rhubarb, cyme, or what purgative drug,
Would scour these English hence?”

Characters: Menteith, Angus, caithness, lennox

Time: Unknown

Location: country near dunsinane

Events: People discuss what the “tyrant” Macbeth is doing and they say he is fortifying Dunsinane

Quote: “