Z
Notes
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
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Essay Pack Two
SAMPLE ESSAYS
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
KEY NOTES, ESSAY WRITING TECHNIQUE, EXAM QUESTIONS
2
Contents
Leaving Cert 2007
4
Leaving Cert 2004
11
Leaving Cert 2003
17
Leaving Cert 1999
22
Imagery
27
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
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LEAVING CERT 2007
M AC B E TH – Wi l l i am Shake s peare
(i ) “ Th e re l ati o ns h i p between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
u n d e rg oe s s i gn i f i can t c hange durin g the cou r se of th e play.”
Di sc u ss t h i s s tateme nt supporting you r answer with the aid of
s u ita b l e re f e ren ce t o t he t ext .
M ar k ex 60 b y refe rence to the cr iter ia for assessment using
th e fol l ow in g break do wn o f marks.
P 18
C 18
L 18
M 6
Ca n d i d at e s a re f re e to agree, disagree or partly agree with
the statement. Expect candidates to engage with the
re l at ion s h i p be t wee n Macbeth an d Lady Macbeth, and the
c han g e / s i n t hat rel ationship durin g the course of the play.
‘ Sig n i f i ca nt ’ m ay b e implied by th e quality of the candidates’
e nga g e m e n t wi th t he change/s in th is c entral relationship. In
o u t li n i n g t h e ch an ge/s (or lack of ch an ge/s), candidates may
e m p l o y f ocu s e d n ar rat i ve t o i l l us t rate th e poin ts th ey make.
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Co d e C R f o r c h an gi ng re l at io ns h i p.
Po s s ib le p o i n ts :
- t h e p l a n t o k i l l D u n c a n i n t ro d u c e s t e n s i o n i n t o t h e i r l o v i n g /
s ha r i ng re l at i ons h i p
- th e m u rd e r al te r s t he dy n amic betw een th em
- he a ct s al one, hi gh li ght i ng t h e ‘death ’ of th e partn er sh ip
- th e i r re lat i on s hi p d is i nt e grat es f o ll ow in g th e ban qu et scen e
- th e y b e c om e i nc reas i ngl y is o lat ed from each oth er
- th e w it ch e s rep l ace Lady Mac beth ’s in flu en ce on h is life
- h is re s p o n s e t o h er death illustrates the significant gulf
b e twe en t h e m
- d e sp it e t h e a ppare n t ch ange /s , thei r l ove en du res
Shakespeare’s “ Macbe t h” presents us with one of the
mo st m e m o ra bl e rel at ions hips in all of literature. However, in
t h e c ou r s e o f th e p lay, t his relation sh ip undergoes significant
c han g e . To b egi n w ith , Macbe th an d Lady Macbeth share a
c los e an d l o v in g marr iage. However, the murder of Duncan
d riv e s t h e m a part un til th ey each go to their deaths alone
a n d i so l at e d .
In order to understand the significant change that takes
p la ce i n t h e i r rel at ions hip, it is important to acknowledge
h ow cl os e M a cb et h and Lady Macbeth once were. When we
f irs t m e e t L a d y Macbet h, s he is reading a letter from her
h us ba n d . Th e le tter is a marv ellou s device that affords us an
in s ig h t i n t o t h e c l o s en es s of t he ir relationship. In the letter,
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M ac b e t h s h a re s the n ew s of his encou nter with the Witches. It
is cl ear f rom t he ton e and th e conten t that Macbeth values
h i s w i f e ’s o p i n i o n a n d i s p a s s i o n at e l y i n l o v e w i t h h e r.
D e s cr ib i ng h e r as h is “ dea re st partn e r in greatn e s s,” he
o u t l in e s h i s ambi ti on s and hopes for th e future. Importantly,
it i s a s h a re d futu re t hat con tain s the promise of joint
“great n e s s.” Fo r h er part, Lady Macbeth is excited by what
h e r h us b a n d ha s commun icat ed to her. She shares in his
d ream o f an ambi ti ou s f ut u re :
Glam i s t h ou art , an d Cawdor; and shalt be
W hat t hou art pro mise d:
He r rea ct i o n t o wh at Macbet h outlines demonstrates an
in t i mat e u n d er s t an ding of h is character. She recognises his
d e si re for great ne s s , y e t ack no wl edges th at h e lacks “ the
illness
that
should
understanding of
attend
i t .” A s
a
the complexities of
result
of
her
h e r h u s b a n d ’s
c h a ract er, s h e de t ermi ne s t o t ake co ntrol of th e situ ation .
H owe ve r, t h is is no o rdi nar y si tuation . If h er h u sban d is
t o rea l i se h i s d ar kes t ambit ions , sh e kn ows that she will have
t o h e l p h i m, a nd i n orde r t o do th at, sh e understands that she
wi ll ha v e t o ch ang e. Sh e w il l have to “ Stop up the access and
p a ssa g e t o re mo r s e” so that “ n o compunctious visitings of
nat u re S h a ke [h er ] f e ll pur pos e.” S he is willing to sacrifice
h e r v e r y i d e nti ty a s a woman in order to ensure that she has
th e s t re n gt h to h el p h us ban d car ry o ut th e mu rder :
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[ . ..] Co m e , y ou s pir it s
That t e nd on mort al t h oughts, unsex me here,
A nd f ill me f ro m t h e cro wn to the toe top-full
Of d ires t cru e lt y!
Wh il e w e r i gh t ly c on demn Lady Macbeth for her murderous
in t e n t , w e mus t a l so recogn ise that she is in large part
mo t iv at e d b y l o v e. He r realisation th at she must become
c ru el e r i n o rde r to s upport h er h usband places an awful strain
o n h e r, an d t h at s train con tr ibutes greatly the significant
c h a ng e t h at t ake s pl ace in t he ir relati on sh ip.
The Killing of Duncan marks the beginning of the end
f or t h e i r re l at i o n s hi p. Th e way in wh ich they react to awfulness
o f wh at t h e y h av e done expos es fun damental differences in
t h e i r c h a r a c t e r s t h a t e v e n t u a l l y d r i v e t h e m a p a r t . Fo r
exa m p l e , o n the ni ght of th e mu rder, Macbeth falls prey to
h is o v e ra ct i v e i magin at ion. He sees a dagger before him,
“Th e h a n dle to ward [ h is ] han d ” a n d h e i m a g i n e s “wither'd
m u rd e r A l a r um 'd by his s en t ine l, the wolf.” On the other
h an d , L ad y M a cb et h res ponds to th e n ight ’s events in a very
d iff e re n t m a nne r. Fo r h er, th e sou nds th at so disturb Macbeth
a re l itt le m ore t h an t h e “Owl[ ’s ] scream and the crickets[’]
c ry.” H e r i m a gi nati on is lite ral an d rigid . It lacks the flexibility
nee de d t o s u rvi ve th e u nfolding h orro rs of her husband’s
c rim e s an d as a res ult t he relation ship quickly becomes
stra in e d . Pe r h aps Macbe th s en ses this in his wife because he
no lo n g e r c o nf i de s in h er an d, followin g the Banquet Scene,
s he re ce de s , wre t ch e d and de je cted fro m th e action .
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For his part, Macbeth’s attitude to the relationship
is a lt ere d d ra mat i c ally following Du ncan’s murder. To begin
w it h, he re l i es o n his wife to provide him with the courage
a n d s t re n gt h n ee ded to carry ou t this crime. And, she fulfils
th i s ro l e ad mi ra bl y. The scenes in wh ich she convinces her
hu sb and of th e ne ed t o “ screw [h is] courage to the sticking
pl a ce” are s o me o f the the most ten se and sexually charged
in t h e p l a y. Du ri n g such moments, she calls on her husband
to prov e to h er t hat he i s man:
When yo u dur st do i t, th en you we re a man
And t o be mo re t ha n w hat y ou we re , you wou ld
Be s o m uch mo re t h e man
Th e p ow e r and pas s i o n o f La dy’s Mac beth ’s “undaunted
m e ttl e” m es m er i s es Macbeth as h e en visages their future as
Ki n g a n d Q ue en o f Scotland. He murders Duncan not just to
s at is fy h i s o wn am bi tion but be cause h e loves her. Yet, like his
w if e b e f ore h i m, Macbeth fin ds it necessary to alter his
pe r so na l i t y i n o rd er to live with th e consequence of his
c r i m e . Th e c h a n g e s t h a t h e f o rc e s h i m s e l f t o u n d e rg o
i mp i n ge s i gni f i c ant l y o n hi s rel atio nsh ip w ith h is w ife.
The c hanges t hat o c c u r i n Ma cb eth ’s c h arac ter are seen
ear ly o n i n p l ay. I n an eloquent evocation of the horrors that
a re h a pp en i ng t o h im, he makes an evil plea in Act III, scene
i i f o r t he s up pre ss i o n o f any s c r upl es h e still migh t h ave:
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Come s e e lin g n ight,
S carf u p t h e t e n der e ye of pitiful day;
A nd wit h t h y bloody and invis ible hand
Ca nce l an d t ear to pie ce s that great bond
W hich ke e ps me pale !
M ac b e t h ’s fr i g hte n in g praye r is answered and very quickly life
c eas e s t o h av e a ny meanin g for him beyond holding on to
p ow e r. Wh il e hi s w ife becomes trapped in the past, he
b e co me s ob se s s ed wi t h f ut u re. H e keeps alon e, “of sorriest
f a n c i e s [ h i s] c o mpa n ion s ma k ing ” an d, sensing his wife’s
d iff i cu l t y i n c o mi n g te rms wit h the grim reality of the world
t h at t h e y h a ve creat ed for t he mselves, excludes her from the
d e ci sio n m a ki n g pro ce s s . He plan s the murder of Banquo and
t h e d e s t r u c ti on of Macduff ’s castle wi thout her, eager that
s h e “rem a i n i nn o c e nt o f t he kn ow ledg e until [she] applaud the
dee d.”
A s L a d y Ma c bet h rece des from the action, she makes
re p eat e d att empts to rea ch h e r h u sb an d bu t to n o avai l . The
re l ati o ns h i p is li terally fractu red by th e killing of Duncan and
t h e l as t m ea ni n gfu l role t hat sh e plays in his life occurs
d ur in g t h e Ba nq ue t s cen e in Act III scene iv. However, even
h e re , a s s h e attem p ts to prev en t him from making a public
d i s c l o s u re , w e a re re m i n d e d o f t h e d i ff e re n c e s i n t h e i r
p e rs on a l i t i es . The l it eralis m of her imagination resurfaces as
s h e re m in ds h im th at h is :
f la w s a n d st a rts, [...] w ou ld we ll be come
A w oman 's s t ory at a winter's fire, [...]
W he n all's don e , You look but on a st ool.
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Ho we ve r, i t i s to o l ate . His fear s have taken hold of him, and
in s t ea d o f l o o ki ng t o he r for comfort as he would have once
d on e, h e t u rns to Wi t ch es f o r s o lac e.
Fo l l o w i n g h i s s e c o n d e n c o u n t e r w i t h t h e W i t c h e s ,
M ac b e t h b ec o mes in creas ingly savage. He bring fire and
sw ord t o h is co unt r y an d dur ing th is period we hear little of
L ad y M ac b eth . Th e couple , w hich w as once so close now face
t h e ir d oo m al o n e a nd is olat ed. Wh en news reaches Macbeth
t h at h i s w ife i s i l l , his att en tion remains fixed on military
m atte r s . S e yto n’s c on fir mat ion th at she has died is greeted by
h im w i t h a c o l d ac ce ptan ce of the inevitability of her fate. He
offe r s u s a n i hi li s ti c v iew of ex isten ce when he suggests that
L ad y M ac b et h “s ho uld h a ve died h ereafte r”. It is philosophy
th at v i ew s:
“ To - m o r r o w , a n d t o - m o r r o w , a n d t o - m o r r o w ,
[C re eping] in t h is petty pace from day to day to
th e l a s t syllable of recorded time.”
Th e f ut u re that the y on ce de te rmin ed to shape for themselves
h as b e c om e a co l d a nd e mpt y presen t.
The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
u nd e rgo e s s i gn ifi can t ch ange du rin g the course of the play.
Th e i r i n i t i a l c l o s e n e s s a n d b e l i e f i n a s h a re d f u t u re i s
d e st ro y e d by t h e bu rde n t hat t h ei r c ri me places on th em.
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LEAVING CERT 2004
“ Th e pla y, M acbe t h, h as m an y s ce n es of compelling drama.”
C ho o se o n e sc ene that you foun d c ompelling and say why
y o u fo u n d it to be so. Support you r answer by reference to
t h e p la y.
W hi l e c a n di dat es may interpre t ‘on e scene’ liberally, they
sh o u l d fo c u s m a in ly on one parti cu lar part of the play, or on
a g ro up o f rel ate d scenes such as th e meetings with the
witches, or the murder of Duncan and its immediate
a fte r m at h .
Co de C D f o r ‘c om p el l i ng d ra m a’.
Po s s ib l e p o in t s:
Co mp e lli n g d ram a be c a us e o f …
- t h e s etti n g a n d at mo sphere
- t h e t e n s i o n a nd c onf lict created in it
- i t s o c c u r re nc e at a key mo ment in th e drama
- t he m o od c reated by the acti ons and thoughts of the
c h a ra c t e r s
- t h e d ra m at ic imp a ct o f Sha kes pea re’s lan gu age /image ry
- t h e s ta g i ng , c os t ume, lighting
- t h e s ce n e ’s po ten t ia l f o r special e ffects
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“Macbeth” has many scenes of compelling drama.
Ho we ve r, t o my mi n d Act th ree , scen e iv, The Banquet Scene,
h as t o b e o n e o f the play ’s most fascin ating and dramatic. In
on e sh ort s c e ne, S hake speare manages to capture both the
m o m e n t o f Mac be th and Lady Macbeth’s triumph and their
d ow nf a l l . Thi s s c e ne ch ange s everyth ing and following the
B a n q u e t , M a c b e t h ’s l e g i t i m a c y a s m o n a rc h i s n o l o n g e r
a c ce p t e d , h is re lati ons hip w ith h is wife becomes increasingly
s t rain e d an d he i s dr iv e n f u rt h er i nto paran oia an d violen ce.
The Banquet Scene occurs in Act III, scene iv. Its
placement within the overall play is highly significant.
M ac b e t h ’s i l l eg a l att empt to u su rp th e throne of Scotland has
b e e n s u c ces s f ul an d in orde r to projec t an image of power
a n d s t a bi l i t y he a rran ges for a state ban quet to be held. The
sc e n e o p e n s wi t h Macbet h in sistin g on order and decorum.
H e re m i n d s h i s g u e s t s t h at t h e y a l l “ k n o w [ t h e i r ] o w n
d eg ree s; ” an d off e rs t he m a “hearty we lcome.” He makes
ext en s i v e u s e of th e royal plural so as project a sense of
m a je s t y a nd po we r :
Our se lf will min gle w ith s oci e ty,
A nd play t h e h u mble h ost .
Our hos t e s s ke e ps h e r st ate, but in bes t time
We w ill re qu ire h e r we lcome.
O ne o f t h e m o s t c ompellin g aspects of this scene is the way
which Shakespeare highlights the incongruity between
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M ac b e t h ’s o pe n h earted welcome to the assembled Thanes
an d t h e d a rk s e cre t he is keepin g from them. If the Banquet
h as b e e n o rg a ni s e d to project a sen se of power and stability,
it h as al s o be e n arranged in order to conceal Macbeth’s
mu rd e r o f B an qu o. The theme of appearance and reality is
c en t ra l t o a ny read i ng of Macbeth an d as the two murderers
ar r iv e at t h e d oo r, we are remin ded of Duncan’s belief that
th e re i s no “ a rt t o f ind t he min d’s co ns tru ction in th e face.”
M ac b e t h ’s s h oc ki n g ability to presen t a kind and affable face
t o h i s g u es t s afte r having retu rn ed from discussing the
c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f h i s f o r m e r f r i e n d ’s m u r d e r m a k e s f o r
c o m p e l l i n g drama . The hired m urderers that wait for Macbeth
o ut si d e t h e b a nq uet act as a powerful metaphor for the
t h e m e of a ppearan ce and reality. As th ey present us with a
v is ce ra l a cc ou n t of B anquo’s fate, w e learn that he now lies in
a d i t c h w i t h “Wit h twenty trench ed gas hes on his head; | The
l ea st a death to n at ure. “ The men ’s appearance and the
la ng u ag e t hat t hey use are co mpl etely at odds with the
re f i ne d s p l end o r o f the banquet a nd its emphasis on order
an d s t at u s.
Whe n Mac b e t h re t urns , we a re presen te d w ith on e of
t h e mo st co mpe ll in g moments of drama in all of literature.
Th e a r r i v a l o f th e g host of Banqu o puts an end to Macbeth’s
c a re f ul l y con s t ruc ted attempt to a ppear majestic. In many
re s pe c t s , B an qu o ac hieves in death wh at he failed to do in
lif e . E ar l i e r i n th e p lay, in Act II, scen e i Banquo promised to
f ig ht “A g a i n st t he undiv ulged p reten ce” and to question this
“mo st b l o o d y p ie ce o f w o r k.”
U nfortu nately, Banquo does
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no t li v e up to thi s promise. In fact, he i s in many ways deeply
c o m p rom is ed b y hi s inaction. Ho wever, in death the spectral
e m b o di m e n t o f Ba nquo succeeds in destroying Macbeth’s
“p re t e n c e.” Th e as s embled guests kno w nothing of Banquo’s
mu rd e r. S o, whe n Mac bet h i ns i sts to t he Gh ost th at:
Th ou can s t no t s ay I di d i t: n ev e r s h ake
Th y go ry locks at me .
t h e y mu s t s us p ec t that he is referri ng to the murder of
D u nc a n. Th ei r s us picions are ca ptured in Ross’ puzzled reply
to M a cb e t h:
W hat s ig ht s, my lo rd?
Th e re i s no a ns w e r t o this question a nd while Lady Macbeth’s
t i m e l y i n t e r ven t io n saves her h usband from making a full
d is cl os u re , it mus t also empha sise to the guests that he is
c o nc eal i n g a dar k secret. The tension at this moment in the
sc e ne i s a l m os t as unbearable as it is compelling. From this
p oi nt o n , Mac be th has lost the respect and trust of his
ki n sme n.
Th is sce ne also pre se n t s u s w i th a c o mpel l i ng i nsi gh t
in t o t h e M a c b eth ’s mental state. W h en the murderers arrive
an d c on fir m th at B anquo has been “ dis patch e d,” Macbeth’s
re l ie f i s a l m os t pa l pable. However, when they explain that
F lean ce h as es c ap ed we are afforded a glimpse into just how
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a gi t at e d M a c be t h’s mind is. Wh at follows, in his description
o f h ow he i s f e e li ng , i s a near c l i ni c al accou n t of paran oia:
B ut n ow I am cabin 'd, cribb'd, confined,
b ou nd in | To s au cy doubts and fears.
Th e s e “ s a u c y do ubt s a nd f ea r s” are magnified when he sees
t h e Gh os t . M ac b eth is no coward ; hi s prowess on the battled
h as c on f i r m ed t hi s for us. However, the sight of Banquo
whos e “b o n e s a re ma r ro w less” and w ho has no speculation in
[h is ] e ye s ” redu ce s M ac be t h t o feel in g like “ The baby of a
g irl.” B anq uo’s “ho r r ible sha do w ” d e s t ro y s M a c b e t h ’s s e l f c o nf id e n c e a n d hi s ability to proj ect a sense of majesty. It is
o n l y whe n t h e ap pari t i o n vani s hes th at h e feels like a “man
a ga i n .”
Alth ou gh Lady Macbe t h i s mast erfu l in h er att empts to
p re v e n t h e r h us b and from makin g a su dden disclosure, her
a c tio ns are i n h er o wn wo rds “ t o o late.” Macbeth’s incoherent
a n d v er y t rou bl in g behavi o ur has “disp laced the mirth [and]
b roke t h e g o od m eet ing, | With mo st ad mire d dis orde r.” The
p ur po s e o f t he banquet was after al l to project a sense of
o rd er a n d p ow e r. I n order to portray th e Macbeths’ complete
c o m p l e t e re v ers a l of fortune Sha kespeare emphasises the
a s y m m e t r i c a l nature of the scene. In fact, one of the most
compelling aspects of
this scene is the way which
Sha ke s p ea re man ages to capture the specific point at which
t h e M ac b e t h ’s are no longer accepted as the legitimate rulers
o f Sc o t l a nd . The B a nquet Scene opens with Macbeth insisting
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th at hi s ass emb l e d gue s t s al l “kn ow th ei r own deg ree s.”
Th e re i s, o f c ou r s e, a great dea l of iron y in Ma cbe th ’s att em pt
t o re mi n d h i s gu es ts of the soci al h ie ra rc hy th at he h as so
sa v ag e l y v i o l ated . I f the scene begins w it h order, i t ends i n an
un ce re mo n io us a nd disorderly exit by th e gues ts . Real is ing
t h at h e r h u s ba nd is on the brin k o f maki ng a ful l dis cl os ure ,
L ad y M a cb et h ha s ti ly begs her gu ests t o leave i n wh at eve r
ord er t h ey see f i t:
I p ra y y ou, spea k not; he g rows wors e an d wors e;
Qu e s t ion e n rage s h im. At on ce , good ni gh t :
Stan d no t u pon t h e order of your goi ng ,
Bu t go at on ce .
Th e re i s a w on de r ful and compell in g eco nom y to t he sc ene
t h at ma n a g es to underscore the tragic f uti li ty of w hat th e
M ac be t h’s h ave d one .
Act III, scene iv, Th e B a n qu et S cen e, i s a f a s c i n at i n g a n d
compelling moment of
drama. In this short scene,
S ha ke s p ea re ca p tures both the m om ent of Mac bet h and La dy
M ac b e t h ’s tr i ump h and their down fa ll . Th e m oo d, t ens io n and
c a re f ul l y t h o ug ht o ut structure of the sce ne w or k to h igh li ght
ju s t h ow su d de n and complete the Mac bet h’s dow nfa ll ha s
been been.
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LEAVING CERT 2003
I n “ Ma c be t h”, Sha ke speare doe s not present Macbeth as a
m ere vi l l a i n , b ut su ccee ds in arou sin g some measure of
sy m pat h y fo r hi m.
I n h i s d ep ic ti on of a man wh o m u rder s h is k in g an d
kin sm an i n o rd er t o gain t he crown , on ly to lose everything
t h at w e s e e m t o n e e d i n o rd e r t o b e h a p p y — s l e e p,
n o u ri s hme nt , f ri e nds , l ov e — S hakespeare does not present
M ac b e t h as a me re v illain, but succeeds in arousing some
m easu re of s ympat h y f or hi m.
M acbe th is a tragic he ro. When w e fi r st m eet h i m , w e
a re st r u c k b y the fact th at he is a gen eral of extraordinary
mi li t a ry p ro w e s s an d cou rage. He has fought bravely and
re s ol ut e l y i n d efe n ce of t he kin gdom. In fact, the sergeant ’s
a c co un t o f Ma c be t h’s batt lefield exploits emphasises his
c o urag e a nd hi s ch ar is ma:
B u t all’s t o w ea k Fo r bra ve Macbe t h
— we l l he d ese rv es t hat na me —
Di s dai nin g f ortu ne , with his brandish 'd st eel,
W hic h sm oke d wi t h bloo dy execu t io n ,
Like v alou r's min ion ca rve d ou t his pas s age
Till he faced the s lave ;
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
17
Th e pe rs o nific ati on of “f ort un e” a n d “ Va lo u r ’s min io n” creates
a large r- t h a n- l i fe image of Macbeth wh ich is essential if we
a re t o e mp at h is e wi th t he t ragedy of this great man’s fall from
g rac e . Th i s o pi ni o n of him is further u nderscored by Duncan
whe n he l av i s hes p ra is e on hi s “wo rthie s t cou s in.”
However, Macbeth
succumbs
to
the
evil
t e m p t at i on th at t h e Wit che s represen t and he chooses to
v i o l at e e v e r y t h i n g t h at h e o n c e f o u g h t t o p re s e r v e . Ye t
d e sp i t e t h i s , S h akespeare s ucce eds in maintaining sympathy
f or M a cb e t h i n a number of v er y interesting ways. To begin
wit h , h e c h oo s es to s hie ld u s from the horror of the actual
m u rd e r. B y e m p l o y i n g e l i s i o n , S h a ke s p ea re f o rc e s u s t o
c o nc e n t rat e on t h e effect s of t he murd er on Macbeth rather
th an t he vi cti m. The man w ho emerges from Du n can ’s bedc ham b e r i s n o t s een by u s as a cowardly murderer, but rather
a m a n wh o h as s ac ri ficed e ve ry th ing th at matters on the alter
o f hi s o wn “v a ult in g a mbit ion.” The sympathy that we feel for
M ac b e t h at t hi s poin t in t he play is heightened by the
in s ig h t s t o h is me nt al s tate th at he himself provides before
t h e m u rde r. A s he debate s ov er w heth er or not to proceed,
he ad m it s t h at:
Pi t y, l i ke a n a ke d n e w - b o r n b a b e
Striding the blast,
wi ll pl ea d ag ai ns t th e “de ep damn ation ” o f k illin g Duncan .
Th is i mag e of a v uln erable babe, so powerfully evoked by
M ac b e t h h i ms el f, capt ure s Macbeth’s sense of the awfulness
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
18
o f th e v i ol at io n t h at he is about to commit. Of course, at the
sa me t i m e , Sh ake s peare heightens ou r sympathy for him by
mo v in g ou r i m agi nation and con sci enc e through his vision of
t h e e n t i re w or l d b ro ught to tear s at the sight of Macbeth’s
a c t of i n h uma ni ty. I n this wonderful ly evocative key moment
in t he p la y, Macb et h f o res hado ws h i s ow n even tu al isolation .
It is this clear-eyed awareness of
what is
h ap p e n i n g to hi m that arouses mo st sympathy from the
a u d ie n ce f o r Ma c beth. From th e mo ment that he leaves
D u nc a n’s b ed ch amber, Macbeth is awa re that the murder has
c h an g e d h i m:
Ho w is't w ith me, when eve ry n oise appalls me ?
What hand s are here? ha ! t h ey plu ck ou t min e eye s .
Th is is f ol lowed by a h ea rt - re n d er in g ad mi ssi on o f gu i l t th at
s ee s M ac b et h quant i f y hi s c ri me in epic ter ms:
W i l l a ll g reat Neptune's oc ean was h th is blood
C lea n from my hand? No, t his my h and will rat h er
Th e mu ltit udin ou s s eas in in carn adin e,
Ma king the green one red .
I t is d i ff i c ul t no t t o be moved b y these lines and, as the play
p r o g r e s s e s , w e w i t n e s s M a c b e t h ’s g r a d u a l d e c e n t i n t o
p ara n oi a . H is g ui l t overwhelms h im and he embarks on a
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
19
m urd ero us c o ur s e that sees him attempting to regain his
pea ce o f m i nd . Yet, each murder fu rther dehumanises him.
His thoughts become “cabin’d, cribb’d” and his “saucy
do u b t s” dr i ve h i m f urther and fu rth er away from his wife and
hi s k i ns m e n . O nc e he murders Ban quo, there is no turning
ba ck f or M acb et h; real i s i ng t hat he “ in blood | Stepp'd in so
f a r th at [ . . . ] Re tu r ni ng w e re as ted io us as go o 'er.” Macbeth
re si gn s h i ms el f to a course of action that he knows will
de s t ro y hi s humani t y.
Th e f inal A ct of t h e play presen ts us with some tr uly
u n f o rg e t t a b l e m o m e n t s o f t r a g e d y. A s M a c b e t h ’s w o r l d
crumbles before his very eyes, he achieves a level of
pe rce p t i v en es s a ff o rded to very few people. His wife is dead,
hi s s u pp orte rs h av e deserted him and h e is surrounded on all
s i de s b y en em i es . Once again, the remarkable quality of
Ma cb et h l i es h i s c l ear-eyed acceptance of his fate. His final
soliloquies are dark, nihilistic and deeply moving. He
u n de rs t and s t hat t he qualities that make life worth living such
a s; “h o n o u r”, “l o v e”, “ o bedienc e and troops of frie n ds” are
in co mp at i bl e wi t h t he life that he has chosen for himself. In a
ge n u i ne l y s h o c ki n g moment of epiphany, he is taken aback
by h is o wn i n ab i l i ty to feel mean ingfu lly about anything. The
“n i g h t - sh r i ek” o f a woman, fails to stir him and he admits that
he ha s “ s u pp 'd f u ll with horrors; | Direness, familiar to [his]
sl a u gh t erous t ho ughts | Ca nnot on ce s tart ” him. And when
Se y t o n c o nfi r ms t hat his wife is dead he is unable to grieve
f o r h e r. H i s de c i s i o n to face Macdu ff on the battlefield is not
n e c es s ary be caus e hi s “ castle’s stre ngth will laugh a siege to
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
20
sc o r n .” Ye t h e c ho os es t o do so because he wants to die like
a so ld i e r. Thi s c o n fer s a h eroic status on him that recalls the
d e p ict ion s of h i s b att le f ie ld expl oi ts in Act I.
W h i l e S h a ke s p e a re d o e s n o t d e n y t h e b r u t a l i t y o f
M ac b e t h ’s ty ra nny, he does not present him as a mere villain.
Th rou g h h i s de pi c t ions of Macbeth’s suffering and in his
e mp h as i s of t he t ragic w ast e of hu man p otential, he succeeds
in arou si ng s ome meas ure of s ympath y for h im.
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
21
LEAVING CERT 1999
“ I ma g e s o f st o r m, blood, and an imals dramatically evoke an
atmosphere of destruction and disorder in the play
‘M ac b e t h’.” Di sc uss this stateme nt, s upporting your answer
b y ref ere n ce t o o r quo tat io n f rom th e play.
Imag e ry do mi nate s t he poetic fabric of “Macbeth.” In
p a rt ic u l ar, i mag es of storm, blood, and animals are used by
S h akes p ea re t o e voke an atm osph ere of destruction and
d i so rd er in t he p l ay.
I n many res pec ts, “ M ac beth ” i s abou t blood an d in th is
p l ay, b l o o d i mag ery is used by S hakespeare to create an
at mo s ph ere o f de struction an d disorder. The Witches are
c e n tral to h o w t hi s atmosphere is evoked. If we accept that
th e s e s up er natu ra l creatures symbolise a vision of evil that is
c ha ot i c a nd rel i s h es in destruction, th en we quickly come to
s e e t h at t h e b l o o d imagery associated with them is essential
in e s ta b l i s hi n g t hi s vision. In t he opening scene of the play,
th e s e co nd wi t ch c o mes f ro m th e bl oody task of “ Killing
S wi n e” a n d t h e f i r s t w i t c h h a s “a pilot ’s thumb .” Of course, as
th e “Wei rd Sist ers” dance “ ha nd in han d,” their chanting and
s p e ll - ma k i ng a re s et to the back drop of a bloody and costly
re b el l i o n. I n th e p l ay, blood and th e disorder associated with
re b el l i o n a re i n ex tr i cably linked. Macbeth‘ s crime is seen as a
vi ol at i on o f a natu ral order that h as been established through
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
22
t h e l e g i t i ma c y o f Duncan’s blo od. On the morning of the
d is co v e r y o f Du n ca n’s body, th e dead King is spoken of as
b e in g t h e “ f o unta i n” of his son‘s blood; his wounds “ look’d
l i ke a b rea ch i n nature f o r r u in ’s wa ste fu l e n tran ce.” Here,
t h e im ag e o f Du n can’s sacred, blo odstained body, acts as a
p ow e r f u l me t aph o r for the ch al len ge to order and stability
th at M ac b et h’s cr ime repres e nts .
Th i s asso c i at io n be t wee n bl o od imagery and disorder
c o n t i n u e s a ft e r D u n c a n h a s b e e n i n t e r re d i n Co l m e k i l l .
Fo l l o w i n g M a c b e t h ’s a c c e s s i o n t o t h e t h ro n e , t h e w o r l d
b e com e s a “ b lo o dy st a ge” and the new King brings fire and
sw ord t o h i s o wn people. The m urder of Banquo comes to
sy m b o l i se th e abs e nce of law an d o rder under Macbeth. For
h is pa rt , Ma c be t h understand s the awfulness of killing his
f or me r k i n s m an a nd friend, an d in order to steel himself to
th e t as k, h e i s f o rce d t o i nvoke “th e bloody and invisible
h a n d” of ni gh t . O nc e the deed i s don e, Shakespeare relies on
d e s c r i p t i o n s o f B a n q u o ’s f at e i n o rd e r t o h i g h l i g h t t h e
h y po c ri s y of the ne w King and Qu een’s attempts to project
o rd er a nd d ec o ru m. On the ni ght of the banquet, as the
as s em b l e d g ues t s prepare to take their seats according to the
th e ir “d e g rees” o f status, their host listens to a graphic
ac co u nt o f h is fr ie n d’s death. The two murderers boast of the
“tw en t y t re nc he d ga shes ” on their vi ctim’s head and then,
al mo s t i m m ed iate l y afterwards, Ban quo’s ghost shakes his
“g o r y lo c ks ” at Mac beth. This bl oo dy image stands as a clear
re b u ke t o M ac b eth ’s attempts to im pose an illegitimate order
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
23
o n t h e K i ng do m . It is not su rpr isin g then, that Macbeth
s h oul d be c onv i nc ed t hat “blo o d will h ave blood.”
Early in the play, Shakespeare relies on nature
ima g er y t o h i nt at t he hierarchical str ucture of society and of
c ou rs e t o hi g hl i g ht the threat that Macbeth represents to
h a rmo ny a nd o rde r. On the day before the murder, Duncan
c om me n ts on th e s we e t and “ pleasan t” air that surrounds
Ma cb et h’s c a s tl e but once th e deed is done, a series of
disturbing animal images warn of
the disorder and
d e s t r uc ti o n th at l i es i n s t o re f or S co tlan d. A “falcon” “Was by
a m o u s i n g o w l h a w k ' d at a n d k i l l ' d ,” Du n can ’s h or ses “ broke
t h ei r st al ls” a n d , t o t h e a m a z e m e n t o f t h o s e p re s e n t , “they
at e eac h o t he r .” What we a re witnessing here, is a vast
d i st u rb anc e t o t he natural fabr ic of existence. As Macbeth
a n d L a dy M ac b et h grow in evil, they identify themselves more
c l ose l y w i th c reat ures of the nigh t. When Lady Macbeth
s wear s t hat t he Ki ng will never leave Dunsinane alive, she
i nv oke s th e p owe rf ul audi t o r y image of th e “th e rave n ”
h oa r s e from cro aki ng “the fatal e ntrance of Duncan under
[ h e r] batt le me nts .” Before each mu rder, Macbeth turns to
a n im a l i mag er y i n order exp ress his fears or describe his
a n ti ci p at i o n o f t he crime. To his w ife’s amazement, the rhythm
a n d ca d e nc e o f h i s speech is au dibly altered as he identifies
w i t h t h e “ n i g h t ’ s b l a c k a g e n t s .” M o m e n t a r i l y , i n h i s
i m a g i n a t i o n , h e b e c o m e s a v i c i o u s p re d a t o r y n o c t u r n a l
c reat ure t hat st al ks t he “Go o d th ings of day.” And, the
d i so rd e r of hi s mi nd is conveyed in a series of references to
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
24
v e no mo us c reatu re s s uc h as t he “sha rd- born e be e tle ” and
“s c o rp i o n s.” Al thou gh for the most pa rt, such animal imagery
is u se d b y S ha ke s peare to represent Macbeth’s attachment to
e v i l, i t i s a ls o emp l oyed to empha sise the consequences of
wh at h e h a s d on e . For exampl e, when Fife is seized, Lady
M ac d u ff h i g hl i g hts her defencel essn ess by contrasting her
hu sb a nd ’s ap p arent negl ec t wi t h:
t he p o o r w ren,
The most diminutive of birds, [that] will fight,
Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
A nd of c o urs e , wh e n Macduff receives the news of his family's
s l a ug h te r, h e wee ps f o r “a ll [ his] pre tty c h icks.”
St orm imagery first appea rs i n th e pl a y w h en we m eet
t h e W i t c hes . The disorder that th ey represent is captured
p e rf e ct l y b y th e ir d ecision to co nvene their next meeting in
“th u n d e r, l ig ht enin g o r in rai n.” Alth ough their power is
lim it e d , t h ey do exert a super natu ral influence over the
e l e me n t s a n d the y use this influen ce to bring destruction to
a n y t h at w o u l d o p p o s e t h e m . Th e “ m a s t e r o f Ti g e r ” i s
s u b je ct ed t o t h e f ul l f o rc e o f t he th ei r destr u ctive pow er s:
Th ou gh h is bark canno t be los t,
Yet it s h all be te mpest-tost.
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
25
Th e f ac t t h at th e s e creatures embody a profound, if not
i n e x p l i c a b l e a n d d i s o rd e r l y d i s t u r b a n c e t o e x i s t e n c e , i s
h ig h l i gh t e d i n th e s tage directio ns that announce their four
separate appearances. On each occasion, Shakespeare
in d ic at e s t h at t h under or ligh ten ing should precede their
a p p ea ra n c e o n s t age. And when Macbeth seeks them out in
A ct IV, s ce n e i , we are struck by j ust how much his way of
t h in ki n g h a s be en influenced b y th e typ e of chaotic evil that
t h e se creatu res represent. Drawi ng on storm imagery, he
h ig h l i gh t s h i s w i l l i ngness to brin g destruction and chaos to
hi s K i n gd om in o rd er t o f urt he r his o w n selfish n eeds:
Thou gh y o u unt i e t he w ind s an d le t th e m figh t
A gain st t h e ch u rc h es; though the yesty waves
Con f ou nd an d s wallow navigation up;
Th ou gh blade d corn be lodged and trees blown
d own ;
Th ou gh cas t le s t opple on their warders' heads[.]
Th is t y p e of image ry i s v e r y s i mil a r to th e referen c es to th e
“u n r u l y” st or m t h at to ppl ed “chimn eys” on th e n igh t of
D un ca n ’s mu rde r. It i s al s o, o f co ur se, th e ver y an tith esis of
wh at a g o od k i ng s ho ul d want fo r h i s cou n tr y.
I n “M acb et h,” i m a g e s o f st or m, bl ood and animals are
u s e d b y S hake sp eare t o hi ghl i ght t he disorder an d
d e st r u ct i on that Mac bet h vi s i t s o n hi s c ou n tr y.
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
26
IMAGERY
Mac b et h contains m any memorable and thought
provoking imagery patterns that have captured the
imaginations of
generations of
audiences. The most
pre do mi n an t i mag ery patterns in the play include those
a ss o ciate d wi t h bl o od, c hi l dren, si ck ness an d n igh t.
“Ma cb et h” i s a bloody and violen t play. Accordingly, the
pl ay p re s en ts us wi th a litany of bloody events and images.
Fro m t he a pp ea ra nce of the b loody sergeant in the second
s c en e to t h e c l o s i ng moments of the play, we are presented
w it h a co nt i nu al vi s i on of blood. In terestingly, one of the first
in st a nc e s o f b l o o d imagery in th e play is associated with
Mac be th . We l earn t hat hi s sw ord “smoked with bloody
exe c u ti o n” an d th at he and Ban quo seemed to “ bathe in
re e k i ng wo u nd s. ” A ll this is delivered to us by a sergeant
w h ose “g a she s” c ry out for help. Man y of the supernatural
eve nt s i n t he pl a y are associated w ith blood. The second
w it ch co me s f ro m the bloody task of killing Swine and the
v i si o nar y d agg er i n A c t I I , s c en e i i s stain ed w ith “gouts of
b l o o d .” Th e i m a g e r y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e s e s u p e r n a t u r a l
eve nt s i m pi n ge s o n the real wor ld and is used to convey
M a c b e t h ’s o v e r w h e l m i n g s e n s e o f g u i l t . Fo l l o w i n g t h e
m u rd er, t he s i gh t o f his hands covered in blood is almost too
m u ch f o r hi m to b ear:
This is a s orry s ight.
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
27
An d hi s “ h an gma n ’s ha n ds ” s hame him into realising that his
cr im e i s m on s t ro u s , and th at his sen se of guilt will never be
as su a ge d :
W i ll all great Ne pt u n e's ocean was h t his blood
C l ea n f rom my h an d? No, t his my hand will rathe r
The mul t it u din ou s seas in incarnadine ,
Mak i ng t h e gre e n on e re d.
M ac b e t h ’s cr i me i s a v iolat ion of the n atural order and this
natural order is established through the legitimacy of
D u nc an ’s b lo od . Dun can is s poken of as being the fountain
of hi s cou n try ’s b l oo d; h is wo un ds “ lo ok’d like a breach in
n at u re f o r r ui n’s w a st ef u l e nt ran ce ”. Ho wever, the imagery of
b lo od do e s no t en d wit h th e murder of Duncan. The world
b e co me s a “blo od y s t a ge” and accordingly, Macbeth invokes
t h e in v i s i b le a nd b l oody han d of nigh t to steel him to the
t as k of k i l l in g hi s frie nd. Ban quo’s death is described in
g rap h i c d e ta il that leave s litt le room for the imagination. We
are t o ld of t he “t we nt y t re nch ed gas h e s” on his head and
s u b s e q u e n t l y B a n q u o ’s g h o s t s h a ke s h i s “ g o r y l o c ks ” at
M ac b e t h . I t i s n ot su rpr isin g th en th at Macbeth should be
co nv i n ce d th at “bl o od w ill ha v e blo od.”
Th e b an qu et s c e ne mar ks a tu rn ing point in the direction
t h at t h e p l ay ta ke s an d als o in w ay in w hich blood imagery is
u se d b y Sh akes p eare . Th is play is ab out murder and the
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
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pre va l e n ce o f b l o o d imagery ensures that we do not forget
th e ph y s ical and me t aphy s i c al c on sequ en ces of th is cr ime.
Fro m h ere o n i n , Macbeth and h is wife are completely driven
a p art b y t he a wfu l ness of what th ey have done; they become
o v e r w he l med b y g uilt and desperately seek peace of mind.
A s La d y M ac b et h repeatedly tries to cleanse herself of her
gu il t i n h er re c ur ri ng nightma re, blood imagery is used by
Sh akes p ea re to re- humanise an d re-feminise her in the eye of
th e rea de r. S l ee pwal ki ng, s he tr ies to remove th e “damned
sp o t” f rom he r h and , and t h e “sme ll of blood” cannot be
s we et en e d e ve n by al l t he “per fume s of A rabia.” Earlier, in
o n e p a r t i c u l a r l y p o i g n a n t p a s s a g e i n A c t I I I s c e n e i v,
Sh akes p ea re us e s blood imager y to con vey the utter futility of
Ma cb et h’s s i tu at i o n. Desperate and fearful for his future, he
c on f es s es weari l y t hat he i s “st e p’d s o far” in blood th at:
“ s ho uld [ he] w a de no more re tu rn in g we re as
tedious as go o’er. ”
I n t h e f i n al A c t o f the play, Macbeth seeks solace in the only
c ou rs e of a c ti o n th at he understan ds. Retreating to his sense
o f hi ms e l f as a w ar rior, he desperately tries to kill his way to
pea ce o f m i nd . O f course, each n ew murder further erodes
hi s s ani t y a nd h i s humanity. As he becomes increasingly
s av a ge , S c o tl a nd ’s suffering is presented through a series of
gra p hi c i mag es t hat are associated w ith blood. The country
ha s b ec o me a “ gra v e” a n d ea c h d a y a “gash is added to her
w o u n d s.” In res pons e t o t h i s , t h e rebel s are acutely aware of
th e n e e d t o l a y d o wn their ow n lives for the greater good.
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
29
Cai t h n e s s ex pl ai ns that he is w il li ng to offer his life-blood as
“m e d i c i n e” in the “ countr y’s purge ” a nd hi s feelings are echoed
b y Le nn ox w h en h e s peaks o f t he n eed to “d ew t h e s ov e re i g n
fl ow e r a n d d row n the w eeds ”.
O n e of t h e most unusua l, yet interesting patterns of
im ag e r y i n t h e p la y, concerns ch il dren and breastfeeding. It
f i r s t a p p e a r s i n L a d y M a c b e t h ’s i n v o c a t i o n t o t h e d a r k
“s p i r it s” o f n i g h t t o “come to [her] woman’s breasts and take
[ h e r ] m i l k f o r g a l l .” T h i s i m a g e r y f i n d s a d i s t u r b i n g
c o r r e s p o n d e n c e i n L a d y M a c b e t h ’s a t t e m p t s t o i n c i t e
M ac be t h t o t he murde r o f Dunca n:
I have given suck, and know how tender ‘tis
to love the babe that milks me – I would […]
have dash’s the brains out, had I sworn as
you.
Th e e ff e c t o n M a cbeth is dram atic . I n fact, he also employs
si m ila r i m a g ery a s he wrestles w ith h is conscience over the
mu rd e r o f Du nc an. H e admi t s to h imself th at “pity, like a
na ked n e wb o r n ba b e” would be ou traged at his intended
c r i me an d th at con s e quent l y “Th at tears shall drown the
w i n d.” H e re, Mac b eth moves ou r im agination through his
v is i on of a n e n ti re world weepi ng at the inhumanity of the
b e t ray al a n d mu rder of Duncan . I nterestingly, later in the
p la y, t h e i m age o f the bloody c hild returns to haunt him. Of
c o ur s e , o n on e l e vel , the blood y ch il d represents Macduff, on
Ⓒ Cian Hogan 2014
30
an ot h e r l e ve l , i t i s t he s ame naked newborn child whose
p lea d i ng s Mac b eth f o ol is h ly i gno red.
A no the r in t ere st ing imager y pattern in the play is
co nc e r n e d wi t h s ic kn es s an d medicin e. These images appear
aft e r M ac be t h h as t aken cont rol of S cotland. Shakespeare’s
in t e n t i on i s c lear. Scot land is su fferin g from the disease of
t y ra nn y, w h i c h c a n on ly be cured by bleeding and purgation.
Th e v i c t i m s o f t y ra nn y look for ward to wholesome days when
S cot l a nd w il l b e free . Malcolm says that Macbeth’s name
“b l i s te r s t he ir to ng ue s.” Th e forces of good provide a cure
f or th e e v i l th at Macbe th re presen ts. In the final Act of the
p la y, Cai th ne s s ref er s t o Malc ol m as “ the medicine of the
s ic k l y w ea l.” I f Mac b et h is t he disease from which Scotland is
su ff e r i ng , t hen Ma l colm is t he cure. He is both royal and
cu rat i v e an d m uc h like h is En glish counterpart Edward, has
th e a b i lit y to h eal “t h e e vil.”
Fo r mo s t rea d ers , th e most memorable pattern of imagery
i n t h e p l a y c e n t re s o n t h e c o n t ra s t b e t w e e n l i g h t a n d
d ar kn e s s . I n fac t, this imager y pattern is repeated nearly 400
t i me s i n t h e pl a y. Dun can ar rives at Inverness as night is
f al li ng a nd h e i s mu rdere d dur ing the night. Following this
m u rd e r, w e a re to ld t hat pe rpetu al night has fallen over the
c o u n t r y. “ D a r k n i g h t ” n o t o n l y s t ra n g l e s t h e “ t ra v e l l i n g
l a mp s”, b ut a c c o rdi ng to Banqu o, the stars themselves have
b e e n ext i n g ui s hed . Of cou rs e, th is tur n of events had been
p ray e d f o r b y Ma c bet h an d h is wife. It would seem that
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so me on e , o r mo re spe cifically, somethin g has answered their
p ray e rs .
“c ome s e elin g nigh t s carf up th e
tender eye of pitiful day.”
Th is d i s t u r b i n g d a rkn es s prev ails un til th e final act of the play
w he n Ma lcol m i s p ro ve n c or re ct i n h is belief th at “the night is
l o n g t h at n e ve r fi nds t he da y”.
M a cb e t h is a co mplex play an d mu ch of this complexity is
d e ri v e d f rom t h e i nt ricate patt er n of imagery that is used by
Sh akes p eare. ( In cl ude a que s t io n speci fic poin t).
“ K ing sh i p, w i th a l l it s pote nt ial for goo d and evil, is a major
t h e m e i n ‘ M a cbe t h’.”
I n the cou rs e o f th e play, Sh akespeare presen ts u s w it h
a nu m be r o f d i ffe ren t K ings ; Du ncan , Macbeth, King Edward
of E n g l a nd a nd fin ally Malcolm. As result, it is clear that
K i ng sh i p m u s t b e vie we d as bein g a central theme in the
p la y. Thi s t ra ge dy c once rn s it self not only with what does, or
d oe s n ot con s t it u te a ju st an d law ful kin g, but moreover with
t h e id ea of a d i v in e hie rarchy. In keeping with Elizabethan
id eo l og y, t h e ki n g i s se en as th e agen t of God’s will and head
o f t h e b o d y p o l i t i c . A s t h e e a r t h l y c o n d u i t t o G o d ’s
p e rf e c t i on , the l aw ful kin g br ings order and harmony to his
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k i ng d o m. U l t i mate l y, the play teaches us that the king has
en or m ou s po te nti al f o r go o d and evi l.
The first King that we meet is Duncan. His first
a p p ea ran c e o c c ur s in the second scen e of the play and the
w ay in w hi c h h e s p eaks emphasises key attributes of both his
re ig n and h i s c h arac ter. Duncan speaks in a manner that is at
o n ce a u th o ri t at i ve , decisive an d compassionate. Using the
r o y a l w e h e d e m a n d s a s i t u a t i o n r e p o r t o n t h e d a y ’s
proce ed i ng s o n th e battle field and pronounces a death
s e nt en ce o n t he Th ane o f Cawdo r:
No mo re that than e o f Cawdor s h all de ce ive
Our bosom interest: go pronounce his
pre sent death,
I f t he p ot e nt i al t hat the monarch y h olds for good is to be
real is e d , t he n o rde r must be restored. Furthermore, despite
th e s wi ft n at ure o f his retribution , he shows care and concern
f o r h i s su bj e c ts wh en he commands th at surgeons be sought
f o r th e b l e ed i ng c ap tain. In the n ext sc ene, Shakespeare has
D un ca n s peak i n a manner that is diametrically opposed to
e v er y t hi n g th at t he witches symbolise. The barren androgyny
th at t he y rep re s en t, and the ambigu ity o f their prophecies are
c ou nt e re d by Dun c an’s open lan guage. Drawing heavily on
n at ure i ma ge ry, an d in particular on the language of growth
a nd pro mi s e , Dun can lavishes Ban quo and Macbeth with
pra is e . Imp o rt an tl y, he speaks in ter ms that emphasise the
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nat u ral n e s s o f h is position as r ightful monarch and the
p ot e nt ia l th at h is r ul e ho l ds f or good:
I h a ve b egun t o pla nt th ee, an d will labou r
To m a ke thee full of growi ng.
In t h e n ext breat h, Duncan turns h is attention to the duties of
s tat e . Th e atta ck by Sweno and the conspiracies of Cawdor
and Macdonwald have caused confusion and chaos
t h rou g h out th e realm. It now falls to Duncan to create
s t a b i l i t y, a n d h e d o e s t h i s b y n a m i n g t h e p r i n c e o f
C umb e r l a nd hi s s uccessor. Recogni sing the importance of
this decision, Duncan feels confident that the stars
t h e m se lv e s wi l l “shin e | On a ll des er ve r s.”
O f c ou rse , Duncan nev er lives to see t h e fu lfilment of
h is wi s h . M a cb et h murders him an d by doing so he provokes
a r ift i n t h e fabr i c o f the natural w orl d. On the morning of the
mu rd e r, Dun c a n’s body is de scri bed in specifically religious
t e r m s t h a t s t re s s t h e s a c r i l e g i o u s a s p e c t o f t h e c r i m e .
Ironi c al l y, i t i s Ma c beth himself w h o articulates all this. He
d e scr ib e s Duncan ’s bo dy as t he “l ord’s an oin te d te mple ” and
h is “s il ve r sk in ” as bei ng “la c ed wi th h is golde n blood. ” He
l ike ns t h e “ g a sh’ d s ta bs ” i n t h e d ea d k i n g ’s b o d y t o a “breach
i n n at u re.” Mac b eth‘ s crime is a violation of a natural order
t h at ha s b een e s t abl ished through th e l egitimacy of Duncan’s
b lo od a n d ac c o rd i ngly Macbeth’s k ing ship is marked by a
t ro ub l i n g a nd w i d espread disru ption of that natural order.
Ro ss i nf o rm s us t hat t he h eav en s have become “ troubled with
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m a n ’s a c t ” a nd t h at “da rk nigh t ” h a s s t ra n g l e d “the travelling
l a mp.” An old man who has lived his life to the age of “ three
sc o re a n d ten ” und er Dun can’s reign, believes that the recent
e v e nt s hav e “tr if le d f or mer k no win gs .” The disruption that
M ac b e t h p ro vo kes is not con fin ed to the supernatural. His
ru l e i s br uta l a nd frigh te nin g an d no one is safe. Scotland
b e co me s a g rav e ya rd wh ere you ng men “die before the
f lo we r s i n t he ir c a ps.” In a graph ic ex ample of what it means
t o l i v e u n d e r a t y ra n t , S h a ke s p ea re h a s u s w i t n e s s t h e
d is t ur b i n g mu rd er of Lady Macdu ff and her family. This is
h ow e v e r n o t an i s o l ate d incide nt. Un der the despot there can
b e no p eace ; “eac h ne w day n ew w idows h owl ” a n d “new
o rp h an s st r ike h ea v en on th e f ace .” Macbeth is the antithesis
of w hat a go od Ki ng sh ould be. And in one particularly
m e m o ra b l e p a s s a g e t h at u n d e r s c o re s t h e p o t e n t i a l t h at
m o na rch y h o l ds f o r e vil, Macbeth claims that he is willing to
t ur n a l l creati on i nt o ch aos in order to secure his illegal
p os it i on a s S co tl an d’s ru ler. Th e entire body politic comes
u nd e r t h reat d ur i ng th e pe riod of Macbeth’s kingship. Those
w ho “s p ea k o f f ea r” are h ange d as h e grows weary of the sun
a n d wi sh e s t hat “ch urche s,” “nav igatio n,” “ crops,” “ palace s,”
“p yram i d s ,” and “ c a st le s” a re “toppled on their warders’
hea d s .”
W he reas “ b la ck Ma cbet h” p ro v i d e s u s w i t h t h e c l ea re s t
exa m p l e o f w h at i t mean s w hen kin gship is used to further
e v il , S h a ke s p ea re also pres en ts us w ith alternatives to his
ru l e . M al c ol m a nd Kin g E dward of En gland each embody the
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most positive attributes of
Kingship.Malcolm is the
p e r son if i cat i o n o f the “k ing be comin g grace s ” of:
[… ] jus t ice, v er ity, temp e ran ce , s table n e s s ,
Bo un t y, per se ve ran ce, me rcy, lowlin e s s ,
Dev ot ion , pat ien ce, co u rage [an d]
fo rtit ude [ .]
All t hi s i s mi rro re d i n t he de piction s of Edward the confessor.
H i s “h ea ve n ly g ift of proph ecy ” balances the diabolical gifts
o f p rop h e c y exhi bi te d by t he W itch es and furthermore, he
ha s t he a b i l i t y to c ure a s ic kn e s s k no wn as “th e e vil.” With his
a id an d b le s s i ng , o rde r is res tored to Scotland. The death of
M ac b e t h br i ng s wi th it t he res toration o f justice craved after
b y th e f orc e s of g o od. A t t he ver y end of the play, Macduff
a n no un ce s th at “The t im e is fre e” an d Malcolm promises,
wi t ho ut “a l arg e ex pen se of t ime ” to do what is necessary
“w h i c h w o u ld b e pla n t ed ne wly w ith th e time” in order to
res t o re ju st ice “i n m ea s ure, t ime, an d place.”
K in gsh i p is a ce n t ral t h eme in th is play. It is u se d
b y S h ake s p ea re t o art iculate several aspects of the struggle
b e t we e n g oo d an d e vil. In particu lar, the play stresses that
t h e l a w f u l k i n g c re a t e s a h e a l t h y c o u n t r y, w h e re a s t h e
ill e g it i mat e rul er bree ds ch aos and br ings destruction and
su ff e r i ng . B y s o d o i ng, S hake speare emp hasises the potential
th at m on arc hy ho l ds f o r bo t h go od an d evil.
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