Z NOTES English 2014
CONTENTS Macbeth Evil 3 MACBETH LADY MACBETH THE RELATIONSHIP 8 Leaving Certificate 2009 16 Macbeth has all the ingredients of compelling drama. 16 Leaving Cert 1953 The Witches 23 Banquo AC BRADLY 29 Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 2
Macbeth Evil On the face of it, we have little in common with Macbeth. His position as a trusted general in king Duncan's army is difficult to relate to, and his crime of regicide, belongs to a long and distant past: a world of Thanes, witchcraft and spells that seems far removed from our s. So, why has this play managed to endure? Macbeth has gripped the imaginations of generations of reader s because Shakespeare's account of the corrosive power of evil is so believable. In this dark and unsettling play, Shakespeare has managed to interlace a profound commentar y on the nature of evil with a gripping and tragic examination of the effects of unbridled ambition, remorse and loss on the human soul. As you prepare for the Leaving Certificate, it might be useful to consider the play from the point of view of Shakespeare s vision of evil and how that evil affects the play s central character, Macbeth. The Witches are the most obvious and potent image of evil in the play. If we take these characters as symbolising those malevolent forces intent on visiting chaos and disorder on the wor ld, we learn a great deal about how Shakespeare intends us to view evil. The Witches are presented to us in a series of unforgettable visual images. Banquo describes them as looking not like the inhabitants of the earth. He lays emphasis on their choppy finger[s], skinny lips and their disturbing androgyny is under scored by his description of their beards. Later in Act IV, scene i, we witness them prepare a spell. The ingredients of this vile concoction are near ly all drawn from venomous, dead or nocturnal creatures and reinforce our sense that the Witches are perverse beings. The other aspect to their natures, their chaotic and disorderly energy, is captured in their unforgettable mantric refrain: Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 3
These are foul and paradoxical creatures who are bent on chaos and disorder and yet, despite their obvious ugliness, they manage to tempt Macbeth into violating his most deeply held beliefs. This power of the instruments of darkness to win us to our harms, by tempting us to betray the bonds of fellowship and society is an essential feature of Shakespeare s vision of evil in the play. Interestingly, it is not as if Macbeth is unaware of the effect that these filthy hags have on him. He describes his str uggle with evil to us in near visceral terms: [...] why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? However, despite his awareness of the evil that the witches represent, Macbeth does give in to this dark suggestion. Once Macbeth kills Duncan, the evil that descends on Scotland is conveyed in a series of unforgettable images. In Act II, scene iv, Ross informs us that the heavens have become troubled with man s act and dark night strangles the travelling lamp. Responding to what Ross has said, the old man describes how last Tuesday: A falcon, towering in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd. And then, Ross recounts how Duncan s horses broke free from their stables and Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make War with mankind, went on to eat one another. These disturbances both foreshadow Macbeth s crime and highlight for us the extent of the vast disturbance that he has visited on the world. However, all of these supernatural events pale into insignificance when Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 4
compared to what happens to Macbeth per sonally. He becomes haunted by nightmarish visions of evil that are conveyed to us in images of scorpions, beetles, snakes and other venomous creatures of the night. Following the murder of Duncan, even the rhythm and the cadence of Macbeth s speech changes, until he begins to echo the speech patterns of the Witches: [...] ere the bat hath flown His cloister'd flight, ere to black Hecate's summons As he puts his trust further in the evil that they represent, he retreats into the cold centre of his sense of himself as a warrior. He murders his closest friend and is forced to confront the horror of this crime in the Banquet scene. The dream of power and privilege quickly turns to ashes, but Macbeth s sacrifice has been so great that he refuses to give up the little that he has gained. In order to give any meaning to what he has lost, he commits crime after crime and, in the process, divests himself of any remnants of human feelings that he may have had. He intones a prayer to the night to cancel and tear to pieces the great bond that keeps [him] pale and when news arrives that Macduff has fled to England, he determines to: Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls That trace him in his line. His decision to slaughter Macduff s family is an act of chilling evil that confirms for us that Macbeth is no longer capable of human feeling. Shakespeare reminds us on several occasions of the consequences of Macbeth s evil reign for Scotland. In Act IV, scene iii, Macduff repor ts that the country is suffering terribly, and that under Macbeth s rule: each new morn New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 5
Strike heaven on the face, Macduff s description makes it clear that Macbeth has brought fire and sword to Scotland and that this genocidal reign of terror can only be ended by militar y intervention. As opposition to his rule mounts, Macbeth s relationship with his wife, which was once so close and loving, deteriorates to the point that it ceases to have any meaning. Following Act III, scene iv, they never again appear on stage together and the effect that this has on her is startling. Unable to move beyond the events of the night of the murder, Lady Macbeth remains trapped in a nightmare of reliving the moment over and over again: Out, damned spot! out, I say! -One: two: why, then, 'tis time to do't. -Hell is murky! -Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? -Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him. When Macbeth s ser vant Seyton informs him that his wife is dead, we witness one of the most profound speeches in all of literature: 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 Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 6
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. In this dar k and powerfully memorable speech in which he ar ticulates the destr uctive effect of evil on his soul, Macbeth offer s us a despairing and nihilistic assessment of the life he has created for himself. The real tragedy of Macbeth s life lies not in the fact that he has embraced evil and sold his soul, but rather in is his self-awareness of all that he has lost. While he was at fir st confident that he could withstand a siege, once he has been informed of Lady Macbeth s death, he comes to see life as a meaningless illusion, a series of pointlessly repetitive tomorrows that result in death. The speech also embodies a brief synopsis of Macbeth s dramatic progress in the play. We see in it his journey from confusion, through imaginative dreaming, to his final bloody determination to see the entire process through to its inevitable and tragic conclusion. The arrival of a messenger with news that the wood is beginning to move, forces him to abandon his trust in the Witches and to doubt the equivocation of the fiend That lies like truth. Despite his wear y despair, he is still fuelled by a maniacal desire to fight to the bitter end and to see the estate of the world undone, but his militar y training must inform him that all is lost. The final confrontation with Macduff merely confirms for Macbeth what he already knows. The Witches are not to be trusted and his death is inevitable. Although Macbeth s initial crime brought him the crown, it quickly robbed him of his peace of mind and divested him of all human feeling. In order to sur vive what happens to him, Macbeth seeks to draw fur ther assurance from the powers of evil. However, these assurances are as empty and barren as the blasted heath on which the Weird Sister s fir st appeared to him. The spiritual emptiness that Witches represent and that Macbeth embraces, costs him his very humanity. This is just one aspect of Macbeth s characterisation, but as you prepare for the Leaving Certificate it might provide you with some useful food for thought. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 7
MACBETH LADY MACBETH THE RELATIONSHIP When Lady Macbeth first appears in the play, she is reading a letter from her husband, Macbeth. The letter indicates his trust in her and the closeness of their relationship. He tells her of meeting the witches: they have more in them than mortal knowledge and of his hopes that their prophesies may prove true. He refers to his wife passionately and lovingly as my dearest partner in greatness and shares with her his ambitions for the future. The letter is a wonderful device that allows the audience gain an insight into the relationship. Macbeth is keen to share what he believes is good fortune with his wife, telling her of his new title, Thane of Cawdor and referring to what greatness is promised thee. The letter is written by a man eager to share his hopes and dreams with the person he most trusts and loves. The letter excites her. It opens up prospects for the future and it is obvious that Lady Macbeth shares in her husband s ambitions and that they share the same dreams: Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be What thou art promised. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 8
Her reactions to the letter reveal her intimate understanding of Macbeth s character. She recognises that: Thou wouldst be great Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it. She realises that Macbeth is a man of conscience whose fear of consequences is the thing that holds him back from gaining the crown. It is this understanding of the complex character of her husband that leads her to take control of the situation: Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear And chastise with the valour of my tongue She is motivated by love. Her reasons for her actions are her desire to see her husband succeed by achieving his potential and at the same time satisfying his ambitions. So when Lady Macbeth renounces her sexuality ( unsex me here ), denounces her identity ( take my milk for gall ), attempts to go against her nature in the hope of strangling compassion and any kind of feminine tenderness ( Stop up th access and passage to remorse ), it is for Macbeth that she does it. She sacrifices her identity ( Make thick my blood ) in order to help him achieve his Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 9
goal. While we may condemn her for her murderous and unscrupulous behaviour, we must also recognise that her motivation is love. Most productions of the play suggest the sexual tension and passion between the couple is one of the things that perversely drives them to the murder of Duncan. When Macbeth returns home and vacillates about the killing: We will proceed no further in this business Lady Macbeth urges him on by questioning his ambition: Art thou afeared To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire And by challenging him to be a man: When you durst do it, then you were a man And to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man These lines are filled with sexual tension and, in them, Macbeth s wife is calling on him to prove himself as a man. She is, in effect, seducing him. It is a kind of perverse seduction scene! When Macbeth voices his fears, she assuages them: screw your courage to the sticking place And we ll not fail Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 10
And it works! He falls under her spell and the power of her argument and her personality overwhelms his conscience. He is completely in awe of the strength of her personality and the passion with which she delivers her views: Bring forth man-children only! For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males. This scene has tremendous power to it. Many critics depict Lady Macbeth as a manipulative, almost demonic character (she invokes dark spirits, after all) who dominates the relationship, but it is important to acknowledge that this is a woman who greatly loves her husband and will do anything to have him achieve his ambition. The interesting thing about the relationship is that they are so unalike as people in terms of their attitudes and their personalities. While Lady Macbeth is a pragmatist and a realist who dismisses conscience and fears as the idle imaginings of a childish brain: A little water clears us of this deed Macbeth is a romantic. He is dominated by his imagination: Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand And really what we witness is a tussle between the scientific and the poetic, between the empirical and the speculative. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 11
Their involvement in the murder is certainly not one of equal proportion. Macbeth allows himself to be convinced. He commits the murder to achieve his goal, to prove himself as a man to Lady Macbeth, and perversely- as an act of love to indicate how much he respects and loves her. But it is ultimately his decision. He is the man. He is the Thane. He is the person who will ascend to the throne. It is his career! I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat Lady Macbeth does not force him to do it, she merely convinces him that there is nothing to fear except his own conscience/imagination. Throughout the time leading up to the murder, she advises him on how to behave: Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under t And after it, prior to the banquet scene, she advises him: Gentle my lord, sleek o er your rugged looks, Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight She plans the method of the murder, and oversees the execution of their plans, and all the time she battles Macbeth s conscience because she sees it as a flaw in his nature: Woulds t thou have that Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 12
Which thou esteems t the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem She appears to be strong and cunning, but is always protective of her husband. Although she reprimands him for his careless behaviour after the killing in forgetting to place the daggers at the scene, and although she chides him at the banquet scene for behaving irrationally, she is always devoted to protecting him. She feigns weakness to distract from Macbeth s mannered speech in the aftermath of Duncan s death, and she makes excuses for his odd behaviour at the banquet scene. She is forever watchful in case he should betray himself because of guilt and conscience. Yet she hardly deserves the sobriquet, fiend-like queen, that Malcolm ascribes to her at the end of the play. She is a devoted wife. The killing of Duncan marks the beginning of the end for their relationship. What really happens is that Macbeth retreats into himself and trusts no-one. Lady Macbeth remarks to him: How now, my lord! Why do you keep alone, Of sorriest fancies your companions making [...] what s done is done But she cannot reach him. He is initially tormented by conscience, the torture of the mind, but his deception eventually extends even to his wife who had been his confidant. He doesn t tell her about the planned murder of Banquo: Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Till thou applaud the deed Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 13
He doesn t inform her or tell her about the killing of the MacDuff family, and his final exchange with her, that we witness, is to indicate that he is committed to a reign of terror and bloodshed My strange and self-abuse Is the initiate fear that wants hard use: We are yet but young in deed. The relationship is fractured by the killing of Duncan. Macbeth becomes obsessed with not losing power and with killing all dissenters, and he appears to abandon Lady Macbeth by choosing to be isolated. He is troubled by her illness, but his primary concern appears to be the political arena rather than the domestic one. So, before he discusses Lady Macbeth s illness with the Doctor, he tells Seyton that he is intent on going to battle against the threatening army Hang those that talk of fear. Give me mine armour. When he actually discusses Lady Macbeth with the Doctor: Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow He tends towards a discussion of state matters also: Doctor, the thanes fly from me Come sir, dispatch. If thou couldst, doctor, cast The water of my land, find her disease Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 14
which suggests that his wife is not as important to him now as his holding on to power is. Yet, her final passing, her suicide, shakes him. He is devastated by the news and is plunged into a state of despair and depression that sees him refer to life as a tale told by an idiot [ ] signifying nothing. In other words, he has lost the love of his life, the one person who made everything worthwhile and, too late, he realizes that everything is futile without her. Indeed, her death is poignant, despite Malcolm s comments. And the audience s sympathy is shifted to Macbeth as we recognise his loss and his pain, despite the fact that he is a ruthless killer. The relationship is a fiery and passionate one. It is a marriage of equals but the killing of Duncan the Lord s anointed temple - places pressures on it that it cannot withstand. Courtesy of T. Brady Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 15
Leaving Certificate 2009 Macbeth has all the ingredients of compelling drama. In his depiction of a man who murders his king and kinsman in order to gain the crown, only to lose everything that we seem to need in order to be happy sleep, nourishment, friends, love Shakespeare has produced an utterly compelling drama. This play has fascinated generations of readers because, in its dark and unsettling portrayal of tragedy, Macbeth interlaces a profound commentary on universal themes with a gripping examination of the effects of unbridled ambition, remorse and loss on the human soul. One of the most compelling aspects of this play is the manner in which Shakespeare charts the changing course of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth s relationship. When Lady Macbeth first appears on stage in Act I, scene iv, she is reading a letter from her husband, Macbeth. The letter indicates his trust in her and the closeness of their relationship. He shares his meeting with the Witches with her, and explains how they have more in them than mortal knowledge. The excitement contained in his hope that these prophesies will come true is almost palpable. He refers to his wife passionately and lovingly as his dearest partner in greatness and he shares with her his ambitions for a future of shared power and privilege. Yet, by Act III, scene iv, this relationship has changed dramatically. Duncan is dead and their dream of shared power and majesty has been replaced by a nightmarish reality of sleepless nights, paranoia and isolation. The dramatic change that takes place in Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 16
the relationship is compelling because it so complete. The killing of Duncan marks the beginning of the end for their relationship. Macbeth retreats into the cold centre of his sense of himself as a warrior and Lady Macbeth becomes further and further isolated. Eventually, the relationship, which was once so close and loving, becomes meaningless and empty. While play charts the slow deterioration of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth s relationship, it also provides us with a compelling account of what happens to them as individuals. In order to give any meaning to what he has lost, Macbeth commits crime after crime and in the process he also divests himself of any remnants of human feeling that he may once have had. During one particularly memorable episode, Macbeth intones a prayer to the night to cancel and tear to pieces the great bond that keeps [him] pale. And then, when news arrives that Macduff has fled to England, he determines to: Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls That trace him in his line. Macbeth s decision to slaughter Macduff s family is an act of chilling evil that confirms for us that he is no longer capable of human feeling. However, what is most compelling about Shakespeare s portrayal of Macbeth s descent into evil, is the clear-eyed awareness of the man. The real, and utterly fascinating tragedy of Macbeth s life, lies not in the fact that he has embraced evil and sold his soul, but rather in is his selfawareness of all that he has lost. This is perhaps best seen when Macbeth hears of his wife s death. In one of the most profound and Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 17
compelling speeches in all of literature, he articulates the destructive effect that his engagement with evil has had on his soul: 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 [...] In this speech, Macbeth offers us a despairing and nihilistic and utterly compelling assessment of the life he has created for himself. Shakespeare s portrayal of Lady Macbeth s slow descent into isolation and despair is equally compelling. She reacts to her husband s growing violence and distant behaviour by receding into the shadows of her memories of that dark night. Following Act III, scene iv, Lady Macbeth never again appears on stage with her husband. And, when we n e x t s e e h e r i n A c t V, s c e n e i, w e w i t n e s s a n u n f o r g e t t a b l e transformation in her character. She has become a nightmarish parody of the woman she once was: Out, damned spot! out, I say!- [...]Hell is murky![...] Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 18
In the end, her death by suicide offers us a fascinating reminder of the price she has paid for her involvement with evil. The play also presents us with many scenes of heightened drama. In particular, the Banquet Scene which occurs in Act III, scene iv provides us with some unforgettable moments of dramatic tension. The scene s placement within the overall play is highly significant. Macbeth s illegal attempt to usurp the throne of Scotland has been successful, and in order to project an image of power and stability, he arranges for a state banquet to be held. The scene opens with Macbeth insisting on order and decorum. He reminds his guests that they all know [their] own degrees; and offers them a hearty welcome. Making extensive use of the royal plural, so as to project a sense of majesty and power, he strives to sound plausible and majestic: Ourself will mingle with society, And play the humble host. Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time We will require her welcome. One of the most compelling aspects of this scene, is the way in which Shakespeare highlights the incongruity between Macbeth s open hearted welcome to the assembled Thanes and the shocking reality of the crime that he is concealing from them. When the ghost of the friend that he has murdered arrives on stage it succeeds in destroying Macbeth s pretence of nobility and majesty. The assembled Thanes know nothing of Banquo s murder. So, when Macbeth insists to the ghost that: Thou canst not say I did it: never shake Thy gory locks at me [,] Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 19
they must suspect that he is referring to the murder of Duncan. As the tension mounts, their suspicions are captured in Ross puzzled reply to Macbeth: What sights, my lord? There is no answer to this question, and while Lady Macbeth s timely intervention saves her husband from making a full disclosure, it also emphasises that he is concealing a dark secret. So, one of the most dramatic outcomes of this scene, is that it reveals Macbeth s true nature to the people of Scotland. Following Act III, scene iv, Macbeth is never accepted as the legitimate King of the country. Another compelling aspect to Macbeth is the way in which Shakespeare makes use of imagery in the play. The most fascinating patterns of imagery in this play are those associated with night, blood and clothing. Shakespeare s use of images associated with night is particularly memorable and it has in many ways come to define how we think of this play. In its most basic form, darkness imagery becomes a disturbing symbol of evil that Macbeth has embraced. To begin with, Macbeth intones an evil prayer to the night that sees him asking the stars to hide their fires. His aim is that night should shroud Scotland and conceal his black and deep desires. While the language here is dark and compelling, Shakespeare adds a further dimension to his use of n i g h t i m a g e r y b y g r a n t i n g M a c b e t h s w i s h f o r t h e l i g h t t o b e extinguished. In a series a truly unforgettable descriptions, we come to realise that the natural world has been thrown into chaos by Macbeth s crime. Banquo informs us that There's husbandry in heaven; Their Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 20
candles are all out, and following Macbeth s accession to the throne, Ross describes how dark night strangles the travelling lamp. Blood imagery compliments images of darkness and night. The word blood appears an astonishing forty two times in Macbeth and is used by Shakespeare to emphasise Macbeth and Lady Macbeth s guilt. Macbeth s overwhelming sense of guilt and regret is apparent almost immediately following the murder of Duncan. The sight of his hands covered in blood is almost too much for him to bear: This is a sorry sight. And his hangman s hands shame him into realising that his crime is monstrous and that his sense guilt will never be assuaged: Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas in incarnadine, Making the green one red. Later in Act V, scene i, Lady Macbeth provides us with a vivid and unforgettable depiction of her guilt that in many ways has come to define her character: Out damned spot! Out I say! One: two: why then 'tis time to do't: hell is murky. Of course, before the murder, she understood that blood could be a symbol of treachery and she believed that by smearing the sleepy grooms with it that she could deflect suspicion from her and Macbeth. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 21
However, in the final moments of her life, Lady Macbeth demonstrates clearly in her visions of her bloodstained hands that such guilt can never be deflected. In Macbeth Shakespeare presents us with a vivid and fascinating account of one man s tragedy. The play s characters, moments of heightened drama and imagery all contribute to an utterly compelling experience for the reader. \ Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 22
Leaving Cert 1953 The Witches "There is at once a grossness, a horrible reality about the witches, and a mystery of evil influence." In light of this statement, discuss, the role of the witches in Macbeth with suitable quotation from the play. The witches play a number of important roles in Macbeth. Firstly, and most importantly, they convey key aspects of Shakespeare s vision of evil. Their grossness and the mystery of evil influence that they exert is also used by Shakespeare to create a distinctive atmosphere that has, in many ways, come to define how we think of the play Macbeth. Furthermore, the witches act as a catalyst in Macbeth s downfall; they tempt him and awaken in him dark and deep desires that lead to his destruction. Finally, the witches four appearances in Macbeth serve to unify the action of the play and to intensify the drama. We first meet the witches in Act I, scene i and from this highly dramatic first appearance we learn a great deal about these dark and unsettling characters. The stage directions indicate that their arrival coincides with thunder and lightening. So, the first role of the witches is to alert us to the disruptive and malign influence that evil exerts on the natural order. While we later learn that their powers are somewhat limited, they do possess the ability to control the elements, and when they exercise this power, it is to create unfavourable weather conditions: Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 23
When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? Their disruptive influence is matched by the barren sterility that they seem to embody. Their appearance on a barren heath underscores a key aspect of Shakespeare s vision of evil. In the play, evil is equated to a type of destructive sterility and those that allow themselves to be tempted by the Witches, face the horrible reality of a life that is barren and empty. In one of the most shocking episodes in the play, Lady Macbeth calls on those spirits of night, those murdering ministers that we rightly presume are in league with witches, to unsex her and to fill her full of the direst cruelty. The witches are presented to us in a series of unforgettable visual images that underscore this notion of evil being linked to sterility. Banquo describes them as looking not like the inhabitants of the earth. He lays emphasis on their choppy finger[s], skinny lips and their disturbing androgyny is seen in his description of their beards. During this first encounter, we witness the grossness, the horrible reality and mystery of evil influence that they exert. Yet, despite their obvious ugliness, the witches do manage to tempt Macbeth into violating his most deeply held beliefs. They act as a potent catalyst in his downfall; they tempt him and awaken in him dark and deep desires. We see him struggle with the evil that they represent almost immediately. His reaction to the first encounter is one of startled fear, and then, later in soliloquy, as he begins to absorb the significance of what they have said, he acknowledges the visceral effect that these creatures have had on him: If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 24
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? T h e w i t c h e s h a v e e c h o e d M a c b e t h s d a r k e s t i m p u l s e s a n d t h e suggestion that so upsets him is the murder of a kind and benevolent king. However, they never mention killing Duncan; in fact, the witches never mention Duncan by name. Yet, their presence acts a catalyst. S h o rt l y a ft e r t h e i r f i r s t a p p eara n c e, t h e r h y t h m a n d c a d e n c e o f Macbeth s speech is noticeably altered to the point that it echoes the witches. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. They never tell him what to do, and they are not responsible for his subsequent actions, but they clearly have had the profoundest effect on his thinking. Later, in Act IV, scene i, we witness the witches prepare a spell that further highlights their role as symbols of evil. The ingredients of this vile concoction are nearly all drawn from poisonous, dead or nocturnal creatures and reinforce our sense that the witches are perverse beings. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 25
In every sense of word, this spell is a symbol for evil. Among the ingredients we find, Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark, Liver of blaspheming Jew, and most disturbing of all, the: Finger of birth-strangled babe Ditch-deliver'd by a drab, This thick gruel provides us with an unequivocal representation of how Shakespeare views evil. In his eyes, evil is repugnant, aberrant and runs contrary to common standards of human decency. Although less obvious than their role as symbols of evil and catalysts in Macbeth s downfall, the witches also serve an important function in creating a sense of unity within the narrative. Their four appearances in Act I, scene i, Act I, scene iii, Act III scene iv and finally in Act IV, scene i, serve to bind the action of the play and to maintain a sense of narrative unity. Each separate appearance occurs at key moments in the plot s development that serve to remind the reader of events that have happened or will happen. The witches also have a choric function that helps us gain a sense of perspective on events. They pass comment on the action and remind us of what is happening in the world of the play: First Witch: When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 26
Second Witch: When the hurlyburly's done, When the battle's lost and won. Here, the witches provide us with important background information about the battle raging in Scotland. By mentioning Macbeth by name, they alert us to the pivotal role that he is going in play in events as they unfold. Their next appearance in Act I, scene iii, confirms for us that Macbeth is linked to them on a metaphysical level. The first words that he speaks in the play echo the witches opening pronouncement: So foul and fair a day I have not seen. While these lines remind us of the paradoxical nature of evil, they also serve to provide the reader with a clear perspective on events. The opening scenes are action packed and occur in quick succession. Such repetition of key lines helps the reader to follow events more closely. Similarly, their meeting with Hecate later in Act III, contains a short summary of Macbeth s evil progress: And, which is worse, all you have done Hath been but for a wayward son, Spiteful and wrathful, who, as others do, Loves for his own ends, not for you. The witches final role in Macbeth is to remind us one last time of the evil that they symbolise. Having appeared presumably at Macbeth s Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 27 behest, they yield to his demand that they provide him assurances about
his future. It is precisely at this moment that we witness the full extent of the mystery of evil influence that they exert. The notion of equivocation lies at the heart of what they represent. And here, in their cavern, we see this equivocation at work. They provide Macbeth with a series of assurances that are designed to echo his inner desire for peace of mind. However, these assurances are as empty and barren as the blasted heath on which the Weird Sisters first appeared to him: Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. Not for first time in the play, the horrible reality of what they represent is ignored by Macbeth as he becomes swept away by their evil influence. Much later, when all is lost, Macbeth acknowledges that they are juggling fiends that lie like truth. By then, of course, it is too late. Macbeth has lost everything and witches have succeeded in their goal of visiting disorder and chaos on the world. Consequently, there is no need for any further appearance. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 28
Banquo AC BRADLY A significant portion of the following essay has been adapted from A. C. Bradley seminal series of lectures on Shakespearian tragedy. It is virtually impossible to avoid drawing a comparison between Banquo and Macbeth. Both characters meet the Witches on the heath and their lives are forever altered by this encounter. To begin with however, Banquo recognises the threat that Witches represent. He notices the oddness of their appearance and he emphasises their disturbing androgyny. He is genuinely surprised by Macbeth s startled reaction to their prophecies. Much later in the play, as he considers Banquo s character, Macbeth remembers not only his daring but how: He chid the Sisters, When first they put the name of king upon me, And bade them speak to him. [III. i. 56-8] While chid' is obviously an exaggeration, Banquo is evidently a brave man and his battlefield exploits equal those of Macbeth. The similarities do not end here. He is also, like Macbeth, an ambitious man. Yet, Banquo s ambition is not characterised by guilt and dread. On hearing the predictions concerning himself and his descendants, he is not obviously tempted in the same way as Macbeth is, and when the Witches are about to vanish, he shows none of Macbeth's feverish anxiety to Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 29
know more. Following their disappearance he is simply amazed and he wonders openly if they were anything but hallucinations. He makes no reference to their predictions until such time as Macbeth mentions them. When Ross and Angus, confirm to Macbeth that he has been made Thane of Cawdor, Banquo exclaims, 'What! can the devil speak true?' [I. iii. 107]. From this it is clear that he sees something about these creatures that Macbeth fails to discern. When Macbeth, turning to him, whispers, Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me Promised no less to them? [I.iii. 118-20] He reveals his innocence by pointing out that he suspects what Macbeth is really thinking: That, trusted home, Might yet enkindle you unto the crown Besides the thane of Cawdor. [I. iii. 120-22] However, almost in the same breath he warns Macbeth in the clearest possible terms that [ ] oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence. [I. iii. 122-26] Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 30
In the next scene Macbeth and Banquo join the King, who welcomes them both with the kindest expressions of gratitude and with promises of favours to come. While Macbeth has already received a noble reward, Banquo, who is said by the King to have 'no less deserved' [I. iv. 30], seems more than content to accept the Duncan s praise. His brief and frank acknowledgment of the loyalty he owes Duncan is in sharp contrast to Macbeth's laboured and false rhetoric. To begin with then it would appear that Banquo is entirely unlike Macbeth. He sees the danger in the Witches and warns Macbeth against trusting in them. Of course, Macbeth ignores his friend s warnings and chooses to embark on a series of criminal actions that lead to his utter ruination. However, on closer examination, Banquo does share much in common with Macbeth. Although he openly attempts to reject the evil that Witches represent, we know that Banquo is affected by them. Although the Weird Sisters are limited in what they can do, it is obvious that they have the power to affect sleep. The First Witch curses the Master of the Tiger: Sleep shall neither night nor day Hang upon his penthouse lid. [I. iii. 19-20] And, after the murder of Duncan, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth sleep In t h e a ff l i c t i o n o f t h e s e t e r r i b l e d reams Th at s h a ke u s n i g h t l y. Importantly, the Witches are not able to disturb the sleep of just anyone. These agents of chaos exploit our weaknesses and fuel our darkest desires. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 31
When we next meet Banquo, he appears to be oppressed and worried by the darkness of the moonless and starless night. Within the context of what we know about the Witches, his prayer to the heavenly powers to restrain in him the cursed thoughts that nature gives way to in repose is most interesting. Banquo s inability to sleep must be seen in the context of the Witches ability to exploit the weaknesses that lie dormant in his character. Certainly, he himself sees this inability to sleep as being associated with the weird sisters: I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters. Importantly, Banquo rejects Macbeth s attempts to draw him into a conspiracy. Yet, it is precisely at this point in the play, that Banquo s moral ambiguity begins to reveal itself. When Banquo tells Macbeth that he intends to keep his bosom franchised and allegiance clear, he not only rejects the conspiracy but more significantly acknowledges it. It is essential to remember that Scotland is in a state of turmoil. The treachery of Cawdor and Macdowald has nearly resulted in the end of Duncan s reign and yet despite all this, Banquo says nothing about the obvious threat that exists to his King s life. Once the discovery of Duncan s body has been made, Banquo remains largely silent. After a few words to Macduff he says nothing while the scene continues for nearly forty lines. Finally, when he does eventually speak, Banquo appears to have made up his mind. He publicly proclaims himself a servant of God and vows to unearth the truth behind Duncan s murder: And question this most bloody piece of work To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us: In the great hand of God I stand, and thence Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 32
Against the undivulged pretence I fight Of treasonous malice. [II. iii. 128-32] His solemn language here reminds us of his grave words about 'the instruments of darkness' [I. iii. 124], and of his later prayer to the 'merciful powers.' He is profoundly shocked, full of indignation, and determined to play the part of a brave and honest man. But, in the words of A C Bradly, he plays no such part. When next we see him, on the last day of his life, we cannot but fail to recognise that he has compromised his principles. He was the only Thane present on the morning of the murder who knew of the prophecies, but he chooses to remain silent. Much later in the play, Lady Macduff proclaims to Ross that even: when our actions do not, Our fears do make us traitors. If we are to judge Banquo on his actions then it does appear that he has acquiesced in Macbeth's accession to the throne. Unlike Macduff, he publicly accepts the official story that Duncan's sons had suborned the chamberlains to murder him. Unlike Macduff, he chooses to support the new King by attending his coronation at Scone and, unlike Macduff, he agrees to attend the celebratory banquet. In his own words, he feels knit to [Macbeth] by a most indissoluble tie and is honoured to be the chief guest at Macbeth s feast. In Private however he feels very differently: Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird women promised, and, I fear, Thou play'dst most foully for t: yet it was said It should not stand in thy posterity, Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 33
But that myself should be the root and father Of many kings. If there come truth from them As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine Why, by the verities on thee made good. May they not be my oracles as well, And set me up in hope? But hush! no more. [III. i. 1-10] I f B a n q u o i s m o r a l l y c o m p r o m i s e d, h e i s a l s o v e r y n a ï v e. H i s unsuspecting nature first witnessed outside the gates of Macbeth s castle, is revealed again by the manner in which he provides the latter with the information that he needs to kill him. One of the final things that Banquo says to Macbeth is that he must become a borrower of the night. In this play the good things of day are continually opposed by night s black agents and in this context it is most interesting that Banquo should claim to have borrowed something of the night. The Banquo that Macbeth has murdered is not the innocent soldier who met the Witches and rejected their prophecies, nor the man who prayed to be delivered from the temptation of his dreams he is a man who has been deeply compromised by his ambition. Cian Hogan English Notes 2014 34