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SHAKESPEARE COURSEWORK: SHAKESPEARE'S PRESENTATION OF THE SUPERNATURAL…
SHAKESPEARE COURSEWORK: SHAKESPEARE'S PRESENTATION OF THE SUPERNATURAL IN MACBETH
witches
medieval context
the structure of the play
the first people on the stage
should already be warning the audience that something is not right
mentioning Macbeth
puts Macbeth in a bad light before he's even on the stage
dramatic irony
keep recurring
manipulation of Macbeth
the controlling force in the play
language choice
equivocation
infuses the other characters
lady macbeth
standing up to her husband
manipulation
defiance of convention
seen to be evil
great chain of being
Macbeth trying to suggest to the women in the audience that they should obey/stay in line with their husband?
medieval womens roll
her monologue
summoning the supernatural
willing to kill her own baby
infanticide was committed by witches
gives the audience a different view to her
warns them
2 sided person
globe theatre production portraying LM as pregnant
Catholic beliefs /James 1
written specifically to please the King
super believer in witchcraft/ supernatural
wrote the book 'demonologie'
the King's beliefs influence the 'peoples' beliefs
constant mention/ referral of the devil
biblical reference
porter scene
castle linking to the harrowing of hell
beezelbub
in the night
linking to the supernatural
Macbeth
believes the witches straight away
echoes what they say
changes what 'nature' is taking him down the path to do
to forcing what the witches said to come true
mentioned by the witches
counterargument
supernatural has no true control-they sew seeds of ideas but M is responsible
page 9
does the play say that 100% the supernatural exists in the real world
yes
use of medieval morality structure
reminds audience of a time of 100% religious certainty
the harrowing of hell
the porter scene
confirms that hell exists
and that Macbeth's castle is a version of hell on earth
comic moments can have serious messages
'I pray you remember the proter'
no
the porter is drunk
therefore not completely trustworthy
a comic scene adter a killing scene is a standard feature of tragedy
therefore that scene should not be taken too seriously
the play is equivocating making the audience equivocate just like the characters
OVERALL STRUCTURE
introduction
idea 1
idea 2
idea 3
conclusion
how is it relevant to nowadays
karma instead of a tragic hero?
could be an aesop's fable to us-/- medieval morality plays to Shakespeare
shakespeare isn't saying one thing or another
equivocation???
linking to the play
to equivocate is to commit treason
1 more item...
continual mention of the devil
the porter scene
is meant to be a funny scene but has a very serious and relevant undercurrent
head witch anting to meet M in aceron- entrance to hell
supernatural link
witches would sell their soul to the devil for diabolical favours
S's choice of language in LM's monologues
'unsex me here'
supernatural link
ability to turn things upside down-men become women-women become men
'i would while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from its boneless gums and dashed the brains out'
supernatural link
warning to the audience
unnatural to the audience to see a wife have power over her husband
2 more items...
infanticide
however part
when she first receives M's letter she instantly agrees with M that they have to kill D to become king
makes the audience question whether they have already had this conversation about killing D to become KandQ
shows that the supernatural is not a necessary force of power to incite regicide and dark thoughts
Band M both given exciting predictions but B is loyal whereas M instantly thinks about killing someone to get his power
Macbeth's continuous gullibility when the witches are giving him the predictions
the power the witches have over him
continuously goes back to them instead of making his on decision or talking to his wife
comes in between them
supernatural link
inter
look at paper