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Macbeth, The Dagger Scene (2.1.33-39) - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Whilst outweighing the pros and cons of doing what's necessary to become king earlier in the story, Macbeth had ultimately made the wrong decision. He did not calculate the extent of the effect killing everyone close to him would have on his own mental health. Hallucinations became commonplace in his life, mentally torturous in nature. These visions are a representation of Macbeth's conscience, displaying his regret towards the decisions he made and his new found drive for self punishment.
      - The presence of Banquo's ghost serves as a powerful manifestation of Macbeth's guilt and an externalization of his troubled conscience. It symbolizes the consequences of his ambitious and immoral actions. The ghost's appearance disrupts the sense of accomplishment he feels, exposing the corruption and moral decay that have consumed Macbeth's soul. This furthers the suggestion that he is not happy with himself and the choices he has made, despite fulfilling his initial goal of becoming king.
  - - - He sees the ghostly apparitions of those he has wronged, including Banquo, whose murder still haunts him. These haunting visions serve as external manifestations of his overwhelming guilt, representing the weight of his crimes and the haunting presence of his victims. Macbeth's hallucinations symbolize the irrevocable damage caused by his ambition and his deteriorating moral character. These apparitions are used to summarize his journey, providing an outlook on the struggles he has faced and the true severity of his moral descent.
      - Macbeth's soliloquies offer insight into the depth of his internal struggle. He questions the purpose and value of his actions, contemplating the futility of his ambition. He realizes that his pursuit of power has led him to a point where he is surrounded by enemies and devoid of any genuine allies. His conscience haunts him, making him question the very foundations of his choices and the consequences they have brought. In combination with the suicide of Lady Macbeth, he found himself engulfed in apathy, unable to enjoy the momentary success which he had previously achieved.
        
        Macbeth faces a profound moral sacrifice as he grapples with the conflicting forces of his conscience and ambition. Initially tormented by guilt and doubt after murdering King Duncan, Macbeth's ambition drives him to suppress his moral qualms and continue down a path of deceit and bloodshed. With each subsequent act of violence, he sacrifices a part of his conscience, becoming desensitized to his own atrocities. As his ambition takes hold, Macbeth willingly forsakes his moral values, ignoring his sense of right and wrong for the sake of personal gain and power. This moral sacrifice ultimately leaves him isolated, haunted by guilt, and stripped of his humanity, serving as a tragic reminder of the corrosive nature of unchecked ambition.
- - - - Impulsiveness: Macbeth often acts on impulse, making rash decisions without considering the long-term consequences. This impulsive nature is particularly evident in his murders, such as the killing of Banquo and the family of Macduff. He fails to think through the ramifications of his actions, leading to further destruction and alienation from those around him.
        
        "Upon my head, they placed a fruitless crown And put a barren scepter in my grip, Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand, No son of mine succeeding." (Act 3, Scene 1) This quote demonstrates Macbeth's impulsiveness as his fatal flaw. In this scene, Macbeth is contemplating his future and realizes that his actions have secured him the crown but have also jeopardized his lineage. Rather than considering the long-term consequences or strategizing a more thoughtful plan, he impulsively jumps to the conclusion that his efforts to gain power will be in vain. His impulsive nature leads him to make rash decisions without fully considering the repercussions, leading to further tragedy and the unraveling of his reign.
      - Overconfidence: As Macbeth experiences a series of initial successes, he becomes overconfident in his abilities and the prophecies he received. This hubris blinds him to the dangers and consequences of his actions. He falls into a false sense of security, believing that he is invincible and immune to harm. This overconfidence leads to reckless decision-making and a false belief that he can control his fate, ultimately leading to his downfall.
        
        "I will not be afraid of death and bane Till Birnam Forest come to Dunsinane." (Act 5, Scene 3) This quote illustrates Macbeth's overconfidence as his fatal flaw. In this scene, Macbeth is reassured by the prophecy that he will not be defeated until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane, his castle. This prophecy instills a false sense of invincibility in Macbeth, leading him to believe that he is untouchable and cannot be harmed. His overconfidence blinds him to the reality that the prophecies are filled with figurative language and metaphorical meanings. As a result, he underestimates his adversaries and makes fatal errors in judgment, ultimately leading to his downfall.
      - Lack of Moral Integrity: Macbeth's moral compass becomes severely distorted as his ambition grows. He loses sight of right and wrong, becoming increasingly ruthless and willing to do anything to maintain his grip on power. He is haunted by guilt and paranoia, unable to find solace in his actions. His lack of moral integrity prevents him from finding redemption or escaping the consequences of his deeds.
        
        "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." (Act 1, Scene 4) This quote showcases Macbeth's lack of moral integrity as his fatal flaw. Here, Macbeth acknowledges his sinister and immoral desires, expressing the desire to hide them from the world. He essentially requests that the stars hide their light, symbolizing a desire to conceal his wicked intentions. Macbeth's willingness to embrace darkness and engage in treacherous actions reveals his moral corruption and lack of integrity. He is fully aware of the evil nature of his desires, but he is willing to proceed regardless, disregarding any ethical considerations. This lack of moral integrity ultimately leads him down a destructive path.
      - Weakness of Character: Macbeth displays a weakness of character throughout the play. He is easily influenced and manipulated by others, particularly his wife, Lady Macbeth. Despite initial doubts and reservations, he succumbs to Lady Macbeth's persuasion and carries out the murder of King Duncan. This inability to resist external pressures and assert his own moral judgment contributes to his downfall.
        
        "Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way." (Act 1, Scene 5) This quote highlights Macbeth's weakness of character as his fatal flaw. Lady Macbeth acknowledges that Macbeth is inherently kind and compassionate, which she sees as an obstacle to achieving their ambitions. She believes that his "milk of human kindness" hinders his ability to take the most direct and ruthless path to seize power. Macbeth's susceptibility to his own moral qualms and his inability to overcome his conscience demonstrate his weakness of character. This weakness ultimately leads him to be easily manipulated and influenced by Lady Macbeth and sets him on a tragic course of action.
      - Ambition: Macbeth's overwhelming ambition is his most significant flaw. Initially, he is a loyal and respected soldier, but when he encounters the prophecies of the witches, which suggest that he could become king, his ambition consumes him. He becomes obsessed with the idea of power and stops at nothing to achieve it. This ambition drives him to murder King Duncan and others, leading to a chain of violence and chaos.
        
        "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." (Act 1, Scene 4) This quote reveals Macbeth's ambition as his fatal flaw. He expresses his desire to conceal his dark and intense desires from the world, suggesting that he is willing to go to great lengths to fulfill them. Macbeth understands that his ambitions are immoral and would be frowned upon, but his relentless drive for power compels him to pursue them anyway. His willingness to act upon his ambition, even when it involves deceit and violence, ultimately leads to his downfall.
- - - - Lady Macbeth threatens Macbeths Masculinity. Such an action makes Macbeth feel very vulnerable as in the shakespearan age Masculinity represented bravery,strength aswell as women having very little say over things. An example of Macbeth falling victim to his gullibility can be represented by Lady Macbeths Scene 1 act 7(1.7.50-51) threat of Macbeth's masculinity in which she quotes "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" in this quote Lady Macbeth alludes to "when you durst do it" this insisting she threatens that he is only a "man" or "manly" once he performs the act of killing duncan which aligns with her own goals.
      - Lady Macbeth understands Macbeth's hesitance in carrying out the murder of King Duncan, although she understand's the thrown is his end goal aswell. Macbeth falls gullible to Lady Macbeth in this example (1.7.30-40) “art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire?" Macbeth falls gullible to this and is manipulated as he shares the common goal of wanting Duncan dead but is too afraid to carry out such an act. This quote by Lady Macbeth essentially summarizes her saying are you afraid to commit the act of valour despite it being the "desire" macbeth. Lady Macbeth used this desire of Macbeth tp manipulate his guilt of potentially killing Duncan
- - - - In the end, Macbeth's ambition proves to be his undoing, as he is defeated in battle and ultimately killed. Proving that ambition, when uncontrolled, can lead to destruction and downfall, and that the pursuit of power can ultimately be a hollow and a self-destructive weapon.
        
        "Whence is that knocking? How is ’t with me when every noise appalls me? What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out my eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red." - Act 2 Scene 2
        
        MacBeth is reminicing from his actions and starts to encouter things that are not normal. MacBeths says how he gets scare of every noise and asks himself if all the water in the oacen will be enougn to clean the bllod from his hands. He realizes what is done is done and that he can't take back what he did. He can try and clean his hands in the water but instead it will just make the water turn red.
        
        To know my deed, ’twere best not know myself. 1 Act 2 Scene 2
        
        MacBeth's conscience is disturbing him so much that he rathers be unconcious than have to think about the things he has done.
      - Killing King Duncan
        
        "I am settled, and bend up each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away and mock, the time with the fairest show: false face miust hide what the false heart don't show. - Act 1 Scene 7
        
        This quote proves that MacBeth was fully commited into killing King Duncan which he later on went and did.
      - Realizes how consumed he is by his ambition
        
        " I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, whick o'erleaps itself and falls on th'other" Act 1 Scene 7
        
        This quote tells us that Mac Beth is mentally aware that his ambition is strong and will eventually cause him to do wrong. He says that the only thing motivating him is his ambition and that makes him rush into disaster.