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Macbeth - Coggle Diagram
Macbeth
violence
Macduff family murder
"He has killed me, mother." (4.2)
The murder of children is very violent and upsetting. Children are symbolic of innocence, unprotected, undefended.
killing the Macduff family reflects how evil Macbeth has become by this point in the play
Banquo Murder
Macbeth will stop at nothing to protect his crown
after King Duncan's murder, he steps away from murdering himself, instead opting for murderers
lady Macbeth's imagery and language
she uses violence to show Macbeth how strong her commitment is to anything she promises to do.
in Lady Macbeth's mind, this violent description shows her husband the extent she'd go to for him and, therefore, how much she loves him
"I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked the nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had i so sworn, as you have done this."
This would have shocked a Jacobean audience. Lady Macbeth is a woman whose main purpose, according to the values of the time, would be to give birth to, and nurture children.
Duncan's murder
King Duncan was sleeping. Macbeth was especially cowardly in the murder and he prevented him from a warrior's death.
"a sorry sight"
he had done something incredibly weak in murdering a sleeping man, and one who he was honour bound to serve and protect
ambition
after King Duncan kicks the bucket
Macbeth cannot cope with what he has done (perhaps religious guilt)
Macbeth becomes paranoid, price of fulfilling his ambition is not worth it.
"I have liv'd long enough. My way of life is fall'n into the sere, the yellow leaf, and that which should accompany old age, as honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, i must not look to have."
Macbeth lists all of the things he should have had later in life, like an honourable reputation and many friends. he has lost everything by going after the crown.
Lady Macbeth's ambition
more ambitious for her husband
she believes he deserves more than he has, but that he is too nice for his own good.
"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised; yet i do fear thy nature, it is too full o' th' milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way."
Lady Macbeth thinks Macbeth does have ambition, but he is too good, gentle and kind to go after what he wants
"Thou would be great, art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it."
Macbeth's ambition
Macbeth, at the beginning, does not seem ambitious
already a thane, has some social status
Shakespeare links having ambition with evil and committing evil deeds. some people think that Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to murder King Duncan because of her own ambition
it can be argued that ambition causes Macbeth's downfall, changing his life from good to horrific and causing his death.
outside force of the witches' prophecies. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth make errors in judgement as they allow their greedy desire for power overtake them
the audience can see their bad choices building up throughout the play, and hey know that it cannot end well for either character. therefore, the tragic mood of the play starts as soon as Macbeth meets the witches in Act 1
fate
gender
natural/unnatural