This is a guest post from VCE student Nicholas Buttigieg for VCE English and Literature. Thanks Nick! If you want to write a guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

Here are the themes and the accompanying quotes in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  I used these as SAC notes, and really helped in my SAC.

Images of Blood

• It is a symbol of death, cold-blooded murder and a stain that is difficult to eliminate (seen in Lady Macbeth’s hand-washing compulsion).
• It represents guilt as well as cowardice (the bloody dagger and the Ghost of Banquo).
• It has been used to scapegoat innocent people (e.g. Macbeth puts Duncan’s blood onto the guards).
• It also represents kinship, severing family ties and bonds.
• “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.” (2.2.73-76)
• “I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go over.” (3.4.159-161)
• “Here’s the smell of the blood still.  All of the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” (5.1.42-43)
• “A little water clears us of this deed; how easy is it, then?” (2.2.80-81)
• “My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white.” (2.2.77-78)

Images of Nature

• The play turns from a state of order to disorder, from normality to abnormality.
• The Witches and the supernatural world is considered ‘unnatural’ or ‘out of the ordinary.’
• Macbeth’s interaction between his world and the supernatural changes the nature of his world.
• Human nature seems dead at night, as it blurs reality and wickedness overpowers (Macbeth commits Duncan’s murder at night).
• King Duncan’s regicide is unnatural (according to the Great Chain of Being, the killing of the King resulted in chaos and disorder).
• Sanity and order is lost.  Nature holds up a mirror to society and the repercussions of a single, destructive human action can disrupt the harmony and structure of nature and order.
• “Now over the one-half world, nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse the curtained sleep.” (2.1.57-59)
• “A great perturbation in nature, to receive at once the benefits of sleep, and do the effects of watching.” (5.1.8-9)
• “Here lay Duncan, his silver skin laced with his golden blood, and his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature for ruin’s wasteful entrance.” (2.3.122-125)
• “Our fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature, reigns that which would be feared.” (3.1.53-55)

Images of Order and Disorder

• Human World – Macbeth’s world, and is the reversal of moral values by humans.
• Supernatural World – the Witches and their prophecies.
• The dark and stormy weather at the commencement of the play foreshadows terror.
• The reign of King Duncan was prosperous with maintenance of order.  Macbeth’s reign as King had turned Scotland upside down, driving it to chaos and subsequently, to war with England.
• Macbeth’s insecurity drives him to see the Witches, which in turn divert his psychological state.  He feels even more insecure.
• Order is restored when Macbeth is defeated and killed by Macduff.
• The Ghost of Banquo is a sign that Macbeth has disrupted order.
• “O nation miserable!  With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptered, when shalt thou see thy wholesome days again, since that the truest issue of thy throne by his own interdiction stands accursed, and does blaspheme his breed?” (4.3.117-122)
• “I will not be afraid of death and bane, till Birnam Forest come to Dunsinane.” (5.3.68-69)
• “Hail King!  For so thou art: behold where stands the usurper’s cursed head.  The time is free.” (5.8.64-65)

Images of Light and Dark

• Darkness blurs and hides reality, with some underlying danger.
• In light, appearances are deceptive.  Macbeth appears brave and noble by day, but murderous and malevolent by night.
• The Witches are seen at times of darkness, also showing their underlying deception.
• Scotland is in darkness under the reign of Macbeth.
• Lady Macbeth has a candle at night – symbolic of her deeds, because she is afraid that the darkness will haunt her.
• “Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore, Cawdor shall sleep no more.  Macbeth shall sleep no more.” (2.2.52-53)
• “It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul’s flight, if it find heaven, must find it out tonight.” (3.1.155-156)
• “…you secret, black and midnight hags.” (4.1.48)
• “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.” (1.4.57-60)
• “But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine on all deservers.” (1.4.45-48)

Deceptive Appearances

• Macbeth’s character: he is valiant and noble, yet he is evil and murderous.
• The Witches and their premonitions can be deceptive if interpreted incorrectly.
• A person’s real state of mind may/may not be reflected in their outward appearances, and is the centre of conflict.
• Conflict is resolved when characters show their true selves (eg. Malcolm and the English army drop their branches).
• The cost of wearing a false face is demonstrated in Lady Macbeth’s demise.
• “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.” (1.5.71-72)
• “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.” (1.7.91-92)
• “Who’ll dare believe anything else since we shall roar and howl with grief upon his death.” (1.7.86-88)
• “Fair is foul and foul is fair.” (1.1.12)
• “I looked toward Birnam, and anon, methought, the wood began to move.” (5.5.37-38)

Fate vs. Free Will / The Role of Conscience

• Idea: was Macbeth’s downfall in his own hands, or was there an external force in control?
• The Witches and their prophecies are considered the external force.
• Macbeth does reconsider Duncan’s murder.  However, his ambition shifts his mentality.
• Man is free to determine the course of his own life, make his own decisions and choose how to act.  Therefore, we all bear a moral responsibility for our actions.
• The Witches’ prophecies shape the play.
• Macbeth’s conscience at the start of the play is reasonable.  As the play progresses, his conscience drives him to insanity, terror and chaos.
• “I have lived long enough.  My way of life hath fallen into the sear…in their stead, curses, not loud, but deep, mouth-honour, breath, which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not.” (5.3.25-31)
• “This supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good.  If ill, why hath it given me earnest of success, commencing in a truth?” (1.3.140-143)
• “If chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me without my stir.” (1.3.154-155)
• “My thought, whose murder is yet but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man is smothered in surmise, and nothing is but what is not.” (1.3.149-152)
• “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself and falls on the other.” (1.7.25-28)
• “When you durst to do it, you were a man; and to be more than what you were, you would be so much more than the man.” (1.7.54-56)
• Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand…Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?” (2.1.41-47)

The Use and Abuse of Power

• King Duncan had a reign of prosperity, fairness and order.  Macbeth is being trusted by him.
• Lady Macbeth drives Macbeth’s ambition to kill Duncan.
• Macbeth’s reign drives Scotland to chaos.  He kills those that try to expose his avarice (eg. Banquo).
• The premonitions and apparitions of the Witches drive Macbeth to insanity.
• “Your highness’ part is to receive our duties, and your duties are to your throne, state, children and servants…” (1.4.23-25)
• “I have begun to plant thee and will labour to make thee full of growing.” (1.4.28-29)
• “From this moment, the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.” (4.1.161-163)
• “And though I could with bare-faced power sweep him from my sight and bid my will avouch it, yet I must not…but wail his fail who I myself struck down.” (3.1.129-134)

Honour

• Macbeth is honourable at the start of the play.
• Macduff and Malcolm are honourable in saving Scotland.
• Society becomes destructive when honour is absent.
• Honour involves a code of conduct and a set of relationships.  Duncan’s murder was a breach of this.
• Honour depends on good words with good intentions.  Once it is impossible to distinguish between appearance and reality, it is impossible to decide who is honourable.
• “New honours come upon him like our strange garments…” (1.3.143-144)
• “He is full so valiant, and in his commendation, I am fed; and it is a banquet to me.” (1.4.61-63)
• “All is but toys.  Renown and grace is dead, the wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees is left this vault to brag of.” (2.3.102-104)
• “Let us rather hold fast the mortal sword, and like good men, bestride our downfallen birthdom.” (4.3.3-5)

Other Quotes

• “These deeds must not be thought after these ways; so it will make us mad.” (2.2.42-43)
• “We have scorched the snake, not killed it; she’ll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice remains in danger of her former tooth.” (3.2.15-17)
• “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face.  He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust.” (1.4.13-16)
• “Nought’s had, all’s spent, where our desire is got without content.” (3.2.6-7)
• “Laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.” (4.1.86-88)
• “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” (4.1.44-45)

With reference to: Macbeth: A Parallel Text, Shakespeare, Perfection Learning, 2004

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My name is Nicholas Buttigieg, and I will be a Year 11 student in 2010. At the end of the VCE, I am hoping to do a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne, and then continuing onto postgraduate studies. I would also aim for a career in mathematical sciences, matching my extravagantly crazy obsession with the subject.