Manhood

1. Manhood The state of being a man, having qualities like courage, resolution etc. The true qualities of being a man. In the play everyone challenges each others manhood to motivate them to do something Macbeth challenges murderers with the same tactic his wife had with him – challenging their manhood Lady Macbeth challenges Macbeth’s manhood when he decides not to kill Duncan “What beast was't, then,  That made you break this enterprise to me?    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.” Lady Macbeth also makes remarks about being turned into a man –because she thinks her femininity makes her weak she is too kind and gentle she needs her kindness to be taken away so she can plan the murder and make Macbeth kill king Duncan “Under my battlements. Come, you spirits    That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,    And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full” -   If the spirits "unsex" her, she won't be bothered by a woman's kindness or remorse. She will be a cruel killer, like a man. “Bring forth men-children only;  For thy undaunted mettle should compose”- After Lady Macbeth has talked her husband into committing to the plan to murder King Duncan, Macbeth praises her manly spirit.

2. Fate and Free Will Fate = destiny Free will = choices you make in your life Fate = what Macbeth was told and the idea that he had a choice Freewill= Macbeth in a sense chose to follow his fate/make it happen (Macbeth) “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown meWithout my stir.” - Macbeth reveals that he understands that a prophecy should come to pass without any conscious action from the receiver of the prophecy. Fate wasn’t decided, it was only a path given. Macbeth chose what would happen. (Macbeth) “ The Prince of Cumberland: that is a step on which I must Fall down, or elseo’erleap” – This is showing that Macbeth says that he will either be given the title or King or MAKE it his = either way it will be his. Macbeth realizes he must get more power. He’s not satisfied with just being the Thane.

4. Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely • Macbeth holds total control over Scotland and abuses his ability to rule • Macbeth learns he will be king, he is excited at the thought of all the luxuries that would be offered to him, this false sense of pride causes Macbeth to remove any obstacles that might impede his journey to greatness, as a result, Macbeth becomes more and more consumed by the idea of having great power • As soon as the thought of achieving greatness dominates Macbeth’s mind, he puts this road to glory ahead of even his own family, in order to achieve that goal, he goes to great lengths, killing innocent people all because of his lust for dominance (Macduff) “Bleed, bleed, poor country. Great Tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure” – the significance of this quote is that Scotland, under the rule of Macbeth is bleeding. This shows that Macbeth is a tyrant who is unfit to rule. (Macbeth) “I am in blood Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er.” – here Macbeth uses a metaphor to compare his choices to a traveller fording a river. The river represents evil, and Macbeth argues that he has waded halfway across the river, and so it is just as easy to continue on this evil path as to retrace his steps and try to return to normalcy.

5. Lady Macbeth has control over her husband and emotionally blackmails him into doing what she wants, because she wants to be Queen. (Lady Macbeth)“I would, while it was a smiling face,  Have pluck'd my nipple out, from his boneless gums  And dash'd the brains out, had I sworn  As you have done to this.” …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” “…look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it“

6. Crime Doesn’t Pay • What goes around, comes around – no matter how much you gain from committing a crime you’ll have to pay for your deeds. • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth commit one of the most heinous crimes imaginable, they plan and kill the King of Scotland (it was the greatest crime because the king was appointed by God – rebellion against the King was rebellion against God) • Because of their crime, they feel great guilt and it eventually breaks them down. (Doctor) “unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles” – Unnatural acts will cause supernatural things to happen. People with guilty and deranged minds will confess their secrets to their pillows as they sleep. • (Macbeth) “Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” • (Lady Macbeth)“Here the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” • (Lady Macbeth) 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?

7. Guilt • The feeling of regret • Lady Macbeth suffers greatly because of the guilt she feels after the killing of Duncan. She originally thought that it was going to be a simple deed. (Lady Macbeth) Nought's had, all's spent,       Where our desire is got without content; 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy        Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. - Lady Macbeth finds that getting what you want doesn't bring peace. (Lady Macbeth) 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? - Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene, memories of the night of the murder tumble out and the guilt she feels. • Eventually the guilt drives Lady Macbeth to suicide. • Macbeth also suffers from guilt • A number of times in Macbeth, Macbeth sees or hears strange things: the floating dagger, the voice that says he’s murdering sleep, and Banquo’s ghost.All these symbols for the guilt Macbeth feels for – Murdering Duncan and Banquo.

8. * Both the Dagger and Banquo’s ghost are hallucinations which are reoccurring motifs of guiltBLOOD - (Macbeth)"With all great Neptune's ocean wash this bloodClean from my hand? No; this my hand will ratherThe multitudinous seas incarnadine,Making the green one red.“ - This means that he feels extremely guilty, and does not believe that he will ever be able to overcome it. Not even Neptune, the god of the sea, could wash all of the blood away. In fact, it would turn the ocean red with blood. (Macbeth)"Of all men else I have avoided thee. But get thee back! My soul is too much charged With blood of thine already.“ -Macbeth didn't want to shed anymore blood (kill people) than he already has and because more bloodshed is more guilt SLEEP – (Macbeth) “MethoughtI heard a voice cry "Sleep no more!  Macbeth does murder sleep," the innocent sleep,  Sleep that knits up the ravell'dsleave of care,  The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,  Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,  Chief nourisher in life's feast”— Macbeth fears that he will never sleep again

9. Order verses Disorder The upsetting of nature as a result of upsetting the natural order of society. Macbeth = disorder = Disorder is caused when Macbeth kills Duncan(Ross) “By the Clock tis day/And Yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp” – nature already turning on itself after the murder of Duncan ( Lennox) "Some say the earth Was feverish and did shake.” – This foreshadows the disorder to come in Macbeths reign as King (Old Man) 'Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last, A falcon, tow'ring in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed. – here unnatural things are occurring, nature in now in DISORDER. • There is also a comparison between the King of Scotland (Macbeth) and King of England (Edward)

10. Order is restored when Macbeth is killed and the “rightful” king, Malcolm is crowned. (Malcolm) “That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace, We will perform in measure, time, and place. So, thanks to all at once and to each one, Whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone.”

11. Corrupting Power of Ambition • Ambition is Macbeth’s tragic flaw – the flaw which leads to his downfall. • Macbeth, a good general and, by all accounts before the action of the play, a good man, allows his ambition of power and advancement to overwhelm him and he becomes a murdering, paranoid maniac. • Macbeth’s Ambition destroys himself, his wife and Scotland(Macbeth ) “I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on th' other.” – he only had ambition • Lady Macbeth’s ambition for Macbeth destroys herself and him(Lady Macbeth) “Naught’s had, all’s spent, Where our desire is got without content. 'Tissafer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.”(3:2) – • Banquo also has ambition for his descendants which causes sleeplessness; he suspects Macbeth of killing Duncan but doesn’t want to say anything because of the prophecy “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.” (3:1)

12. Equivocation: Reality vs Appearance • Nothing is what it seems. (Banquo) “But ’tis strange. And 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.” (1:3) • Much of the play deals with equivocation; • the prophecies of the witches seldom aligns with reality. • Macbeth appears to be a loyal thane, but secretly plans the death of Duncan (Lady Macbeth) “look like the innocent flower,  But be the serpent under't.” (1:5) • Lady Macbeth looks like a gentlewoman, but had been ‘unsexed’ and swears herself bloody deeds

13. Good verse Evil • Macbeth vs FateIn the beginning Macbeth was good, but when he learnt about his fate, he started to go evil (ambition) • King Edward vs MacbethOne was a healer and good for his country and the other was the opposite.(Malcolm) “I grant him bloody,Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin” (4:3) • Lady Macbeth vs Lady MacduffLady M has the reoccurring image of child abuse and wanting to be more manly so that she can be cruel. Lady Macduff is the opposite of that, loving and feminine. • In the end good eventually wins out over evil.