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Shakespeare uses short and “headless” lines to suggest the supernatural

Shakespeare uses short and “headless” lines to suggest the supernatural. ] When shall we three meet a gain ? In thun der, light ning, or in rain ?. An example of line continuation between two witches. First witch: Where the place ? Second witch: U pon the heath.

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Shakespeare uses short and “headless” lines to suggest the supernatural

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  1. Shakespeare uses short and “headless” lines to suggest the supernatural • ] When shall we three meet again? • In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

  2. An example of line continuation between two witches • First witch: Where the place? • Second witch: Upon the heath.

  3. Malcolm: Say to the King the knowledge of the broilAs thou didst leave it.Captain: Doubtful [pause] it stood,As two spent swimmers that do cling togetherAnd choke their art. The captain continues Malcolm’s verse line. He misses a syllable, perhaps for breath. Then he adds a metaphor, suggesting the speech was rehearsed

  4. Irony and ambiguity:Ross • 1.2: He reports how Macbeth defeated the Thane of Cawdor and Sweno, the king of Norway. • This repeats what the Captain has said. • Is Ross Macbeth’s agent? • Polanski makes him the “third murderer”

  5. 1.3: More adventurers of the first witch • A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap, • And munched, and munched, and munched. “Give me,” quoth I. • Outlandish revenge for small insults typical of incompetent witches. • Not in Polanski

  6. 1.3: More adventurers of the first witch • “Aroint thee, witch!” the rump-fed runnion cries. • Her husband’s to Aleppo gone, master o’th’ Tiger. • The second line does not scan: essentially prose, as the witch turns to short, happy verse as she plans her revenge: • But in a sieve I’ll thither sail, • And like a rat without a tail • I’ll do, I’ll do, I’ll do.

  7. 1.3: More adventurers of the first witch • limited powers • the witch cannot kill • Control of the weather Second witch: I’ll give thee a wind. . . . First witch: Though his bark cannot be lost, Yet it shall be tempest tossed.

  8. Dramatic Irony • We know what characters don’t. • Suggests supernatural control (god-like author mimicked by witches, hence Polanski’s reading) • 1.3.38: Macbeth: • So foul and fair a day I have not seen

  9. Clothing and baby images • Macbeth (1.3.108): The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me in borrowed robes? (prose) • Macbeth (1.3.108): [Aside to Banquo]: Do you not hope your children shall be kings?

  10. Moral clarity • Contrast Hamlet • Compare to theme of doubleness Banquo (1.3.121): And oftentimes to win us to our harm The instruments of darkness tell us truths.

  11. Time (tomorrow and tomorrow) • Macbeth struggles with predestination, restlessness. • Ignores Banquo’s garment image and completes either Banquo’s verse line or his own! (1.3.145-149) If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me Without my stir. Banquo: New honors come upon him Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold But with the aid of use. Macbeth [aside]: Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.

  12. Double dealing Duncan: There’s no art To find the mind’s construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust. (1.4.11-12) Lady Macbeth: Your face, my thane, is as a book where men May read strange matters. (1.5.62) (true? Or hallucination?)

  13. Political turmoil • King Duff • In 968, he fell sick. People suspected sorcery. • Duff puts down a rebellion, but when he refused to pardon Donald’s friends, Donald killed him at home and slays the groom. • Story elements: • Invasion, witchcraft, pushy wife, murder of king at home, killing of grooms, portents:

  14. First soliloquy • Recall key to giving soliloquies in Playing Shakespeare • What “suggestion” makes Macbeth’s hair stand on end? (1.3.135) • Why are “presents fears” less than “horrible imaginings” (138-39) • Why does Polanski omit it?

  15. 1.3: Action • As we can see from the thoughts of murdering Duncan that terrify Macbeth, he lies to Banquo about wanting to “speak / Our hearts freely to each other.” • Why is this lie an example of irony?

  16. Polanski’s added violence • Lynchings after the opening battle • Death of the Thane of Cawdor (1.4.2) • Is Malcolm’s report believable, that he asked pardon and died well, casting away his life like “a careless trifle”?

  17. Post hoc ergo propter hoc • Macbeth: “They met me in the day of success; and I have learned by perfect’st report they have more in them than mortal knowledge.” (1.5.1) • What report? • Why should he tell Lady Macbeth?

  18. Trope of insufficiency, like speechlessness, a warning sign in Shakespeare • Duncan says he cannot pay Macbeth what he owes(1.4.20)

  19. The set up for irony • Macbeth tells Duncan he will “make joyful / The hearing of my wife with your approach” 1.4.45 • Lady Macbeth says “The raven himself is hoarse / That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan / Under my battlements” (1.5.38-41) • And Duncan: “This castle hath a pleasant seat. The air / Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself / Unto our gentle senses” (1.6.1-3)

  20. Word echoes: characters hear each other and remember • Lady Macbeth: And when goes hence? • Macbeth: Tomorrow, as he purposes. • Lady Macbeth: Oh, never / Shall sun that morrow see! • Compare “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow”

  21. Highly charged language If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well It were done quickly. If th’assassination Could trammel up the consequence, and catch With his surcease success . . . . (1.7.2-4)

  22. Reasons for not killing Duncan: • Bad precedent (“teach bloody instruction”) • Double trust of guest and kinsman • Virtues and popularity of king • No “spur”

  23. Film technique:“If it were done” • Use multiple shots • Move through space • Find visual equivalents for word images: • Musicians • Dinner and toast • Singing Fleance • Wind and lamps • Storm and horses • Castle in distance

  24. Dinner = hospitality (trust as guest)

  25. Thunder prelude to music

  26. Musicians

  27. Boy singing • “Equivocal love song, a warning • Young boy as prophet, cf. 4.1. • Ross in control • Dinner = Harmony; communion, • Lady Macbeth flirts

  28. Back to head shot

  29. Stormy night • Horses = passions of Macbeth’s soul • Visual equivalent for Lennox’s description of the night (2.3.55 ff.)

  30. Macbeth alone • Follows text: “left the chamber” • Rain • Head shot = mental cogitation

  31. Mixed metaphor • Lady Macbeth: Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself? (1.7.37) • Is this part of Lady M’s character?

  32. Mixed metaphor • Lady Macbeth: If he do bleed, / I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal, / For it must seem their guilt (2.2.62) • Is this part of Lady M’s character?

  33. Lady Macbeth’s arguments for murder • Don’t be drunk or sleepy • Show you love me • Banish fear • “ornament of life” • Don’t be a coward • Be a man, not a beast.

  34. Be a man

  35. Lennox? Motivation?

  36. 1.7: Action • “Away, and mock the time with fairest show. • False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”

  37. Moral moment (2.1.27)

  38. 2.1.36

  39. Multisyllables v. Monosyllables 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.

  40. Dramatic irony • “A little water clears us of this deed” (2.2.72)

  41. Porter (2.3)

  42. Faint? (2.3.90 and 120) • His silver skin laced with his golden blood . . . • . . . Who could refrain • That had a heart to love, and in that heart • Courage to make’s love known?

  43. Macbeth in Holinshed’s Chronicle • Banquo is a rough tax collector who forces Macdonwald to rebellion. • Macbeth urges faint Duncan to battle, kills Macdonwald and followers, starting a dead grudge by islanders, who get help from Sweno of Norway. • Macbeth meets 3 witches

  44. Macbeth in Holinshed’s Chronicle • Macbeth kills Duncan, puts down nobles, reforms thieves • 10 years just reign • After he kills Banquo, nothing goes right • Builds castle of Dunsinane to oppress nobles: Macduff fails to appear • Kills Macduff’s wife at Fife • Trusts witches’ prophecies

  45. Character • Hallucinations and soliloquies seem to take us into the minds of Macbeth and Lady Madbeth (p. 769)

  46. Why does Macbeth kill Duncan? • Witches • Lady Macbeth • Ambition • Self-persuasion • Strange attraction to beauty of death and language

  47. Lady Macbeth’s ethos • Ruthless • Gender envy, father lover • How many children does she have? • Is she tragic?

  48. The pusher

  49. Tragedy • Macbeth’s sense of right v. ambition (p. 767) • “Monster” with “poetic spirit” • Polanski: meaninglessness of life (and society) after WWII, nuclear age • Macbird during Vietnam • Today? • Reaction to Gunpowder plot = double rebellion in play = 9/11 and/or WMD • If good quality creates disaster…

  50. Act one actions • 1.1: The witches unify. • 1.2: Duncan rewards Macbeth. • 1.3: Macbeth equivocates with Banquo • 1.4: Macbeth equivocates with Duncan • 1.5: Macbeth equivocates with Lady Macbeth • 1.6: Charmed by her welcome, Duncan asks for Lady Macbeth’s hand. • 1.7: Macbeth equivocates with his own features.

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