What different "layers" of text does Shakespeare reveal through his use of setting? Consider dominant discourses of Elizabethan England, augmenting characterization, imagery, tone, theme, etc.
The juxtaposition between the misty, dark, and elusive setting of the three weird sisters with the stately setting of court in the ensuing scene, reveals the nature of the characters. The contrast between settings is comparable to the opposing movements of Romanticism and neoclassicism. The Romantics, like the witches, favor nature, the darkness of night time, and emphasis on hideousness and the emotions, while neoclassicism comprises the cultural value of cities, aesthetic pleasure, revival of art and literature of the ancient Roman and Greek civilizations, and emphasis on rationale. The characters of high society reside in a setting which foils that of the mysterious and otherworldly witches, yet they experience supernatural motivation and passion. Passion, rather than reason, motivates Lady Macbeth as she pleads to the spirits of evil to be “unsex[’d]” (I.iv.42), thus transforming her into a sort of asexual, unnatural being free of feminine bounds of docile nature and sympathetic tendencies. Pride and the desire to prove his masculinity sways Macbeth to adhere to his wife’s desire to purge King Duncan from the throne to make way for Macbeth. The witches also give Macbeth incentive to seize this opportunity to be King as they initiate his vision of a royal destiny, and address him with the prophecy of his becoming King, saying “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis” (I.iii.49)! Perhaps Shakespeare shows through this contrast, that passionate, seemingly barbaric and supernatural nature lies within those of the highest social standing, and the court is, in essence, gilded. The setting appears neoclassic on the outside, but mysterious, evil forces brood underneath and in the hearts of the characters such as Lady Macbeth.
“Ah, good father, Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act, Threatens his bloody stage. By the clock ’tis day, And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp. Is ’t night’s predominance or the day’s shame That darkness does the face of Earth entomb When living light should kiss it?” (II, IV, 4-9)
The ominous atmosphere in the play is one of horror accompanied by a general feeling of tension and fear, as Shakespeare utilizes the setting as a dramatic device. Comparatively, the setting at the end of Act I greatly contrasts the atmosphere found in Act II. The spooky nocturnal setting in the second act seems to be directly correlated to the witches’ prophecy, “fair is foul and foul is fair,” (I, I, 13) as Macbeth outwardly and drastically transforms his character. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plan to assassinate Duncan, the Thane of Cawdor, in his sleep, Banquo and Fleance obtain a sense of disturbance, as something is being concealed while everyone is asleep. As stated in the quote above, Ross explains that the skies seem upset about mankind’s actions as they threaten the Earth with storms. Even though it is daytime according to the clock, the darkness strangles the sun either because the night is so strong or the day is too weak. Also, “some say,/ the earth was feverous and did a shake” (II, III, 62-63) as the appearance of natural disasters represents the disturbance of nature and mankind. Shakespeare exploits the dark atmosphere to conceal the fate and tragedy of Macbeth. After he murders Duncan, he can no longer sleep as the night just magnifies his problems. Macbeth's immediate crowning of king creates an uprising of suspicion for Macbeth, as it is no longer night and there is nothing to cover him from the truth. The darkness has reinforced the sense of evil surrounding Macbeth's intentions.
Shakespeare uses setting as a metaphor for his characters when he parallels the night of King Duncan’s death with Macbeth and his wife’s malicious natures. This comparison allows readers to better grasp Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’ characters, in that both are greedy and power-seeking, because those traits often align themselves with darkness. Shakespeare wrote, “dark night strangles the travelling lamp;/Is’t night’s predominance, or the day’s shame,/That darkness does the face of earth entomb” (II.iv.6-8) to establish not only the setting of King Duncan’s murder, but also to enlighten readers on the evil nature of Macbeth and his wife. By subtly writing the scene with an ominous tone to provide a sense of gloom and despair, Shakespeare effectively shaped his protagonists in a dark manner, which readers could subconsciously pick up. Rather than stating outright how terrible Macbeth and his wife are, Shakespeare instead hinted at the fact, and left the rest up to the reader. Although readers already understood the nature of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth from Act I’s character development, the proof of their described nature becomes apparent when the two act carry out their murder plan, leaving no doubt for readers as to the truth behind the facade Macbeth and his wife show to the world.
Shakespeare establishes the setting for the eventful Act II with a dark night in which little can be discerned. Banquo describes the darkness of his surroundings, “There’s husbandry in heaven; their candles are all out” (II.i.5-7), and as he speaks, he hands a dagger to Fleance. When Banquo distributes the dagger in an environment in which vision is impaired, Macbeth approaches, demanding “Give me my sword,” (I.i.9). Macbeth’s ownership of the dagger exposes the deeper meaning of the dark setting as well as the exchange, and it foreshadows the murderous events of the upcoming scene. The guards handle a sword in the darkness, and the action signifies Macbeth’s reluctant murder of the king out of compliance to his wife’s demands. Macbeth swings his dagger blindly as kills the king to fulfill another person’s wishes, and the weight of his guilt and fear prompts him to say, “Whiles I threat, he lives: Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives” (II.i.60-61).
As Thomas C. Foster explains in How to Read Literature Like a Professor, “it’s more than just rain”. The inclement weather and supernatural events surrounding the murder of Duncan do not occur coincidentally. Shakespeare casts an ominous cloud over the extinction of Scotland’s benign king Duncan in order to shed light on the disastrous immorality of Macbeth’s rise to power. As Lenox observes, “The night has been unruly.../ Lamentings heard i' th' air, strange screams of death,/ And prophesying with accents terrible/ Of dire combustion and confused events/...Some say the Earth Was feverous and did shake” (II.iii.28-36). Before news of Duncan’s death has spread among the castle’s residents, Lenox’s dialogue already foreshadows the death and horror to come with Macbeth’s impending reign. Foster explains the ethical ambiguity associated with fog; the first instance of fog occurred in scene 1 with the witches, and then the night of Duncan’s murder, There’s husbandry in heaven;/ Their candles are all out” (II.i.4-5). The darkness of the night and the resulting inability to see clearly represents Macbeth’s moral confusion. The skies, which “look like they’re upset about what mankind has/ been doing, and they’re threatening the Earth/ with storms” (II.iv.5-7) and the animal’s strange behavior as observed by Ross and the Old Man all serve as overwhelming evidence for the catastrophic effects Macbeth’s actions will have on his victims.
Macbeth shows clear evidence of influence of the background of it's creation. A plethora of possible connections to Shakespeare's reality exist, both clear and direct, and ambiguous. Firstly, Shakespeare employs a huge quantity of biblical allusions and parallels throughout Macbeth. The most dominant is the parallel between Macbteth's interaction with the prophecy and temptation by the Devil in the Bible. In the Bible, the Devil never commits the evil acts himself. He tempts individuals into doing his bidding, just as the witches and their prophecy have tempted Macbeth into treacherous deeds. A converse ambiguous reference resides in the witches greeting to Macbeth. They say "All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!" (I.iii.51). When Judas prepares to meet Jesus before betraying him with a false gift, he greets him similarly, saying "hail, master." The false gift extends the parallel, making it an interesting proposition to think Shakespeare did this intentionally.
Set in medieval Scotland, Shakespeare employs authentic components of Scotland at the time alongside fabricated details in order to create the overall tone of Macbeth. Scene 4, a critical scene of Act III, takes place in the Great Hall of Macbeth’s Palace at a dinner party hosted by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth with several other characters including Ross and Lennox. Medieval Scotland, although not completely civilized to the same extent as today, was considerably tame, which makes Macbeth’s strange actions throughout the duration of the dinner party even more peculiar to his fellow guests. In the beginning of the party, after Macbeth warmly greets his company, saying “You know your own degrees; sit down: at first And last the hearty welcome” (III.iv.1) which sets the tone of the gathering as pleasant and cordial. Furthermore, upon Macbeth meeting with the murderers he ordered to kill Banquo and his son, who report out they successfully killed Banquo, Macbeth is generally pleased although Banquo’s son managed to escape in the confusion of the moment. However, when Macbeth returns back to his guests, he finds his seat taken by the ghost of his old friend Banquo, who only he can see, at which he exclaims, “Which of have done this?” (III.iv.48) and explains how he “dare look on that Which might appall the devil” (III.iv.58). All the while, Lady Macbeth attempts to calm their visitors, startled by the violent outbursts of their newly named King. This dinner scene represents a pivotal turning point in Macbeth’s sanity. Prior to the dinner scene, Macbeth only hallucinated by his lonesome, once imagining a dagger and at times hearing people yelling when no one spoke, but through acknowledging his visit from the dead Banquo in front of people other than just Lady Macbeth and the audience, Macbeth provides an improper and disconcerting look at his true character for the other characters of the play.
Shakespeare utilizes 11th century customs and traditions to emphasize different points in Act 3 of the play. A formal introduction as the new king is presented by a banquet, with all of the lords and nobility also present. Following the traditions of such proper events, Shakespeare utilizes this ceremonial dinner to attack the credibility of Macbeth with the ghost of Banquo appearing. Once Macbeth recognizes who the ghost is, he instantly transforms from a valiant king into a helpless coward, instantly demasculating himself in front of the royal men of the country. Lady Macbeth attempts to try and cover up the bizarre scene, once again overstepping her role as a woman. The formality of the banquet presents a perfect scene for Shakespeare to exploit Macbeth’s character. With the dinner table in virtual chaos, suspicion and skepticism arise, foreshadowing a potential threat to his character in the upcoming future. The contrast between the accepted etiquette of such an event and the antics presented by Macbeth showcase Shakespeare’s unique craft of the play itself.
Shakespeare is able to minimize the setting itself without diminishing its subtle yet vital role in the play. Similar to Samuel Beckett's "Waiting For Godot" the set itself is minimal in nature and does not detract from the focus on the dialogue and emotion of the characters on stage. The importance in this minimalist setting lies in the subtle and dark tone set around the murder of King Duncan. The dimly lite night sky and residence of Macbeth plays to the Shakespearean nature of the play in its appeal to emotion. "All's well./ I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters./ To you they have show'd some truth." (II, I, 19-21) The irony of the dream of sisters and their relation to the witches who lie at the heart of this assassination adds to the dark and foreboding lair that is Macbeth's estate.
Shakespeare uses gender to influence the Macbeth's motives. Even though the setting of the play is in 11th century Scotland, the gender roles seem to be reversed. The women in the play, Lady Macbeth and the witches, rattle their gender expectations (nice, quiet wives) and act as ruthless as men would. Also, the manhood of the male characters is continuously questioned, which results in further mockery. While the men in Macbeth perform the physical violence (killing), the women use manipulation to achieve the outcomes. Therefore, Shakespeare derives the evil from the women. For example, Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth in Act 1 to kill Duncan by mocking his manhood but tries to keep him sane by comparing their hands in the next act. It is ironic that Lady Macbeth has power over Macbeth even though Macbeth lusts for power and complete control - hence why he sends murderers to kill Banquo in Act 3. In Act 3, scene 2 it seems as if Lady Macbeth is coming to her senses. She says “Naught’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” (III.II.6-9), meaning that Macbeth wouldn’t gain anything out of him killing Duncan if he was unhappy with it. He made the decision to kill Duncan but is now worried onto the next thing - Banquo. Lady Macbeth tries to manipulate him once more in this scene, proving the women to be the influence, yet Macbeth is still paranoid. Even though Lady Macbeth’s influence may falter, the witches still have full control over Macbeth’s mind and actions. After Duncan, he plans on killing Banquo and his family showing his desperation of keeping his royal title. Again, the women in this play influence Macbeth in his killings and royal aspirations, breaking the 11th century gender roles and asserting their dominance over the male gender.
The juxtaposition between the misty, dark, and elusive setting of the three weird sisters with the stately setting of court in the ensuing scene, reveals the nature of the characters. The contrast between settings is comparable to the opposing movements of Romanticism and neoclassicism. The Romantics, like the witches, favor nature, the darkness of night time, and emphasis on hideousness and the emotions, while neoclassicism comprises the cultural value of cities, aesthetic pleasure, revival of art and literature of the ancient Roman and Greek civilizations, and emphasis on rationale. The characters of high society reside in a setting which foils that of the mysterious and otherworldly witches, yet they experience supernatural motivation and passion. Passion, rather than reason, motivates Lady Macbeth as she pleads to the spirits of evil to be “unsex[’d]” (I.iv.42), thus transforming her into a sort of asexual, unnatural being free of feminine bounds of docile nature and sympathetic tendencies. Pride and the desire to prove his masculinity sways Macbeth to adhere to his wife’s desire to purge King Duncan from the throne to make way for Macbeth. The witches also give Macbeth incentive to seize this opportunity to be King as they initiate his vision of a royal destiny, and address him with the prophecy of his becoming King, saying “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis” (I.iii.49)! Perhaps Shakespeare shows through this contrast, that passionate, seemingly barbaric and supernatural nature lies within those of the highest social standing, and the court is, in essence, gilded. The setting appears neoclassic on the outside, but mysterious, evil forces brood underneath and in the hearts of the characters such as Lady Macbeth.
ReplyDelete“Ah, good father,
ReplyDeleteThou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act,
Threatens his bloody stage. By the clock ’tis day,
And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp.
Is ’t night’s predominance or the day’s shame
That darkness does the face of Earth entomb
When living light should kiss it?” (II, IV, 4-9)
The ominous atmosphere in the play is one of horror accompanied by a general feeling of tension and fear, as Shakespeare utilizes the setting as a dramatic device. Comparatively, the setting at the end of Act I greatly contrasts the atmosphere found in Act II. The spooky nocturnal setting in the second act seems to be directly correlated to the witches’ prophecy, “fair is foul and foul is fair,” (I, I, 13) as Macbeth outwardly and drastically transforms his character. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plan to assassinate Duncan, the Thane of Cawdor, in his sleep, Banquo and Fleance obtain a sense of disturbance, as something is being concealed while everyone is asleep. As stated in the quote above, Ross explains that the skies seem upset about mankind’s actions as they threaten the Earth with storms. Even though it is daytime according to the clock, the darkness strangles the sun either because the night is so strong or the day is too weak. Also, “some say,/ the earth was feverous and did a shake” (II, III, 62-63) as the appearance of natural disasters represents the disturbance of nature and mankind. Shakespeare exploits the dark atmosphere to conceal the fate and tragedy of Macbeth. After he murders Duncan, he can no longer sleep as the night just magnifies his problems. Macbeth's immediate crowning of king creates an uprising of suspicion for Macbeth, as it is no longer night and there is nothing to cover him from the truth. The darkness has reinforced the sense of evil surrounding Macbeth's intentions.
Shakespeare uses setting as a metaphor for his characters when he parallels the night of King Duncan’s death with Macbeth and his wife’s malicious natures. This comparison allows readers to better grasp Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’ characters, in that both are greedy and power-seeking, because those traits often align themselves with darkness. Shakespeare wrote, “dark night strangles the travelling lamp;/Is’t night’s predominance, or the day’s shame,/That darkness does the face of earth entomb” (II.iv.6-8) to establish not only the setting of King Duncan’s murder, but also to enlighten readers on the evil nature of Macbeth and his wife. By subtly writing the scene with an ominous tone to provide a sense of gloom and despair, Shakespeare effectively shaped his protagonists in a dark manner, which readers could subconsciously pick up. Rather than stating outright how terrible Macbeth and his wife are, Shakespeare instead hinted at the fact, and left the rest up to the reader. Although readers already understood the nature of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth from Act I’s character development, the proof of their described nature becomes apparent when the two act carry out their murder plan, leaving no doubt for readers as to the truth behind the facade Macbeth and his wife show to the world.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare establishes the setting for the eventful Act II with a dark night in which little can be discerned. Banquo describes the darkness of his surroundings, “There’s husbandry in heaven; their candles are all out” (II.i.5-7), and as he speaks, he hands a dagger to Fleance. When Banquo distributes the dagger in an environment in which vision is impaired, Macbeth approaches, demanding “Give me my sword,” (I.i.9). Macbeth’s ownership of the dagger exposes the deeper meaning of the dark setting as well as the exchange, and it foreshadows the murderous events of the upcoming scene. The guards handle a sword in the darkness, and the action signifies Macbeth’s reluctant murder of the king out of compliance to his wife’s demands. Macbeth swings his dagger blindly as kills the king to fulfill another person’s wishes, and the weight of his guilt and fear prompts him to say, “Whiles I threat, he lives: Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives” (II.i.60-61).
ReplyDeleteAs Thomas C. Foster explains in How to Read Literature Like a Professor, “it’s more than just rain”. The inclement weather and supernatural events surrounding the murder of Duncan do not occur coincidentally. Shakespeare casts an ominous cloud over the extinction of Scotland’s benign king Duncan in order to shed light on the disastrous immorality of Macbeth’s rise to power. As Lenox observes, “The night has been unruly.../ Lamentings heard i' th' air, strange screams of death,/ And prophesying with accents terrible/ Of dire combustion and confused events/...Some say the Earth
ReplyDeleteWas feverous and did shake” (II.iii.28-36). Before news of Duncan’s death has spread among the castle’s residents, Lenox’s dialogue already foreshadows the death and horror to come with Macbeth’s impending reign. Foster explains the ethical ambiguity associated with fog; the first instance of fog occurred in scene 1 with the witches, and then the night of Duncan’s murder, There’s husbandry in heaven;/ Their candles are all out” (II.i.4-5). The darkness of the night and the resulting inability to see clearly represents Macbeth’s moral confusion. The skies, which “look like they’re upset about what mankind has/ been doing, and they’re threatening the Earth/ with storms” (II.iv.5-7) and the animal’s strange behavior as observed by Ross and the Old Man all serve as overwhelming evidence for the catastrophic effects Macbeth’s actions will have on his victims.
Macbeth shows clear evidence of influence of the background of it's creation. A plethora of possible connections to Shakespeare's reality exist, both clear and direct, and ambiguous.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, Shakespeare employs a huge quantity of biblical allusions and parallels throughout Macbeth. The most dominant is the parallel between Macbteth's interaction with the prophecy and temptation by the Devil in the Bible. In the Bible, the Devil never commits the evil acts himself. He tempts individuals into doing his bidding, just as the witches and their prophecy have tempted Macbeth into treacherous deeds. A converse ambiguous reference resides in the witches greeting to Macbeth. They say "All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!" (I.iii.51). When Judas prepares to meet Jesus before betraying him with a false gift, he greets him similarly, saying "hail, master." The false gift extends the parallel, making it an interesting proposition to think Shakespeare did this intentionally.
Set in medieval Scotland, Shakespeare employs authentic components of Scotland at the time alongside fabricated details in order to create the overall tone of Macbeth. Scene 4, a critical scene of Act III, takes place in the Great Hall of Macbeth’s Palace at a dinner party hosted by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth with several other characters including Ross and Lennox. Medieval Scotland, although not completely civilized to the same extent as today, was considerably tame, which makes Macbeth’s strange actions throughout the duration of the dinner party even more peculiar to his fellow guests. In the beginning of the party, after Macbeth warmly greets his company, saying “You know your own degrees; sit down: at first And last the hearty welcome” (III.iv.1) which sets the tone of the gathering as pleasant and cordial. Furthermore, upon Macbeth meeting with the murderers he ordered to kill Banquo and his son, who report out they successfully killed Banquo, Macbeth is generally pleased although Banquo’s son managed to escape in the confusion of the moment. However, when Macbeth returns back to his guests, he finds his seat taken by the ghost of his old friend Banquo, who only he can see, at which he exclaims, “Which of have done this?” (III.iv.48) and explains how he “dare look on that Which might appall the devil” (III.iv.58). All the while, Lady Macbeth attempts to calm their visitors, startled by the violent outbursts of their newly named King. This dinner scene represents a pivotal turning point in Macbeth’s sanity. Prior to the dinner scene, Macbeth only hallucinated by his lonesome, once imagining a dagger and at times hearing people yelling when no one spoke, but through acknowledging his visit from the dead Banquo in front of people other than just Lady Macbeth and the audience, Macbeth provides an improper and disconcerting look at his true character for the other characters of the play.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare utilizes 11th century customs and traditions to emphasize different points in Act 3 of the play. A formal introduction as the new king is presented by a banquet, with all of the lords and nobility also present. Following the traditions of such proper events, Shakespeare utilizes this ceremonial dinner to attack the credibility of Macbeth with the ghost of Banquo appearing. Once Macbeth recognizes who the ghost is, he instantly transforms from a valiant king into a helpless coward, instantly demasculating himself in front of the royal men of the country. Lady Macbeth attempts to try and cover up the bizarre scene, once again overstepping her role as a woman. The formality of the banquet presents a perfect scene for Shakespeare to exploit Macbeth’s character. With the dinner table in virtual chaos, suspicion and skepticism arise, foreshadowing a potential threat to his character in the upcoming future. The contrast between the accepted etiquette of such an event and the antics presented by Macbeth showcase Shakespeare’s unique craft of the play itself.
ReplyDeleteAct II
ReplyDeleteShakespeare is able to minimize the setting itself without diminishing its subtle yet vital role in the play. Similar to Samuel Beckett's "Waiting For Godot" the set itself is minimal in nature and does not detract from the focus on the dialogue and emotion of the characters on stage. The importance in this minimalist setting lies in the subtle and dark tone set around the murder of King Duncan. The dimly lite night sky and residence of Macbeth plays to the Shakespearean nature of the play in its appeal to emotion. "All's well./ I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters./ To you they have show'd some truth." (II, I, 19-21) The irony of the dream of sisters and their relation to the witches who lie at the heart of this assassination adds to the dark and foreboding lair that is Macbeth's estate.
ACT 3
ReplyDeleteShakespeare uses gender to influence the Macbeth's motives. Even though the setting of the play is in 11th century Scotland, the gender roles seem to be reversed. The women in the play, Lady Macbeth and the witches, rattle their gender expectations (nice, quiet wives) and act as ruthless as men would. Also, the manhood of the male characters is continuously questioned, which results in further mockery. While the men in Macbeth perform the physical violence (killing), the women use manipulation to achieve the outcomes. Therefore, Shakespeare derives the evil from the women. For example, Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth in Act 1 to kill Duncan by mocking his manhood but tries to keep him sane by comparing their hands in the next act. It is ironic that Lady Macbeth has power over Macbeth even though Macbeth lusts for power and complete control - hence why he sends murderers to kill Banquo in Act 3.
In Act 3, scene 2 it seems as if Lady Macbeth is coming to her senses. She says “Naught’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” (III.II.6-9), meaning that Macbeth wouldn’t gain anything out of him killing Duncan if he was unhappy with it. He made the decision to kill Duncan but is now worried onto the next thing - Banquo. Lady Macbeth tries to manipulate him once more in this scene, proving the women to be the influence, yet Macbeth is still paranoid. Even though Lady Macbeth’s influence may falter, the witches still have full control over Macbeth’s mind and actions. After Duncan, he plans on killing Banquo and his family showing his desperation of keeping his royal title. Again, the women in this play influence Macbeth in his killings and royal aspirations, breaking the 11th century gender roles and asserting their dominance over the male gender.