Carefully read the following excerpt from the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how Shakespeare characterizes Macbeththrough the use of various literary techniques, and extrapolate to infer the role this might play in a plotline.
She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
|
Shakespeare, being one of the greatest writers of all time, fully understood how to burden every word he wrote with a profound purpose. In the passage above Shakespeare uses a variety of literary techniques to not only portray a theme of darkness and lack of purpose, but also to characterize, Macbeth, the main character. Furthermore, this short excerpt plays a role in the overall message Shakespeare succeeded at conveying as an overriding theme.
ReplyDeleteDiction proves to be essential to this excerpt. Shakespeare's use of words with dark connotations give readers a lack of sense of hope and portrays the futility of life as it "Creeps in this petty pace"(4). The use of conflicting phrases such as "lighted fools" (6) also plays into the idea of the meaninglessness of life, expressing the idea that everything in life ultimately cancels each other out leaving nothingness, "signifying nothing"(12). Further embedded into the short oxymoronic phrases, the dreary diction creates the overwhelming sense of depression. Beginning the excerpt with "She should have died hereafter" (1) only further ingrains the lack of respect or enjoyment of life. All these aspects of the excerpt create a characterization of Macbeth and nicely sums up his underlying thoughts. Clearly neglectful of the importance of life, Macbeth expresses his belief that life is short and meaningless and death is a "dusty" fate or rather an overdue fate.
Short term this passage helps in creating Macbeth's complete character. Long term though, this passage portrays not Macbeth's thoughts, but Shakespeares negative views on life and death. This is obvious because although this passage fits into the play seamlessly it can also be cut out and still hold a profound meaning to any reader.
Shakespeare fully portrayed is use of diction in this dark and dreary passage. While characterizing Macbeth he also relays his views on the ultimate meaning of life and does so in a way which can be enjoyed as part of an entire play or a single excerpt.
Serving as the beginning and the end of all things, the contrast of life and death is a prominent theme in literature. Macbeth, a tragic play written by Shakespeare in 1606 exemplifies the theme of life and its abrupt and untimely ending. After the sudden death of Lady Macbeth, her husband, the tyrannical King of Scotland, delivers a brief monologue in which he reveals his own character through his reaction to his wife’s death. Macbeth’s apparent lack of grief for the person who was his lover in life allows the reader insight on his insecurities as he speaks not to the woman Lady Macbeth was but to the existence of life and consequently.
ReplyDeleteDespite the demise of the Queen, Macbeth focuses nearly entirely on the dwindling value of which he holds life. In fact, only the first two lines speak to the death of Lady Macbeth specifically. Macbeth briefly grieves, “She should have died hereafter/There would have been a time for such a word” (Shakespeare l.1-2). Rather than mourn the loss of his wife, Macbeth broadens the monologue to include his fears of “To-morrow, to-morrow, and to-morrow” which “Creeps in this pretty place from day to day” (Shakespeare l.3-4). The carefully chosen diction carries the monologue away from the death of the Queen and toward the paranoid and self-centered Macbeth.
Aware and fearful of the passing time, Macbeth introduces the idea of life through the use of metaphors. The most influential literary technique Shakespeare utilizes in the passage is the metaphor in which, through Macbeth, he describes life as “a poor player” and shapes it so it is one “that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more” (Shakespeare l.8-9). Personified as a mere shadow who exists and then ceases to exist, the hypocritical insignificance Macbeth places on life reveals the inner turmoil he experiences. In his effort to down play the imminent threat of his own death, he mocks life in spite of his insecurities.
Shakespeare’s use of literary techniques crafts the theme of the text through the juxtaposition and emphasis of life and death in the passage. Macbeth’s shift from the death of his wife to his own views of life, signify his paranoia of death and loss of power. He closes the passage with the lines, “And then is heard no more: it is a tale/Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,/Signifying nothing” (Shakespeare l.10-12). The passage characterizes Macbeth through its inherent narcissism and self-centered paranoia in place of grief. The resolution in Macbeth’s frantic tone concludes that life is worthless and death is inescapable.
The individual is near irreverent to the collective. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, this idea of insignificance has a strong presence. Through the use of metaphor, and humbling diction, Shakespeare characterizes Macbeth as a hopeless being. This hopelessness allows for the interpretation that Macbeth will fall. His lack of pride and confidence conveys helps convey his theme of the insignificance of the individual.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare uses metaphor as a form of exaggeration, so that Macbeth is not only characterized as doubtful and hopeless, but to establish the feeling of failure and insignificance. In line eight Macbeth states, "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player," (Shakespeare, 8). The walking shadow representative of a darkness that follows humanity. Such a representation is proof of Macbeth's lack of hope and pride, it also foreshadows that darkness will follow Macbeth throughout the play.
A lack of confidence is present not only through metaphor, but the diction Shakespeare chooses to exemplify Macbeth's persona. As Macbeth continues to share his philosophy he states, "That struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,signifying nothing," (Shakespeare, 9-12). Referring to all of humanity, Macbeth that life is lived through "idiots" and that there presence, "signifies nothing". Statements such as these lead the audience to believe that Macbeth is not only has a negative outlook on his existence, but that he is foreshadowing his downfall as he "signifies nothing".
Through his use of diction and metaphor, Shakespeare characterize Macbeth in the sense that he is sure to fail. With a lack of hope and confidence, Macbeth empresses his dark philosophy on the insignificance of the individual. It is apparent that Macbeth will face adversity which may lead to his downfall .
for some reason it messes up my indentation that i had, sorry.
DeleteWELCOME TO CINEMATHEQUE QUINONES! “People don't read any more. It's a sad state of affairs. Reading's the only thing that allows you to use your imagination. When you watch films it's someone else's vision, isn't it?" ― Lemmy Kilmister... So...what kind of aesthetic or intellectual value can we get from Hollywood Mainstreamers? A lot, says critic Peter Quinones, not accepting that high art in films can only come from the Indies or the Art House.
ReplyDeletehttp://postmoderndeconstructionmadhouse.blogspot.com/2014/06/macbeth-bbc-1987.html#.U6L_LpRdXxA