MR+HyunWoo

=Macbeth Reflection=

Assignment 1: What We Learned in 1.3
__Witches__ The Witches are deformed and seductive; they like to cause trouble. The Witches have the ability to foresee the future--comparable to the Dragon--and seem to favor Macbeth and Banquo.

__Macbeth__ Macbeth, against the much odds, is announced as the next thane of Cawdor as the previous holder deserted Scotland to side with the Norwegians. The Witches seem to know of Macbeth's future.

__Banquo__ According to the Witches, Banquo is "lesser than macbeth, and greater" and "not so happy, yet much happier." He is foretold to not become a king, but instead, have sons who will become rulers.

__Ross__ Ross, a thane of Cawdor, delivers the message regarding Macbeth's rise to title of thane. He appears optimistic of Macbeth's succession to the throne.

__Angus__ Angus is another thane from Cawdor; he comes along with Ross to send the message of Macbeth's ascendence to his position as a Thane.


 * //Outline of Major Plot Events in 1.3//**

- Witches prophesize Macbeth's rise to the throne of Cawdor. - Macbeth and Banquo arrive to learn of the news. - The Witches disappear and thanes from Cawdor--Ross and Angus--come to deliver the foretold news.


 * //Conflict Introduced in 1.3//**

Several conflicts introduced in 1.3 include Macbeth's surprising and sketchy rise to thane-ship. As the witches have not spoken complete blasphemy, Macbeth may be tempted to commit a sin far more malignant than that of his predecessor.

Assignment 2: Lady Macbeth in 1.5 and 1.6

 * //What do we learn about Lady Macbeth in these scenes?//**

Lady Macbeth, on the outside, appears to be "like th'innocent flower" (I, 6, 65). Within, however, she is malicious "serpent" (I, 6, 66). Thus, it comes as no surprise when the Lady contemplates the odds of crowning Macbeth, and herself as the queen, as the king of Scotland. It is apparent that the woman is very power-hungry and as well as quite selfish. She seems to plan to use Macbeth to put herself in power; any signs of her affection towards him look shallow.


 * //How might Lady Macbeth answer the question “What is the meaning of life?” Explain your answer.//**

To a person who craves for power as to willingly violate the very nature of law without hesitation, the purpose of living may just ben as simple as gaining power.


 * //Identify and write out two of Lady Macbeth’s lines that are particularly striking. Explain why you selected the lines.//**

//"Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!" (I, 5, 40-43)//

To go far as to try to change herself into a more malignant being, as stated when she shouts, "fill me from crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!" Lady Macbeth is truly determined to gain power by any means necessary. She seems almost freakish under the true acknowledgement of what her intentions and modes to achieve them are.

//"Leave all the rest to me." (I, 5, 73)//

Unlike the traditional expectations of women during the Victorian era, the characteristics of Lady Macbeth is truly out of the ordinary. Instead of relying on the man--Macbeth--to do the job all by himself while supporting him from within the household, the Lady immediately takes control of the current situation by taking a direct part in the plan to overthrow and replace the current KIng Duncan with Macbeth.


 * //Identify one significant word that Lady Macbeth uses in 1.5 or 1.6, and define both the denotation and connotation of the word. Explain why you think the word is significant.//**

//"Unsex" (I, 5, 41)//

In terms of denotation, the word means to "deprive of gender, sexuality, or the characteristic attributes or qualities of one or other sex." In other words, to unsex, in this case, Lady Macbeth, would literally mean to remove any feminine characteristics of her, which could lead to many understandings, including the severing of the ovaries and other such reproductive organs. In terms of connotation, unsex may refer to how the Lady wants to become more masculine in the sense of the mind, therefore becoming a more legible person in carrying out such heinous of a crime as killing the King of Scotland, although technically that, too, can be effected by the cutting of hormone-producing organs.

Assignment 3: Macbeth's Decision to Kill in 1.7

 * //Why has Macbeth decided to kill King Duncan by the end of Act 1?//**

//"I am settled, and bend up" (I, 7, 80)//

The passage here signifies Macbeth's decision to carry out what must be done, in this case, killing King Duncan. From the passage, it can be attested that he has gotten rid of any previous uncertainties and is now willing to commit the crime. "Away, and mock the time with fairest show. False face must hide what the false heart doth know." (I, 7, 82-83) Again, Macbeth acts clearly according to plant, taking on the flowery mask as did Lady Macbeth to hide their true malevolent intentions.

Assignment 4: Reaction to the Killing of Duncan in Act 2

 * //How does Macbeth react to the killing of Duncan? Why does he react this way?//**

Macbeth is severely guilt-ridden as he recalls that he couldn't even say "Amen" (II, 2, 35) to those whom he murdered in their sleeps. He seems to hallucinate and hears cries of fear and horror--"Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep" (II, 2, 39-40)--all saying that Macbeth is the true murderer. He is afraid as well, as he is "afraid to think what I have done; look on't again I dare not." (II, 2, 54-55) As Macbeth is yet to be determined to face the outright result of his actions and is heavily hit by the sudden wave of irreversibleness of his terrible deed. He is uncertain as to whether what he did was done under a legitimate reason and if the results will recompense for his severing from the ties of the natural order of the universe where one respects and secures the well being of the king.


 * //How does Lady Macbeth react to the killing of Duncan? Why does she react this way?//**

Lady Macbeth, in comparison to her husband, Macbeth, is hardly affected by King Duncan's assassination. She reproaches Macbeth for his troubled conscience and shaky will and carries out the plan with an uncanny indifference: "Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead are but as pictures." (II, 2, 56-58) She reacts so as, as of now, her sole goal is to gain power, and she is strongly determined to gain it by any means necessary--even going far as to killing the very King of Scotland. To ensure that her partner in crime acts in a sensible manner so that the crime is not leaked into the ears of others, Lady Macbeth acts as a constant reassurer that the killing of Duncan was an inevitable event that was already foretold in the prophesy of the Witches.

Assignment 5: Scenes 3.5 and 3.6

 * //One Sentence Summary of 3.5//**

Hecate, who is angered by the three Witches insolence, comes up with a plan to set illusions upon the brash Macbeth and lay down his true worth in stone.


 * //One Sentence Summary of 3.6//**

Lennox, while talking to another Lord, realizes that Macbeth was the true murder behind all the killings; Macbeth prepares an army in response to Macduff's refusal to accept any peace negotiations.


 * //In 3.6, what suspicions does the Lord have about Macbeth?//**

In 3.6, the Lord begins to suspect that Macbeth may have to do more with the murder of Duncan than previously thought as his attitude towards Macduff is questionably hostile.

//**What does Macbeth want in 4.1?**//

In Act 4 Scene 1, Macbeth wants to hear further more of the phrophesy of the Witches and Hectate.

//**What stands in his way?**//

As said by the first apparition, Macduff, the Thane of Fife, is a threat to Macbeth's throne.

//**How does Macbeth attempt to overcome the obstacles in his way?**//

Macbeth attempts to overcome the obstacle, Macduff, by deciding to murder Macduff's wife and son.

//**What do the witches want in this scene?**//

Ordered by Hectate, the Witches attempt to balance out their previous foretellings by informing Macbeth with true, yet ambiguous, phrophesies.

Assignment 6: Macbeth's Transformation by the End of the Play
//**How has Macbeth transformed by the end of the play?**//

//"Go prick they face and over-red thy fear, thou lily-livered boy. What soldiers, patch? Death of thy soul! Those linene cheeks of thine are counselors to fear. What soldiers, whey-face?// (V, 3, 14-17)

After hearing the phrophesy made by the three Witches under the supervision of Hectate, Macbeth become arrogant as ever. Because he believes that no one born from a woman can harm him, Macbeth, erroneously, concludes that he is invincible. When the English soldiers arrive in Dunsinane to overthrow the tyranny that Macbeth imposed through his reign as the King of Scotland, Macbeth is not the least bothered by the news. He even ridicules the servant that brings the news to him, calling the boy "lily-livered", while a sane person would have been immediately struck by fear and the sense of impending doom.

//"She should have died hereafter; there would have been a time for such a word." (V, 5, 17-18)//

Before Macbeth finally vowed to kill King Duncan, Lady Macbeth was the far sinister and indifferent character. However, as time grew on, Macbeth's ambition for power eventually eroded down his inner conscience and goodness. In this passage, Macbeth is clearly a inhumane, heartless king who does not even flinch at the news of his wife's death. Macbeth even goes far as to say that such was to eventually happen sometime in the future, dismissing the news as if it was nothing.

Assignment 7: Final Recaps

 * //What is the main idea of the story?//**

There are many ways to interpret what the main idea of Macbeth is. One of them is the ambition for power. The key component which turns Macbeth from a thane to the very murder of his own king is his desire for power. There are catalysts to his fall, including Lady Macbeth, who urges him to make a decision on whether to murder King Duncan or not, and the Witches, who, by telling Macbeth's future of becoming the King of Scotland, force him into the confines of a self-fulfilling prophesy.


 * //What can we learn from these characters? Select one or two characters and explain your answer.//**

Like any other story, we, readers, can learn many things from these characters. From Macbeth, we learn that power corrupts and, more comprehensively, that we are the choices we make. From a character like Macduff, we learn, as well, that blood is reciprocated by more blood in the form of revenge, which can also be interpreted as justice.


 * //Do you see recurring images, words, deeds, situations, consequences, mistakes? Select two items from the preceding list and give examples from the play.//**

Recurring deeds and consequent mistakes include murder and trickery. In terms of murder, blood is abundant in Macbeth; the key plot is marked by deceitful assassination and outright executions. Macbeth murder King Duncan, various guardsmen, Banquo, Macduff's wife and son, and many more victims who did so much as to deserve such a heinous end. Closely tied is also trickery and misconception. King Duncan is portrayed as a innocent king who has never set foot on the downfall to corruption; he is easily fooled by Macbeth's and his lady's "false face". The Witches speak to Macbeth about his near future in ambiguous terms, mentioning that "none of woman born shall harm Macbeth" (IV, 1, 80-81) and "Macbeth shall never vanquished be until great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him." (IV, 1, 92-94) The Witches told Macbeth so on order from Hectate, who sought to bring Macbeth to his doom through his own pompousness.