Literary Techniques in Shakespeare's Macbeth

1368 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Shakespeare language techniques

Literary Techniques in Shakespeare's Macbeth Without literary techniques most literature would be colorless. Therefore these techniques are very crucial in producing successful writing. Not only do they create interest, they also help in development of characters, this is especially depicted in the Shakespearean play, Macbeth. The characters developed from the different literary techniques such as irony, paradox, and imagery assist in conveying the many themes throughout the play. In this play different types of irony help in the development of characters, and as a result convey the themes of the play. First, Macbeth invites Banquo to his feast, ?Fail not our feast,? says Macbeth, ?My lord I will not,? replies Banquo ( , , 29-30 ). This is an illustration of dramatic irony because it is known before this quote that Macbeth is planning to murder Banquo and that he will not be alive to attend the great feast. Consequently this quote depicts a lot about Macbeth?s character because is shows that he is very conniving and heartless due to the fact that he wants to murder one of his only friends, and his innocent son. This also follows the theme of appearance versus reality in the play. When saying this Macbeth seems to be genuine and sincere, but in reality the audience/reader know are already aware of his evil and vicious plans. Lady Macbeth speaks another example of irony, as she talks of her account with Duncan: ?Had he not resembled my father I had done?t.?( , . 13-14) This is an example of thematic irony, because shortly before Lady Macbeth seems be very strong and determined but when she comes face to face with the deed she is unable to do it. This shows that Lady Macbeth is not as sinister as she se... ... middle of paper ... ... help create the characters personalities and by doing this aid in the production of the themes. All in all Shakespeare?s Macbeth, accurately uses the literary techniques of irony, which show that things aren?t always what they seem; paradox which depict that sometimes things should be reexamined to find out the real or other then literal meaning of what is being said, and imagery which illustrates that putting images in peoples minds is one of the best ways to convey a message. Together these techniques develop the characters and themes in the play. There are many lessons to be learnt in this play, when comprehended correctly they can help one unravel some of man?s modern day difficulties in life. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. A New Variorum Edition: Macbeth. Ed. Horace Howard Furness. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1915.

Show More
Related

  • 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Research Paper

    1475 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 1906 San Francisco earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes in the United States. Even though it only lasted less than a minute, the damages and aftermath of the earthquake were disastrous. These damages were not just from the earthquake, but also from other hazards that occurred because of it. It also had a huge effect on the people living in San Francisco. Many people, the government, and other countries helped the city of San Francisco with relief goods like food and clothing. The city used up their resources in order to rebuild the city and spent a lot of money. This earthquake also started a scientific revolution about earthquakes and its effects.

    Read More

  • Significance Of The San Francisco Earthquake Of 1906

    1003 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the worst natural disasters in United States history to this date occurred almost 109 years ago. On April 18, 1906 at 5:15am in San Francisco, California, the earthquake of San Francisco occurred hitting between 7.9 and 8.3M on the Richter scale. The San Andreas Fault, which is about 600 miles long, running from the Gulf of California to Cape Mendocino and is an active strike-slip fault, cut through the continental lithosphere to cause the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. An earthquake is a trembling or shaking of the ground produced by movements along a fault (Strahler, 2012). After the tension is released at a critical point, the fault or tectonic plate slips and relieves the strain and creates the seismic waves, which radiates out in all directions causing the shaking of the surface.

    Read More

  • The Impact Of The San Francisco Earthquake Of 1906

    923 Words  | 2 Pages

    The science of the natural disaster has baffled many, but from studying the San Francisco earthquake, scientists have made a number of important discoveries and they have a better understanding of earthquakes. At 5:12 on a fateful April morning in 1906, the mammoth Pacific and North American plates sheared at an incredible twenty-one feet along the San Andreas fault, surpassing the annual average of two inches (“San Francisco Earthquake of 1906”)(“The Great 1906 Earthquake and Fires”). The shearing caused a loud rumble in the Californian city of San Francisco. A few seconds later, the destructive earthquake occurred. The ground shifted at almost five feet per second, and the shaking could be felt all the way from southern Oregon to southern Los Angeles to central Nevada (“Quick”)(“The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake”). Moreover, the earthquake could be recorded on a seismograph in Capetown, South Africa, an astounding 10,236 miles away from San Francisco (“San Francisco ea...

    Read More

  • Macbeth Literary Analysis

    822 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth rejects conformation to traditional gender roles in its portrayal of Lady Macbeth’s relationship with her husband, her morals and their effect on her actions, and her hunger for power. Her regard for Macbeth is one of low respect and beratement, an uncommon and most likely socially unacceptable attitude for a wife to have towards her spouse at the time. She often ignores morality and acts for the benefit of her husband, and subsequently herself. She is also very power-hungry and lets nothing stand in the way of her success. Lady Macbeth was a character which challenged expectations of women and feminism when it was written in the seventeenth century.

    Read More

  • The San Francisco Earthquake Of 1906

    986 Words  | 2 Pages

    From studying the science behind the San Francisco earthquake, scientists have made a number of important discoveries involving how earthquakes function. At 5:12 on a fateful April morning in 1906, the mammoth Pacific and North American plates sheared each other at an incredible twenty-one feet along the San Andreas fault, surpassing the annual average of two inches (“San Francisco Earthquake of 1906”) (“The Great 1906 Earthquake and Fires”). A few seconds later, the destructive earthquake occurred. The ground shifted at almost five feet per second, and the shaking could be felt all the way from southern Oregon to southern Los Angeles to central Nevada (“Quick”) (“The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake”). In fact, the earthquake could be registered in a seismograph on Capetown, South Africa, an astounding 10,236 miles away...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Macbeth

    739 Words  | 2 Pages

    `Act 1- The three weird witches meet and they are planning on when they are going to meet again to talk to Macbeth. In the next scene King Duncan talks to the injured captain about the battle against the invaders, who are under the command of Macdonwald. The captain tell King Duncan how he saved Malcolm and Macbeth was very violent and fought with great force. Then the Captain is taken away by the servants then Ross enters and he tells Duncan that Cawdor has been beaten and the Norway army retreated. Then King Duncan comes to the decision to kill Cawdor and then Macbeth will "become Cawdor". Then Duncan sends out Ross to go tell Macbeth about what had happened at this time. In scene three the witches approach Banquo and Macbeth when they were on their way to Forres. The witches inform Macbeth and Banquo about what had happened in the kings court and they tell him he is the Thane of Cawdor and Glamis and that Macbeth will eventually become king. Then Banquo is told riddles that his children will be royal and he will not. After the witches disappear then Ross and Angus come up to them and Ross informs Macbeth the news which he just heard. Then Macbeth contemplates whether he will have to spill blood to become king, then when he is done they all continue to Forres. Then Duncan finds out that Cawdor dies because his son killed him. Then Ross, Angus, Banquo and Macbeth arrive. Then Malcolm becomes the heir to Duncans throne and Macbeth has Duncan dine at his castle that night so he rides to tell his wife. When Macbeth gets home he tells his wife the news and she starts to plot the murder of Duncan and Macbeth fallows. Then Duncan and the Scottish lords arrive and they are tak...

    Read More

  • Macbeth: The Corrupting Power of Ambition

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare is very successful with conveying this theme throughout the story by using literary devices like foreshadowing and apostrophe to show the big picture of how much Macbeth changes.. Through the use of literary devices and characterization, the readers were able to depict how Macbeth changes as the book goes on and clearly understand Shakespeare's massage of the play. The displaying of power in this play allowed the readers to understand exactly how much the increase in power caused Macbeth to go

    Read More

  • Analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare

    1818 Words  | 4 Pages

    encouraged “To want to get on.” Most of us we would never go as far

    Read More

  • Haiti´s 2010 Earthquake and Its Effect

    801 Words  | 2 Pages

    The earthquake happened on a known fault line between the conservative plate boundaries of the North American and Caribbean plate. The North American plate is moving west while the Caribbean plate is moving east. As the plates are sliding past each other, pressure is building up and evenly it is released as an earthquake. In the Caribbean region, earthquakes don’t usually happen but they are not unheard of. This is known as a transformative as the plates are rubbing against each other. It lasted for 30 seconds. The last major earthquake, which happened in this region, was in the 18th Century. This means that the pressure has been building up since and on January 12th the pressure was released. The fault line is the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault. The stress has been building up for approximately 250 years. Faults are usually where earthquakes occur.

    Read More

  • Influence In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1485 Words  | 3 Pages

    Influence is one of the only factors that affect people's decisions, it gives the motivational support to those who are uncertain. It can change any current views in an instant, especially when it comes from people closest to you. The adversities of influence can be demonstrated in

    Read More

  • Imagery In Macbeth

    1784 Words  | 4 Pages

    If a picture tells a thousand words, than imagine the importance of an image upon a play such as Macbeth. In any literary work, it is extremely important that the author can effectively manipulate a reader's feelings towards a character. In Macbeth, that feat is accomplished magnificently by Shakespeare. Through his skillful use of imagery, Shakespeare shows us a deeper look into the true character of Macbeth. Though imagery is widespread throughout Macbeth, it is most dominant in clothing imagery, light and darkness imagery, and blood imagery. Through these images,

    Read More

  • Ambition in Macbeth

    1798 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the play of “Macbeth”, Shakespeare gradually and effectively deepens our understanding of the themes and most importantly the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The main theme of Macbeth is ambition, and how it compels the main characters to pursue it. The antagonists of the play are the three witches, who symbolise the theme appearance and reality. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relation is an irony throughout the play, as most of their relation is based on greed and power. This is different from most of Shakespeare’s other plays, which are mostly based on romance and trust. There is also guilt that leads Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the final consequences of the play. As the progresses, the constant changes in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are exposed.

    Read More

  • Deceit and Betrayal in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" is considered one of his great tragedies. The play fully uses plot, character, setting, atmosphere, diction and imagery to create a compelling drama. The general setting of Macbeth is tenth and eleventh century Scotland. The play is about a once loyal and trusted noble of Scotland who, after a meeting with three witches, becomes ambitious and plans the murder of the king. After doing so and claiming the throne, he faces the other nobles of Scotland who try to stop him. In the play, Macbeth faces an internal conflict with his opposing decisions. On one hand, he has to decide of he is to assassinate the king in order to claim his throne. This would result in his death for treason if he is caught, and he would also have to kill his friend. On the other hand, if he is to not kill him, he may never realize his ambitious dreams of ruling Scotland. Another of his internal struggles is his decision of killing his friend Banquo. After hiring murderers to kill him, Macbeth begins to see Banquo's ghost which drives him crazy, possibly a result of his guilty conscience. Macbeth's external conflict is with Macduff and his forces trying to avenge the king and end Macbeth's reign over Scotland. One specific motif is considered the major theme, which represents the overall atmosphere throughout the play. This motif is "fair is foul and foul is fair."

    Read More

  • The San Andreas Earthquake

    942 Words  | 2 Pages

    As stated from the article, “San Andreas Fault Facts” it states, Parkfield, in central California, pops off a moderate earthquake of around magnitude 6 every couple decades, and is a center for earthquake research. It was the site of the first official earthquake prediction by the U.S. Geological Survey” (Oskin). Throughout research we have a general idea of what is time come but the center for earthquake research still has a lot more work to do. But just because they predict it does not necessarily mean it will come true. As Stated from the article, “Scientists predicted another earthquake should occur in 1993, but it didn't happen until 2004” (Oskin). No matter the amount of time and research we put into we still do not have a direct date. It is a crazy thought to think that with so much research and facts that scientist would be wrong but that is the beauty of earthquakes. As stated from the article, “What will really happen when San Andreas Unleashes the Big One” it states, “While seismologists can’t predict exactly when that will happen, every few years they release a forecast for the likelihood of such an event” (Zielinski). It seems as if this is as far as we will be getting as a date for when this earthquake will occur. We may not have an answer but soon is definitely one of

    Read More

  • Earthquakes Essay

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    Earthquakes occur almost all over the world and often cause many casualties and injuries, but it is a common misconception to think that all earthquakes or even most of them cause destruction. In fact, most earthquakes aren’t even strong enough to be felt by humans and most animals, and can only be recorded by seismometers that are strategically placed in all corners of the world in order to get a reliable and precise reading on the earthquakes strength. Another common misconception about earthquakes is that people believe that the injuries and deaths that result from earthquakes are because of the earth’s shaking itself, whereas it is in fact usually because of heavy items falling from the incessant vibrations. Earthquakes can be defined as

    Read More

More about Literary Techniques in Shakespeare's Macbeth

Open Document