In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the author embraces his ability to ingeniously use figurative language. Throughout the play, William Shakespeare’s writing enhances his play in numerous ways. Macbeth clearly shows how Shakespeare uses figurative language as an instrument to keep the play interesting with good writing. Using allusions, irony, and foreshadows allows the audience to enjoy the depth Shakespeare creates in his characters and improves the audience’s comprehension of the plot.
William Shakespeare keenly incorporates allusions into Macbeth. The purpose of the allusion, in this case, is to help the audience (specifically from his era) to connect to the characters in the story and understand the circumstances. The entire tragedy of Macbeth alludes to the Bible’s story of the fall of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve, like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, were esteemed figures who fell into sin and allowed it to consume them, ultimately leading to their demise and separation from God (Holy Bible). The use of the Bible is common among authors, especially Shakespeare, because it is generally a world-renowned text that most people have either read or heard of (Foster, 49). In Act I, Scene II, Shakespeare alludes to the location of the crucifixion of Christ when the Sergeant states, “Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, or memorize another Golgotha, I cannot tell—but I am faint; my gashes cry for help.” (I.ii.44-45) In Matthew 27:3, Golgotha is described, “They came to a place called Golgotha. The word Golgotha means the Place of the Skull.” (Holy Bible) These lines allude to the brutality of Christ’s crucifixion to communicate the brutality of the battle that Macbeth and Banquo were facing. In addition, in Act I Scene II, the...
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Works Cited
Biblica, Inc. Holy Bible New International Version. Biblica, 2011. Electronic.
Lamb, Sydney, and William Shakespeare. Macbeth: Commentary, Complete Text, Glossary. Lincoln, Neb.: Cliff's Notes, 1966. Print.
"Metaphors in Shakespeare's Macbeth - A Detailed Look at Biblical Imagery in the Tragedy Macbeth." Shakespeare Online. Web. 11 Jan. 2012. .
Shakespeare, William. MacBeth: Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classics Series. Cheswold, DE: Prestwick House, 2005. Print.
Shakespeare, William. MacBeth: Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classics Series. Cheswold, DE: Prstwick House, C2005. Print.
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Shakespeare, William. "The Tragedy of Macbeth." Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. The British Tradition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall 1999.
Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.
Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.
Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.
Medea’s trial begins in Corinth as she stands in front of the civilians who plan to testify against her due to the royal deaths. The citizens plead Medea culpable of slaughtering her children and sending poisoned gifts to the royals. The nurse testifies against Medea portraying her as a dreadful person before the court stating Medea “hates her children” (l.43). Moreover, the nurse describes Medea as a “terror” which reflects that “there’s no way to be her enemy and come out as a victor” (ll.50-51). The judge considers that the nurse recalls Medea’s words “I’ve suffered so much” and “O children, accursed, may you die” which reflects Medea’s intention to get revenge on Jason by killing their children (ll.118-119). In the meantime, Medea defends herself by stating that she killed in order to protect her children against the royal family. Medea’s lawyer states she was not mentally stable ever since her husband’s betrayal. However, the audience notices that Medea plans the pros and cons of her violent actions towards the King and princess carefully that way she does not
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. Elements of Literature. Sixth ed. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1997.
Shakespeare, William, and Kenneth Muir. The Arden Edition of the Works of William Shakespeare: Macbeth. London, 1951. Print.
Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.
In the classical age, women were expected to be meek and powerless creatures, and when they were not they were usually considered to be hysterical. Medea’s strength is portrayed as her madness as she takes control and decides the fate of her enemies. Medea breaks that rule in the manifestation of the madness that poisons her mind. Medea has left everything to be with Jason, she has even gone as far as forsaking her father and murdering her brother in order to leave with Jason, “Oh, my father! Oh my country! In what dishonor / I left you, killing my own brother for it” (164-65). This perhaps should have been a red flag for Jason in realizing how she killed her own flesh and blood and should have been an indicator for the evil that resided within her. Medea is in Jason’s turf and here she is considered a foreigner, she now defines herself via her marriage to Jason. Ultimately, when she loses him to a younger bride, she also loses her ability to be rational in her thinking. Euripides allows Medea to have a voice, and thus, gives insight into how what is happening affects her psyche.
The author of Macbeth is William Shakespeare, and he is well known for his plays and language. The play starts off with our main character Macbeth who is told of his prophecy by the three witches of him being the king of Scotland. Knowing this Macbeth is then persuaded by his wife to take the life of his king and take the throne. Macbeth is now paranoid about what he has and had done now to become king and securing it. William Shakespeare uses the literary elements; imagery, alliteration, and symbolism to illustrate the theme guilt.
Evans, G. Blackemore. "Macbeth." In The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blackemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mufflin Company. 1974: 1307- 1311
As with all great works of literature, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth has spawned countless essays concerning its interpretation. Two such essays, “Shakespearean Tragedy” and “General Macbeth,” produced by two eminent literary critics, A.C. Bradley and Mary McCarthy, find themselves in conflict. The essays’ respective authors diverge on subjective points such as interpretation of character, original intent, and meaning. Bradley’s Macbeth is courageous and encumbered by the dregs of guilt, while McCarthy’s version takes a less orthodox path.
Shakespeare, William, and John Crowther. No Fear Shakespeare: Macbeth. ed. New York: Spark Publishing, 2003. Print.
Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.
Shakespeare, William. “Macbeth.” The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Ed. David Bevington. New York: Longman, 1997