Reading Journal, Act II, 'Macbeth'

Scene I:

• ‘The moon is down’ – immediate sense of darkness causing unease.
• Macbeth’s dagger soliloquy raises many questions – how should it be interpreted? (1) What is Macbeth’s state of mind? (2) How much does the supernatural take over? (3)
• (1) – ‘I have thee not and yet I see thee still!’ – should Macbeth say this hastily due to fear, or should he say it slowly, with trepidation?
• (2) As the audience cannot see the dagger, we have to question his state of mind. This could be guilt taking over or it could be Macbeth’s own sense of persuasion.
• (3) – ‘Witchcraft celebrate Pale Hecat’s offerings…moves like a ghost’ Supernatural creatures are mentioned here, so rather than psychological effects, is the supernatural driving Macbeth’s hallucination, just as it is driving Lady Macbeth’s excitement of becoming Queen?

Scene II:

• Duncan’s death is not seen on stage which adds to the air of mystery and emphasises secrecy. This could also show, however, the careful planning that Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have done to ensure no one finds out. Later, the murders are seen on stage, which could show that Lady Macbeth and Macbeth can no longer be secret, their plans are rash and out of control, unlike Duncan’s murder.
• ‘Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done’t’ Lady Macbeth’s words show that she is not the heartless woman as presented before, deep down she does have a conscience. In a way makes her a more treacherous character, as she puts more pressure and guilt onto Macbeth.
• Subtle references to nature ‘owl that shrieked’ and ‘owl-scream and cricket’s cry’. Later developed when horses are described eating each other. Showing that nature knows of their deeds and are revolting.
• ‘Didst thou not hear a noise?’ – Macbeth makes many references that show he feels immediate guilt and the scene ends with Macbeth contemplating ‘Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst!’ He shows remorse and sorrow, but Lady Macbeth quickly undermines him saying it is ‘A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.’
• ‘A little water clears us of this deed; How easy it is then!’ Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony as they can wash the water off physically, but her words show they are stained more figuratively, in a much deeper way. Later, these words are twisted as Lady Macbeth is seen to be washing her hands in a trance; no water can clear her of the deed.

Scene III:

• The Porter scene also raises many questions as to his significance. He is darkly satirical as he talks about people he would welcome to hell ‘here’s a farmer’. Could be relating to Duncan’s murder and Macbeth’s soul beginning its journey to hell. His speech does not follow iambic pentameter, which says he is less important, however, the traditional secret of the fool in Shakespearian plays is to be no fool at all – he has prior knowledge to the plot as he makes references to hell ‘this place is too cold for hell’. Talking about Macbeth’s castle – he shows what a dangerous and futile place it is. However, the Porter is comic, so instead of looking so deeply into his words, we must remember Shakespeare was writing to entertain – is he just there for Shakespeare to please his audience and provide light relief to the play.
• Macduff describes Lady Macbeth as ‘O gentle lady’ – the opposite of what she really is and she then plays up to this when ‘swooning’ she says ‘Help me hence, ho!’ She puts on the presentation of the typical fragile woman which contradicts the masculinity shown in Act 1. However, it could also be argued she is trying to detract from Macbeth’s words ‘O yet I do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them’ in order to protect them both. She is a skilful actress.

Scene IV:

• ‘Tis said they ate each other.’ Emphasising the turning of nature and showing that something unnatural has happened. The animals know, but other characters are unaware.

Reading Journal, Act 1, 'Macbeth'

Scene I:

• Stage directions – ‘thunder and lightening’. This is typical Gothic weather, creating atmosphere and noise which immediately builds tension.

• The play begins with an enigmatic opening – ‘When shall we three meet again?’ Throughout the witches’ dialogue more questions are raised – what battle? Who is Macbeth?
• Shakespeare uses stichomythia – ‘I come, Grey-Malkin.’ This part of scene 1 is arranged where single lines are spoken by alternate speakers, which, overall, speeds up the pace of the dialogue.

Scene II:

• Reference to blood multiple times. Including; in the stage directions ‘bleeding Captain’ and when the King says ‘What bloody man is that?’ Is this Shakespeare’s warning to the audience of the blood shed to come?
• This scene also focuses on glorifying Macbeth. His is described as ‘brave’ and he ‘well deserves that name’. This is further emphasised by the mention to ‘valour’. We learn that Macbeth has earned respect and he is a great warrior. However, we are brought to question, as the Captain is dying, is he a reliable storyteller?
• This scene is relatively graphic. It highlights that it is not about winning the battle, but how you win. Macbeth is shown to be a strong fighter as he ‘unseamed him from the nave to the chops…’ ‘Cannons overcharged’ shows the warriors were eager – is this because of Macbeth’s influence?

Scene III:

• Again, the witches’ enter with thunder, making their entrance more prominent. They are all together, emphasising the ‘power of 3’. This could be connotating reference to the past, present and future. They all join to being ‘all knowing’ – omniscient – which is a aspect of God’s nature. Yet, ironically, they are the opposite.
• After hearing the witches’, Macbeth’s speech beginning ‘Stay you imperfect speakers!’ is full of pace. The exclamation marks make it more powerful. He seems to consider and question all his options as he questions himself ‘But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives…And to be King stands not within the prospect of belief…’ This is in addition a very fast paced speech – the speed at which his thoughts are moving too. The excitement overwhelms him. 

Scene IV:

• Shakespeare uses irony again when the King shows he has no reason not to trust Macbeth; ‘He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust.’
• ‘Our duties are to your throne…’ Do we believe Macbeth’s words? Is he still loyal to the King or are his words mechanical?
• Are question to the above is then answered when Macbeth says, aside, ‘Let not light see my black and deep desires’. He shows scheming and plotting, letting the audience realise that he is seriously considering the witches’ prophecy. However, Macbeth does not show if he will do anything about it. Is he just a weak man with great ideas that he is incapable of completing?
• This speech also switches from rhyming couplets to prose, which is similar to the chanting of the witches. It makes obvious more signs of evil and puts Macbeth at the same status and level of the witches.

Scene V:

• Begins with Lady Macbeth reading a letter – we cannot make a true immediate judgement of her, as she is not reading her own words. Could this symbolise two sides of one character? Is Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s ego (Freud’s idea that the ego causes us to make the dangerous decisions and actions). Shakespeare gives Lady Macbeth no ambiguity.
• She shows dominance over Macbeth – ‘leave all the rest to me.’
• ‘Unsex me here’, ‘Make thick my blood’. Lady Macbeth is shown as almost masculine, a reversal of gender, which is shocking. Is this her wanting to rid herself of the last bit of morality she has so she can go through with the plans to kill Duncan. If this is the case, then she does have a conscience, she just doesn’t want it.

Scene VI:

• This scene sets up Scene VII – Lady Macbeth presents that she is two faced, or just a very clever woman. ‘We rest your hermits.’

Scene VII:

• As Macbeth enters alone, it means he does not have to hide his feelings, he has no one to pretend to, he can express everything. ‘Naked new born babe’, this usually promotes innocence, however, here, it is the reversal of innocence, into evil.
• Macbeth then presents himself as a more respectful man when he tells Lady Macbeth ‘We will proceed no further in this business.’ Nevertheless, he is quickly overruled by Lady Macbeth.
• Lady Macbeth makes reference to ‘valour’. This twists the Captain’s words, blackmailing Macbeth into her plans.
• ‘I have given suck’ – evidence to show Lady Macbeth had children, a reason that the audience could sympathise with her. Though she then says ‘Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out.’ These horrifying words are made more dramatic because they come from a woman – someone meant to be typical fragile and nurturing.
• Act and Scene ends with Macbeth’s words ‘False face must hide what the false heart doth know.’ The use of aesthetics (like in Dorian Gray) is Shakespeare’s technique of hiding one’s true personality.

Gothic Elements in Act 1 of 'Macbeth'

Act 1 of Macbeth features standard Gothic themes of setting, the supernatural and exaggerated language. However, there are other less immediate, but equally important Gothic elements in the opening Act, which I will address here.

We are first introduced to Lady Macbeth alone on stage, reading a letter. It is an unusual way to meet a character for the first time, as we cannot see Lady Macbeth as herself – she is reading Macbeth’s words, not speaking her own. Immediately this symbolises secrecy and hidden agendas, causing the audience to become wary of Lady Macbeth - they are unable to make any first impressions of her.

The use of letters in Gothic texts, such as Dracula, has a huge impact on the way the audience can understand a character. It was a widely used technique in the 18^th century – a major time for Gothic novels. In Dracula, the multiple narrative perspectives are given through letters, as well as diary entries and journals, which are used throughout the novel. However, in Macbeth, this technique is used rarely, but, could be argued, at one of the most important times in the play; when Lady Macbeth hears of the witches’ prophecy. This is a pivotal moment in the plot, as Lady

Macbeth’s influence and powers of persuasion are, debatably, the root cause of the dramatic events in the play, which unfold following the murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth is not shown to be a typical, fragile woman of Shakespeare’s times; ‘plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out…’ she shows masculinity and aspects of a reversal of gender, and it is this, that is particularly Gothic. 

The letter could also symbolise two different sides of the same character: is Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s ego? (Freud’s idea that the ego encourages us to take the daring, yet dangerous choices). This is shown through Lady Macbeth’s immediate reaction to what she reads. She calls out to evil – a second reference to the supernatural, after the witches – ‘unsex me here’. This could be Lady Macbeth realising her last bit of morality and she is calling out to rid herself of it so she can go through with her plans. ‘Make thick my blood.’ Again, she does her best to ignore her morality, which shows great determination, yet for all the wrong reasons. Overall, Shakespeare does not give Lady Macbeth any ambiguity – the first time we see her, we see evil traits. This contrasts to the way Shakespeare introduces Macbeth.

Another technique Shakespeare uses to create gothic elements is through the use of questions. The play begins with a question – ‘When shall we three meet again?’ An enigmatic opening could be Shakespeare’s way of causing the witches to address the audience, as well as each other, putting the audience at greater knowledge of the play than the characters, creating more suspense. The first question raised by the audience is during the witches’ plotting - ‘There to meet with Macbeth’. The audience are forced to question – who is Macbeth and what is their interest with him? Subject raising makes reference to the unknown, a gothic feature used to create anticipation and anxiety.

Conversely, the question that raises the most interest is Macbeth’s alteration. We hear of him as ‘brave Macbeth’ – an honourable man who has earned respect. The bleeding captain glorifies him when he explains that Macbeth has ‘valour’. Nevertheless, after hearing the witches’ prophecy comes true, we see Macbeth as a villain – ‘Let not light see my black and deep desires’. Both aspects of Macbeth’s character appear polarised in this first Act, another psychological factor, typical of the Gothic tradition. As well as making his scheming obvious, Shakespeare switches from prose to rhyming couplets. This is similar to the chanting of the witches, a connotation that Macbeth is an evil being, just as they are. It can be argued that this shows Macbeth has exactly the same ideas as Lady Macbeth; he is just not as open about it. This adds to the secrecy and hidden aspects of the play.

It can therefore been seen through closer study that the typical Gothic weather and setting and supernatural beings are not the only characteristics that make Act 1 typically Gothic. Psychological influences strongly manipulate not only the characters, but the audience as well.