Most people think the porter scene is for comic relief. But that in fact is not true. In today’s society the Porter’s language seems normal and even comical but to the audience of this play, in the Elizabethan time, would think of this language as highly inappropriate and from the devil. Evidence of this is scattered throughout this scene. The first reason being that at this time the Divine Right of Kings was in place. To this mainly Christian audience the greatest crime of this time period is the assassination of the King. In their minds this is because this act of treason is equal to murdering God. Secondly the Porter scene makes reference to Christianity many times in an unsettling way to the people of this era. As the Porter stumbles to the gate he wonders who might be at the knocking and references the gates as the gates of Hell. The Porter also says “Who’s there, i’/ the name of Beelzebub?” (act 2, scene 3, lines 3-4) Beelzebub is another name for the devil. Macduff is meant to be depicted like Christ. Macduff was born not of a woman and Christ was born of a virgin. Macduff is foreshadowing the salvation to come in his knocking on the gates. Macduff also makes a sacrifice and leaves his family in order to save the kingdom; Christ makes the ultimate sacrifice and died to save his people. In conclusion, Macbeth’s castle is meant to seem like Hell this realization to the crowds of Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” would be an invasion of beliefs. Therefore this scene is not meant for comic relief.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7g3BDKYbLw
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Macbeth’s Nature
The quote “Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness/ To catch the nearest way...” is spoken by Lady Macbeth in act 1 scene 5 of Shakespeare’s "Macbeth". Lady Macbeth says this line in reaction to receiving the letter from Macbeth telling of the witch’s prophecies. Lady Macbeth fears Macbeths nature, she fears he is too kind and sympathetic. If she is correct in identifying his nature she fears that it would get in the way “...To catch the nearest way...” meaning making a shortcut to the thrown and in result killing King Duncan. In conclusion, this statement is meant to persuade her husband, using her words, to do the deed. 
Divine Right of Kings
The notion of the Divine Right of Kings in the play “Macbeth” completely died out. The Divine Right of Kings is a divine right under God to rule his kingdom. The King is answerable to God alone and not to his subjects. This concept is lost in “Macbeth” because Macbeth assassinates the King. In defying the King he is also defying God. Macbeth also comes into power without the divine right of Kings. Macbeth was not granted The Divine Right of Kings. Macbeth has done things to get into power that are against Gods wishes like manipulation and murder. God has not chosen Macbeth as King, Macbeth killed Gods chosen one, and Macbeth did things against Gods teaching. Those acts are all against the Divine Right of Kings. This is why the notion of the divine right of Kings is lost in the play “Macbeth”.Macbeths State of Mind
The quote “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow/ 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.” (act 5, scene 5, lines 21-30) is a line said by Macbeth outlining his feelings after the news of his wife’s death. With Macbeth’s reaction to the news of his wife’s death it is apparent that he is facing an emotional shutoff. This is proven when he says “I have almost forgot the taste of fears” (act 5, scene 5, line 9). Macbeth is portraying how his rise to power has given him much personal cost. The most powerful part of the speech is when he says “Life’s only a walking shadow;... Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,/ signifying nothing.” (act 5, scene 5, lines 26, 29-30) Macbeth is talking about how life is just a play, and how life is an idiot’s tale that is full of drama and without meaning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAi4qzNHtwY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAi4qzNHtwY
Beyond His Practice
In “Macbeth” the doctor is telling the truth when he says Lady Macbeths illness is “beyond his practice” (act 5, scene 1, lines 58). Lady Macbeth has gone crazy because of guilt and stress. There is no medicine to give for someone who is crazy. Being crazy is an emotional illness; there are no means that the doctor could do to cure her. The doctor even says this in act 5 scene1 on lines 72-74 “...infected minds/To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets:/ More needs she the divine than the physician.” The doctor thinks only God can save her now. Believe it or Not
“Guess what happened to me a few days ago.” I asked Ivan.
“I don’t know,” he replied.
“I stumbled into a cavern and there was a cauldron just sitting in the middle of it. It kind of spooked me.” I answered with a bit of worry and disbelief in my voice.
“So what,” he interjected, “somebody probably put it there to scare cowards like yourself.”
“Hey,” I snapped, “you interrupted me, and that wasn’t a very nice thing to say.”
“Go on,” he said unenthusiastically.
“Ok,” I said, “I stumbled into a cavern, and there was a cauldron in the middle.”
“You already said that,” interrupted Ivan.
“I know,” I said almost shouting at him in my frustration. Will you please stop interrupting me?
“Ok,” he said sheepishly.
“As I was saying,” I said, not thrilled with his attitude and verging on the line of exasperation. “I walked in to check it out and I saw something moving. My heart started thudding in my chest but my curiosity over took my fear. I huddled against the wall and in the shadows I saw three creatures walking towards the cauldron. Some time passed and they started to speak. I then realized they were witches and were saying a spell.”
“Ha,” Ivan interjected, “witches, spells and you expect me to believe this. You have to be kidding.”
“It is true,” I said looking at him in a way he knew I was telling the truth.”Let me finish. After some time passed and they finished saying there spells, another being joined them. I couldn’t quite make out what she was but she started to congratulate the witches. Next to my disbelief Macbeth walked in.”
“No way, Macbeth,” Ivan said starting to sound intrigued. “Why would he have anything to do with them?”
“Yes,” I said. “After they had a small conversation, that leads me to believe they had met before, Macbeth asked to know what their power was. This is when the first apparition came; it told Macbeth to beware of Macduff. Then the second apparition came it told Macbeth that the only person that could harm him was someone who was not born of a woman.”
“What person is not born of a woman?” he asked. He had now started to listen intently.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “Afterwards Macbeth said that he didn’t fear Macduff because he was born of a woman. Then came the third aspiration, it said that he wouldn’t be defeated until a forest moved. Macbeth looked quite content until he asked if Banquo’s children would become Kings. The witches showed him a long line of Banquo’s descendents and they all were Kings. Macbeth looked disappointed. I thought to myself that he must not want his children to become Kings. Finally Lennox arrived and the witches disappeared. Lennox didn’t see the witches and he informed Macbeth that Macduff fled to England. When they left I was alone in the Cavern. I was really shocked with what I saw, so I left and came home. You are the first person I told.”
“I don’t know,” he replied.
“I stumbled into a cavern and there was a cauldron just sitting in the middle of it. It kind of spooked me.” I answered with a bit of worry and disbelief in my voice.
“So what,” he interjected, “somebody probably put it there to scare cowards like yourself.”
“Hey,” I snapped, “you interrupted me, and that wasn’t a very nice thing to say.”
“Go on,” he said unenthusiastically.
“Ok,” I said, “I stumbled into a cavern, and there was a cauldron in the middle.”
“You already said that,” interrupted Ivan.
“I know,” I said almost shouting at him in my frustration. Will you please stop interrupting me?
“Ok,” he said sheepishly.
“As I was saying,” I said, not thrilled with his attitude and verging on the line of exasperation. “I walked in to check it out and I saw something moving. My heart started thudding in my chest but my curiosity over took my fear. I huddled against the wall and in the shadows I saw three creatures walking towards the cauldron. Some time passed and they started to speak. I then realized they were witches and were saying a spell.”
“Ha,” Ivan interjected, “witches, spells and you expect me to believe this. You have to be kidding.”
“It is true,” I said looking at him in a way he knew I was telling the truth.”Let me finish. After some time passed and they finished saying there spells, another being joined them. I couldn’t quite make out what she was but she started to congratulate the witches. Next to my disbelief Macbeth walked in.”
“No way, Macbeth,” Ivan said starting to sound intrigued. “Why would he have anything to do with them?”
“Yes,” I said. “After they had a small conversation, that leads me to believe they had met before, Macbeth asked to know what their power was. This is when the first apparition came; it told Macbeth to beware of Macduff. Then the second apparition came it told Macbeth that the only person that could harm him was someone who was not born of a woman.”
“What person is not born of a woman?” he asked. He had now started to listen intently.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “Afterwards Macbeth said that he didn’t fear Macduff because he was born of a woman. Then came the third aspiration, it said that he wouldn’t be defeated until a forest moved. Macbeth looked quite content until he asked if Banquo’s children would become Kings. The witches showed him a long line of Banquo’s descendents and they all were Kings. Macbeth looked disappointed. I thought to myself that he must not want his children to become Kings. Finally Lennox arrived and the witches disappeared. Lennox didn’t see the witches and he informed Macbeth that Macduff fled to England. When they left I was alone in the Cavern. I was really shocked with what I saw, so I left and came home. You are the first person I told.”“That seems really suspicious,” murmured Ivan.
“I don’t want to question the King, but do you think that if he knows the future and all of these things, maybe he did things to make himself King?” I inquired.
“I do not want to pass judgement on our King. We should stay quiet about this.” He ordered. “Do not tell anyone what you have just told me.” Ivan said his words in such a sharp tone it startled me and I agreed instantly.
“Ok,” I stuttered and he left.
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