Page 107 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

Unit 7: Macbeth: Characterization and Superstition

• Besides his being hardened to the deeds of death, Macbeth is impelled by other motives than Notes
those which instigated him to assassinate his sovereign.
• Macbeth is always shaken upon great, and frequently alarmed upon trivial, occasions. Upon
meeting the Witches, he is agitated much more than Banquo, who speaks to them first, and,
the moment he sees them, asks them several particular and pertinent questions.
• Macbeth has an acquired, though not a constitutional, courage, which is equal to all ordinary
occasions; and if it fails him upon those which are extraordinary, it is however so well formed,
as to be easily resumed as soon as the shock is over.
• Macbeth wants no disguise of his natural disposition, for it is not bad; he does not affect more
piety than he has: on the contrary, a part of his distress arises from a real sense of religion:
which makes him regret that he could not join the chamberlains in prayer for God’s blessing,
and bewail that he has ‘given his eternal jewel to the common enemy of man.’
• While many today would say that any misfortune surrounding a production is mere
coincidence, actors and other theatre people often consider it bad luck to mention Macbeth by
name while inside a theatre, and sometimes refer to it indirectly.
• The above is pertain to the fact that Shakespeare is said to have used the spells of real witches
in his text, purportedly angering the witches and causing them to curse the play.
• One particular incident that lent itself to the superstition was the Astor Place Riot.
• Several methods exist to dispel the curse, depending on the actor.

7.5 Keywords

Virtuous nature : Conforming to moral and ethical principles; morally excellent; upright nature.
Betrayal : To deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty.
Shrewdness : Astute or sharp in practical matters.
Regicide : A person who kills a king or is responsible for his death, especially one of the
judges who condemned Charles I of England to death.
Prophecies : Something that is declared by a prophet, especially a divinely inspired
prediction, instruction, or exhortation.
Contrivance : Something contrived; a device, especially a mechanical one.
Timidity : Lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery; easily alarmed; timorous; shy.
Imbecility : An instance or point of weakness; feebleness; incapability.
Superstition : A belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous
significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence, proceeding, or the
like.
Obscenity : The character or quality of being obscene; indecency; lewdness.

7.6 Review Questions

1. Explain superstitions as mentioned in the play Macbeth.
2. Mention any two qualities of Lady Macbeth’s character.
3. Explain that Duncan’s unsuspecting nature leaves him open to Macbeth’s betrayal.
4. Write short notes on the following:
(a) Superstition (b) Methods to dispel the curse

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