Page 95 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

Unit 6: Macbeth—Concept of Tragedy of Aristotle and its Application on Macbeth, Poetic Tragedy and Motifs

The witches yet manipulate Macbeths yet again near the end when they show him various confusing Notes
apparitions. Hecate commands tham to confuse Macbeth and give him a sense of security that will
lead to his downfall. The first apparition, an armed head, warns Macbeth of Macduff. Macbeth then
decides to have Macduff's family murdered. Macduff ends up killing Macbeth as revenge, showing
how the witches manipulated Macbeth into his downfall.
The second apparition, a bloody child, tells Macbeth that none born of a woman can harm him.
When Macbeth finally meets Macduff, Macbeth tells him this prophecy, but Macduff tells him that
he was prematurely born through surgery. Once again, the witches succeeded in manipulating
Macbeth by providing him with a false sense of security.
The third apparition, a crowned child with a tree in his hand, tells him that no one will harm him
until the forest of Great Birnam Wood comes against him on Dunsinane Hill. The opposing forces
take branches from the forest's tress and use them to hide themselves from Macbeth's forces.

Reversal of Nature
One of the most common motifs in Macbeth is reversal of nature. This is prominent in role reversal
between characters, unnatural weather, masculinity and femininity reversal, and unusual events.
We are first presented in Macbeth with the three witches, who show characteristics of their male
counterparts such as a beard.
The second example of "reversal of nature" is with Lady Macbeth and her masculine characteristics
when compared to the norm at the time and her husband's femininity. After she reads her husband's
letter, she asks for the gods to "unsex" her and therefore, remove all feminine feeling from her mind.
She takes charge over Macbeth, which was unusual for the time. Macbeth meanwhile falters under
her manipulation. The weather also shows evidence of the reversal of the natural order.

Hallucinations
Hallucination is an important motif for character development because it shows how the two main
characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, slowly go insane. Their decreasing mental state is easily
told by their various fits of hallucinations and visions.
Some of the first examples of this occur around Duncan's death. Macbeth believes that people are
calling out in the night.

After Macbeth commands the killing of Banquo, he sees Banquo's ghost sitting in his
seat. This, like with the dagger, shows his regret in killing others. He ends up embarrassing
himself in front of a group of lords whom he had invited to dinner. His wife tries to calm him,
but in the end the lords are made to leave early.

Self Assessment

Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Which of the folowing is true about Macbeth?
(a) It is tragedy
(b) The Othello and KIng Lear are shorter than it
(c) It is a comedy of manners
(d) It is a comedy for class power struggle.

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