Macbeth Lecture Notes

Macbeth tells the rise and fall of a great man
-he does not share his inner feelings
-the only humor could be found in the scene with the porter
-he is Shakespeare's most compelling character
-he has a tragic, critical flaw that leads to his demise
-fierce warrior, man of courage, honor, and growth, becomes alone and isolated
-loss of everything signifies his disintegration which was brought upon himself with no agent conspiracing against him
-he accelerates the process by trying to fix his insecurities
-his decision making is relate able

Murder of Duncan
-surface looks like a simple morality problem because of an ambitious drive
-Macbeth desires to be king (Act 1, Scene 7, lines 25-28)
-He does't question the prophecy because it may perhaps be responding to his innermost desires (Act 2, Scene 7, Line 49)
-Desire of being the king versus the actions it takes to become king torment him
-Macbeth is not hypocritical, he knows the cost is high, he doesn't evade issues and he has a sense of right and wrong
-killing Duncan kills every community belief
-Royalty does not seem worth it to Banquo, but obsesses and consumes Macbeth
-Lady Macbeth is an evil impulse and tool of destruction who taunts her husband; she has no conscious and amplifies Macbeth's desires
-animus: male psychology; anima-female psychology
-Macbeth never is entirely sure of killing
-He sees the dagger and has complete horror of what he will do although it pulls him towards killing
-He is reluctant but moving forward anyway
-After killing Duncan Macbeth is consumed with regret

Macbeth as King
-His tragic flaw becomes most evident and a slippery slope is evident
-least heroic of all tragic heroes (mass murderer)
-horrible determination; singularity of purpose
-heroic quality: won't compromise through overwhelming fear
-obsessed with removing inner torment
-Lady Macbeth's conscious eats her alive, all the way to suicide
-She has a lack of inner will to resolve feelings, the inability to separate herself from human nature, and is overcome with guilt (Duncan looks like her father)
-Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship quickly falls apart beginning right before the coronation
-Macbeth procedes alone, both of them dealing with murder in separate ways