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Examples Of Irony In Macbeth

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In the small excerpt we have studied, he shows the effects of the misfortunes of good or bad prophecies. It is this that shows that fate has turned its back on Macbeth when previously it favored him. It is like a dream that has become a nightmare, the visions that showed him the future splendor of being a king have turned against him and given him a horrible fate over which he is completely powerless. This is a very popular "be careful what you wish for" trope. The premise is this: a character, in pursuit of an impossible wish made by a supernatural creature or knowledge that will harm him, suffers unforeseen and devastating consequences. It's like putting Wonder Woman's lasso of truth on a few "friends" and asking them how they really feel, …show more content…

He came face to face with Banquo's future lineage, which bore a striking resemblance to him, was as numerous as they seemed endless. The phrase "Will this line grow longer until the thunderclap of doomsday?" is a metaphor. Macbeth, blinded and terrified by the number of Banquo's descendants who showed up, was under the impression that the line would continue until the end of the world. He must have been struck with pure horror at that moment. This appeals to the concept of irony, as Macbeth sees the prophecies as good signs, or as a means to power, while Banquo sees them as "bad luck from evil creatures". The fact that the prophecies end up bringing prosperity to the one who doubted them is a welcome twist. The lexical field of luxury is most striking here ( (-- removed HTML --) >). The emphasis on luxury items, which the apparatchiks who bear an uncanny resemblance to Banquo seem to possess, illustrates, unfortunately for Macbeth, the fact that Banquo's descendants will prosper long after his death. And this affects him terribly, so much so that the mere sight of a crown "burns his eyes". In the end, despite his best efforts at the end of the story, and despite sending out assassin after assassin, Macbeth could not

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