Thesis statement: In Lady Macbeth's speech convincing Macbeth to kill Duncan in Act I Scene vii, the speaker's persuasive tactics, the audience's knowledge of Macbeth's character, and the effective use of rhetorical appeals and literary devices contribute to the powerful rhetorical situation. Lady Macbeth employs the rhetorical appeals of ethos and pathos and utilizes the literary device of manipulation to convince Macbeth of the necessity and righteousness of regicide. Body Paragraph 1: Speaker, Audience, and Rhetorical Situation Lady Macbeth's speech in Act I Scene vii presents a crucial moment in the play as she persuades Macbeth to commit regicide. The speaker, Lady Macbeth, is a determined and ambitious character who seeks power and control.
Tragic Hero’s for Wrong Reasons “Foul is fair, and fair is foul” (Shakespeare 24) this was quoted, in fact was, from the witches in the beginning scene of the play tragedy of Macbeth. The witches say this in response to and foreshadow of the situations that bring upon murder. Tragic hero’s are heard about as well leaders and brought pride to one’s country.
One notable quote from Macbeth that foreshadows Macbeth's ambition is: "Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires" (I.4.57-58). In this quote, Macbeth expresses his desire for his darkest ambitions to remain hidden from the world. The metaphor of the stars suppressing their fires suggests his intention to mask his intense ambition and the immoral actions he is willing to take to achieve his goals. This line also foreshadows Macbeth's upcoming action of murdering King Duncan and reveals the extent of his ambition, as he seeks to fulfill his "black and deep desires" at any cost. Another example of foreshadowing that illustrates Macbeth’s ambition is the quote: "All hail, Macbeth!
In Macbeth, Shakespeare writes about a man named Macbeth, who has a very strong ambition to be the the king of Scotland. His credulousness led him into believing the prophecy from the three witches without thinking rigorously. Because of this prophecy, Macbeth is willing to do everything he can to gain the throne, even to the extreme of murdering someone. Shakespeare uses syntax, similes, and personification to convey the evolution of Macbeth’s insanity.
With every wrongdoing, guilt comes along as a consequence. Everlasting guilt weighing one down as if it were an anchor; on the prolonged journey, plummeting to the bottom of the sea of shame. In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, the Thane of Cawdor and Glamis, was given a prophecy that he will become the king and that his suppressor would be the son of his ally and friend, Banquo. Macbeth believes strongly in this prophecy and will do anything to make his end of the bargain into a reality. After killing off anyone in his path including King Duncan and Banquo, Macbeth finds himself overtaken by guilt.
However, his ambition also did play its role in the whole act. His ambition to be the King of Scotland was born when he became Thane of Cawdor and thereafter started dreaming of being the King of Scotland. “They met me in the day of success; and I have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further”. This statement echoed the intensity of Macbeth’s greed and ambition beyond the peak of a mountain.
No boasting like a fool; This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool, (iv, ii, 149-153) This shows macbeth's ambition because he is willing to kill kids and a whole family just so he can stay king. Macbeth is a tragic hero because he meet that first requirement which is Hamartia This shows the that Macbeth is very desperate to stay king. By now, Macbeth has changed a lot.
Throughout the tragedy, Macbeth 's character takes a big, yet gradual change for the worst as ambition starts to completely take over him. Once the three witches give Macbeth his prophecies he transitions from a brave, loyal man to a cold blooded murderer. His power hungry personality leads to a character change from who he was before he knew about the witches prophecies, after he learned of them, and right before he was murdered. In Macbeth, Shakespeare dramatises the damaging physical and mental effects of ambition on those who seek power for their own sake.
A villain- a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot. Macbeth’s greed for power is what shaped him to be the villain in the play. In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, despite the good Macbeth had done in the very beginning his actions throughout make him the villain.
What Macbeth essentially says here is that his only motivation for killing King Duncan is his ambition. Many would argue that it was not Macbeth’s ambition that caused him to kill King Duncan but instead was his wife using her femininity in order to charm Macbeth into doing as she says . However, Macbeth’s hunger for power was already seen when King Duncan gives Malcolm the title of Prince of Cumberland. Macbeth tells himself that he must not reveal his true intentions: “Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires.”
Manhood is defined as the state or period of being a man rather than a child. The whole Macbeth play is surrounded by manhood. Macbeth was always trying to prove his manhood he always wanted to be the man and the boss of everything and everyone. He made it so difficult for other people to show their manhood and most of the ones that expressed their manhood were killed. Macbeth was the definition of a “man” wanting to control everyone all the time from the citizens of Scotland to his wife, I believe that in that time period it was so common for men to be controlling and bossy and Macbeth always tried to show that there was no one like him and he was not scared to demonstrate how far he could go to let everyone know that he was the boss, he was willing to kill.
Macbeth’s ambition is what is causing him to intervene with his prophecy and pursue his goal (rather than leave it to chance). In a way, it is Macbeth’s own “black and deep desires” that make him kill in the first place as the witches never tell him to do so. Furthermore, apart from ambition, it is Macbeth’s own weak will and moral system that causes him to do the actions that result in his downfall. Macbeth’s weak will is undeniable and is illustrated before killing Duncan. “I have of spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/And falls on the other” (I, VII, 25-28).
Through the imagery and diction used in this soliloquy, Lady Macbeth reveals what traits she possesses that make her able to manifest such a wicked idea. Her determination, while admirable, is almost manic, and it is clear by the end of the soliloquy that her character has what it takes to commit a
At the beginning of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ the protagonist Macbeth is described as ‘brave’, ‘noble’ and ‘honourable’, however Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeths desire for power consumes them. Macbeth’s ambition overrides his conscience and transformed his greatest strength into his greatest weakness. Macbeth’s inability to resist temptations that led him to be greedy for power, Macbeth’s easily manipulative nature which allowed his mind to be swayed, Macbeth having no self control and his excessive pride was what allowed him to renew his previously honourable and celebrated title into one of an evil ‘tyrant’. Macbeth is led by the prophecies of the witches after they foretell he will become the Thane of Cawdor. Not only the witches, but also his wife easily manipulate Macbeth as she attacks his manhood in order to provoke him to act on his desires.
This conveys Macbeth’s character at the beginning to be a misrepresentation because for him to have killed Duncan who was his king and cousin as well as Banquo a friend and man who he fought alongside in the war is not the actions of a noble man. However, he first acts on his ambition in (2.1) when Macbeth makes his “is this dagger before me” speech; he acknowledges that what he sees is not real, but through this vaulting ambition he visualizes the dagger as sign that he should kill Duncan. After he kills Duncan it is apparent that his