Macbeth's downfall
By: Savannah Taylor
Lady Macbeth is to blame
Lady Macbeth is wanting Macbeth to become the King of Scotland because of the witches profecies. Lady Macbeth thinks the only way for Macbeth to do that is to kill the king of Scotland. Lady Macbeth is trying to convince Macbeth to kill the king," He that’s coming Must be provided for; and you shall put This night’s great business into my dispatch, Which shall to all our nights and days to come Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom"(Shakespeare 12). Lady Macbeth is telling him that after they kill the king their lives will change forever. That night Macbeth chickens out on killing the king, so Lady Macbeth has to try and get him to follow through. Lady Macbeth does this by putting hateful comments into his head,"Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem..." (Shakespeare 13). Lady Macbeth starts calling Macbeth a coward and makes fun of him for wanting to back out. After they have done the deed Macbeth id worried that someone has found out about what they have done. Lady Macbeth assures him, they were just dreaming. She makes sure Macbeth is not stressed about what he has just done,"These deeds must not be thought After these ways. So, it will make us mad" (Shakespeare 20). Lady Macbeth is saying if Macbeth doesn't stop worrying about this, they will both go crazy.
Imagery
In Macbeth, Macbeth is so terrified of what will happen when he kills the king. Therefore, imagines a dagger floating in front of him, "Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee" (Shakespeare 17). Macbeth is going crazy and is describing what he sees in front of him. Since Lady Macbeth was convincing him to kill Duncan, Macbeth is hallucinating and seeing the weapon in front of him.
Tragedy
In Macbeth, Macbeth kills Duncan so he can become king,"Still it cried "Sleep no more!" to all the house: "Glamis hath murder'd sleep and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more" (Shakespeare 20). This is after Macbeth has killed Duncan and he is hearing voices in his head. Macbeth is going crazy because Lady Macbeth Made him kill Duncan.
Verbal Irony
Verbal Irony is used in Macbeth when he invites Banquo to dinner. When he invites him, he already knows he is not going to show up," Tonight we hold a solemn supper sir, and I request your presence" (Shakespeare 29). After Macbeth says this the reader notices that Banquo isn't going to show up to the dinner because Macbeth is planning to hire people to murder Banquo for him. This shows verbal irony because Macbeth says something that doesn't really mean what he's saying.
Movie connection: The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games relates to Macbeth because President Snow is telling Katniss that she has to kill everyone, just like Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth he has to kill Duncan. President Snow is disappointed in the way Katniss is fighting and he wants her to play the games better and fight harder. Lady Macbeth acts just like him because she is disappointed in Macbeth and wants him to toughen up and kill Duncan.
Catching Fire Snow visits Katniss Scene
Song connection: Crazy Train
The song, "Crazy Train'" by Ozzy Osbourne relates to Macbeth because Lady Macbeth is going crazy and saying weird phrases and she's talking to herself, but most importantly she is telling Macbeth to kill Duncan. Therefore, Lady Macbeth is causing Macbeth's downfall because she is getting him to kill innocent people. When the song says,"Mental wounds not healing life's a bitter shame. I'm going off the rails on a crazy train." It makes me think of Lady Macbeth because when she is talking to herself in a room alone, it makes me think she is mental.
Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train (lyrics)