Tragedy of the Scottish Play
By: Riley Linn
Scottish Play Downfall
The Scream
The piece of art “The Scream” represents the Scottish Play because in the story who doesn’t want to just relieve stress and scream? The painting shows a man screaming. In the play Lady is a very stressed, crazy and paranoid person. She is a person who just wants to scream! She is also the only person to keep Macbeth sane. When Macbeth found out that Lady had died Macbeth responded, “If thou speak’st false, upon the next shalt thou hang alive, till famine cling thee. If thy speech be sooth i care not if thou dost for me as much. I pull in resolution, and begin to doubt the equivocation of the fiend…” (5.5.43-48). Basically macbeth was heartbroken and wanted to scream due to her death.
Aside
“Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor! The greatest is behind!” (1.3.133-134). This quote is a good example of an aside because it shows Macbeth pondering to himself, after the witches have told him the prophecies. An aside is, in plays, when all characters on on stage, but one character is sharing their thoughts or feelings with the audience. No one else on stage can “hear” the character in an aside.
Foil
A character who provides a contrast to another character. In this case, Banquo to Macbeth. Banquo is a good foil for Macbeth. He was always doubtful when Macbeth was hopeful. “But tis strange! And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence” (1.3.143-146). For example, after the witches told both of them the prophecies. Banquo was leary of what the witches said.
Comic Relief
- “‘What three things does drink especially provoke?’ ‘Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes: it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance’” (2.3.25-29). During the very dramatic scene there was this scene. Where the Porter and Macduff are talking and make jokes about alcohol, to lighten the mood. Comic Relief is exactly what it says it is, the relief of comedy.
Supernatural
Supernatural relates to Macbeth due to power. In season nine of the show one of the main characters, Dean, gets a mark, the mark of cain, which has brought Dean so much power. If anything too much power. this is just like when Macbeth and Lady find out what the prophecies say. They have too much power which controls them as well. The clip shows the trailer for season 10, which is when the power is shown. "Thou sure and firm-set earth, Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear Thy very stones prate of my whereabout, And take the present horror from the time, Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives. Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives" (2.1. 56-70). This quote shows when Macbeth is thinking how to, or if he should, kill Duncan. He chooses to, causing him to have too much power. Just like Dean in supernatural.