Macbeth Essay

The medieval and renaissance view of the world saw a relationship between order on earth, the so-called microcosm, and order on the larger scale of the universe, or macrocosm. Thus, when Lennox and the Old Man talk of the terrifying alteration in the natural order of the universe † tempests, earthquakes, darkness at noon, and so on † these are all reflections of the breakage of the natural order that Macbeth has brought about in his own microcosmic world. Macbeth is set in a society in which the notion of honor to one’s word and loyalty to one’s superiors is absolute. At the top of this hierarchy is the king, God’s representative on Earth. Other relationships also depend on loyalty: comradeship in warfare, hospitality of host towards guest, and the loyalty between husband and wife. In this play, all these basic societal relationships are perverted or broken. Lady Macbeth’s domination over her husband, Macbeth’s reacherous act of regicide, and his destruction of comradely and family bonds, all go against the natural order of things. Clearly, gender is out of its traditional order. This disruption of gender roles is also presented through Lady Macbeth’s usurpation of the dominate role in the Macbeth’s marriage; on many occasions, she rules her husband and dictates his actions. Macbeth is very rational, contemplating the consequences and implications of his actions. He recognizes the political, ethical, and religious reason why he should not commit regicide. In addition to Jeopardizing his afterlife, Macbeth notes that regicide is a violation of Duncan’s â€Å"double trust† that stems from Macbeth’s bonds as a kinsman and as a subject. On the other hand, Lady Macbeth has a more passionate way of examining the pros and cons of killing Duncan. She is motivated by her feelings and uses emotional arguments to persuade her husband to commit the evil act. Macbeth Essay The play Macbeth was written in the start of the 1600s by William Shakespeare, if you ever get a chance to read this play in both script and graphic novel you will discover that there are many signs of imagery and symbolism. Some of the many examples have been shown in nature with trees and birds acting as something’s are going on in the back, some in the way that the people, kings, and nobles dress in the play and also some in the way that blood is used throughout the play. As Lady Macbeth and Macbeth make plans to kill King Duncan so that Macbeth can become king as what the witches’ prophecy states, they know Banquo was there talking to the witches with Macbeth. The first example shows how the weather and nature acts when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth do a dirty deed. So when the king was murdered the animals in the Kings castle went ‘haywire’ as Ross says, â€Å"and Duncan’s horses, a thing most strange / Beauteous and swift, the minors of their race, / turn’d wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, / Contending ’gainst obedience as they would.† (Ross, 2.4.14) This would show that a person has done something that they should not and obstructed the circle of life; in this case, â€Å"†¦Macbeth does murder sleep†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Macbeth, 2.2.395); in other words Macbeth killed Duncan to take his position. There is also many other parts where nature acts as events happen for example when Malcolm and his army from England proceed marching to Dunsinane to confront Macbeth. Because at this point the weather appears to be dark and scary like someone is going to die. The second example is clothing; this distinguishes them from good and evil. For example light clothes are worn when the character wearing them is in a good and positive role and dark clothes are worn when the character wearing them is in a bad and evil role. Relating to Macbeth, this shows him as well as Lady Macbeth changing from noble and loyal to the king to trying to take him over. At the start Macbeth shows to be wearing purple and other loyal colors in the graphic novel but towards the end he had turned to a tyrant and started wearing red symbolizing blood and dark clothes. But also clothing is used to represent people and used to tell how good or bad a person is for example when Macbeth hears that he has been given the position of the Thane of Cawdor, he asks Angus why he is being dressed in â€Å"borrowed† robes (1.3.7) because he knows that the Thane of Cawdor still lives. Blood shows to play a huge part in Macbeth: Macbeth is a warrior at start and towards the end but then towards the middle he shows his ambition and turned to kill anyone in his way, in this case King Duncan and Banquo and Macduff’s Family. Make thick my blood,/ Stop up/ th’ access and passage of nature/ Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between/ Th’ effect and it! (Lady Macbeth, 1.5), this shows that lady Macbeth is talking to and telling spirits to make her blood thick and make her stronger so that they can commit a crime. Also that blood can symbolize who they are and what they do. Macbeth also says it will have blood, they / say: blood will have blood. / Stones have been known to move and trees to speak (Macbeth, 3.6). Blood plays a big part in Macbeth because Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have been playing with the scale of life and disrupting it with blood and murder. Showing blood, nature and clothing in the play can make symbolism and imagery in the play better. Blood is used in most of Shakespeare plays. The nature used in these plays is called pathetic fallacy and this is another factor embedded in most Shakespeare plays. In Macbeth he is a warrior but a tyrant trying to take over the king. Clothing can play a role to describe what kind or how a person is. At conclusion Macbeth shows symbolism and imagery to describe many aspects of the play and it does help the reader or the audience get a better perspective and in-depth view of the characters and how they behave.