Abbreviations and idiosyncrasies to be noted

King James: KJ
Macbeth: M
Lady Macbeth: LM
Red writing: Something to be double-checked
S: Shakespeare

1: Introduction material

1.1: Background knowledge needed for this scene – Very Important

1. This play was written in 1606 by the bard himself, William Shakespeare,
for King James 1
2. Purpose: Please KJ, patron of Shakespeare’s acting company, the King’s
men
3. A year before the first recorded performance, the gunpowder plot of 1605
was discovered, an assassination attempt on KJ’s life
4. King James wrote a book called Daemonologie – hence witches used to
maintain KJ’s attention on the play
5. He also believed strongly in the Divine Right of Kings (That only Kings
beget Kings)
6. Additionally, KJ frequently spoke of the Chain of Being, in which the King
was the highest human being in terms of status, women were underneath
minerals
7. The play shows the tragic consequences of regicide, mirroring the
gunpowder plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes attempted an assassination of
KJ
8. Therefore, the play focuses on the consequences of breaking the chain of
being, something that stated that there was the divine right of kings.
9. M was also a real person, he was a King but of a small amount of land
10. STATE WHOM THE HELL M IS!!!
11. Themes are of Nature vs Unnatural
12. M is a general in the Scottish Army under King Duncan, his wife has
previously persuaded him to kill Duncan in Act 1 Scene 5, but he has
started to have his doubts.
13. M is alone, during a banquet hosted at his castle
14. Pathetic fallacy – dark outside because torch lights
15. Made of a soliloquy by M, then LM enters and he announces “we will
proceed no further in this business.”
16. He is shown to be very paranoid and agitated under the sword and shield
– juxtaposed to the audience’s image of a soldier
17. Split into 3 parts, the first is expressive of the multiple possible scenarios,
the second is his praise for Duncan, the third is his realisation that his
hubris spurs him.

1.2: Literary devices used

1. Femme Fatale: what LM is to M, alluding to Eve’s persuasion of Adam to
eat the apple in “the fall of man,” leading to their downfall
2. Alliteration when he talks about what a good man Duncan is.
 3. Euphemism used to distance himself from the deed – expressive of M’s
own doubt

1.3: Thesis Statements

1. In what ways does Shakespeare explore the idea of the Divine Right of
Kings and explain the consequences of breaking the Chain of Being?
2. How is M’s paranoia made pellucid?
1.4: Themes

SCENE VII

Iverness: Inside the castle

Torch light. Music is heard from the great hall. A sewer leads
 Torch light – must be night time for this to be needed. Pathetic
fallacy, because at night, the worst things tend to happen such as the
King’s assassination in Hamlet. This foreshadows M’s breaking of
the chain of being

A line of servants past with dishes for a banquet

Then, enter Macbeth, alone.

MACBETH
If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well
 “it,” – this is a euphemism for M’s plan to kill the King, expressing
how he is distancing himself from the murder, making his paranoia
apparent, as he is not fully committed to the murder

It were done quickly: if the assassination

1. “if,” – the repetition of “if,” indicates that M is considering multiple
possible aftermaths after he killed the King, this a sign of paranoia
and doubt
2. “if,” – the repetition of “if,” adds fluidity to the soliloquy and is
representative of M’s train of thought. This portrays M as an
 intelligent individual capable of poetic speech and thought, adding to
the tragedy of this play, as he loses all sanity towards the end of the
play.

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

With his surcease success; that but this blow
 “surcease success,” – sibilance adds flow to the soliloquy and stresses
again on M’s intellect, due to his ability to create fluid thoughts.
Juxtaposed to his state and the end of the play, contributing to the
play’s overall tragedy.

Might be the be-all and the end-all here,

But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We'ld jump the life to come. But in these cases
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice
 Plethora of metaphors in these 2 lines. ,”bloody instructions,” are a
metaphor for killing Kings, like what M will soon do, “the inventor,”
is M, as he would have started the series of regicide. Therefore, M is
scared that others will follow his actions and kill him, like he had
killed Duncan, foreshadowing his eventual demise.
 Blood is used because it is a symbol in the play for guilt, hence M
also fears the guilt he will incur after killing Duncan.

Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice

 “poison’d chalice,” – allusion to Hamlet, in which the King was
betrayed and assassinated with a poisoned chalice. This is an image
of treachery used to describe the extent to which M is committing sin,
by breaking the chain of being.

To our own lips. He's here in double trust;

First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against
 “plead like angels,” this simile compares Duncan’s virtues and ideals
to those of an angel, a servant of God who is essentially pure of heart,
placing emphasis on how Kings are equivalent to religious symbols,
reflecting the divine right of kings.
  “trumpet tounged,”- alliteration here is used to express the fury of the
angel should Duncan be killed. A “trumpet,” was also used to signal
the start of war, implying that M will start a war with the Gods if he
were to kill Duncan, because he had broken the chain of being.

The deep damnation of his taking-off;

 “deep damnation”-alliteration suggests that there will be severe
consequences for M if he were to kill Duncan. This is stressed upon
through the use of the word, “damnation,” a word that connotes hell.
Therefore, this phrase explains that M will go to hell for killing the
King

And pity, like a naked new-born babe,

 “naked new-born babe,” – alliteration of n and b is used to assert that
Duncan is innocent and pure, as shown by the word, “babe,” which
connotes innocence and purity – this indicates that D is a pure and
innocent man who should not be killed, this purity is also equated to
the highest human point on the chain of being – the King. Therefore,
it is axiomatic that the Divine Right of Kings produces Kings pure of
heart.

Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed

Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
 “blow the horrid deed in every eye,” – this imagery shows how M
will suffer for his sacrilegious crime, as shown by the word, “horrid,”
which denotes terrible. Furthermore, it is axiomatic that others shall
know of his horrible crime, through the phrase, “every eye.”
“Every,”implies that his crime will not be secret and every person
will hear of it. Hence, M will be punished and will also be publically
shamed for breaking the chain of being. This also expresses M’s own
doubts about committing regicide because. (MOVE TO “IT”)

That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur

To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on the other.

Enter LADY MACBETH

How now! what news?

LADY MACBETH
He has almost supp'd: why have you left the chamber?
MACBETH
Hath he ask'd for me?
LADY MACBETH
Know you not he has?
MACBETH
We will proceed no further in this business:
He hath honour'd me of late; and I have bought

3: What to discuss for each thesis statement

1. Religious imagery after “angels,” is used to reflect the context of the divine
right of kings and also explain M’s fears over killing Duncan as the
imagery also is very apocalyptic.