Motif Tracking

Due: Monday Jan 31

Motif: time
Instance 1: Act 1 Sc 5 67-83
MACBETH My dearest love, Duncan comes here to-night.
LADY MACBETH And when goes hence?
MACBETH To-morrow, as he purposes.
LADY MACBETH O, never
Shall sun that morrow see!
Your face, my thane, is as a book where men
May read strange matters. To beguile the time,
Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye,
Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under't. 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.
MACBETH We will speak further.

Context: The King is about to arrive to the castle. He has names his son heir to the throne.
Macbeth sent his wife a letter about how he is to be king. She suggests how to kill him.
Analysis:
Beguile the time means to lie to those around them. This is in relation to once they have killed
the King who they will lie that it is the,
Look like the time I think this means to seem honest to those around them. This would be helpful
so they arent suspected of being the killers.
In this passage they also talk about what time Duncan is coming and what time they should kill
him

Instance: 2: Act 1 Scene 7 53-67

LADY MACBETH What beast was't, then, That made you break this enterprise to me?
When you durst do it, then you were a man;
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place
Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:
They have made themselves, and that their fitness now
Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know
How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums
, And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you
Have done this

In class Sat Jan 29

Do you believe in fate or free-will?
I think that fate is simply a prediction of free will. So fate is what you will decide.
Does all attainment of power require sacrifice?
It often requires sacrifice especially if you are not born into power. Retainment of power also
usually requires sacrifice, so you don't misuse the power or remain ‘worthy’ of it.
What are the effects of fear?
Fear slows down the person that is fearful and gives advantage the the one who isn’t. For
example if mAcbeth was fearful in battle he would have not fought as well and then would not
have received the title of Thane of Cawdor.
What are the effects of time?
I think the effects of time are unrelenting. This means that time passes and there is no way to
stop it. Correct timing is also necessary. If Macbeth was to kill the king then he would need to
know at what time he should do it. However, he might just be able to wait a certain amount of
time and then he will be king as the witches predicted.
How do you know who you truly are? How can you know if someone is being “genuine” or
“authentic”?
You know who you truly are by what you do when tempted. Macbeth will figure out who he is
during the story as he is being tempted with power.

Due Saturday January 29

Motif: Time

Instance 1:
First Witch When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
Second Witch When the hurlyburly's done, When the battle's lost and won.
Third Witch That will be ere the set of sun.

Instance: 2:
MACBETH Give me your favour: my dull brain was wrought
With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains
Are register'd where every day I turn
The leaf to read them. Let us toward the king.
{aside}Think upon what hath chanced,
and, at more time,
The interim having weigh'd it, let us speak
Our free hearts each to other.
BANQUO Very gladly.
MACBETH Till then, enough. Come, friends.

Analysis:
Macbeth is talking to banquo about what they think they should do about Macbeth becoming
king as three witches foretold/
Basically whether or not they should kill the current king (duncan i think).
This relates to time as they are talking about a future time when they will have an honest
conversation about what they should do.
This is like the witches who talked about the time when they would talk to Macbeth.
Macbeth and Banquop can not talk now as they are being escorted by the king's men to go to the
king and get Macbeth's new title of Thane of Cawdor.

Due
Motif:
Instance 1:
Instance: 2: