Macbeth THEMES:

He killed Banquo and Duncan. To gain more power/ showing

he is a violent character.

Guilt:
 Macbeth felt guilt when seeing Banquo
 LM shows guilt through sleepwalking/blood on her
hands/ she could not kill Duncan because he looked too
much like ger father
 In order to feel guilty you must have a conscience
 Macduff when he left his wife
Appearances + reality:
Euphemism = covers up the reality
Blame is shifted on someone
Witches makes suggestions which mislead him
Ghosts + appartions show nothing as it should be
Shown in the play:
Shakespeare shows that realties can be deceptive.
Key aspects:
Seeing Things: Full of spirits + ghosts + conjure up due to guilty
acts. Difficult to admit what is happening and may be suspected
of madness.
“is it a dagger I see before me”
Blood is symbolic/Macbeth is covered with Duncan’s blood
LM Sees blood on her hands – “Than of thief had a wife”
Rhyming shows a disturbed state of mind.
Sleep and dreams: Neither Macbeth and LM cannot sleep due to
hallucinations.
Hospitality: LM and M killed Duncan in his sleep while resting in
their castle.
“look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”
Macbeth see’s Banquo ghost at the feast and says “welcome” 3
Times – Showing he is slightly nervous.
Many words of the character are twisted or have 2 meanings –
“Fair is foul and foul is fair”

ACT 2 SCENE 2 – Macbeth says “I have done the deed” –

Euphuism as it has 2 meanings/ do we know that he has done a
good deed or a bad deed.

Realities + appearances are shown through thoughts. They are

evil.

Do you think Ambition is Macbeth’s biggest

weakness?
3 main points
1- Yes, as it drives him crazy and blood lust to
commit murder. Kill his king
2- No as he weak to take control of his
relationship. Gender could be his biggest
weakness. His weakness as a man, he let himself
be manipulated by LM. – links to “coward”
3- No as well as LM had to push him further to
kill Duncan as he was not strong enough. – he
was a brave warrior/ he was too kill without
 being too emotional or serious. He does not
suffer from guilt afterwards
Ambition is Macbeth’s biggest weakness as it
drives him to kill his king who he is supposed to be
loyal to and his best friend. His ambition is so
overwhelming that he kills his friends.