Macbeth LRJ #6

Natalie Mironov
Ms. Peifer
English 10 IB, Hr 4
3 March 2009

In "Macbeth," Shakespeare asks the reader many important questions involving destiny and ambition. The play makes the reader wonder whether people are able to change and what will happen if it is attempted. It also brings up the question of when is it acceptable to act upon ones desires? Shakespeare asks the reader this by making them consider Macbeth's thoughts and actions. After hearing of the prophecy he says, "The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o'er leap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires: let not light see my black and deep desires" (1.4.48-51). This brings up the question of whether Macbeth should act on this and try to fulfill the prophecy or whether that is interfering too much with destiny. When Lady Macbeth hears of what the witches sais she tells Macbeth, "You shalt be what though art promised" (1.5.16-17), but she even questions whether doing this will get them what they want because she immediately says, "Yet do I fear nature: it is too full o' th' milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way" (1.5.17-19). This shows her questioning human interference in ways such as this and makes the reader question if one should act upon blind ambition, especially without having much knowledge of the topic.

Shakespeare goes on to answer these questions by showing the reader what happens to Macbeth. Near the end of the play they hear Macbeth say, "My way of life is fallen into the sere, the yellow leaf: and that which should accompany old age. As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have: but in their stead, curses not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath, which the poor heart fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.110-116). This is saying that even with all Macbeth's ambition and all he did to try to fulfill the prophecy and better his life, he ended up without love and friends, things which nobody wants to be without in life. He continually repeats how miserable he is saying thing such as, "Out, out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing" (5.5.23-28), and "I 'gin to be aweary of the sun, and wish th' estate o' th' world were now undone" (5.5.49-50). This is showing how he never should have tried to change nature and destiny and tells the reader that one should just live their life and let things play out as they should instead of constantly trying to make them happen a certain way.

Macbeth LRJ #5

Natalie Mironov
Ms. Peifer
English 10 IB, Hr 4
3 March 2009

Macbeth: Act 5

The themes in the final act of "Macbeth" are much the same as those of other acts being about death, guilt, pride, and power. Since becoming king Macbeth has become cruel and arrogant and has abused the power he has. He murdered innocent people as well as inflicting undeserved punishment just to show his greatness. An example of this is when the messenger came to warn him of the moving forest and he says, "If thou speak'st false, upon the next ree shall thou hang alive" (5.5.44-45). This is showing that Macbeth thinks down upon others and even though this messenger just wants to help him out it would be a good chance for him to show off his power so others do not think to mess with him. Along with this, Macbeth is also a very proud man because even with everything he has gone through he never backs down. He says, "I will not yield to kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet" (5.8.32-33). Pride is also prevalant among others charactersm, for example Siward. When he thinks Macduff has died while fighting Macbeth he states, "Had I as many sons as I have hairs, I would not wish them to a fairer death" (5.8.56-57). This means that he thinks bringing down such an awful tyrant is such an honorable deed that dying in the act of it is a very honorable and respectable death.

Another thing that continues into act five is the image of blood. Blood continues to represent death and guilt. Lady Macbeth sepecially uses the image of blood to show her feelings about the murders she took part in. She says, "The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? What, will these hands ne'er be clean? No more o' that, my lore, no more o' that" (5.1.44-46). This shows her feelings on the death of Macduff's wife because she was innocent and wasn't part of any of the plots to take the crown away from Macbeth. Lady Macbeth feels these murders are getting out of hand now that wives and children, like herself, are being killed. Another instance where she mentions blood to symbolize how guilty she feels is when she says, "Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand" (5.1.53-55). By this, Lady Macbeth is saying how awful these murders are and there is nothing in the world that can make better these awful acts.

Macbeth LRJ #4

Natalie Mironov
Ms. Peifer
English 10 IB, Hr 4
3 March 2009

Macbeth: Act 4

The purpose of the scene with Lady Macduff in it is to give the characters depth and help the reader feel like they know Lady Macduff and her children. The reader is able to feel her pain when she says, "Wisdom? To leave his wife, to leave his babes, his mansion and his titles in a place from whence himself does fly? He loves us not" (4.2.8-10). The reader also is able to see the strong bond between mother and son because they are able to joke about Macduff being gone. She tells him that she can "buy me twenty at any market" (4.2.47-48). Through these conversations the reader feels a connection to the characters which makes them feel Macduff's pain when they are murdered.

By Macduff's actions during this time, the reader learns of his selfish fear. Malcolm even asks him "why in that rawness left you wife and child, those precious motives, those strong knots of love, without leave-taking?" (4.3.33-35). This is showing how strong his fear for himself and his life must have been that he fled so fast he left his wife and kids behind with such a terrible murderer running the country. When he left he decided he would find Malcolm and convince him to come back and claim his title of king. Doing this and leaving his family behind shows how Macduff valued his country over his family. Malcolm definitely doesn't approve of this priority because Macduff says, "I would not be the villain that thou think'st for the whole space that's in the tyrant's grasp, and the rich East to boot" (4.3.44-46). This shows how strongly Malcolm thinks what Macduff did is wrong because Macduff said even if he were offered all of Macbeth's kingdom and the riches in the East, he still wouldn't be the villain that Malcolm considers him to be.

Macbeth has changed because at the beginning of the play he was a gentle man with a big conscience who felt guilty about doing any evil deeds. In act four of the play all those characteristics are gone and he has become greedy and evil. He now wants everything his way and will do whatever it takes to get it. He tells the witches, "Of nature's germens tumble all together even till destruction sicken, answer me to what I ask you" (4.1.62-64). He is basically telling the witches that he doesn't care what they have to go through to do it, they must tell him everything he wants to know. He then threatens them saying "I will be satisfied. Deny me this, and an eternal curse fall on you!" (4.1.119-120). These show his greedy nature. At this point Macbeth is also very evil. While he initially felt extremely guilty about the murder of Duncan now he has planned and had committed the murder of Banquo and is planning that of Macduff's family. He tells Lennox, "Seize upon Fife, give to the' edge o' th' sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line" (4.1.172-174). This shows how cruel he has become to assure that nobody steals his power.

Macbeth LRJ #3

Natalie Mironov
Ms. Peifer
English 10 IB, Hr 4
2 March 2009

Macbeth: Act 3

In this act, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth qualities begin to switch. Before, Lady Macbeth had been the strong, savage, decision-making one of them and Macbeth was the sorrowful, remorseful one, but now they are beginning to switch roles. While before he felt guilty about murdering Duncan, now he is planning another murder, that of his friend Duncan. He says that he could "with barefaced power sweep him from my sight and bid my will avouch it, yet I must not, for certain friends that are both his and mine" (3.1.135-137). This is Macbeth saying that he would kill Banquo himself if it weren't for the friends they share that he cannot lose. It shows how Macbeth is becoming the cruel one who will do anything for power. This is how Lady Macbeth used to be but now the reader hears her say that "'tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy" (3.2.8-9). This shows how she is beginning to realize what she has done and that it is wrong. Also, Macbeth used to be the follower who was forced into these kind of plots by Lady Macbeth but in this act he plans the murder of Banquo himself and tells Lady Macbeth to "be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou applaud the deed" (3.2.51-52). This shows how now he doesn't even want her to be a part of these awful schemes and he can do them himself.

Throughout this act there are many refernces to blood. It is used as a symbol of guilt. When Macbeth is trying to blame Malcolm and Donalbain for the death of Duncan he says, "We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed in England and in Ireland, not confessing their cruel parricide" (3.1.33-35). This is Macbeth trying to make them sound guilty so nobody is suspicious of him. Another example is when Macbeth tells the murderer that "there's blood upon thy face" (3.4.13-14), meaning that he now has the murder of Banquo on his conscience. Macbeth once more uses blood to represent his guilt saying, "I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er" (3.4.168-170). This means that he has committed so many murders that even if he did stop it would be just as hard for him return to his normal life because of all the guilt he has.

An important theme is fear and paranoia. After having committed the murders of Duncan and Banquo, Macbeth is very paranoid of other people finding out and coming after him. He is so fearful of people finding out and coming after him that he tries to blame others, like when he tells everyone Malcolm and Donalbain have fled. He says, "We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed in England and in Ireland, not confessing their cruel parricide" (3.1.33-35). This shows how determined he is to blame others so there will be no suspicions on him, that he is blaming the very sons of the dead king for his death. Macbeth is also very paranoid that Banquo will come after him because he heard the prophecy also and is already suspicious of Macbeth for the death of Duncan. He states that Banquo is in "such bloody distance that every minute of his bein thrusts against my near'st of life" (3.1.132-134). This is showing how afraid Macbeth is that Banquo will come after him, especially since Banquo's sons are prophesied to be king. This makes Macbeth afread of all of them and wants them all killed.

Macbeth LRJ #2

Natalie Mironov
Ms. Peifer
English 10 IB, Hr 4
2 March 2009

Macbeth: Act 2

Throughout act two, more negative qualities of Macbeth have become known, such as his inability to speak up for himself. He ended up murdering Duncan even though he knew it wasn't right. Afterwards he was regretful saying, "I am afraid to think what I have done" (2.2.66) and "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood from my hand? No, is my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red" (2.2.78-81). These show how much remorse he has and how even though he has done this dreadful act he still has a conscious, one of his positive attributes.

Lady Macbeth on the other hand is much more outspoken and harsh. She is unsympathetic to Macbeth's worries and is determined to carry out the murder to achieve power. While Macbeth is busy feeling guilty, it seems Lady Macbeth has no conscious at all because she says, "A little water clears us of this deed" (2.2.86), meaning all the guilt will disappear in no time. She is also very deceitful because she pretends to be sleeping and faint when the murder is announced to everyone. She tells Macbeth to "get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us and show us to be watchers" (2.2.90-91). For just a moment during act two the reader is able to see a more gentle and vulnerable side of Lady Macbeth. She tells the reader that "had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done 't" (2.2.16-17). This shows that Lady Macbeth is still able to love and feels for others besides herself.

In this act sleep is used to represent suspicion and guilt. Banquo talks of sleep many times and uses it to show that he is suspicious of Macbeth. First he just speaks of it more generally, saying, "A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, and yet I would not sleep" (2.1.8-9). This is showing that he thinks something is going to happen but he's not sure of what. Later, he goes on to ask Macbeth, "What, sir, not yet at rest? The King's abed" (2.1.15) and also tells him, "I dreamt last night of the three Weird Sisters" (2.1.25). This shows that Banquo is connecting some of this initial suspicion to Macbeth because he had a dream about the Weird Sisters who told Macbeth the prophecy. What also adds to this is that Macbeth is still awake, long after the king and this is unsettling to Banquo. Sleep is also used to symbolize guilt. Macbeth connects sleep with the guilt he has for murdering Duncan. He says, "Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep' - the innocent sleep" (2.2.47-48). This demonstrates how Macbeth connects sleep to innocence and the murder he has committed to an innocent person so he feels especially guilty.

Macbeth LRJ #1

Natalie Mironov

Ms. Peifer

English 10 IB, Hr 4

23 February 2009

Macbeth: Act 1

Initially Macbeth comes off as a very conflicted character. He is torn between goodness and power. When he hears of the prophecy, Macbeth thinks, "If good, why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair... My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man" (1.3.47-153). This is showing how his mind immediately jumps to the way to achieve power, through murder, but then regrets it because his conscience kicks in and makes him realize that isn't right. This also shows his potential to be evil since the first thing that comes to his mind is to murder the Thane. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, is very strong, ambitious, and influential. She has a lot of power over Macbeth and is able to push him to do what she wants through things such as questioning his manhood. She says, "When you durst do it, then you were a man" (1.7.56), implying that if he is not able to murder Duncan he is too cowardly to be a man. She also is very power hungry and creates an entire plan for the murder of Duncan. She tells Macbeth they will frame the guards to "bear the guilt of our great quell" (1.7.81-82). Unlike Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Banquo is a more innocent character and seems to think things all the way through better. When Macbeth asks him if he wants his children to be kings, Banquo replies, "That, trusted home, might yet enkindle you unto the crown, besides the Thane of Cawdor. 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" (1.3.131-137). This is talking about how trying to get this could lead to bad things that one wouldn't want to do and could still get without having to do anything bad. It shows Banquo's intelligence and goodness as opposed to Macbeth's murderous thoughts.

The theme in this act is power and ambition as well as gender roles. This power and ambition is displayed by Macbeth after hearing of the prophecy because his thought immediately go to murder. Lady Macbeth shows that ambition is important when she says, "Though wouldst be great, art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it" (1.5.18-20). This is saying that to be great one must be ambitious and do so ruthlessly to achieve the goals they are striving for. In this way, she thinks Macbeth should kill Duncan so he will be king and together they will gain more power. The theme of gender roles is more minor but Lady Macbeth portrays an image of men as more violent and women as gentler and more helpless. She says, "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood" (1.5.47-50). This is saying that she wishes she were a man so she could kill Duncan herself, but being a woman, she cannot.

In this act there is also some strong imagery. An example is when Lady Macbeth is speaking to Macbeth of his promise to kill Duncan. She tells him, "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 plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had I so sword as you have done to this" (1.7.61-67). This image stands out so much because of the awful thought of dashing the brains of one's own baby out. It shows how hungry for power Lady Macbeth is and shows her evil side, displaying how she will do whatever it takes to achieve the power she craves.

Sonnet 116 Commentary

Natalie Mironov
Ms. Peifer
English 10 IB, Hr 4
February 23, 2009

Shakespeare's Sonnet 116

Shakespeare's purpose in Sonnet 116 is to show the reader the glory and the strength of love. He achieves this through his use of metaphors, personification, and the theme.

Shakespeare uses metaphors to say love is "an ever-fixed mark/ That looks on tempests and is never shaken" (5-6) and "the star to every wandering bark" (7). These metaphors portray love as a unwavering guide that is always looking out for people. This makes love seem like a very strong thing since it is there to support you no matter what happens.

Also present in this sonnet is personification. Shakespeare personifies time and love saying "Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks/ Within his bending sickle's compass come" (9-10). This is saying that even though time has the power to make a person's rosy lips and cheeks go away, time cannot control love. This is turn shows how great love is that it es able to resist another very strong power.

The theme of this sonnet is love and Shakespeare is trying to portray the greatness of it to the reader. He does this by saying, "Love is not love/ Which alters when it alteration finds,/ Or bends with the remember to remove" (2-4). This quote states that love isn't really love if it disappears or changes when the one who is loved does. He is saying how potent it is that changes such as these are insignificant and unimportant, and then reinstates that point by saying that it "bears it out even to the edge of doom" (12). Shakespeare's certainty of this is evident in the couplet at the end of the sonnet which says, "If this be error and upon me proved,/ I never writ, nor no man ever loved" (13-14). This ending to the sonnet shows how powerful love is because Shakespeare says that if someone proves this definition of love wrong than nobody has ever really loved because this is truly what love is, an unbelievable strong and glorious thing.