Exploring the theme of betrayal in Macbeth through three key characters; Lady Macbeth through her betrayal of conventional gender stereotypes, Macbeth through his betrayal of King Duncan along with his betrayal of religion, and the Three Witches through their betrayal of nature, and thereby, the be...
“Let not light see my black and deep desires.” - Act 1, Scene 4
- “Desires” - knows regicide is wrong, yet he’s fuelled by his ambition - like a
drug
- “Black” - colour imagery foreshadows the death of Duncan
- “Black” - oxymoronic and religious language, intends to warn the deeply
religious Jacobean audience of the consequences of regicide
“Amen stuck in my throat.” - Act 2, Scene 2
- Betrayal of religion as he’s fully embraced by the supernatural and disrupts
the Divine Rights of Kings
- “Amen” - God has rejected Macbeth from using religious language, has
effectively committed blasphemy
“Our faces vizards to our hearts, disguising what they are” - Act 3, Scene 2
- Betrayal of appearance and reality as a result of his ambition
“I am cabined, confined, cribbed” - Act 3, Scene 4
- Betrayal of gender roles, not “valiant” Macbeth from Act 1
- Use of alliteration exemplifies the unnaturalness of Macbeth
- The use of “c” replicates a rough sound, represents the extent of Macbeth’s
violent regicide
“Weapons laugh to scorn,” Act 5, Scene 7
- Highlights the interference of higher powers in Macbeth’s hamartia
- Speaking in trochaic tetrameter like the Witches, betrayal of nature
WANT TOP MARKS? HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE INTERPRETATION:
“Yet I will try the very last” - Act 5, Scene 7
- Macbeth parallels his earlier courage from Act 1, no change in his
characteristics
The Three Witches
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller GCSEcontent. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $5.87. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.