Audience Engagement in Macbeth
Tragedies such as Macbeth have engaged and fascinated audiences for centuries. Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Macbeth depicts the ill-fated journey of Macbeth, a brave and loyal soldier, who murders several innocent people to become King, and is soon after killed himself.
The play engages the audience, which is defined as “occupying and maintaining the interest or attention of the audience. Through the use of characterisation, narrative structure and figurative language, Shakespeare elicits a response of both pity and fear, thus engaging the audience in Macbeth.
In order to engage the audience, Shakespeare evokes a reader response of pity and fear in Macbeth through the use of the characterisation of Macbeth. This is illustrated clearly in Macbeth’s first true soliloquy, in Act 1, Scene 2:
“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.“
Macbeth is constructed by Shakespeare as a moral character, as indicated by his complete understanding of the immorality of the murder he is about to commit, however his ambition leads him to commit regicide anyway. This evokes fear in the viewer at the ability …show more content…
In Act 1, Scene 1, Macbeth is convinced by Lady Macbeth to commit murder. In the final line of the scene, Macbeth states “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”. Shakespeare uses repetition and alliteration in this quote which portrays Macbeth as prepared to hide the truth and feign innocence despite knowing completely of his wrongdoing. This evokes a response of fear from the audience, who are shocked at Macbeth’s ability to commit regicide. In Act 5, Scene 5, Shakespeare uses figurative language beautifully as Macbeth questions the transience of
Tragedies such as Macbeth have engaged and fascinated audiences for centuries. Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Macbeth depicts the ill-fated journey of Macbeth, a brave and loyal soldier, who murders several innocent people to become King, and is soon after killed himself.
The play engages the audience, which is defined as “occupying and maintaining the interest or attention of the audience. Through the use of characterisation, narrative structure and figurative language, Shakespeare elicits a response of both pity and fear, thus engaging the audience in Macbeth.
In order to engage the audience, Shakespeare evokes a reader response of pity and fear in Macbeth through the use of the characterisation of Macbeth. This is illustrated clearly in Macbeth’s first true soliloquy, in Act 1, Scene 2:
“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.“
Macbeth is constructed by Shakespeare as a moral character, as indicated by his complete understanding of the immorality of the murder he is about to commit, however his ambition leads him to commit regicide anyway. This evokes fear in the viewer at the ability …show more content…
In Act 1, Scene 1, Macbeth is convinced by Lady Macbeth to commit murder. In the final line of the scene, Macbeth states “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”. Shakespeare uses repetition and alliteration in this quote which portrays Macbeth as prepared to hide the truth and feign innocence despite knowing completely of his wrongdoing. This evokes a response of fear from the audience, who are shocked at Macbeth’s ability to commit regicide. In Act 5, Scene 5, Shakespeare uses figurative language beautifully as Macbeth questions the transience of