Example from story
Importance
Act 1: Nature
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.”- Lady Macbeth (Act 1 scene 5 line 72-73)
“The air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto our gentle sense.” - King Duncan (Act 1, Scene 6, Line 1-2)
“... heaven’s breath smells wooingly here.” - Banquo (Act 1, Scene 6, Line 6-7)
All of these lines compare Macbeth to something in nature. Lady Macbeth’s line says that Macbeth needs to look like a flower but really be a snake deep down. She is saying he needs to look as sweet and innocent as a flower but truely be a snake. The lines from the King and Banquo are talking about Macbeth’s castle. How peaceful and lovely it is. This is symbolism of how Macbeth appears. He looks sweet like a flower and his castle looks inviting. He is innocent and is uncomfortable with the idea of killing the king. Lady Macbeth tries to convince him and it works.
Act 2: Sleep
“‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep’” -Macbeth (Act …show more content…
What the apparitions say to Macbeth is as important as what the apparitions are. The first apparition was an armed head (scene 1 stage direction) the head is a symbol of how Macbeth has fallen from who he was. He was a powerful warrior and could have been “Bellona’s bridegroom” but when the witches tell him about his future he fall from who he was. He becomes prideful and ruthless. The second apparition was a bloody child (scene 1 stage direction), this is also a symbol of Macbeth’s loss of innocence. He has killed the man he used to be. The third apparition was a child holding a tree (scene 1 stage direction), this apparition is different from the other ones. This is a symbol of foreshadowing. Malcolm, the son of King Duncan, tells his army to arm themselves with branches for camouflage as his army approaches Macbeth’s castle. The apparition has shown him how Birnam Wood will move to the castle and who leads the