Evaluate how dramatic techniques have been used to reveal enduring ideas in Shakespeare’s plays. Support your view with detailed reference to the play you have studied.
Dramatic techniques play a significant role in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1606). By interweaving interpretations of dramatic tragedy ahead of his time, Shakespeare juggles the enduring ideas still relevant in today’s society. These include ambition and its influence on rationalisation, the theme of good vs. evil and its link with the temptation of power, and the influence of the Great Chain of Being, emphasised through a variety of dramatic devices, inclusive of repetition of phrase, soliloquies, equivocation, and the motifs of blood and hallucination.
In Macbeth, Shakespeare …show more content…
The enduring idea shown through the effects of ambition on the ability to reason, particularly on Macbeth, is demonstrated through murder of King Duncan. Macbeth is defined by his driving ambition, and how this tragic flaw has warped his logical reasoning. Retaining an ongoing pursuit towards being king of Scotland, Macbeth of his thirst for power through his unjust murders of King Duncan and Banquo. This is further exemplified by his ever-growing madness as he struggles to come to terms with the horror of his actions and his own self-satisfaction in being king. With ambition driving him to kill King Duncan, Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to stress the emotions of anger, guilt, insanity and shame that Macbeth feels when killing/murdering King Duncan. This is shown through the use of imagery in the quote from Macbeth’s “is this a dagger I see before me” soliloquy “And, on thy blade and dudgeon, gouts of blood; Which was not so before” (2.1.46-47). The quote illustrates the extent of the wounds Macbeth hailed upon King Duncan; “dudgeon” referring to the hilt of the blade and how the wounds he had inflicted resulted his knife being bathed in blood. He outlines the driving madness he caves into as he continuously stabs Duncan in an onslaught of horror. Suffering from conflicting morals, this …show more content…
Still relevant in our society today, Shakespeare reveals the effects that temptation of power has on a character, particularly on Macbeth and /his wife. To support this, Shakespeare exhibits the obsession Macbeth has with the idea of killing King Duncan to realise the witches’ prophecy, and how he gives into his own lust for power as a result. Shakespeare uses the technique of a soliloquy to illustrate the evolution of Macbeth’s change in character from morally good to evil. Tempted by his “vaulting ambition” (1.7.27), Macbeth outlines his struggles with the goodness Duncan portrays, and the advantages the position of king would give to him. The downfall of Macbeth from a brave, just character to an antagonist is demonstrated in his “If it were done” soliloquy. The quote“…that his virtues/Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against/The deep damnation of his taking-off” (1.7.19-20) outlines that the king’s death would not be received lightly by any of his loyal followers. Macbeth then progressively goes against his original morals, until he reaches the point of accepting murder being the right path. This highlights the slow destruction of Macbeth’s own morals until he disassociates himself with the honour and courage he was previously branded with at the beginning of the play. This is
Dramatic techniques play a significant role in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1606). By interweaving interpretations of dramatic tragedy ahead of his time, Shakespeare juggles the enduring ideas still relevant in today’s society. These include ambition and its influence on rationalisation, the theme of good vs. evil and its link with the temptation of power, and the influence of the Great Chain of Being, emphasised through a variety of dramatic devices, inclusive of repetition of phrase, soliloquies, equivocation, and the motifs of blood and hallucination.
In Macbeth, Shakespeare …show more content…
The enduring idea shown through the effects of ambition on the ability to reason, particularly on Macbeth, is demonstrated through murder of King Duncan. Macbeth is defined by his driving ambition, and how this tragic flaw has warped his logical reasoning. Retaining an ongoing pursuit towards being king of Scotland, Macbeth of his thirst for power through his unjust murders of King Duncan and Banquo. This is further exemplified by his ever-growing madness as he struggles to come to terms with the horror of his actions and his own self-satisfaction in being king. With ambition driving him to kill King Duncan, Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to stress the emotions of anger, guilt, insanity and shame that Macbeth feels when killing/murdering King Duncan. This is shown through the use of imagery in the quote from Macbeth’s “is this a dagger I see before me” soliloquy “And, on thy blade and dudgeon, gouts of blood; Which was not so before” (2.1.46-47). The quote illustrates the extent of the wounds Macbeth hailed upon King Duncan; “dudgeon” referring to the hilt of the blade and how the wounds he had inflicted resulted his knife being bathed in blood. He outlines the driving madness he caves into as he continuously stabs Duncan in an onslaught of horror. Suffering from conflicting morals, this …show more content…
Still relevant in our society today, Shakespeare reveals the effects that temptation of power has on a character, particularly on Macbeth and /his wife. To support this, Shakespeare exhibits the obsession Macbeth has with the idea of killing King Duncan to realise the witches’ prophecy, and how he gives into his own lust for power as a result. Shakespeare uses the technique of a soliloquy to illustrate the evolution of Macbeth’s change in character from morally good to evil. Tempted by his “vaulting ambition” (1.7.27), Macbeth outlines his struggles with the goodness Duncan portrays, and the advantages the position of king would give to him. The downfall of Macbeth from a brave, just character to an antagonist is demonstrated in his “If it were done” soliloquy. The quote“…that his virtues/Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against/The deep damnation of his taking-off” (1.7.19-20) outlines that the king’s death would not be received lightly by any of his loyal followers. Macbeth then progressively goes against his original morals, until he reaches the point of accepting murder being the right path. This highlights the slow destruction of Macbeth’s own morals until he disassociates himself with the honour and courage he was previously branded with at the beginning of the play. This is