Announcement: As mentioned in class, the fourth blog will be optional, as I will only be counting your best 2 out of 3 blog posts on your final report card. So, if you are happy with your grade on blog # 2 and # 3 then you can relax and just work on your Macbeth assignments! If you have not completed blog # 2 or 3 then I would suggest that you post on this fourth blog, as you will avoid losing late marks. The fourth blog post will be due by Sunday March 11th, if you choose to do it.
Questions:
1) Discuss the various apparitions and visions Macbeth sees in Act IV, scene 1. How do you interpret these? Why do the witches want to make Macbeth feel safe?
2) In a tragedy, the tragic hero causes suffering through his actions. Discuss the suffering Macbeth has caused by the end of Act IV. Do we still have sympathy for him as a tragic hero?
REMINDER: Assignments are due no late than March 16th during TAP, or in class time on Friday for Block G. I will be marking these assignments to give back after spring break, so there will be no accepting assignments after that point, unless you see me prior to ask for an extension.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
111313
2)
What caused Macduff to say ."Not in the legions Of horrid hell can come a devil more damn'd in evils to top Macbeth."?? What sin has Macbeth commited to anger his once friend? Besides the obvious suffering of the people he has murdered, the family members of the deceased (Fleance, Malcom, Donalbain) Must cope with the loss of there loved ones. On a grander scale, Macbeth has caused war in Scotland. Due to his evil actions, Scotland has suffered, and Macduff and Malcom are planning to attack Macbeth, which will undoubtibly cause bloodshed. Also, Macbeth shows no signs of slowing down, in the last part of this act, Macbeth sends murderers to kill Macduffs familly! Clearly, Macbeth is an evil man who has cause much harm and is beyond sympathy.
79609 #2
A tragic hero such as Macbeth causes much suffering and harm to alot of people, Macbeth is no different. He has killed, which in it self causes countless people to loose sympathy for him. The family members of the deceased have also suffered huge amounts, and their lives will never be the same. Scotland as a whole is on the brink of a civil war, all because of a few choices this "tragic hero" has made. Macbeth chooses to kill the inocent and the youth, not for his betterment but just for hate. "The castle of Macduff i will surprise; Seize upon Fife; give to the edge of the sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace in his line" This is the point where anyone who has any sympathy for Macbeth looses it. He has gone completely mad. At this point Macbeth diserves to be killed himself.
106680 (G)
1)
Act 4, Scene 1 of Macbeth in most popularly known as the cauldron scene. This is the scene where a frightened Macbeth goes to have his concerns answered by the witches once more. He demands them, in all their evil powers and horror to answer the questions he has. With a clap of thunder, the first Apparition appears, looking like a head with an armoured helmet and warns Macbeth to “beware of Macduff” then quickly disappears. Soon after, the second apparition arrives, looking like a bloody child. The second apparition tells Macbeth to “Be violent, bold, and firm. Laugh at the power of other men, because nobody born from a woman will ever harm Macbeth”. Even this being said, Macbeth still decides to have Mcduff and his family murdered, so he is able to face his own fear and sleep easy at night. Macbeth feels happy now to learn that he will not be harmed by any other man. The third apparition appears, in the form of a child with a crown on his head and a tree in his hand, stating that “Macbeth will never be defeated until Birnam Wood marches to fight you at Dunsinane Hill”. Macbeth is so relieved in hearing this and believes the task of moving a wood is impossible, and he will for certain be king for all of his natural life. Macbeth still has one more question. He asks the witches if they know whether or not, Banquo's sons ever reign in this kingdom? After this, a vision of eight king’s marches across the stage, the last one with a mirror in his hand showing more and more kings and followed by the ghost of Banquo. Macbeth is horrified by this and all his fears come back. All these apparitions and visions shown by the witches create a false sense of security for Macbeth. The readers must believe that the visions are misleading and that it is impossible to now what is going to happen at the end of Macbeth. I am sure these visions do share some truth to them, but Macbeth should still not feel safe. He is far from safe. I believe the witches are creating this false sense of security just to misguide him and confuse him even more so he won’t see the danger coming.
119577 (G)
Question2
In a tragedy, often the tragic hero causes suffering through his actions.
At the very last part of Act4, scene3, Macduff showed his sworn revenge on Macbeth. Macbeth killed Macduff's family for only releasing his stress of Macduff's escape. Malcom and Macduff were great fellow soldiers of Macbeth and supposed to be trusted each other but Macbeth had destroyed or messed up that relationship.
At this point, the answer for the question "do we still have sympathy for Macbeth as a tragic hero" is hard to say. In my opinion I still could have sympathy, because even Macbeth did wrong things, he still is a main character of the story and that tells the author wanted the readers to feel something about Macbeth. Eash person could have a lust for power and possibility to show that.
In the conclusion, Macbeth had caused the suffering but he is still a main character and a tragic hero, and the story is tragedy therefore there is no wonder we have some kinds of sympathy for him.
72587 (A)
#1
In Act IV, scene 1, the three witches are gathered around a cauldron chanting spells, when Macbeth appears and demands answers to all of his questions and concerns. The witches answer his questions by three appirations; the first one telling him to beware of Macduff, but Macbeth claims he already knew that much. The second appiration is a bloody child which tells him that "none of a woman born shall harm Macbeth." Now it seems that Macbeth isnt afraid of Macduff because the second appiration ruled out the first one and he should no longer fear Macduff. The third and last appiration tells Macbeth that he is safe until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill, which throws Macbeth off, because he knows that is impossible. When he demands to know more, he has a vision of a long line of kings walking past him, with the ghost of Banquo at the end. Macbeth is angered by this, and he decides to have Macduff and his family killed, even though he thoroughly believes that he will not be harmed by him. I think that Macbeth is still very unsure of himself, and isnt as strong as he hopes he is. He seems to act and make decisions without thinking anything through. Also, i think that the witches want to make him feel as safe as he possibly can; as though no one can hurt him, to prepare and lead up to his defeat and downfall.
121569
Question #2
Act 4, scene 1
The famous scene with the witches and the cauldron, where Macbeth goes with his feelings and questions to the witches to seek their council. The first apparation that Macbeth see's is a head that says to beware of Macduff, this is quite true, but Macbeth doesn't have to great of an idea about Macduff's plan. As the audience, we know what Macduff's intensions are for the situation. The second vision that he see's, explains to him that "No one born of a women, will ever harm Macbeth.." This apparation is very confusing for Macbeth beacuse in the first vision, he is told that he should beware of Macduff, but then in the second, it states that Macduff, or anyone else who is human will be able to hurt him. The third apparation, is the most mysterious of all so far, the vision states that "Macbeth will never be defeated until Birnam Wood marches to fight you at Dunsinane Hill" This seems like it is quite impossible and quite insane, and Macbeth does not seem to be scared by it, if anything, he probably feels more secure, becuase all these visions are making him feel better and better about himself and his wellbeing as King. After the visions are complete, Macbeth requests one more question for the witches, which is if Banquo's line of sons will still rule the throne. A fourth apparation shows 8 kings , the last holding a mirror which shows the ghost of Banquo followed by many Kings. This throws Macbeth completely off, and makes him quite worried. After having all the visions pointing in a good direction for himself, this one shows him that he is not going to be King for long. By showing the first few visions, the Witches are making him feel very safe and secure, but in the last one, he loses all his safety. I belive this foreshadows to us what will happen later on, that Macbeth will believe that he will be safe, but the wildest things can happen and twist the plot completely.
87066 block A
2)
Macbeth was a tragic hero that caused others suffering through his actions. Starting off he hurts Scotland by murdering Duncan, this also affects many others such as Duncan's wife and family. He then keeps killing with the murders of Banquo and Mcduff's family. Not only does he detroy families, Scotland is in a very tight spot becuase of him. With all the pain and trouble Macbeths causes you slowly lose sympathy for Macbeth and trade sides to that of Mcduff and Malcom who plan to take back the kingdom to rightful owner. This is said by Malcom " Be comforted, lets make us medicine of our great revenge, to cure the deadly grief"(act 4 scene 3 line 216) at this point you know Macbeth is doomed.
73776
Question One
Macbeth causes much suffering though the play. He starts with killing Duncan which causes suffering to Scotland, and Duncan’s family. He then go on to have Banquo killed and tries to have Fleance killed, this causes much suffering to Banquos family and much to his son who saw the murderers. Macduff flees to England to ask for Malcolms help, leaving behind his wife and son thinking this will spare them of trouble but Macbeth has them killed causing the suffering to Macduff who was just trying to help and soon has no family. We soon lose any sympathy we had for Macbeth as he kills off every good person in the play. When Malcolm proclaims " Be comforted, lets make us medicine of our great revenge, to cure the deadly grief"(act 4 scene 3 line 216) you no Macbeth has no chance but you feel no sympathy for him and have no feeling for this tragic hero.
#84353
#2
A tragic hero a character who exhibits a fatal flaw, wich will lead to his downfall. In most plays the tragic hero is still liked but in MacBeth you loose all sympaty for him. This is on account that his ambition (his fatal flaw) drives him to kill others just so he can be more secure. MacBeth killed Banquo because he feared the prophecy and is causing chaos in scotland, killing thoughts who stand in his way, MacBeth sends men to kill MacDuff's family because MacDuff Betrayed him. By this point we have no sympathy for MacBeth, he has killed his king and his freind and is going to kill more people before the tale is over.
121836 (A)
Q#2
Macbeth has caused suffering through his actions to many people and even has damaged his nation, by murdering Duncan, but still I feel sorry for him. He was a victim of his own actions and betrayed by his conscience.
It is true that he has committed awful crimes, but I think it is clear that he feels bad about it and that he is just making sure that he’ll go to hell. He feels that he doesn’t deserve a thing and he is losing his mind. As we have seen he is naturally ambitious but in previous acts he had said that if he could go back in time he would never have killed Duncan. I believe that he tries to stay in power by instinct and also he is confused by the witches, who play a game between truth and fallacy.
Now we see the one who once was a brave soldier turn into a broken man, alone and insane, unhappy about himself, unsafe in his own skin and constantly tormented by his shadow.
Post a Comment