BPD QUESTIONS

On
Macbeth

 Q1) Comment on
the opening scene
of Macbeth.
THE OPENING SCENE OF MACBETH IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT BEGINS TO ESTABLISH
THE DARK AND MENACING MOOD OF THE PLAY AND BECAUSE IT BEGINS TO ESTABLISH
THE MALEVOLENT AND DECEPTIVE CHARACTER OF THE THREE WEIRD SISTERS.IT HAS
THE THREE WITCHES DETERMINING THEIR REUNION ON A BATTLEFIELD TO
MANIPULATE THE RETURNING WAR HERO, MACBETH. THEY REVEAL THEIR PLAN TO
CAUSE MUCH CONFUSION AND CHAOS IN HIS LIFE BY CLOUDING THE ABILITY TO
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.
THE SETTING ITSELF IS DARK WITH THUNDERING CLOUDS AND STRONG WINDS. IT
CREATES AN ATMOSPHERE OF DREAD, SUSPICION AND MISFORTUNE THAT IS
CONTINUOUS THROUGH THE FOLLOWING ACTS.
THE IDIOM SUGGESTED BY FAIR AND FOUL AND A LAYER OF FOG BETWEEN THEM
INTRODUCES THE AUDIENCES TO THE CENTRAL IDEA OF THE DRAMA WHICH IS THE
DARK OUTCOME OF LUST FOR POLITICAL POWER AND SELFISH AMBITION.

Q2)Write a short
note on Macbeth's
rst soliloquy.
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 The soliloquies of Macbeth are more like interior debates, a fascinating

aspect of Macbeth’s motivation. In the very rst soliloquy of
Macbeth we nd him contemplating over the murder of King
Duncan and its possible consequences:
Alone, Macbeth ponders the deed that he is about to perform. He
is aware of the powerful reasons for murdering the king, but is
nagged by self-doubt arising from his fear of retribution both in
heaven and on earth and by his likely loss of reputation. However,
any such fears are dismissed by his wife in the same practical tone
that she used in Act I. Her taunting of her husband's weakness,
coupled with the ef ciency of her own plan, convince Macbeth that
he should take on the "horrid deed."
Within the uid construction of this soliloquy, words and sounds
constantly attract and suggest each other, giving the impression of
a train of thought. All this begs the question of whether Macbeth,
able to rationalize and express his thoughts, is thereby revealed as
an intelligent, poetic soul. And if that's the case, does he appear
more human, more or less capable of sinning, and, worrysome for
the audience, more or less capable of winning their sympathy?
It is the thought of something after death that puzzles Macbeth.
Throughout the speech, his words recall those of Shakespeare's
earlier tragic hero, Hamlet. In paraphrase, Macbeth wonders
whether the act of murder itself must, by necessity, carry
consequences in "the life to come" or whether judgment will await
him in this life. Macbeth is simultaneously aware of the duplicity
and imbalance of the proposed murder (he is Duncan's relative,
subject, and host, yet he is to be his killer) and of the equality and
balance of earthly and heavenly law: "this even-handed Justice /
Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice / To our own
lips"
Of further concern to Macbeth is the disparity bet ween his own
reputation and the world's perception of Duncan as a good and
virtuous king. The nal section of the speech contains an
apocalyptic vision in which he imagines Duncan's virtue and pity
proclaimed as if by angels and cherubim from a storm- lled sky.
This doom-laden vision, whose imagery (for example, "trumpet-

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 tongued") re ects that of the biblical Day of Judgment, gives way

in turn to a nagging self-doubt. Whereas he pictures the angels
and cherubim "horsed upon the sightless couriers of the air,"
Macbeth admits that he himself has "no spur / to prick the sides of
my intent but only / Vaulting ambition which o'e rleaps itself / And
falls on the other [side]" (25-28).
Lady Macbeth must immediately detect Macbeth's self-doubt.
When Macbeth admits to her that his golden reputation might lose
its "gloss," she sets out to strengthen his resolve by mocking his
perceived weakness. Her questions drive further the wedge
bet ween daring and doing, bet ween courage and action, bet ween
desire and ful llment. To these, she adds a distinction bet ween
masculinity and femininity: In contrast to her own self-proclaimed
manliness, she pours scorn upon her husband's lack of courage.
BA ENGLISH HONOURS 2020-2023 2

JAS PREET KUSHWAHA- SBU200411 21 July 21

She tells him he is "green," "a coward," and that he resembles the
proverbial "poor cat" who wanted the sh but would not get its
paws wet. Finally, and most damningly, she tells him that her own
lack of pity would extend to murdering her own child as it suckled
at her breast. With this one terrifying example, she con rms that
"the milk of human kindness" is absent in her.
The next paragraph commences with a shift in tone — no less
pragmatic but even more ruthlessly ef cient — as Lady Macbeth
switches her attention to the details of the murder itself. Her plan to
drug the guards with alcohol is couched in metaphorical language
derived from the ancient science of alchemy. The words "receipt,"
"fume," and "limbeck" speci cally refer to this process, whose
purpose was to turn base metal (such as lead) into gold. It is
heavily ironic that, in the Macbeths' experiment, that which is gold
— the king himself — will become base and doubly ironic that
Macbeth's golden reputation will be reduced to worthlessness.
Macbeth has been convinced. In words that uncannily recall his
wife's, he now puts on the mantle of murderer: the monosyllabic
"False face must hide what the false heart doth know" has a
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 certainty to it that completely overturns his earlier vacillation.

A titanic play like Macbeth would never have been so effective
on stage without the magni cent soliloquies. Through them,
Shakespeare highlights his mastery over the art of dialogue
under the façade of a random chronicle play to entertain the
Elizabethans.

Q3) Write a short

note on Macbeth
as a tragic hero.
One of the classic examples of a Shakespearean tragic hero is
shown in the play Macbeth, where the protagonist Macbeth can be
seen as a tragic hero. Macbeth was established as a hero with
great stature. He earned the King’s trust with his loyalty and his
extraordinary abilities on the battle eld. He was someone with
noble and respectable nature, and king Duncan spoke of him with
great fondness, but he was unaware of the destiny Macbeth
imposed on him later on

Macbeth’s blind ambition and provocation from his wife lead him to
take a bloody and violent path where he murdered his own King
and ultimately lead to his demise. Macbeth was a righteous and
noble person who could have achieved much more and would have
been adored by all. If he did not commit Duncan’s assassination,
Macbeth was consumed by a sinful life after Duncan’s murder,
making him a tragic hero

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 Many scholars see Macbeth as a villain instead of a hero due to his

vile actions. But a tragic hero can be either an antagonist or a
protagonist. The point is that the audience can empathize with the
character.Macbeth was aware of his tragic aw, but he kept going
for what he wanted, no matter even if people have to die because of
it.Lady Macbeth was the real antagonist of the play because she
was evil, ambitious, and eventually insane. Due to her, Macbeth’s
unrestricted ambition was fuelled and ultimately led to his downfall

In the beginning, Macbeth used to be a good character, but he

became corrupted and was shown as a tragic hero at the essential
point at which all is lost. Although he was a man with good morals,
at every step, his morals were taken over by his temptations and
ambitions. Despite being a hero at heart, which readers and
audience have seen from the start, his mistakes create an insight
into evil

With the manipulation and in uence of Lady Macbeth, the hidden

ambitions in Macbeth are strengthened, and her evil arrangement
gradually tempts Macbeth. So although ambition and fate are the
primary factors in Macbeth’s downfall, Lady Macbeth is also at fault.
Macbeth’s weakness overturns his whole life and changes his
honorable and respectable character into an evil and violent one
hated by everyone

The outcome of Macbeth’s decisions did not just affect him, but the
whole of Scotland was also shaken. His character changed from a
courageous and loyal man to an evil being despised by most
Scotland due to his ill-fated decision, the witches’ prophecies, the
in uence of fate, and Lady Macbeth’s temptations. Due to his
ambitions to reach his goals from the very beginning and
maintaining this desire, Macbeth is seen as a tragic hero
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Q4)Reference to
the Context

" Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing "

Answer