Lit and Comp

These are the study questions we worked on in class together and talked about with each other.

I-1

1) Beginning the play with a dialogue between the witches sets the mood to be dark, evil, and mysterious. This foreshadows the plot, theme, and mood for the future of the story in the same manner. In comparison of Shakespeare’s other plays, Macbeth requires more ambiguity and the syntax and diction used needs to be more bleak. For example, Hamlet highlighted the themes of betrayal and complexity of relationships and power. Even though, the theme falls in the same ballpark with Macbeth, the gloominess of the plot of Macbeth overpowers that of Hamlet. In the beginning of the play, the witches were going to meet Macbeth at the “ere of sunset.” Line 10 was “Paddock calls” and line 11 was “Anon.” The phrase paddock class means a toad, which symbolizes transformation. The word anon means soon or shortly. The “toad” and it’s transformation could metaphorically be compared to Macbeth and his evolving and transforming to be a completely different person or even having a transformation in his status and power. The witch’s response as anon signifies how Macbeth will shortly have a transformation – to be declared a thane. 

I-2

1. The bloody seargent indirectly characterizes Macbeth by glorifying his actions towards Macdonwald. Macdonwald is a rebel who was executed. He tried to attack them. Macbeth executed macdonwald with his sword. This did not end the fight with the rebels, the Norwegians are still attacking.
2. The traitor was the Thane of Cawdor, as we learn from Ross. Duncan says that its a relief the thane of cawdor was executed and that Macbeth now owns his previous title.

I-3

1. The witches speech gives a first look at Macbeth and his wife without saying who they are. Indirect characterization of the two. Similar to Hamlet where he gives a mini synopsis early in the story. “Weird” in Shakespeare’s day meant future seers not weird as we know it, prophecy and destiny. Shakespeare means that Macbeth’s wife has him by the balls. They  cast a spell to control his destiny. 
2. Macbeth says something very similar to what the witches said at the beginning of the play. This could be him falling into the destiny the witches set up. Dried, chapped fingers, gender ambiguity, hairy, old, they have literal beards. The witches tell Macbeth that he will thane of Candor and eventually King, right then he finds out he is thane of Cawdor. Banquo asked the witch why they had nothing for him, they told him he is lesser but greater than Macbeth. We knew he was thane before he was thane.
3. Banquo says the witches were a figment of their imagination that they lie or that they are hallucinating. Macbeth learns that he is thane of Cawdor from Ross and Angus. During lines 114-156 he was going over his plan in his head and how everything had just happened to him. He acts very happy and shows no incredulity at being thane. Macbeth’s aside shows him rationalizing what happened to him and he begins to think that he is going to be King soon. Macbeth tells Banquo that he is happy and excited and nothing more he explains his behavior by saying he is confused.

I-4

1.Cawdor was executed after openly confessing his treason and pleading for mercy. Malcolm tried to stick up for the thane, but the king responds by basically saying that you can’t trust a man according to his face. He doesn’t believe the thane was truly repentant.

2.The king greets them by saying that he can never repay them enough for their good deeds, but announces he will leave all his estate and names his son, Malcolm, prince of Cumberland. He then proposes that they go to Macbeth’s castle at Inverness. Macbeth tells himself that the only way to be king is to get rid of Malcolm, and even though he’ll be appalled at his action, he must do it.

I-5

1. Macbeth was honest with his wife when he informs her of his new title as “Thane of Cawdor.” He refers to the witches as “weird sisters” probably because he doesn’t want her know that he is associated with the “evil servants.”

Lady Macbeth responds by saying that she thinks Macbeth is playng things off as if everything is fine. By saying “but be the serpent under’t”, she describes him as someone that lies to make everything appear under control. This doesn’t really match the characterization of Macbeth so far in the story which implies that there is something the audience doesn’t know about him. 

2. The wife was confident about the guests visit. She also seemed prepared and a little cocky about the way her and her husband would handle it.

3. Lady Macbeth. Yes she wants to kill Duncan. No, he isn’t sure whether he wants to follow through with Lady Macbeths orders or not. She tells him not to let Duncan see tomorrow. 

4. The question appears to answer itself. 

I-6

1. The opening speeches (1.6.1-10) describe how the surroundings of the castle are “pleasant” and the air is sweet-maybe even too sweet. From the outside, the castle appears to be paradise.
Lady Macbeth’s welcome is formal. Her language is totally different from her language in the previous scene which shows how fake and dishonest her welcome was.

I-7

1. “If it were done when ’tis done then ’twere well.” If it were done when it was done it was done well. (Meaning if he completed the death quickly and efficiently and with no complications then he did the job well.) Macbeth is determined to kill the king and be done with him but in lines 1-12 he is fearful of how the “inventor” will judge his actions. He’s violating the hospitality of his kinship and responsibilities as a host towards his guest by trying to kill his guest instead of protecting them. The motivation that Macbeth attributes to himself in lines 25-28 is the attribute of an Arabic heaven-like God. He will be seen as a “God” and that is his source of motivation to get the job done. 

2. In lines 28-30 she is complaining about him leaving the chamber because it was  almost time for dinner. Macbeth responds to her complaining by saying did he ask for me? And lady Macbeth says don’t you know he did? The positions are lady Macbeth is ready for the King to be killed while Macbeth is still hesitant and on the fence about it. Macbeth convinced Lady Macbeth by explaining that he is an respected person and doesn’t want to lose his honor while Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth by convincing him to gain the power and kill the king. The stronger person in the scene is Lady Macbeth because  she’s more verbally confident in her argument while convincing Macbeth to kill the King. 

Macbeth is indirectly characterized by having his physical appearance and his actions show that he is a royal but still able to bring death to his opponents as shown by the description of his bloody blade. The witches basically lay out Macbeths future and saying that he’ll get the crown but not without bloodshed. Shakespeare’s characterization of Macbeth reflects an almost mocking tone as his wife makes jabs at his masculinity which in former European societies was seen as everything a man should strive for. An evident theme throughout Macbeth’s character and conduct is some sense of entitlement and reliance on his friends and the people beneath his power.

I’m using the 1970 prompt structure and then conveying the author’s attitude towards death

Ms. Dickinson is describing how she would possibly feel at her future funeral. telling the readers that the service had the likeness of a drum repetitive and ongoing almost droning on to keep pace so that the funeral can end in a timely fashion and the people can get back to their hum drum life and wait till they get to see their own drum beat funeral. Ms. Dickinson’s mind is going numb possibly from under stimulation as she believes that maybe no one will care to say anything less than superficial at her funeral and that she was less than understood. Feeling the toll of space as she is moved lower into the ground so some plants are denied her body because she is wrapped in their dead brothers. Heaven being on its own its own frequency and her and silence being the absence of one feeling as though she won’t be able to attain her version of heaven as though it was purposefully made to exclude her and silence together. Lastly she says that a plank of reason breaks letting her escape and fall through various realities and at the very least attaining closure. She wants to believe that she will have closure after her death even if she does not get to become part of her heaven. Ms. Dickinson believes that death is an inevitability that maybe you won’t die with people having known the real you and the only thing you should hope for are answers once you’re on the other side.

Every conversation felt forced and rough not having the ability to ever fully trust your neighbor or your once trustworthy pastor, these are some of the challenges that Mr. Goodman Brown gets to deal with on a daily basis. Doubt is eating away at Mr. Goodman’s mind and will influence his actions throughout the rest of his life in minor ways that will build a wall between his thoughts and actions. Mr. Goodman is going to conform and play along to everyone’s tune because he’s still not quite sure if what he saw in the forest is real but if he’s wrong and it was real then once he stops going along with the act people will start to take notice; as everyone eventually does when someone decides to step out of their line composed of social norms.

Doubt’s the decaying feeling that eats at your brain and changes your perception of others, every word every movement is up for speculation because you’re never quite sure. Trust would be one of the first feelings to leave, feeding into widening the cracks between oneself and others. Mr. Goodman goes the rest of his life without asking others if they were there that night and probably chalks it up as a vivid nightmare but part of him still wants a straight answer from his peers, full well knowing that if this question was ever seriously asked he may be subject to the town’s fury. Either they tear him apart because he know what truly goes on in the ancient forest or because they think that he may have been touched by the devil. Tension starts with a large rip and moves to making smaller more discreet tears in the characters resolve. Once the Character’s resolve is torn they have no further business pretending to be sane.

Well since a few of my peers who also happen to draw have uploaded some of their creations to their blog I joined the small trend, I do however post majority of my pieces to my Instagram account but that’s another post entirely. For this piece I put Lilies everywhere because I love flowers and also because these flowers are usually given to people in times of intense emotional grief usually after the death of a loved one, which I thought went well with the expression of the person that I drew. I love all the symbolism one flower can portray because they are usually soaked in history and the tales of multiple cultures. Well I might do something like this in the future or not I guess you’ll have to see as of right now I have to go draw flowers for a birthday.

The tone being projected through the last line is a sociopathic bit of maliciousness. basically this person regards Cornelius with the same level of respect he gave to the cat that was slaughtered, taking delight in this event if only for the fact that his social position would not be able to survive if others actually knew the truth behind the liquor soaked mask, that he wears at parties to give the guests an opportunity to flex their forced social graces that become more sloppy and unrefined with each glass of poison;
they so eagerly let soak in their hollow throats. The theme this lovely story exudes is that  intellect is power that can be shared through various means such as a cat and then a murderous elephant, but those who put that power on display and expose others lack of power are subject to harsh consequences. The cycle continues and once again the creator falls victim to his own craft.