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Clothing Motif in Macbeth
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Clothing Motif
Clothing Motif
Macduff:
Banquo:
"Lest our old robes sit easier than our new"
(Act 2, scene 4, line 48)
"Indissoluble tie forever knit"
(Act 3, scene 1, lines 18-19)
Clothing Motif
Macbeth:
"Golden opinions from all sorts of people that would be worn now in their newest gloss"
(Act 1, scene 7, line 35)
Clothing Motif
Macbeth:
Motif
"Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?"
(Act 1, scene 3, line 112)
A motif is an object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work. Motifs have a symbolic significance and contribute toward the development of the theme.
Throughout the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare there are many significant motifs. One very important and reoccurring motif in Macbeth is clothing.
Throughout Macbeth clothing shows represents where the characters are in their lives and how the characters feel about each other.
Clothing Motif
Malcolm:
Caithness:
"Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, yet grace must still look so"
(Act 4, scene 3, lines 27-28)
"cannot buckle his distempered cause within the belt of rule"
(Act 5, scene 2, line 17)
Clothing Motif
Angus:
Analysis
"like a giants robe upon a dwarfish thief"
(Act 5, scene 2, line 25)
Throughout the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, many of the characters continuously bring up clothing. These characters, as shown by their quotes mention the clothing they are wearing, they are receiving, and the clothing on other people. This is not because the characters in Macbeth are very concerned about appearances, however it symbolizes how they feel about where themselves and other characters stand. For example when Macbeth says "why do you dress me in borrowed robes", he is not saying he is getting some old clothes, it represents that he feels he is unworthy of the thanes title. Then by act five the reader can see that he has taken advantage of his power as king when Angus says "like a giants robe upon a dwarfish fish". This shows that the people feel that Macbeth stole Duncan's power and that it is unfit for him. This demonstrates how the motif of clothing develops the play and how it plays a role in the plot. Each one of the quotes regarding clothing represents something more than it appears and this makes it a very effective motif.