Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
Macbeth Symbol Group Presentation
Manhood/Womanhood
Manhood: the state or time of being a man or adult male person; male maturity. Traditional manly qualities.
Womanhood: the state of being a woman; womanly character or qualities.
Lady Macbeth is telling the spirits to look after her thoughts of murder,
and to unsex her; meaning to take all of the feminine qualities away from her so that she won't
be bothered with her womanly sense of remorse and kindness.
Significance:
Character - Lady Macbeth's desire to be "unsexed" shows her determination and willingness to commit murder, and that nothing can get between her ambition to become a cold-hearted killer. It portrays her as selfish, greedy, and controlling.
Atmosphere - her desperate plea sets an almost sorrowful atmosphere.
Plot - Lady Macbeth mentions to Macbeth that if Duncan did not look like her father, she would have committed the crime herself. Lady Macbeth's womanly emotions took over her mind as she thought of her father, leaving manly Macbeth to commit the crime.
Lady Macbeth:
"A woman's story at a winter's fire,/ Authorised by her grandam. Shame itself!" (III.iv.79-80)
Lady Macbeth is comparing Macbeth's behaviour after murdering Duncan and Banquo, and seeing Banquo's ghost to a superstitious old woman.
Significance:
Character - shows Macbeth is extremely superstitious, makes the audience imagine Macbeth reacting like an old woman.
Atmosphere - gives imagery to provide what Macbeth's actions were like and how he reacts to Banquo's ghost.
Theme - provides a dreary image and adds to the superstitious theme and atmosphere.
Plot - Lady Macbeth takes on the role of the man in the relationship, while Macbeth drives himself insane. In the end of the play, Macbeth seems to have given up while Lady Macbeth commits suicide because she could not handle the emotion she was trying to hide at the time.
Banquo: "And when we have our naked fatalities hid / that suffer in exposure, let us meet" (II.iii.148-149)
Macbeth: "Let's briefly put on manly readiness." (II.iii.156-157)
Significance:
Character - highlights that Macbeth believes in order to be prepared to face the day, he must be properly dressed and also must have his emotions contained.
Atmosphere - At this point, every one is feeling very sad, they have lost a great king. It is also disturbing that Macbeth can act so calm after the horrendous action he commited.
Theme - The quote relates to the theme because Macbeth suggests he does not feel as manly in his night clothes then he would dressed appropriately in day clothes.
Plot - The actions of this event start the journey to fulfilling his prophecies, and making him one step closer to becoming King. This quote allows not only allows him to get dressed, but to collect his thoughts and make plans with Lady Macbeth on their next step.
Macbeth: "No Man: / The expedition of my violent love / outrun the pauser reason. (II.iii.125-127)
The household of Macbeth has just been disturbed with the upsetting news of Duncan's death, and Macbeth, Lennox, Macduff, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Malcom, and Donalbain are discussing their grief. The quote means that his 'non manly' emotions have overtaken the rational part of him, preventing him to think like a man.
Significance:
Character - This shows Macbeth's hypocritical ways, acting as if he's upset when really he is anticipating being crowned King.
Atmosphere - The atmosphere is disturbed and depressing, and with pathetic fallacy in the later scene, the bitterness is also reflected in nature.
Theme - This creates a bad image of Macbeth because he is acting so calm towards everyone, acting just as they are when he is the reason all of the sadness is partaking.
Plot - Macbeth states that men do not allow their emotions to control them and he was acting womanly, though later on he much reacts like a woman. He becomes panicked and hysterical, while his wife attempts to soothe him.
Macbeth: "Ay, In the catalogue ye go for men; / As hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs, / soughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are clept / all by the name of dogs." (III.i.100-103)
Macbeth is speaking with the murderers about killing Banquo and his son Fleance, but he is now having to convince them that Banquo is not on their side. Macbeth is telling the men that if they are not ready to murder Banquo, they are not real men.
Significance:
Character - Again, Macbeth portrays a two-faced side of his character. He decieves the murderers into believing that unless they commit the murder, they aren't true men.
Atmosphere - The atmosphere is intense and dramatic. Macbeth is pressuring them into murder, and he is trying to convince them in an aggressive and competitive manner.
Theme - This relates to the theme of manhood because Macbeth is putting men in the position of potentially not being real men, forcing them to comply just so that they can prove their manliness.
Plot - Macbeth pressures the murderers by accusing them of being unmanly, which is exactly what Lady Macbeth did to him. In both situations the murders did happen, and Macbeth felt the grief and guilt from both murders. Though he didn't kill Banquo himself, even tricking others into comitting the murder for him still resulted in hallucinations, and in the end his slaying.
Malcolm: "Dispute it like a man." (IV.iii.257)
Macduff had fled to England in order to convince Malcolm to return to Scotland and claim the throne that is rightfully his. Meanwhile, Lady Macduff and their children are left alone and vulnerable in England. Ross, after informing Lady Macduff of Macduff's sudden leave, travels to Scotland and is hesitant to inform Macduff of the murder of his wife, children, and servants. Malcolm tries to understand the pain that Macduff is feeling after the murders, but to fight and conquer his emotions like a man.
Significance:
Character - The significance of this quotation to the characters is that it changes the emotions of Macduff, from sorrow to rage. In other words, he replaces his more feminine emotions with masculine ones.
Atmosphere - The atmosphere of the play changes from sad and pitiful, to angry and revengeful.
Plot - The significance of this quotation to the plot is it advances the over-throwing of Macbeth from words to actions. Instead of just discussing the downfall of Macbeth, they have now progressed to forming English forces to take revenge on Macbeth.
The Scottish nobles Mentieth, Caithness, Angus, and Lennox are on their way to Birnam Wood near Dunsinane to join with the English forces and their leaders Malcolm, Macduff, and Siward. All are prepared to die for their country and for the restoration of order. Caithness asks if Donalbain, Malcolm's brother, will be joining the English forces. Lennox replies no, and continues to tell them that he has a list of all the gentry, one of which is Siward's son, along with many other smooth-faced youths that proclaim they are now men.
Significance:
Character - Even though the young gentry do not posess physical characteristics of men, such as facial hair, they do however posess the mindset of men.
Atmosphere - The atmosphere becomes more serious and tense.
Plot - The quote introduces young Siward to the play, which is necessary for when he is defeated by Macbeth. The quotation somewhat foreshadows that young Siward was not man enough to vanquish Macbeth, but died as a man.
Lady Macbeth:
"Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty!
Make thick my blood,
Stop up the access and passage to remorse..." (I.iii.43-46)
Macduff has discovered King Duncans murdered body and the men present are discussing what will happen next. Banquo suggests to the men that they leave and dress them selves appropriately into their daytime clothing, and Macbeth agrees, stating to put on both suitable clothing and attitudes, to prepare for action.
Lennox: "For certain, sir, he is not: I have a file / Of all the gentry: There is Siward's son, / and many unrough youths, that even now / Protest their first of manhood." (V.ii.9-12)