This is the place where you can ask your questions about Macbeth, answer one another's questions, and post comments about your understandings to help one another learn. Remember this is NOT education as usual. It is up to you to help one another learn.
17 comments:
Im kind of wondering why Macbeth delivered a speech with almost no heart after he heard of Lady Macbeth's death, not only because it is his wife but especially when he appeared so "whipped" in the earlier acts of the play.
Taylor- Second block discussed this a little. First off, he's going into battle so doesn't really have any time to feel for the death of his wife. He can’t just quit and break down into mourning. He may not want to show his emotions but keep them to himself. Plus, Macbeth knew he had a chance of dying; some people may mourn while others go off to (hopefully) kill their enemy before death.
I just have one question this time.
Why was Macbeth so willing to o into battle? I mean, he tells Seyton in act 3 to get his armor even though Malcolm and Macduff (and the army they are bringing) are not even close to his castle. It seems hard to beleive that the witches prophecies could hold him up that well. Because He is supposed to fear Macduff,for example, and Macduff is coming, so shouldn't he be reluctant to fight?
Johnc- I Think part of it might be still all of his guilt and especailly how Banquo was haunting him. He is majorly disturbed right now and messed up in the head so he obviously might not be thinking clearly. He might be depressed too and think dying might not be so bad right now.
I am wondering if Fleance bceomes king? It said that Malcom was to become King but all of the profecies that the witches made came true.
Also
I agree with what you said Chelsea. Macbeth has also had so many bad things happen to him that he has lost touch with reality and himself.
I'm wondering the same thing as Allison. Shouldn't Fleance become King at some point because of what the Witches predicted? Or was that just a false prophecy to further confuse Macbeth?
Taylor- Sorry it took me awhile to respond. I don't really think his speech was that hearless. I mean, he said that Lady Macbeth should've died later. So he is upset, but he is also going into battle and has not time to think about it, like chelsea said. Also, I think because he knew it was coming he had mentally prepared himself in a way.
John- I think Macbeth was so willing and ready to fight because not only did he know it was all over and he was going to lose, but he also wanted it to be over. He was sick of the life of guilt and wrongdoing. So, he wanted to go out with a bang in a way.
Allison and Justin- I was totally wondering the same thing. I'm not sure exactly. But I think that Fleance is still young and possibly later on Malcolm will have no heir and Fleance will take the thrown.
I have a question of my own. Is the act 5 quiz tomorow, on thursday? Or is it not until Friday?
Justinp2012-
I personally think that the witches' prophecy could go either way - Malcolm could become king and then Fleance could kill Malcolm (hopefully this doesn't happen because I don't think Scottland could handle anymore violence) or Malcolm dies of old age and/or a diease,so Fleance just out lives him. Or maybe, the witches just created that part of the prophecy just for more entertainment.
I have a question. Is it better to be a ruler who is loved, but not respected or a ruler who is hated but respected like Macbeth (although he wasn't really respected); because maybe it's just me, but I think that Macbeth could have done a few things differently - like not killing someone for a throne, but without killing Duncan, it would really be that great of a story; it would just be boring.
Alex- good thought about the loved and respected thing. Very true, but I'm not so sure Macbeth was really respected. I do not think that the witches really just created the fact that Fleance would be king because Shakespeare created the play in honor of King James I of England. King James was the 8th decendant of Banquo. And in the play it says that the 8th decending king will also rule of England, just as James was the first king to rule over both England and Scottland. So I do think that in the play Shakespear had every intention of Fleance and his decendants somehow taking the throne.
So when we were reading act 5 in 2nd block, I was kind of struck by how little emphasis is placed on Macbeth's death. The entire play was pretty much depicting his downfall, but his death is only depicted by MacDuff carrying Macbeth's head in during one of the scenes. Did this strike anyone else as odd or even kind of lame after the huge "downward spiral" that the play set up? Or is there even some kind of meaning behind it? It just seemed like there would be some intense battle in which Macbeth is killed, and I was kind of bummed that there wasn't. Anyone else feel that way?
Katie,
I was also really struck by the fact that Shakespeare didn't make Macbeth's death a big deal. I was disappointed. That was the only thing I was actually looking forward too.
Carolyn-
I agree. I was thinking about it more this mornign and it occurred to me that Macbeth kind of deserved to die a gruesome and painful death after all the things he did to those around him. The ending is not really fitting.
I thought it was a smart idea that Shakespeare used the army to move the forest to the hill. This was completely different than anything i expected. I was wondering why though, Macbeth was not sad when Lady Macbeth died?
Even though everyone seems to say that Macbeth deserved a gruesome death, in my opinion I don't think that it was exactly necessary. Has anyone ever thought that maybe Shakespeare wanted to shock the audience and leave you with a different feeling rather than contentment? I thought that after all the murder and deciet that Mabeth had commited no one really deserves kind of a death. But maybe justice isn't always pretty.
Nickm –
Macbeth was not sad when Lady Macbeth died because he was going into battle and didn’t have time to think about it. Also after all the other murders he committed I don’t think he really cared who died.
Hey guys, just wondering, in general, do you think that all the words the witches said were false and confusing, or just the prophecies?
Allison- as I am sure many people said, I think that the whole Fleance apparition thing was just to throw Macbeth off guard, after a "whoosh" of confidence.
Also, I was wondering why Macbeth wasn't so upset or preoccupied on weather he would go to heaven. It just seems like he was so concerned about the whole heaven thing with Duncan, and Banquo, what about him.
I also agree with everyone that the ending wasn't fitting, but I agree with Isadeler that Shakespeare probably intended the end to run like that.
Also, who thought the movie in class was gross!! ME!
The witches are meant to confuse, so when they said beware of Macduff, they were just trying to confuse Macbeth. Also, when you kill a king or a monarch in those times you generally become the next king. Thats why everybody was killing each other back then. So maybe, since Macduff killed Macbeth he should rightfully become king, but is being an honorable guy to give the crown to the heir. Just a thought, I could be completely wrong.
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