Literary Elements in Mac Beth
Literary elements can make literature more interesting, easier to understand even allude to other works. Like many writers, William Shakespeare uses many literary elements. Foreshadowing is used to keep the reader hooked; allusions help further explain what is meant. In any one of Shakespeare's plays, countless devices can be found. From foreshadowing to irony, Shakespeare uses them all. In Mac Beth irony, supernatural aspects, and imagery or symbolism are a few of the more prevalent devices. There are three basic types of irony: dramatic, verbal, and situational. Verbal irony is, "a difference in what is said and what is meant."1 Sarcasm is one type of verbal irony, however, there are several. One example from Mac Beth is during his final visit to the Weird Sisters. Upon leaving the sisters, the first witch sarcastically comments on Mac Beth's forgetting to thank them. The first witch comments, "That this great king may kindly say our duties did his welcome pay. (4.1.131-132). Dramatic irony is, "the difference between what the audience knows and what a character knows to be true"1. In Mac Beth, an example is Lennox asking Mac Beth if the king is planning to leave Mac Beth's castle for home. Lennox asks, "Goes the
Lady Mac Beth's weakness is fear of the dark; she believes darkness to be the place of torment. Although the Sisters prophecy gives an illusion to Mac Beth being immortal, the audience knows Mac Beth's failure is inevitable. She is asking them to make her insensitive and remorseless. They are also clear enough for pinpointing yet vague enough for personal interpretation. "4 The first example of the meaning change is Lady Mac Beth asking the spirits to "make thick my blood". Another example, of dramatic irony is when Lady Mac Beth is notified of the death of Duncan in their house she responds with complete shock, " Woe, alas! What in our house?" (2. However in Mac Beth there are three very prevalent symbols; several with numerous meanings. The symbol of blood also shifts from being honored to revered, just as Mac Beth's persona is shifted. "Symbols using clothing such as borrowed robes, disguises and cross-dressing are found in several plays where they betray a range of situations from sheer mischievousness to dark, treasonable or murderous plots. "1 The Doctor asks, "How came she by that light?" And the Gentlewoman responds, "Why, it stood by her: she has light by her continually: 'tis her command. In act one, scene one we are introduced to the Weird Sisters, or the witches. "It is symbolic of the brave fighter who had been injured in a valiant battle for his country. " Mac Beth feels frightened at the sight of the bloody ghost haunting him and is angered that the ghost revealed it self to him.
Common topics in this essay:
Mac Beth,
Mac Beth's,
Weird Sisters,
William Shakespeare,
mac beth,
Beth Banquo,
Mac Duff,
mac beth's,
Lady Mac,
lady mac,
,
Weird Sister's,
lady mac beth,
lady mac beth's,
Lennox Goes,
weird sisters,
symbol blood,
literary elements,
symbol blood shifts,
plot murder,
irony difference,
verbal irony,
blood shifts,
|
Acceptance Essays
