Let’s begin with spring. After a bitter and arduous winter, that first glimpse of green is highly anticipated. The mere sight of a pussy willow, or the tips of grass peeking into the sky, is enough to make most people giddy. The feeling of rebirth is overwhelming. It is as if the plants are awakening after a long winters slumber. This resurrection is witnessed in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, where the cycle of growth in plant imagery parallels the rise and fall of Macbeth’s reign over Scotland.
In the play, the first sign of “spring” is during Macbeth and Banquo’s encounter with the three witches. After hearing that Macbeth will be proclaimed king, Banquo requests that the witches “look into the seeds of time” (act 1, scene 3, line 61). He is simply referring to seeds as a metaphor for growth in his future. However, these seeds are also symbolic of the ambition being planted in Macbeth’s head by the witches. Furthermore, throughout the novel Banquo is most commonly compared to a fertile plant, which in later years will yield descendents to the throne. “The seeds of Banquo’s kings”, like a perennial, conjures images of new
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“Shaking” alludes to violence; Malcolm doesn’t want to nicely “pick” the fruit off the tree, he wants to grab the tree by the trunk and make sure there’s no chance for that fruit to stay attached. In act 4, scene 3, line 278, Malcolm declares, “Macbeth is ripe for shaking. The death of the weed parallels the death of Macbeth and his rule over Scotland. By ending the play with a plant reference, Shakespeare completes the cycle of growth, death, and rebirth. These perverse roots are ensnarling themselves in Macbeth’s mind, and slowly bringing him to his downfall. “Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow” (act 5, scene 3, line 51) further exemplifies this, as “rooted” demonstrates the poisons solidification into his mind. “Pluck” is a very strong word, usually accompanied by a sharp and sudden action. Used by Malcolm, however, “ripe” signifies that Macbeth’s strength is fading, and that he cannot cling to the tree limb much longer.
At the same time, Macbeth understands his reign is coming to an end and compares himself to a “fall’n yellow leaf” (act 5, scene 3, line 27. In the same sense, Macbeth’s title as King is being threatened. “Drown” is a very weighty, conclusive word.
Looking back, a full rotation has gone by. ” He is comparing Macbeth to a hanging fruit, but very negatively so. In Malcolm’s final speech he speaks of a new beginning for the country, “which would be planted newly with the time” (act 5, scene 8, line 78). “Ripe” is an interesting word choice, as it usually comes with a positive connotation.
Approximate Word count =
767
Approximate Pages =
3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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