I don’t care if you unleash violent winds that tear down churches, make the foamy waves overwhelm ships and send sailors to their deaths, flatten crops and trees, make castles fall down on their inhabitants’ heads, make palaces, and pyramids collapse, and mix up everything in nature. I command you in the name of whatever dark powers you serve. He demands to be told the prophecy when he states, “I insist that you answer my questions. He doesn’t want the fact he killed Duncan to be fruitless He attempts to stop fate by killing Banquo, but maybe that was a part of fate anyway.Īmbition: Ambition brought Macbeth back to the witches. He spends all this time trying to stop the prophecy from happening. It is an interesting question as to if there is any control. He went from worry and fear about killing his dear Duncan, to needless death just to get his way.įree will and fate: to what extent is Macbeth in control of his own destiny? His sheer level of selfishness is disturbing to witness. Macbeth has become cold, mean, heartless, and selfish. She helps spread thoughts to plague his sweet mind with ambitions. Hecate is the goddess of the witches and she takes part in the delusions of Macbeth. The motif of sleep (or sleeplessness) surrounds the tyrants as they struggle to overcome their deeds.Macbeth visits the Witches and is given three new prophecies: 1) to beware of Macduff 2) that no man who is born of woman can harm Macbeth 3) he is safe until Burnham Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. This links to the theme that things are not what they seem. The order of their rule clashes with the chaos they have caused. Order and disorder surround the new king and queen. The blood that was spilled because of Macbeth's ambition continuously reappears as a physical reminder that he cannot wash away his evil deeds.Īs his corruption begins to control him, Macbeth and his wife slip out of reality and struggle between sanity and insanity. Ghosts, witches, and spirits are used throughout the play to add a sense of suspicion and suspense. Motifs and Imagery to Look For Supernatural Macbeth and his wife’s personal ambition to control the crown ultimately ends up controlling them.
Nature at War with Itself / Man Goes Against his NatureĪnother favorite theme is that nature is ominous and that it foreshadows and mimics what is to become of Macbeth and Macbeth's actions. What you expect is not what will come about. Throughout the play, the idea that ‘fair is foul, and foul is fair’ is repeated. Themes and Ideas to Discuss Things Are Not What They Seem The visions Macbeth and his wife consistently see throughout the play serve as constant reminders of their ambition and corruption. Since Macbeth's actions weigh heavily on his conscious, it is not surprising that he would have some second thoughts. The recurrence of this motif throughout the play proves its significance. In the example storyboard above, the creator has focused on Shakespeare's use of visions in the play. For best practices, see our supplementary article with specific lesson plan steps on setting up your classroom and activities to teach themes, symbols, and motifs.Īs a classroom activity, students could track the rich symbolism William Shakespeare uses throughout Macbeth. Using a storyboard, students can visually demonstrate their understanding of these concepts, and master analysis of literary elements. However, abstract ideas are often difficult for students to analyze without assistance. Part of the Common Core ELA standards is to introduce and explain these complex concepts. Themes, symbols, and motifs are valuable aspects of any literary work, and they add richness to stories.
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