Macbeth - riassunto punti salienti e analisi dei personaggi PDF

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Riassunto dell'opera, analisi critica e analisi individuale dei personaggi principali...

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MACBETH shakespeare published Macbeth in 1606, it tells the tale of Macbeth and his wife’s lust for power. This lust for power destroys them in body and in mind. The play begins after Macbeth and banquo defeated the Norwegian king of scotlad. After the battle, the generals have to meet their king , Duncan the king of Scotland. On their journey they cross fields and meet three witches who tell Macbeth he would be chieftan of Glamis, thane of cawdor and king of Scotland. Then, they tell Banquo that he will be the father of tuture kings. Macbeth riddles them with questions but they refuse to answer anymore. Macbeth is already the chieftan of Glamnis, so that prophecy is already true, but how could he be the thane of cawdor? The thane of cawdor is still alive and so is the king for that matter. Macbeth and banquo continue their walk while discussing the prophecies. Ater a while they met two “magician”, one of them thanks Macbeth for the service in the war, the other one tells Macbeth that the king of Scotland had promoted him to be the thane of cawdor, so the prophecy comes true. The nobleman explais that the former thane was a traitor, so he will be executed. This is insane news for Macbeth, because not only he has promoted but also the witches prophecies were becoming true. Next proclamation is that he is the king, so Macbeth wonders how banquo prophecy is goig to be true too but banquo says he sees ad disloyal to discuss about the throne. Banquo is going to worry Macbeth that the prophecy may be a trick to tempt them in a criminal behavior. Macbeth sends a letter to her wife, Lady Macbeth explaining the astonishing prophecy. Lady Macbeth is the granddaughter of the different king of Scotland. The current king of Scotland is the son of the king that murdered lady macbeth’s grandfather, even worse, her brother was murdered in this power struggle. Because of this, lady Macbeth privately welcomes Duncan’s downfall. Back at macbeth’s castle, a messenger arrives and informs the Macbeths tha king Duncan will spend a night in their castle. After hearing this, lady Macbeth pounds to kill Duncan but Macbeth doesn’t feel good about killing his king , yet lady Macbeths insists on calling him a coward in order to provoke him and make him commit this crime. She shows him how to do it. That day arrives, so after dinner, king Duncan goes to bed, outside his chamber, there’s two of his guards. Lady Macbeth kept them drunk and fall asleep, then, she goes in to kill Duncan, but his face reminds her of her own father and she can’t do it. Her husband Macbeth came later and found the daggers lawn by the guards. Shortly after, he came to his wife with bloody hands saying that he killed king Duncan, she tells him to wash his hands so she takes the daggers herself. Thae next day there is a loud banging on macbeth’s door, it is the knocking of macduff, the thane of --. Macbeth answers the door and they both went to the bedroom of the king to wake him up. Macduff walks in, and the body of the king stuns him. Macbeth pretends to be just as surprised , then, Macbeth kills the two guards before they can even proclaim them innocentce. fearing conspiracy of Duncan’s sons, flee one of them goes to the Ireland and the other one goes to England. In their absence, Macbeth is crowned the king , allolwing Macbeth to seize the throne. Despite being king, Macbeth is even more troubled, now he’s worried about the prophecy of banquo, wose sons are gonna be kings and to rule Scotland. Macbeth thinks to have banquo and his sons murdered and hires two assassins. The assassins try and kill the target on their way to banquo but fleance escapes, while his father is killed. Meanwhile, the new king and queen are entertaining their guests at the castle, mysteriously Banquo’s ghost flies in but only Macbeth can see it, when the ghost finally approaches, Macbeth is at their toast “to our dear friend banquo, whom we miss”. Whern Macbeth is drinking his toast, banquo’s ghost flies in again and Macbeths gets angry at the ghost which no one else can see, so this obviously makes Macbeth appear

strange. Lady Macbeth quickly takes Macbeth at bed . the next day, Macbeth finds the witches in a cave, Macbeth wants answers, so the witches warns Macbeth to be wary of macduff saying that he wont be dethroned until ----- clims the castle’s ---. Macbeth also asks if banquo’s descendents will rule Scotland. Confirming his worst nightmare,

Macbeth is a play of contradiction and ambition. Driven to becoming King, Macbeth will kill all and any that get in his way. He puts his faith in the words and prophesies of three witches, after their first one (that he will become Thane of Cawdor) comes through. Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth, is instrumental is Macbeth's ambition, egging him on when he fears he has gone to far, and scheming of greatness.

MACBETH- PUNTI SALIENTI PER OGNI ATTO -

ACT 1

In scene 1 of Macbeth, there is a creepy atmosphere because of the presence of witches, thunder and lightnings, which create a dark and sinister atmosphere. Banquo describes the witches as withered and wild as their way of dressing saying “That they look not like the inhabitants o’ the’ earth;” and that they should be women but their beards forbid him to interpret what they really are. Macbeth is a cold-blooded killer on the battlefield. In scene 1 witches say that “foul is fair and fair is foul”, so Witches are foul because they are evil. Macbeth and Banquo seem to be fair because of their loyalty and bravery. However, Macbeth reveals his plan to murder Duncan and his character is viewed differently. Lady Macbeth is foul. Macdonwald is foul because he is a traitor. The Captain and Duncan are fair because the Captain fought bravely and the King supports him and is compassionate regarding the Captain’s injury. The witches manage to create situations that are evil and destructive The witches do a prophecy for Macbeth and Banquo saying that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor and King, so they go gon to tell Banquo his son is going to be king Lady Macbeth feels that Macbeth is kind and he may not be able to overcome his fears to kill Duncan. She fears his conscience will override his ambition to be King. Macbeth is torn between his ambition and his conscience. He gives several reasons why he should not kill Duncan: 1) Duncan is his cousin; 2) He is a loyal subject to the King; 3) Duncan is his friend; 4) Duncan has never abused his royal power; and 5) Duncan is a guest in his home. Based on these reasons, Macbeth decides not to follow through with the murder of Duncan.

When lady Mcbeth says “Was hope drunk Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since? And wakes it now to look so green and pale”, she is asking her husband why he has changed his mind about killing Duncan, she wants to know what happened to his ambition, so Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to follow through with the plan to murder Duncan. She calls him a coward making Macbeth to follow her plan. -

ACT 2

Banquo has had bad dreams about the witches prophecy and part of what they said has come true while Macbeth says he hasn’t thought about them, so banquo would like to discuss the matter with Macbeth. When banquo and fleance leave Macbeth sees a bloody dagger floating before him, he says it’s only a dream. Lady Macbeth was unable to kill Duncan because he looked like her father When Macbeth returned from Duncan’s chamber, he was upset and feeling guilty, he said that “it was a sorry sight”. In the second chamber there was Donalbian who was sleeping, so this put suspicion on him Macbeth is unable to return to Duncan’s chamber with the bloody dagger because he cannot face the murder that he has committed, he feels too much guilt Lennox said to Macbeth that there was a bad storm and he has never seen one this fierce in his life. Macduff discovers duncan’s slain body Macbeth says he murdered the guards because felt they killed Duncan. He was so angry and grief stricken he could not control his rage.

Donalbain and Malcolm because they fear for their own lives. Donalbain goes to Ireland and Malcolm goes to England. -

ACT 3

Banquo reflects on what happened to Macbeth and says he was made king, thane of cawdor and thane of glamis, so he hopes his son will be king. Macbeth fears for his own life if banquo lives. Macbeth says that he and Banquo have the same friends and Macbeth would not be able to remain friends with them if he killed Banquo himself.

Macbeth doesn’t tell lady Macbeth about his plan to murder banquo and fleance because he feels lady Macbeth may try to talk him out the plot, or he wants to have full control and exclude her from this matter. When Banquo’s ghost enters the banquet, Macbeth’s reaction is to question who has brought Banquo to the feast and he is very upset. Lady Macbeth say to the guest the reason for his behavior is that he has suffered from this affliction his entire life and to ignore his behavior.

Macbeth recognizes Banquo and says to the ghost that he should not blame him for the murder, “Thou canst not say I did it: never shake Thy gory locks at me.” Hecate is going to create a situation that will allow Macbeth to ruin himself. The Witches will make a magic potion that will guide Macbeth’s fate by telling him the future. Hecate says mortal men cannot resist knowing the future. Lennox say about Malcolm, Donalbain, and Fleance they have been unjustly accused of murder. Macduff has gone to England to join Malcolm’s forces to overthrow Macbeth Lennox hopes that Scotland will be peaceful again -

ACT 4

In the beginning of act 4 the witches are standing over a cauldron preparing a spell for Macbeth The Apparitions say: 1) That Macbeth should beware of Macduff, 2) That no man born of a woman can harm Mac¬beth, and 3) Macbeth will not be harmed unless Great Birnam Wood comes to high Dunsinane. The Apparitions are dressed in such a way to give insight to Macbeth. He is blinded by his quest for power and does not recognize the significance of the appearance. with the information the Witches have given him, Macbeth decides to go to England to kill Macduff Lady Macduff feels her husband is scared and is a traitor Lady Macduff tells her son his father is dead. Her son does not believe her Lady Macduff and her son are murdered. Malcolm wants to know if Macduff is sincere and that he has not been sent by Macbeth Malcolm is enraged by the news of Lady Macduff’s death. Macduff is in shock at first then he vows to seek revenge against Macbeth. Malcolm and Macduff plan on killing Macbeth and restoring the peace in Scotland. -

ACT 5

The Doctor says Lady Macbeth is very ill and he cannot cure her himself. Macbeth is angry and does not want to be bothered with this information. The Doctor is saying that Macbeth is trying to tell the doctor how to cure his patient, Lady Macbeth. When in fact Macbeth is the patient himself. The Messenger tells Macbeth that trees are moving toward the castle. Macbeth does not believe him at first; then, sounds the alarm for battle.

have revenge on Macbeth because of the death of his family.

Malcolm’s army if committed to the cause of saving Scotland. Macbeth’s army is fighting for him out of fear they will be killed themselves. Macbeth kills Young Siward. Answers may vary on the response to the second part of the question. The importance of the murder is seen in Macbeth’s response after the murder. He states he cannot be killed by a man born of woman. He feels he cannot be harmed. Macbeth tells Macduff that he cannot be harmed by man born of woman. Macduff tells Macbeth that he was ripped from his mother’s womb. Macbeth realizes that the Witches have tricked him. Ross tells Siward that his son was killed in battle. Malcolm says that Macbeth is a “butcher” and Lady Macbeth was a “fiend-like queen”. He also says that Lady Macbeth took her own life. Malcolm plans to make the Thanes and kinsman Earls.

CHARACTERS ANALYSIS Macbeth, the ambitious Scottish general who kills King Duncan to take the throne. Macduff defeats him in the play's final act. Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's merciless wife, who urges him to kill King Duncan. She later commits suicide out of remorse. Banquo, Macbeth’s best friend, whom Macbeth has killed when Banquo becomes suspicious of the new king. -

Duncan, King of Scotland.

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Macduff, the nobleman who kills Macbeth at the end of the play.

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Malcolm, King Duncan's son and heir to the throne of Scotland.

Macbeth Macbeth begins the play as a heroic and triumphant figure, the noble Thane of Glamis, a general in the Scottish army who has just defeated the insurgent King of Norway. As a reward for his valor and loyalty, King Duncan transfers the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth. However, prior to receiving this news, Macbeth encounters the Three Weird Sisters, who greet him as the Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and future King of Scotland. Macbeth is initially wary of the witches’ prophecy, but after he discovers that he has been named Thane of Cawdor, his belief in their prophecy is cemented and his thoughts turn to how he might become king. From that point on, Macbeth sinks deeper into murder and treachery as he becomes a regicidal tyrant in the eyes of the people of Scotland.

Lady Macbeth

she wants to lose her femininity which involves compassion, gentleness, motherhood and become cruel, remorseless and insensitive. She invokes darkness, because night is associated with evil and crime. Moreover, the act she wants to perform is so cruel that it cannot be carried out in daylight. The darkness of night must be made thick by the smoke of hell so that heaven can't see the crime and stop it. Macbeth tries to defend his point by saying that he just wants to do what is right for a man, but at that point lady macbeth becomes even more agressive, calling him a coward and stating that she would never change her mind about killing the king but lady macbeth's plan is only apparently successful cause remorse acts powerfully and proves a terrible punishment. Lady Macbeth is Macbeth’s wife and “dearest partner of greatness.” At the start of the play, she is the more dominant figure in the marriage, viewing her husband as weak and lacking the necessary willpower to achieve their mutual ambitions. Upon receiving Macbeth’s letter about the witches’ prophecies, Lady Macbeth is thrilled by the prospect of becoming queen. She calls out to the “spirits” to “unsex” her and turn her “womanly” attributes into more masculine ones so that she might become “cruel” enough to murder King Duncan herself. However, after Duncan’s death, both Lady Macbeth’s sanity and power in her marriage begin to decline. By the start of act V, she is sleepwalking and hallucinating about having blood on her hands, with the court doctor's proclaiming that she would be better off with a priest than a physician. She ultimately takes her own life, and Macbeth laments that she died at a time when he is unable to mourn her properly.

Banquo Banquo is a general in the Scottish army and Macbeth’s friend. He is with Macbeth when the witches deliver their prophecy. When he asks them to tell him about his own future, they inform him that though he will never be king, his children will be. Ever the loyal kinsman, Banquo refuses to assist Macbeth in his plot against the king and views the witches as evil beings. However, their prophecy with regards to Banquo’s children becoming kings is enough to pique Banquo’s curiosity, even as it puts him and his son, Fleance, within the dangerous territory of Macbeth’s ambition. Ultimately, Banquo dies in defense of his son, ensuring that his legacy continues at the cost of his own life. (Read extended character analysis for Banquo.)

Duncan Duncan is the King of Scotland. He is characterized as a fair and wise king who is generous with his kinsmen and just with his people. Duncan awards Macbeth the title of Thane of Cawdor as a reward for his bravery in the battle against the King of Norway. However, despite the king’s virtues, the Macbeths murder Duncan in his sleep, sending Scotland into a spiral of chaos and disorder. (Read extended character analysis for Duncan.)

Macduf Macduff is the Thane of Fife and the man who ultimately ends Macbeth’s reign of terror. Macduff is a loyal thane who lacks the ambition of both Banquo and Macbeth, instead working to support whomever he sees as the rightful king. He quickly grows suspicious of Macbeth after Duncan’s murder, refusing to attend Macbeth’s coronation. However, his own sense of honor blinds him to the danger in which he has left his family after his flight to England. After hearing that his family was massacred, Macduff vows revenge, going on to defeat Macbeth in combat and restore order to Scotland.

Malcolm

Malcolm is the eldest son of King Duncan and the rightful heir to the Scottish throne. Duncan officially names Malcolm as his heir in act I, scene IV, cutting off Macbeth’s prospects for ascending the throne. After discovering that their father has been murdered, Malcolm and his brother Donalbain decide to flee Scotland and take refuge in neighboring courts. Malcolm flees to England, where he forms an agreement with the King of England in order to retake the throne of Scotland from Macbeth. When Macduff arrives in England, Malcolm is initially mistrustful, but the two eventually become allies. At the end of the play, Malcolm and the English forces are victorious, and Malcolm prepares to set right the harms that Macbeth has inflicted on Scotland. The Witches The witches, often referred to as the three “weird sisters,” are Macbeth’s dark and mysterious guides on his descent into evil and tyranny. The play opens with their premonition that “fair is foul, and foul is fair,” establishing their moral ambiguity and suggesting that, in the world of the play, things aren't always as they seem. When the witches first meet Banquo and Macbeth in act I, scene III, they are described as androgynous and “not like the inhabitants o’ the earth.” However, their prophecies prove fairer than their foul appearances portended, and, after becoming king, Macbeth seeks them out a second time. The witches deliver three more prophecies, lulling Macbeth into a false sense of security that ultimately brings about his downfall....