The killing of Duncan is mentioned so early in the play will not be the center of the play. It will be the climax, since it naturally seems like the height of tension, or the most dramatic act. However, a more chracter-driven climax could happen in later scenes. One could think of the anticlimax in Othello, when the Turkish fleet was destroyed by a storm off the coast of Crete before Othello even arrived. The Scottish play, just like Othello or Romeo and Juliet, is a tragedy. They focus on a tragic hero's fall from greatness (here, it is Macbeth's fall from Thaneship and war hero status/Othello's fall from general) due to one tragic flaw amongst otherwise noble characteristics (Macbeth's seem so far to be insecure with himself and envious) This fall or resolution will be much more important than the climax itself. If a murder does happen this early, it would likely be influenced by Lady Macbeth or the Weird Sisters (whether they are metaphoric or real). We have had hints saying that Macbeth could also become a traitor ("fair is foul and foul is fair") due to another of his tragic flaws: he his envious of the king's place and thinks he deserves his place after proving himself on the battlefield. The kingship is something that will bring out Macbeth's tragic flaw. In fact, its not if the Scottish play will revolve around the killing of Duncan, it already revolves around Macbeth wanting to replace Duncan. His spot is the center of the play and drives the action.
I honestly do not think it will, or else Shakespeare would not have made the killing of Duncan so early. I think the play will talk more about the downfall of Macbeth, and how by him trying to make his destiny come true he ruined it. I also think that by putting Duncan's death really early in the play, Shakespeare manages to creep readers out even more, and manages to bring us into this darkness of the play ( he started it by bringing the witches in the first scene). And last but not least, I think he puts it in the first act to foreshadow the ending of the play. If the king gets killed by Macbeth, will Duncan's blood kill Macbeth when he becomes king?
The killing of the king might be a moment of tension, but not the climax, after the climax everything should fall, everything should become sad and the reader should feel sorry for the main character. Although Duncan's death is going to be an important event of the play, it is not going to make Macbeth fall, since we all know he is going to become king, and that is obviously a good thing. I think the play is going to revolve around Macbeth's crowning. Since the climax is at the third act, Macbeth is going to become a king at the third act. Which would make sense since it should take while for Macbeth to find out how to take Malcolm's thrown. The witches in fact, never bring good news, but they told Macbeth about his crowning, isn't it a positive thing? Or maybe Macbeth's crowning isn't good at all, it would explain why the witches came to give him such a news. This leeds me to a possible alternative conclusion, what made Macbeth an eventual great king, was his kindness and his "milk", the milk that his partner took away from him. Women in this play lead to tragedies! What is wrong with them?
After reading Act II of the play, we have realized that the play does not revolve around the killing of the king. The scene is seen as less important because we don’t actually see it but we see what happens after. This shows that the play is more about the aftermath of Macbeth’s actions and not the actions themselves. The plan to kill the king was imperfect meaning that there were things that were not considered by the main characters like what would happen after. The killing of the king is only part of the rising action and is not the climax because Macbeth has not become king yet and we do not know the full consequences of his actions. The real climax of the play will happen when every obstacle in Macbeth’s way is cleared and he is the only warrior left with the qualifications of a king. This means that Act II will be the time where all the murders and crimes are committed by Macbeth leaving behind a massive trail of guilt which shall results to Macbeth’s fall as a tragic hero.
The killing of Duncan is mentioned so early in the play will not be the center of the play. It will be the climax, since it naturally seems like the height of tension, or the most dramatic act. However, a more chracter-driven climax could happen in later scenes. One could think of the anticlimax in Othello, when the Turkish fleet was destroyed by a storm off the coast of Crete before Othello even arrived.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottish play, just like Othello or Romeo and Juliet, is a tragedy. They focus on a tragic hero's fall from greatness (here, it is Macbeth's fall from Thaneship and war hero status/Othello's fall from general) due to one tragic flaw amongst otherwise noble characteristics (Macbeth's seem so far to be insecure with himself and envious) This fall or resolution will be much more important than the climax itself.
If a murder does happen this early, it would likely be influenced by Lady Macbeth or the Weird Sisters (whether they are metaphoric or real).
We have had hints saying that Macbeth could also become a traitor ("fair is foul and foul is fair") due to another of his tragic flaws: he his envious of the king's place and thinks he deserves his place after proving himself on the battlefield. The kingship is something that will bring out Macbeth's tragic flaw. In fact, its not if the Scottish play will revolve around the killing of Duncan, it already revolves around Macbeth wanting to replace Duncan. His spot is the center of the play and drives the action.
I honestly do not think it will, or else Shakespeare would not have made the killing of Duncan so early. I think the play will talk more about the downfall of Macbeth, and how by him trying to make his destiny come true he ruined it.
ReplyDeleteI also think that by putting Duncan's death really early in the play, Shakespeare manages to creep readers out even more, and manages to bring us into this darkness of the play ( he started it by bringing the witches in the first scene).
And last but not least, I think he puts it in the first act to foreshadow the ending of the play. If the king gets killed by Macbeth, will Duncan's blood kill Macbeth when he becomes king?
The killing of the king might be a moment of tension, but not the climax, after the climax everything should fall, everything should become sad and the reader should feel sorry for the main character. Although Duncan's death is going to be an important event of the play, it is not going to make Macbeth fall, since we all know he is going to become king, and that is obviously a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI think the play is going to revolve around Macbeth's crowning. Since the climax is at the third act, Macbeth is going to become a king at the third act. Which would make sense since it should take while for Macbeth to find out how to take Malcolm's thrown. The witches in fact, never bring good news, but they told Macbeth about his crowning, isn't it a positive thing? Or maybe Macbeth's crowning isn't good at all, it would explain why the witches came to give him such a news.
This leeds me to a possible alternative conclusion, what made Macbeth an eventual great king, was his kindness and his "milk", the milk that his partner took away from him. Women in this play lead to tragedies! What is wrong with them?
After reading Act II of the play, we have realized that the play does not revolve around the killing of the king. The scene is seen as less important because we don’t actually see it but we see what happens after. This shows that the play is more about the aftermath of Macbeth’s actions and not the actions themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe plan to kill the king was imperfect meaning that there were things that were not considered by the main characters like what would happen after. The killing of the king is only part of the rising action and is not the climax because Macbeth has not become king yet and we do not know the full consequences of his actions.
The real climax of the play will happen when every obstacle in Macbeth’s way is cleared and he is the only warrior left with the qualifications of a king. This means that Act II will be the time where all the murders and crimes are committed by Macbeth leaving behind a massive trail of guilt which shall results to Macbeth’s fall as a tragic hero.