Tomorrow, tomorrow, & tomorrow...

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, 19–28

Macbeth Character Map

WHAT ABOUT MY MASTERPIECE?

So far, my masterpiece is coming along pretty easily.  Since I'm basing my masterpiece after something I enjoy doing- hiking- it's not too much of a hassle to make consistent progress for my project.  Almost every weekend since I began this project, I have been hiking many different hikes along the central coast and enjoying every bit of it.  As we come to a close with this semester, I hope to put all the pictures and videos I have captured into one inspiring masterpiece.  Meanwhile, being able to spend much time on this isn't always easy for me considering I take four other classes, am preparing myself to leave for college, have a job, babysit, volunteer, etc.  Shakespeare had all day and every day to create his legendary works.  Unfortunately, I don't.  So, I will try my best to work on finding more time to work on my masterpiece, considering it's such a big portion of my grade and something I love to do.

LOVE IS BLIND

In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth seems ruthless in her plan to make her husband king.  She is willing to do everything and anything to make it happen, appearing to be a little crazy.  So we, as an audience, see Lady Macbeth as being heartless and desperate.  Contrarily, Macbeth sees the bravery and strength in her that he does not see in himself.  He just sees her as being selfless and only trying to help him take the throne.  

Act 1 Study Questions: Macbeth

1.1

1. Beginning the play with a dialogue between the witches sets the mood to be dark, evil, and mysterious. This foreshadows the plot, theme, and mood for the future of the story in the same manner. In comparison of Shakespeare's other plays, Macbeth requires more ambiguity and the syntax and diction used needs to be more bleak. For example, Hamlet highlighted the themes of betrayal and complexity of relationships and power. Even though, the theme falls in the same ballpark with Macbeth, the gloominess of the plot of Macbeth overpowers that of Hamlet. In the beginning of the play, the witches were going to meet Macbeth at the "ere of sunset." Line 10 was "Paddock calls" and line 11 was "Anon." The phrase paddock class means a toad, which symbolizes transformation. The word anon means soon or shortly. The "toad" and it's transformation could metaphorically be compared to Macbeth and his evolving and transforming to be a completely different person or even having a transformation in his status and power. The witch's response as anon signifies how Macbeth will shortly have a transformation - to be declared a thane. 

1.2

1. The bloody seargent indirectly characterizes Macbeth by glorifying his actions towards Macdonwald. Macdonwald is a rebel who was executed. He tried to attack them. Macbeth executed macdonwald with his sword. This did not end the fight with the rebels, the Norwegians are still attacking.

2. The traitor was the Thane of Cawdor, as we learn from Ross. Duncan says that its a relief the thane of cawdor was executed and that Macbeth now owns his previous title.

1.3

1. The witches speech gives a first look at Macbeth and his wife without saying who they are. Indirect characterization of the two. Similar to Hamlet where he gives a mini synopsis early in the story. "Weird" in Shakespeare's day meant future seers not weird as we know it, prophecy and destiny. Shakespeare means that Macbeth's wife has him by the balls. They  cast a spell to control his destiny. 

2. Macbeth says something very similar to what the witches said at the beginning of the play. This could be him falling into the destiny the witches set up. Dried, chapped fingers, gender ambiguity, hairy, old, they have literal beards. The witches tell Macbeth that he will thane of Candor and eventually King, right then he finds out he is thane of Cawdor. Banquo asked the witch why they had nothing for him, they told him he is lesser but greater than Macbeth. We knew he was thane before he was thane.
3. Banquo says the witches were a figment of their imagination that they lie or that they are hallucinating. Macbeth learns that he is thane of Cawdor from Ross and Angus. During lines 114-156 he was going over his plan in his head and how everything had just happened to him. He acts very happy and shows no incredulity at being thane. Macbeth's aside shows him rationalizing what happened to him and he begins to think that he is going to be King soon. Macbeth tells Banquo that he is happy and excited and nothing more he explains his behavior by saying he is confused.

1.4

1. Cawdor was executed after openly confessing his treason and pleading for mercy. Malcolm tried to stick up for the thane, but the king responds by basically saying that you can't trust a man according to his face. He doesn't believe the thane was truly repentant.

2. The king greets them by saying that he can never repay them enough for their good deeds, but announces he will leave all his estate and names his son, Malcolm, prince of Cumberland. He then proposes that they go to Macbeth's castle at Inverness. Macbeth tells himself that the only way to be king is to get rid of Malcolm, and even though he'll be appalled at his action, he must do it.

1.5

1. Macbeth was honest with his wife when he informs her of his new title as "Thane of Cawdor." He refers to the witches as "weird sisters" probably because he doesn't want her know that he is associated with the "evil servants."

Lady Macbeth responds by saying that she thinks Macbeth is playng things off as if everything is fine. By saying "but be the serpent under't", she describes him as someone that lies to make everything appear under control. This doesn't really match the characterization of Macbeth so far in the story which implies that there is something the audience doesn't know about him. 

2. The wife was confident about the guests visit. She also seemed prepared and a little cocky about the way her and her husband would handle it.

3. Lady Macbeth. Yes she wants to kill Duncan. No, he isn't sure whether he wants to follow through with Lady Macbeths orders or not. She tells him not to let Duncan see tomorrow.

4. The question appears to answer itself. 
1.6

1. The opening speeches (1.6.1-10) describe how the surroundings of the castle are "pleasant" and the air is sweet-maybe even too sweet. From the outside, the castle appears to be paradise.

Lady Macbeth's welcome is formal. Her language is totally different from her language in the previous scene which shows how fake and dishonest her welcome was.

1.7

1. "If it were done when 'tis done then 'twere well." If it were done when it was done it was done well. (Meaning if he completed the death quickly and efficiently and with no complications then he did the job well.) Macbeth is determined to kill the king and be done with him but in lines 1-12 he is fearful of how the "inventor" will judge his actions. He's violating the hospitality of his kinship and responsibilities as a host towards his guest by trying to kill his guest instead of protecting them. The motivation that Macbeth attributes to himself in lines 25-28 is the attribute of an Arabic heaven-like God. He will be seen as a "God" and that is his source of motivation to get the job done.
2. In lines 28-30 she is complaining about him leaving the chamber because it was  almost time for dinner. Macbeth responds to her complaining by saying did he ask for me? And lady Macbeth says don't you know he did? The positions are lady Macbeth is ready for the King to be killed while Macbeth is still hesitant and on the fence about it. Macbeth convinced Lady Macbeth by explaining that he is an respected person and doesn't want to lose his honor while Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth by convincing him to gain the power and kill the king. The stronger person in the scene is Lady Macbeth because  she's more verbally confident in her argument while convincing Macbeth to kill the King.

Macbeth Notes

Macbeth is introduced as a strong, brave character through a speech about him in battle. "For brave Macbeth- well he deserves the name-disdaining fortune- with his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution." Macbeth is praised for being a tough, honorable soldier. Even though the witches speak good about Macbeth, they hint that there is a dark side to him. Witches were seen as satanic and evil servants. If they are so frowned upon, why is Macbeth drawn to them?
When the witches say "fair is foul, and foul is fair" I think it's foreshadowing to possibly Macbeth not being able to distinguish the difference between fair and foul since it seems to be that Macbeth has a hidden dark side. It foreshadows a discrepancy between how someone is and how someone seems (Macbeth). Witches were seen as agents of Satan so their presence alone foreshadows satanic characteristics.
Shakespeare provides us with a vague prophecy that does not include instructions for Macbeth, therefore not spoiling the play for us. He does however say through the witches that Macbeth will jump two positions from where he currently hold, therefore, the characters holding those positions are likely going to be involved in an unfortunate event. 
Shakespeare's characterization of Macbeth gives readers a feeling that yes Macbeth is looked highly of, but that he has a hidden side/agenda.
Guilt seems like an evident theme that will drive the rest of the play. Macbeth is going to do something that he is going to regret. This glorious "hero" will somehow cause a bad ending.

Spring Break Homework: Poetry

Poem: Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
Prompt: Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the poet uses language to describe the scene and to convey mood and meaning.I chose this prompt because the majority of the other prompts were specific to a particular poem. This poem that I chose is quite short and specific as well, and Robert Hayden's diction is what helped the reader understand the mood and meaning.
When we're young we don't appreciate what our parents voluntarily do for us, but as we grow older we become more grateful for the simple things in life. In Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden, Hayden's diction plays an essential role in helping the reader comprehend the poem and it's purpose. Hayden's use of language describes the scene in a way for the reader to comprehend the atmosphere of what is going on and to then better understand the mood of the entirety of the poem and the meaning of it all.The poem starts out with the author describing what he woke up to every Sunday morning. The father too got up early on Sundays...in the blueblack cold...with cracked hands that ached. After these few lines, one can see that the father worked hard every day of the week in the cold winter weather. "No one ever thanked him." The boy never thought anything of it...until he later looked back on his life.Through the majority of the poem, Hayden's language gave a mood of "normalness," as if what the father did was not a big deal. In the last few lines however, there's a shift. The reader sees that now grown up, looking back at "those winter Sundays," the man understands that what his father did for his family was the way he expressed his love. The father's love was quite yet powerful. That love is what drove him to make sacrifices for his family. After reading the poem, Hayden's language puts the mood of regret and gratefulness inside a reader's head.  It wasn't that he purposely took advantage of what his father did for him, he just never recognized that it was his way of showing his love for his family. No one ever thanked the father, but looking back the speaker is truly grateful for him. The poem isn't very lengthy, but it didn't need to be for one to understand its meaning. The lines are short but powerful. The language is simple yet descriptive. There didn't need to be 20 stanzas for the reader to see that the boy didn't recognize all that his father did for him, until later. Hayden made it clear that simple gestures are ways that one can express their love for another person. The father in the poem warmed up the house for his family, after working immensely hard all week, and still never expected a thank you. He didn't need a thank you. He continued to do what seemed like a small gesture because he wanted to show his love for his family. The father would suffer to keep his family warm.