Stephanie Chen Period 5 11/18/2019

Stephanie Chen 

Blogger #35 

11/18/19

Aim: What are the major symbols in Macbeth and how do they create allusions and connections? 

 Today in class we focused mainly on analyzing Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 1. It starts at the end of page 51 where he says “is this a dagger which I see before me….” 

Is this a dagger which I see before me,

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.

• Handle toward my hand: means sharp side is pointing towards Duncan’s chambers, guiding him there 
• Let me clutch thee: shows his ambitions, he tries to clutch the dagger, which is what would be used to kill Duncan 

I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.

Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible

To feeling as to sight? or art thou but

A dagger of the mind, a false creation,

Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?

• All of this is to give the reader insight on Macbeth’s current state of mind; he knows there is no dagger and that his eyes are tricking him, showing he still has reason in him
• Dagger of the mind: possible guilt plaguing Macbeth  
• Heat-oppressed brain: from the stress and pressure of his plot to kill Duncan 

I see thee yet, in form as palpable

As this which now I draw.

• The dagger he sees is imaginary, he proves it by drawing his own, palpable dagger 

Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going;

And such an instrument I was to use.

• Marshall’st - lead   
• The dagger is “telling” Macbeth to stop debating about murdering Duncan 
• Dagger -- the weapon to kill Duncan, also the weapon that points him there

Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses,

Or else worth all the rest; I see thee still,

• Back to Macbeth’s mental state, he’s saying the rest of his senses are aware the dagger is fake but his eyes are fooling him 

And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,

Which was not so before. There's no such thing:

It is the bloody business which informs

Thus to mine eyes. 

• Macbeth has finalized his decision to kill Duncan: he can see blood on the dagger that hadn’t been there before 

Now o'er the one halfworld

Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse

The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates

Pale Hecate's offerings, and wither'd murder,

• He’s thinking that everyone is having nightmares from the act he’s about to do: kill Duncan
• Would go against the forces of nature: Duncan has divine right 
  
  

Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf,

Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace.

With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design

Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth,

• Macbeth compares himself to Tarquin and Duncan as Lucrece - Macbeth/Tarquin sneak towards the unknowing and helpless Duncan/Lucrece
• Duncan And Lucrece can be seen as prey 
• “Ravishing strides” -- Macbeth’s great ambition 

Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear

Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,

• Crime against nature: stone -- earth, the earth would speak of his intentions  
  
  
  
  

And take the present horror from the time,

Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives:

Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.

• While Macbeth is talking, Duncan is still alive 

I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.

Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell

That summons thee to heaven or to hell.

• Macbeth’s first actions to achieve his ambition  
• Knell, hell -- rhyming, Shakespeare rhymes the end of important scenes 

 Reflection: 

Today’s lesson gave me greater insight on the usage of symbolism: sleep, supernatural, dark/night. It also allowed me to understand where Macbeth is mentally - he still has reason to him, meaning he’s not completely crazy. Understanding how symbolism is used to improve the reader’s experience and build the plot is important for character analysis and comprehension of the play, which is loaded with symbols. I will use my new understanding of Macbeth’s character to further analyze his future actions and words, along with Shakespeare’s usage of symbols to analyze the play as a whole.