Based on our discussion and work today, write for or against this statement. Was Malcolm's claim that Macbeth is a "butcher" an exaggeration, or an accurate description? Remember to address all of the Assessment Objectives in your answer and comment upon each other's work.
11 Comments
Sagal
1/29/2014 12:24:36 am
It is too simple to say that Macbeth is a butcher, through his speech in Act 2 Scene 2 we can identify that he feels remorseful and guilty for murdering King Duncan. This is evidenced when he says "This is a sorry sight". Therefore if Macbeth was butcher he would not immediately regret his actions, he recognises his mistakes and foreshadows his own fate "Sleep no more". This suggets that Macbeth's mind is in a battle between good and evil, his guilty conscious won't let him sleep, because if he was indeed a butcher, he would sleep peacefully.This scene is also punctuated by other sounds,"knocking within", the stage directions become metaphorical of his guilt. As sleep and prayer is inextricably linked, his actions have now changed him he can no longer be seen as a noble man. Macbeth also says " I could not say Amen", this biblical reference becomes symbolic of his downfall and his sins. From this scene it becomes eviden that Macbeth is in turmoil, " Macbeth does murder sleep". He refers to himself in third person which shows that there is unrest in his conscious, he has become psychologically disturbed.
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Miss Mee
1/29/2014 01:05:48 am
Lovely response using your understanding from lesson Sagal, well done! Good use of context and links to religion/sin - your analysis is detailed here.
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Amrit
1/29/2014 03:11:37 am
Macbeth has been described as a "Butcher" which in this context is someone who carries out mindless killings of his own accord .Despite this some may feel Macbeth is a butcher to a certain extent as it could be suggested that Macbeth transforms in to a butcher .This is evident in act 1 scene 2 Macbeth is referred to as "noble" and "brave" implying that he is a virtuous and honourable man therefore showing that Macbeth was not a mindless serial killer from the onset. Only after being prompted by The Witches and Lady Macbeth does Macbeth become a "butcher" yet he still had reservations about killing Duncan.In act 1 scene 7 the murder is described by Macbeth as "bloody instructions" which show a murder was going to be commited however he was 'instructed' to do it by Lady Macbeth perhaps implying that she is indeed the butcher and Macbeth the unfortunate weapon of choice. Duncans murder could be argued to fuel Macbeth's lust for blood as he goes on to kill Banquo in Act 3 scene 1 Macbeth claims "As long as Banquo lives, I am sick. I’ll be healthy when he is dead." which clearly shows that Macbeth's psychological vulnerability due to his insomnia is transforming him into a psychopath who's thought processes are becoming as illogical as claiming he will be "healthy" once a murder is commited
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Miss Mee
1/29/2014 06:16:30 am
Well done. You tackle a lot of ideas in this short paragraph! It would have been beneficial to have focused in on just one or two of these ideas and develop them further instead. For example the idea that Macbeth slowly transforms into a " butcher" - this could have been linked to the key Gothic element of violent shifts in emotions.
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Kerenjeet Sahota
1/29/2014 05:05:25 am
Macbeth can be deemed as a 'butcher' due to the fact that in Acts 2-3 he murders people. The definition of a 'butcher' is a person who kills people burtally. Absolute brutality is shown in 'Macbeth' during Act 4 Scene 3, when he slaughters Macduffs family. The word 'slaughter' is typically used when describing the murder of cattle, so it can be argued that Macduff's family could be the animals, making Macbeth the literal 'butcher'. Macduff states to Malcolm to 'Esteem him as a lamb.' This is ironic as Macbeth is seen as the lamb, which biblically is a sacrifice for sin, and he is the 'butcher. The archaic word 'esteem' means respect, translating the sentence into 'Respect the lamb,' evoking sarcasm. This suggests that Macbeth is not a butcher because he is a sacrifical symbol, however this juxtaposes with his actions, even though he inevitably ends up becoming the victim to his brutality.
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Miss Mee
1/29/2014 06:22:17 am
Well done for a clearer idea of what is meat by Malcolm's words.
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crystal
1/29/2014 05:19:54 pm
The ambiguouity used by Shakespear within Macbeth makes a sweeping statement as used above difficult to answer. Shakespear leave Gothic elements such as the supernatural, pyschological disturbance, peer pressure, extremity and excess open to interpretation. Therefore this statement can be proved or disproved depending on the interpretation.
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Miss Mee
1/29/2014 09:37:52 pm
A generally well- thought out response Crystal. I like your analysis of the quotation - could you have taken this further by finding a similar quotation later on in the play?
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Sadik
1/29/2014 05:54:34 pm
I disagree with the view that Macbeth is a "butcher". This is because Lady Macbeth who could be argued epitomises the femme fatale as she questions his manhood, "When you durst do it, then you were a man" and calls him a "coward" after Macbeth backs out of the plot to kill Duncan. She does this to expose his character flaws as she knows he is easily persuadable which caused him to subsequently conforms to her plan to kill Duncan. This clearly shows that Macbeth is not a "butcher" instead is easily influenced by others which essentially spurs him into him into insanity.
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Miss Mee
1/29/2014 09:41:05 pm
Not an entirely convincing argument yet Sadik:
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Amrit
2/6/2014 04:48:54 am
Some could argue that Macebth is a 'butcher' as he is the one central character who physically carries out murders, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost and says "It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood." suggesting that Macbeth has now clarified what he will be required to do in order to retain the throne. Macbeth could be forshadowing Macduff's attempt to murder him however on the other hand it could be affirmation that Macebth accepted that now he has taken "blood" in murdering Duncan and Banquo he will have to take more blood and is willing to do this. This would suggest that Macbeth is a butcher as he is fully aware of his actions yet makes no attempt to stop.
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