WEATHERTAYLOR HELVIE AND LEIGH

ANNA HERNDON4TH PERIOD

As in other Shakespearean tragedies, Macbeth’s grotesque murder spree is accompanied by a number of unnatural occurrences in the natural realm. From the thunder and lightning that accompany the witches’ appearances to the terrible storms that rage on the night of Duncan’s murder, these violations of the natural order reflect corruption in the moral and political orders.

QUOTES: “When shall we meet again? In thunder,

lightening, or in rain?...That will be ere the set of sun…Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air.”(1.1.1-10)

This quote is foreshadowing future events that are going to occur. Specifically the murders that Macbeth will commit.

“This castle hath a pleasant seat. The air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle senses”(1.6.1-3)

“Knock, knock! Never at quiet. What are you? But this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it no further.”(2.3.13-15)

He describes the place is like hell. This is implying that the owner is like the devil and it is not a good place to be.

““It will rain tonight.” “Let it come down.”” (3.3.16-17)

Banquo says that it is going to rain while the first murderer intendeds to kill him and Fleance.

“Can such things be, And overcome us like a summer's cloud, Without our special wonder?”(3.4.110-111)

Macbeth is confused as to why everyone is so calm after seeing a dead corpse. He is in shock and doesn’t understand why he is the only one.

NATUREQUOTES

"why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, / Against the use of nature?" (1.3.134-137).

Macbeth doesn’t feel like he usually does. He feels like something is wrong. The word nature is supposed to be the way things naturally and usually are.

"Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, / Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, / Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make / War with mankind." (2.4.15-18)

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were King Duncans minions. Even though they were supposed to be loyal to the kind they still turned their backs on him and murdered him.

"Now o'er the one half-world / Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse / The curtain'd sleep" (2.1.49-51).

Since it is dark and quite out, nature seems to be dead. As people fall asleep the human nature also seems to be dead. This gives an opening for wicked dreams to take control.

RESOURCES: http://flashcarddb.com/cardset/24200-

macbeth-act-1-5-quotes+-flashcards http://macbethmotif.wikispaces.com/Re

versal+of+Nature+Motif http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.co

m/~maggieoh/Macbeth/theme.html