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Macbeth by William Shakespeare, which is believed to have been written around 1606, is a timeless tragedy that delves into the corrosive effects of unchecked ambition. Set against the backdrop of medieval Scotland, the play follows the tragic downfall of Macbeth, at first a brave and honorable general.
- The Corrupting Power of Unchecked Ambition
- The Relationship Between Cruelty and Masculinity
- The Difference Between Kingship and Tyranny
- Ambition
- Guilt
- Children
The main theme of Macbeth—the destruction wrought when ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints—finds its most powerful expression in the play’s two main characters. Macbeth is a courageous Scottish general who is not naturally inclined to commit evil deeds, yet he deeply desires power and advancement. He kills Duncan against his better judgmen...
Characters in Macbeth frequently dwell on issues of gender. Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband by questioning his manhood, wishes that she herself could be “unsexed,” and does not contradict Macbeth when he says that a woman like her should give birth only to boys. In the same manner that Lady Macbeth goads her husband on to murder, Macbeth provo...
In the play, Duncan is always referred to as a “king,” while Macbeth soon becomes known as the “tyrant.” The difference between the two types of rulers seems to be expressed in a conversation that occurs in Act 4, scene 3, when Macduff meets Malcolm in England. In order to test Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland, Malcolm pretends that he would make an e...
Although he is encouraged by the Witches, Macbeth’s true downfall is his own ambition. Lady Macbeth is as ambitious as her husband, encouraging him to commit murder to achieve their goals. Both Macbeths fail to see how their ambition makes them cross moral lines and will lead to their downfall. Once Macbeth kills Duncan, his ambition to hold on to ...
Macbeth’s guilt about murdering his king, Duncan, and ordering the murder of his friend, Banquo, causes him to have guilty hallucinations. Lady Macbeth also hallucinates and eventually goes insane from guilt over her role in Duncan’s death. The fact that both characters suffer torment as a result of their actions suggests neither Macbeth nor his wi...
The loss of children is a complex and intriguing theme in the play. For both Macbeth and Banquo, children represent the idea of the continuation of a family line. Macbeth has Banquo murdered in hopes of thwarting the Witches’ prophecy that Banquo will sire a long line of kings. However, Fleance is able to escape being killed, leaving open the possi...
Scene 1. Banquo and Fleance walk the halls of Macbeth’s castle at night. Macbeth has a vision of a dagger in the air before him. Macbeth heads to Duncan's bedchamber. Scene 2. Macbeth returns to Lady Macbeth after killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth plants the murder weapons in Duncan's bedchamber to frame the chamberlains.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, published in 1890, stands as a classic exploration of morality and the consequences of unchecked desires. Set in late 19th-century London, the novel follows the life of Dorian Gray, a young man enthralled by the hedonistic ideals of of a man called Lord Henry. The story takes a dark turn when Dorian ...
Othello Full Play Summary. Previous Next. Othello begins on a street in Venice, in the midst of an argument between Roderigo, a rich man, and Iago. Roderigo has been paying Iago to help him win Desdemona 's hand in marriage. But Roderigo has just learned that Desdemona has married Othello, a general whom Iago begrudgingly serves as ensign.
Full Play Analysis. Twelfth Night is a play about desire’s power to override conventions of class, religion, and even gender. Several characters begin the play believing they want one thing, only to have love teach them they actually want something else. Orsino thinks he wants Olivia, until he falls in love with Viola (dressed as Cesario.)
From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the SparkNotes Pygmalion Study Guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays. ... George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, first premiered in 1913, is a satirical play that investigates issues of class, identity, and social mobility..
