Found Poem

To Conquer Death

What feeling do we ever find

To equal among human kind?

Five years have past

With the length of five long winters

When the Frost was specter-gray.

Shadows of the world appear

And by the moon the reaper

Shook his head.

As weary winter is comin’ fast

The world is as it used to be.

Every spirit upon earth

Seemed fervorless as I.

If only might I of Jove’s nectar sup.

I once heard a wise man say:

Death be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful for thou art not so.

"Look on my works and despair;

Nothing beside remains."

Like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies:

The best of dark and bright.

When the stars threw down their spears

And watered heaven with their tears,

I stand up no more.

Early though the laurel grows

It withers quicker than the rose

And there it rests in a soft peace.

Sources

“Ah, Are You Digging On My Grave?”
“Ah, Are You Digging On My Grave?”
“Lines Composed A Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey”
“Lines Composed A Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey”
“The Darkling Thrush”
“The Lady of Shallot”
“The Lady of Shallot”
“Channel Firing”

“To a Mouse”
“Channel Firing”
“The Darkling Thrush”
“The Darkling Thrush”
“Song: To Celia”

“When I was One-and-Twenty”
“Death be not Proud”
“Death be not Proud”
“Ozymandias”
“Ozymandias”
“She Walks in Beauty”
“She Walks in Beauty”

“The Tyger”
“The Tyger”
“Is My Team Ploughing”
“To An Athlete Dying Young”
“To An Athlete Dying Young”
“On My First Son”

Literary Analysis of Oedipus Rex The King by Sophocles

            It is revealed that Oedipus is a member of the ruling/higher class, which fulfills one of the characteristics of a tragic hero. However, the truth behind his birth destroys him. In the scene where the Old Man is brought before Oedipus for questioning, the truth is uncovered. Long ago when Oedipus was only a child, he was sent away from his home to the Old Man because of a prophecy that Oedipus would one day kill his father and marry his mother. During the questioning, the Old Man is unaware that Oedipus is the baby boy who was sent him and when the Old Man says he received the boy from Laius, who was the former King of Thebes, it is now known that Oedipus is of royal descent.
            Oedipus is set apart from other common people because of his royalty and terrible destiny, but mainly it's his prophesied doom. Because Oedipus is of royal descent he is a natural born leader and is of higher status than other people, which makes him unlike others, giving him heightened powers. His ill-fated destiny sets him even further apart from others. In the play Oedipus describes his fate while he is speaking to the Messenger when he says, "Why, Loxias declared that I should one day marry my own mother, and with my own hands shed my father's blood." That is a fate which sounds more like a curse; therefore, Oedipus is set apart from common men.
            Oedipus's fate is a combination of several factors. To try and change his own fate, which was given to him by the oracle, Oedipus tries to keep himself away from his parents. However that does absolutely nothing for him. His fate was affected by an outside source when the old man saved his life while he was just a baby. Another factor that affected Oedipus's fate was the will of the gods, for they gave him the prophecy in the first place.
            As the play progresses, Oedipus becomes more and more alone, for he drives his family and friends away from himself. He does this by refusing to believe what others are telling him. Throughout the play Oedipus speaks with numerous people who tell him of his unknown past and of his ill-fated prophecy, but out of stubbornness he casts them away because he does not like what they are telling him. Oedipus continues to do this, for he has become obsessed with the prophecy and he vows to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Jocasta, Oedipus's wife and unknowingly also his mother, advises him not to seek the truth of who his original birth parents were. Despite her pleads, Oedipus continues his search and Jocasta leaves the scene shouting, "O woe, woe, unhappy! This is all I have to say to thee, and no word more, for ever!" Jocasta therefore must have realized Oedipus was her son because she committed suicide in her bed chamber, in order to prevent even more suffering.
            Oedipus is revered as an intelligent man by the people of Thebes and is asked for help when the city is in crisis. Oedipus shows his brightness even before he is King by solving the riddle of the Sphinx that pestered Thebes. So, knowing of Oedipus's knowledge, the priest comes to him and asks for his help in ridding the Thebes of the plague. " thou art named, and known, our life's establisher. Thee therefore, Oedipus, the mightiest head among us all, all we thy supplicants implore to find some way to succour us, whether thou knowest it through some voice from heaven, or, haply of some man." Oedipus offeres his help and devotes himself to finding Laius's murderer, in order to cure to city.
            Oedipus does learn through suffering throughout the story. He learns that destiny has been set in stone by the gods. No matter what he does, he cannot prevent his life from spiraling out of his control and eventually hitting rock bottom. As the play progresses he learns more about his past. Every time he learns something new about his past, he sees that his life becomes more and more corrupted. For instance, when he was talking to the old man he learns that his prophecy had come true. Jocasta realizes as well and kills herself.
            Oedipus's tragic flaw is simple yet devastating at the same time. In the closing scenes of the play his flaw utterly destroys him and reduces him to nothing. The major flaw of Oedipus is that he is uneducated and blind to his past, which in hand works with the prophecy given to him by the Oracle. Oedipus knew of his prophecy all along and he also thought he knew who his parents were, but unfortunately he was wrong. Oedipus believed he could withhold from fulfilling his prophecy by distancing himself from his parents, who he believed to be Polybus and Merope, but they had merely adopted Oedipus at a young age and never told him about his past. Because of this, Oedipus was able to inadvertently kill his father Laius when he encountered him at the three crossroads and later marry his mother Jocasta. Once Oedipus realizes he has fulfilled his prophecy he gouges his eyes out and becomes blind. This is a metaphor to Oedipus because it represents how he was blind to his past, which brought about his defeat.
            In the end of Oedipus Rex, as Oedipus is faced with defeat he does not welcome it with nobility nor courage. In fact he does the complete opposite by moping around and wishing he were dead. Oedipus lost all hope when he mutilated his eyes as seen when the Senator asks why he had done so and Oedipus replies "What was there left for sight? What, that could give happiness? Lead me to exile straight; Lead me, O my friends, the worst of murderers, of mortals most accurst, Yea and to Gods chief object of their hate." From that quote it sounds as if Oedipus is cursing his life, which is not very honorable for a king. Another instance where Oedipus acted poorly out of defeat was when he was speaking to the Senator near the end of the play. Oedipus tells the Senator "May he perish whoe'er 'twas drew me out of the cruel gyve that bound my feet, on the lea! He who saved me alive, who rescued me from fate, shewing no kindness to me!" Oedipus curses the man who found him as a baby and saved his life.
            The first stage a tragic hero experiences is a great achievement. This great achievement gives the tragic hero notability and recognition among people as an important figure. For Oedipus, his great achievement helped gain him the title of King of Thebes, which he well deserved. A quote from the play describing his heroic action goes as follows, "Whose coming to our Cadmean town released the toll we paid, of a hard Sorceress, and that, without instruction or advice of our imparting; but of Heaven it came thou art named, and known, our life's establisher." The hard Sorceress mentioned in the quote is the Sphinx that held the city of Thebes under siege until Oedipus came along and solved its riddle. Oedipus saved the city as well as its inhabitants and was crowned king.
            After Oedipus has been crowned king for his remarkable achievement, he becomes complacent with his life and forgets about the needs of his people. It is until he exits the royal palace and is greeted by the Priest of Zeus along with the inhabitants of Thebes that he realizes the extent of his cities ill condition. Even when his city is dwindling, Oedipus still reveres himself as something that is greater than life. In the opening scene while he is speaking to the Thebians before the royal palace he tells them, "I myself have come hither, Oedipus, known far and wide by name." Oedipus's newfound cockiness demonstrates he has become complacent with his extravagant lifestyle.
            After Creon returns from his journey to Pytho, he tells Oedipus how he must resolve the cities crisis. Creon informs Oedipus of the king who ruled before him, Laius, and that he was killed in vain. The only way to save the city is to expel his murderer from Thebes, so Oedipus promises the citizens he will find the man that killed King Laius when he says, "So shall you see me, as of right, with you, venging this country and the Gods together. Why, 'tis not for my neighbors' sake, but for mine, I shall dispel this plague spot; for the man, whoever it may be, who murdered him." Oedipus's pride drives his curiosity throughout his quest to find the truth in Laius's death.
            Oedipus’s relentless drive to uncover who King Laius's murderer is eventually destroys him but he is unaware that lies ahead of him. After interrogating person after person, Oedipus learns the truth and that he was Laius's killer. Therefore if one half of his evil prophecy has come true, the other half is sure to come true as well. As a matter of fact it had come true as Jocasta realizes she has married her lost son. Knowing this, she storms out of the room where Oedipus and her are speaking to the messenger, and slays herself. Oedipus is now in a world of misery because he has killed his father, married his mother, and his mother had killed herself, so he punishes himself by stabbing out his eyes. To add even more grief to his situation he must be banished from Thebes and Creon takes both of his daughters from him.
            The final stage a tragic hero encounters is a perception of what has caused them to fail. All throughout his life, Oedipus was aware of the prophecy given to him by the Oracle. He felt that he could prevent it from becoming true by sub staining from who he thought to be his parents. In all actuality Oedipus's life was out of his control and was completely subject to the will of the gods in the end. In addition to the will of the gods, Oedipus's flaw also contributes to his demise. Towards the end of the play Oedipus sees that in the end, he would be completely helpless no matter what he did to change his fate.

Literary Analysis of King Arthur - Romantic Elements - Andrew Lang

                                                    

            In King Arthur: Tales From the Round Table, the wise older figure of the story “The Sorcerer Merlin,” Merlin has a long history with Arthur even before Arthur was born. Merlin brought Arthur to Sir Ector as a baby for him to raise. Arthur was destined to be King of England; therefore, Merlin had a special attachment to him. Throughout King Arthur's early years as king, Merlin served as his adviser. Arthur turned to Merlin for his wise advice before every battle and decision he made. A quote from the story of The Questing Beast shows how much Arthur depends on Merlin; "But Arthur had many battles to fight and many Kings to conquer before he was acknowledged lord of them all, and often he would have failed had he not listened to the wisdom of Merlin..." Merlin also helped Arthur acquire his sword Excaliber.
            The number 3 is a recurring motif in King arthur and the Knight of the Round Table. One occasion in which the number 3 is seen is when Arthur asks Sir Bedivere to throw his sword Excaliber back into the lake. Arthur received Excaliber from the Lady of the Lake while he was with Merlin, but towards the end of the story he no longer wants it. On the first attempt Sir Bedivere decides to hide the sword and retrieve it later for his own keeping but when Arthur asks what happened as he threw it into the lake and he replies with nothing, Arthur is suspicious. He sends him back to complete the task but Sir Bedivere returns with the same story. Arthur then threatens Sir Bediveres's life and sends him for the third time and when he returns he explains that a hand rose from the water and caught the sword. Another example of the motif of the number three is when Sir Gareth encounters the three brothers on his quest with the Lady Linet. He meets a black knight, who he slays, a green knight after that, and finally he meets the last brother who wears red armor and defeats him as well.
            In romance literature the characters often have dreams or visions that are significant to the story. In the story of “The Questing Beast” King Arthur has a strange dream where "he thought the land was over-run with gryphons and serpents which burnt and slew his people, and he made war on the monsters, and was sorely wounded, though he still killed them all." Later in that same story Arthur and his knights go on a hung and Arthur encounters a very strange beast that is a combination of a serpent and gryphon. Another occurrence is when the squire has a dream in the story of how the king went on pilgrimage, and his squire was slain in a dream. The squire had a dream that he found a gold candle and was stabbed. When the squire woke up, he shouted for help because he had actually been stabbed and he was holding a gold candle.
            A magical/supernatural event occurs before King Arthur and all of his knights at the round table during the story of “The Coming of the Holy Graal.” They were all enjoying a Pentecost supper at the round table when suddenly they heard a clash of thunder and then an intensely bright light shone into the room. As everyone gazed at each other dumbfounded, the Holy Graal floated into the room and food appeared before them all as if by magic. Sir Gawaine along with several other nights were astonished at what they saw, so they devoted themselves to search for the Graal. The next day everybody who had taken on the challenge departed in all different directions.
            In the story of “The End of it All,” King Arthur is betrayed by his nephew Sir Mordred. Arthur entrusted Sir Mordred to govern the land while he was gone from England to fight Sir Lancelot. Sir Mordred accepted the responsibility, but he also had evil intents of what he would do while Arthur was away. Sir Mordred betrayed King Arthur trust by sending letters proclaiming Arthur had died in battle and that he has been crowned king. Queen Guenevere was also betrayed by Sir Mordred because he tried to force her to marry him even when he knew her husband was still alive. When Arthur returned he was denied landing by Mordred and faced a great resistance, causing him to retreat. Mordred had even turned the people against Arthur. Mordred was eventually slain by Arthur; however, all but three of Arthur's knights survived the battles.
            A test of honor subjects one's commitment to their morals as well as their promises to difficult tasks. In the story of “What Beaumains Asked Of The King”, Beaumains, also known as Sir Gareth, has his honor put to the test. Lady Linet comes to Camelot one day and asks for King Arthur to lend her some knights to rescue her sister. Beaumains sees this as an opportunity to prove his worth to everyone, so he begs Arthur to let him go with Linet. Arthur says yes and Linet is furious because Beaumains is a kitchen boy. As they travel to the castle where Lady Linets's sister is kept they encounter several strong knights that Beaumains must overcome if he is to stick to his promise of saving Linet's sister. Beaumains Refuses to give up and conquers them all, even with Lady Linet shouting that he is a worthless kitchen boy. Finally she sees how honorable Beaumains is and that he has endured a rigorous journey all for her and her sister's sake. He fulfills his promise in the end of the story by overthrowing the Red Knight and rescues Lady Lyonesse.
            A character in King Arthur: Tales From the Round Table who possesses both heroic traits along with a flaw is none other than King Arthur himself. Throughout the stories, King Arthur proves to be a powerful, just, and generous ruler. He very rarely commits mistakes and has the respect of practically all of his Knights. He may seem like a perfect character, but there is one thing about him that could be called a flaw; he is too reliant on the people around him. He often puts to much trust into the people closest to him which eventually causes his downfall. The best case of this is when King Arthur leaves England and temporarily entrusts his position to his nephew Sir Mordred. Mordred betrays him and Arthur must fight him to gain back his title. The battles were so intense that Arthur lost all but one of his knights and lost all of his power.
            The character listed as the evil enemy in King Arthur: Tales From the Round Table is Morgan Le Fay, Arthur's sister. Morgan Le Fay was very skilled in magic and also had a strong dislike of her brother because he had slain her lover. This proved to be a deadly combination. As the story proceeds, Morgan Le Fay paid a visit to Arthur while he was resting and stole he scabbard. Arthur pursued her but she tossed the scabbard into a lake and escaped afterwards. The next morning Morgan Le Fay sent Arthur a mantle that was decked in jewels in hope the he would forgive her but Arthur was suspicious. The Lady of the Lake appeared to him and warned him to let the messenger put it on first. She fell down and burned to ashes instantly and King Arthur was outraged. Morgan Le Fay had become Arthur's evil enemy because she let her hate control her actions.
            An archetypal female figure in the book is The Fair Maid Of Astolat. She is the daughter of Sir Bernard, the Baron that took in Sir Lancelot and help him prepare for the tourney. The Fair Maid falls into the category of an archetypal female figure because she is merely an innocent maiden who falls for Lancelot, just as a young lady would for a superstar Hollywood actor today. She instantly falls in love with Sir Lancelot upon seeing him and begs him to wear her token to the tourney. He accepts because it will provide a good disguise for him. Elaine, the Fair Maid, later asks Sir Lancelot if he would be her husband but he declines. Then, because she was young and irrational from her heartache, she killed herself because she swore to herself she would never love anybody but Sir Lancelot.
            Sir Percivale embarks on a quest in the story “The Adventure of Sir Percivale.” In the story he is on a quest for the Holy Graal just as several of the other knights are; however, he is horseless. He encounters a yeoman who says a black knight stole his horse, so he gives Sir Percivale his hackney to chase the other knight. Sir Percivale catches up to the knight, but the black knight kills his hackney and rides away. Percivale feels defeated but a lady appears to him and gives him a horse. The horse turns out to be a fiend and ran away from Percivale leaving him horseless once again, but he was just thankful he survived. The next day he witnesses a battle between a lion and a serpent. He decides to help the lion since it was the more natural creature and slays the serpent, earning himself a new companion in the lion.

Explication of Important Quotes from Act 5 of Shakespeare's Macbeth

Macbeth Quote Explications – Act V (5)

Theme: Light vs. Dark

Quote: “…she has light by her continually; ‘tis her command.” (V, I)

Explication: Lady Macbeth is spotted sleep walking in the Ante-room of the castle by a Doctor and a gentlewoman. She is carrying a candlestick for light, which is ironic because it is useless to her since her “eyes are open…but their sense is shut.” The doctor also notices she is rubbing her hands as if she is trying to cleanse them, perhaps from bloodshed; indicating she is guilty of something. All the while, Lady Macbeth has been suffering of maladies, approaching death, which compounded with guilt, are her motives for having a light by her side at all times. Because light is symbolic of God and good and is antithetical of dark, which constitutes her character, she is experiencing guilt, so carrying a light is her soothing remedy in an attempt to earn forgiveness.

Theme: Clothing

Quote: “…now does he feel his title hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief.” (V, III)

Explication: Contributing to a heated conversation about Macbeth’s illegitimacy and wrong doings committed during his term as King of Scotland, Angus says this quote about Macbeth. Macbeth’s secrets have become public knowledge; therefore, it has been declared he will be removed from the throne, forcibly. Angus accuses Macbeth of being a dwarfish thief, which is totally appropriate given the circumstances by which he became King. Angus also says Macbeth’s robes fit loosely, which means Macbeth cannot even compare to Duncan’s stature when he was king. Macbeth has not lived up to the standards set by Duncan. The fact that the robes do not fit him means he is illegitimate and undeserving of the Throne.

Theme: Nature as Symbols

Quote: “Or so much as it needs to dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds.” (V, III)

Explication: In this quote nature is referenced to symbolize a conflict between two parties. Malcolm will soon wage war on Macbeth, in order to rid him of the throne. Two objects are symbolic in this quote: the sovereign flower, which is the rightful holder of the throne, and the weeds, which are Macbeth and his accomplices. Lennox says they need to drown the weeds, or remove Macbeth. By doing so, they can “dew the sovereign flower,” or appoint Malcolm as king since he has proven his loyalty to Duncan the entire time.

Explication of Important Quotes from Act 3 of Shakespeare's Macbeth

Macbeth Quote Explications – Act III (3)

Theme: Gender Roles

Quote: “…Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man?” (III, IV)

Explication: At dinner, as Macbeth is having an episode, Lady Macbeth quickly interrupts her husband’s alarming behavior. Ghostly hallucinations haunt Macbeth because he has just issued his friend, Banquo, his demise. The possibility that Macbeth is actually witnessing Banquo’s vengeful soul is slim, so he is probably just folding under the weight of all the guilt he has amounted. During his outbreak, Lady Macbeth’s line, “Are you a man?” is significant because it characterizes Macbeth’s behavior as being feminine and weak. Macbeth has now killed several people and has been appointed to the throne, so he should not be frightened by what he is seeing. This quote reflects the “Gender Roles” theme because Lady Macbeth, who is a woman, is questioning Macbeth’s masculinity, as well as his dedication to their plan.

Theme: Nature

Quote: “ There the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled hath nature that in time will venom breed.” (III,IV)

Explication: A terrible deed has just been enacted. Banquo’s murderers return to Macbeth’s castle to inform him of their success. However, Fleance, Banquo’s son, escaped from death’s reach and is a witness to the crime. Complications remain unsettled for Macbeth; Fleance is still alive; therefore, his position in the throne lacks security, since Fleance is prophesized to become a king. This quote serves to be significant by revealing Macbeth’s feelings towards Banquo and Fleance. Serpents are seen as evil, unfavorable, and harmful creatures, so it is appropriate that he refers to them as serpents because he views them as impediments to his glory.

Theme: Light vs. Dark

Quote: “A light, a light/ Who did strike out the light?” (III, III)

Explication: The second murderer whispers “a light, a light” when he spots Banquo and Fleance on their way to the Banquet at Macbeth’s Castle. The three murderers, who were hired by Macbeth, are moments away from killing Banquo. It is important to pay close attention to the light in this situation, because it is present for several reasons. Light signifies knowledge and goodness. Taking that into consideration, one reason the light is significant can be deciphered to mean that the murderers believed they were doing a good deed for Macbeth, their King. However, the light is extinguished, surrounding them in darkness, which signifies evil and lack of knowledge in their case, so their good deed is actually backed by evil motives of which they were unaware.

Explication of Important Quotes from Act 2 of Shakespeare's Macbeth

Macbeth Quote Explications – Act 2

Theme: Gender Roles

Quote: “Help me hence, ho!” (II, III)

Explication: Lady Macbeth says this to all of the men around her after she walks into the room in which King Duncan is lying, dead. The gore overwhelms her, causing her to faint; at least that is what everybody is led to believe. Other possible reasons can explain her dramatic entrance: she is just trying to play along and acts like an innocent bystander, she is trying to draw attention away from her husband, who is being questioned, or she is genuinely surprised by Macbeth’s bold action when he killed the two guards. The most plausible scenario is a combination of two; she is surprised by her husband’s newfound strength and she is trying to direct everyone’s attention away from her husband, so that he is not placed under suspicion. This quote reflects the theme of “Gender Roles” because Lady Macbeth is characterized as being feminine and squeamish.

Theme: Nature as Symbols

Quote: “And Duncan’s horses – a thing most strange and certain…contending ‘gainst obedience, as they would make war with mankind/ ‘Tis said they eat each other.” (II, IV)

Explication: This is a conversation occurring between Ross and an old man, who is a priest coming to see King Duncan’s corpse. King Duncan has just been murdered and all of the horses are fighting with each other. The fact that the horses are fighting with each other has a deeper meaning than it suggests. Significantly, this quote uses nature as symbols to represent all of the turmoil that has recently happened. The quote reflects the theme of “Nature as Symbols” by using horses, which are noble and strong creatures, to symbolize the power struggle between Macbeth and King Duncan. The horses, who are most likely related and usually get along well, symbolize Macbeth’s relationship with King Duncan since they were cousins and Macbeth was loyal to him.

Theme: Fair and Foul

Quote: “…where we are there’s daggers in men’s smiles: the near in blood, the nearer bloody.” (II,III)

Explication: Donalbain, one of King Duncan’s sons, says this to his brother Malcolm. Their father has just been found lying dead in his bed and people are beginning to ask questions as to who committed the offense. They quickly become suspects, being the King’s sons, especially Malcolm, who was recently named the Prince of Cumberland and is next in line to inherit the throne. They also feel like their safety is threatened because if someone killed their father to gain the throne, then they would have to kill both sons as well. The quote serves to show the brothers’ feelings of uneasiness and that they can no longer trust those who are most loyal and closest to them. “The near in blood” is describing their relatives and “the nearer bloody” means that those relatives will do anything to see that they inherit the throne. This quote reflects the theme of “Fair and Foul” because the people who were supposedly loyal to King Duncan, whom he placed his trust in because they appeared to loyal and friendly, unexpectedly killed him.

Explication of Important Quotes from Act 1 of Shakespeare's Macbeth

Macbeth Quote Explications – Act I (1)

Theme: Fair and Foul

Quote: “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face: he was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust.” (I, IV)

Explication: King Duncan says this to Malcolm after he learns of Cawdor’s death. The reader can infer that King Duncan previously had a close, trusting relationship with the Thane of Cawdor, before he joined the rebellion. Cawdor can also be characterized as a deceitful person. This quote also foreshadows another situation in which King Duncan is betrayed by another person, who is close to him, such as when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot to kill him to gain the throne. This quote relates to the theme of “fair and foul” because King Duncan is deceived by someone whom he perceives as fair. He was fooled by Cawdor’s impression because he was not aware of his true character.

Theme: Dark vs. Light

Quote: “Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires: the eye wink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.” (I,IV)

Explication: Macbeth says this to himself after he has been announced as the Thane of Cawdor and Malcolm has been named The Prince of Cumberland by his father, King Duncan. Macbeth whispers this quote to himself almost as if he is annoyed that he has to overcome another obstacle in order to gain the throne. Significantly, this quote serves to show Macbeth is afraid of his prophecy, but at the same time enthralled by it. He is frightened by his desire to be King, because it means that King Duncan, who he is loyal to, must die, most likely by his hands. Light vs. Dark related to this quote because is directly symbolizes characteristics of Macbeth; the light represents his goodness and loyalty to King Duncan, while the dark is symbolic of his dark desires.

Theme: Gender Roles

Quote: “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty!” (I, V)

Explication: Lady Macbeth says this to herself after a messenger informs her that King Duncan is coming to visit her and Macbeth at their castle. She sees an opportunity to get rid of King Duncan, so that Macbeth can take the throne, and she does everything in her power to follow through with it. This quote serves to characterize Lady Macbeth as selfish, merciless, and inconsiderate. She is an evil person, who is seeking power and wealth, as well as a negative influence on her husband. Macbeth eventually comes to his senses and realizes the magnitude of the crime he might commit, but Lady Macbeth brainwashes him into doing it by telling him he will do it if he is man. This quote relates to the theme because Lady Macbeth says she would kill King Duncan herself if she were not restricted by being a female. She also questions Macbeth’s masculinity, arguing that he should take control and kill King Duncan since he is the man.