How does Shakespeare present Macbeth as a disturbed character and how are the character's in Robert Browning's poems, The Laboratory and Porphyria's Lover similar?
Uploaded by hapsihalwa3 on Mar 19, 2014
INTRO:
Characters in Macbeth and in the poetry of Robert Browning both present disturbed characters. Shakespeare’s play Macbeth was written in 1606, a year after Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up King James I and Parliament. This possibly suggests that Shakespeare was inspired to write Macbeth based on the plot of treason and ambition. Porphyria’s Lover and The Laboratory were written in the nineteenth century by Robert Browning; a century in which women started to gain more social status and a higher class. This links with the theme of power in both Macbeth and the poems. A common theme that will be explored in both texts is obsession which portrays how disturbed the characters really are. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth for King James I, who was very interested in witches and magic and then later wrote a book about witchcraft called Daemonlogie. Most of Shakespeare’s audience believed in magic, witches and witchcraft which is particularly important as it sets the supernatural theme in Macbeth. This gives an insight into the disturbed characters by appearing throughout the play in different forms; for example ghosts appearing, witches chanting and their prophecies.
THEME OF SUPERNATURAL:
THE very first characters we meet are the three witches who meet in foul weather speaking of thunder, lightning, fog and filthy air. Immediately the witches are symbolised as evil and this is further demonstrated in the spell “Fair is foul, foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air.” The rhyming couplet the witches talk in is almost like a song or a chant which emphasises their power. Therefore, the witches are portrayed to believe in disharmony as the natural order of things are disrupted; this sets the tone for the rest of the play. A character shown to resemble the witches is Lady Macbeth whereby she calls on supernatural spirits “come you spirits”; this illustrates that Lady Macbeth is mentally unstable as she needs help to become evil.
Another way in which the witches are conveyed as being disturbed is how they are able to speak Macbeths innermost thoughts; they know what to say and their timing is precise which shows they are unnaturally close and act with one mind. This is shown when the third witch predicts “Macbeth doth come.” Additionally, when the witches prophesised Macbeth will become King, Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth is curious and asks lots of questions. However the witches just...