MacbethAtragic Hero Essay Research Paper In Macbeth

Macbeth_Atragic Hero Essay, Research Paper

In Macbeth, the imagery of animals behavior and class status advances the theme of

animals in relation to human characteristics. The examples discussed in my paper will

make it quite clear that this imagery is evident, throughout the play.

In Act 1 sc. 3 line 8, the first witch chants and says that the sailor is the master of

the Tiger. The witch is comparing the man to a Tiger. The tiger is a very good animal and

is near the top of the Elizabethan World Picture. Hence the man is good. Furthermore

the witch say?s that she herself is like a rat without a tail. Thus she is missing something

important. The witch is incomplete, just like the rat. Furthermore I believe she is hiding

something because when you are missing something you are apt to be very self conscious

and hide it. In addition the rat is veer low on the chain of being.

The next passage is Act 1 sc. 7 line 49. In this passage Lady Macbeth is quoted

saying ?like the poor cat I ?th? adage? (1, vii., 49). That means ?the cat who eats fish but

will not get his feet wet ? (Folgers, p 40). Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth that he is like

the cat because he wants to become king but he won?t get his hands bloody. However

Lady Macbeth would find someone else to get their feet wet, someone to do her dirty

work.

In act 2 scene 4 line 15, the old man and Ross talk about the recent murder. The

old man says that the killer, an owl made sure no one was looking and attacked the falcon

and killed it. The owl, lower then the falcon on the chain of being usually eats mice, which

is low on the hierarchy. But this time the owl eats the falcon whom is usually on the top

of the hierarchy.

Later in the play during act 3 Macbeth talks bout the list of dogs and the list of

men. On line 140 in sc.1 Macbeth compares the murders with the lowliest of dogs. In

the next act, Act 4 three witches use very lowly animals to describe Macbeths kingship. In

sc. 1 lines 1-30 the witches say that Macbeths is very similar to the hedgehog, toads and

lizards. These animals describe Macbeth in different ways. The hedge hog shows that

Macbeth is as greedy as a pig. The lizard shows that he is as slippery and slimy as a lizard.

Finally the toad might be symbolic of Macbeths soul, his soul is as ugly as a toad.

Throughout the play the animals behavior and status relate to human

characteristics. Sometimes these relationships are very abstract and sometimes they are

quite evident. To conclude the anima