LRJ 1: Death

In Act One, the theme of death comes up twelve times, which shows the reader what kind of mood this play will likely to be set in. The high number of death references provides the reader with foreshadowing of future death to come throughout the book. “Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel,/ Which smoked with bloody execution” (1.2, 17-18). This quote talks of brandished steel, which is a sword and it is described with the word execution to really give the reader an idea of its power, it is a deadly weapon. “No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive/ Our bosom interest. Go pronounce his present death,” (1.2, 66-67). Shakespeare uses the word death here just to tell the reader that the Thane of Cawdor has passed away, but he says death instead of passed away to foreshadow more death and to continue the dark mood. “Killing swine” (1.3, 2). The Second Witch says this to the first witch and the word killing sets the mood as dark and portrays the witches as evil. “Strange images of death” (1.3, 97). “But I have spoke/ With one that saw him die” (1.4, 3-4). “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,/ shakes so my single state of man” (1.3, 140-141). This is Macbeth saying the thought of killing a man in an unlawful and premeditated way makes him sick, this shows Macbeth’s character. “Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more/ than would make up his message” (1.5, 36). The word dead is used here to express how fatigued the messenger is from delivering the message so fast. It says he would be dead except for his breath meaning that he is still alive because he is breathing but is at the point of exhaustion that it might as well be death “You murd’ring ministers,” (1.5, 48). Murder is used to describe the agents as evil and unlawful. “I th’assassination/ could trammel up the consequence,” (1.7, 2-3). This use of assassination shows how the killing of Duncan would be murder and an evil thing to do, it reinforces the mood and tone of the play. “Their drenched nature lies as in a death,” (1.7, 69). This quote describes the nature to be so still that it is as if it were dead which paints a nice picture for the reader. “As we shall make our griefs and clamor roar/ upon his death?” (1.7, 80). The word death is just used here to reference someone’s death, but the fact that it is referenced keeps the tone dark and gloomy.