Act V: Youtube Speech

Here is the link to my YouTube video of me reciting Macbeth's speeches from Act 5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXLA_rryRz8

Act IV: Riddles and Images

Riddle 1: "Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough."(IV.i.71-72)

I found this first riddle to be the most difficult to produce an image for because it isn't so much of a riddle as it is a self-explanatory statement. The armed head, shown in the cloud of smoke above the witches' cauldron, is essentially telling Macbeth that he should beware of Macduff. At the time, Macbeth doesn't know what this means and there isn't a riddle or hint in the statement saying exactly what Macduff will do to him, so he simply takes this as a helpful hint. The joke I used in this image is that Macbeth has become accustomed to killing anyone who gets in his way, so when he hears that Macduff will be a problem for him, he decides that having him killed is not a big deal, and that he was probably going to have him killed anyway.

 

Riddle 2: "Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. " (IV.i.79-81)

 

This riddle is more of an actual riddle. It states that no one of woman born can harm Macbeth, but since everyone is born from a woman, it would seem like this means that no one could possibly harm him. This is exactly how Macbeth takes it, and in the image I illustrated Macbeth’s thoughts on the riddle. He thinks to himself that he shouldn’t have anything to worry about because there’s no possible way that someone could not be born from a woman. What Macbeth doesn’t realize about this riddle is its real meaning: Macduff happens to be an exception to the statement that everyone is “born” from a woman. He was taken out of his mother by caesarian section rather than by a traditional vaginal birth. Therefore, it can be said about Macduff that he was not born from a woman. What I was trying to show in this image is the way that Macbeth misunderstands this riddle (as many would) and takes it in the way that it is not possible for anyone to harm him, rather than what it really means: that only people who were not born traditionally from a woman can harm him (i.e. Macduff).

 

Riddle 3: "Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him." (IV.i.90-94)

 

 

This riddle is the greatest play on words of the three riddles. It’s an interesting statement because it could be understood as an expression to exaggerate the unlikeliness of the situation, or it could be understood quite literally. It’s also very misleading because in the first sentence it tells him to not worry or fret about anyone. The way Macbeth takes it of course, is as an expression that basically says “Macbeth won’t vanquish until the Great Birnam wood comes against him at Dunsinane hill”, which is an extremely unlikely situation, and basically guarantees his safety. The image I drew to represent the riddle illustrates the most literal form of it: the angry Great Birnam wood coming to attack Macbeth, who stands at the top of Dunsinane hill. He is saying “You have got to be kidding me…”, because of the unlikeliness of this situation that is quite literally coming true.

 

 

Act 1-3 Plot Explanation

Click the link below for a Prezi explaining the major events up to the end of Act III

http://prezi.com/hrp3zpircros/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Citation of Images in Prezi:

Barrera, Laura.  Bloody Hands Macbeth.  2011. Lowballoon.  4 Jan, 2014.

Chasseriau, Theodore.  Banquo’s Ghost.  1819-1856. Wikipedia. 4 Jan, 2014.

Giraldo, Nicolle.  Dagger of the Mind.  Oct 8, 2013. Wikispaces.  4 Jan, 2014.

Kennickell, Drew.  Macbeth Act 1, Scene 3.  3 Jun, 2011.  Macbeth Sketchblog.  4 Jan, 2014.