EXAMPLE I WROTE: Consider the pattern of motifs as they appear in each of the five acts of Macbeth. Complete this page for your selected motif for each of the five Acts. Explain what your motif reveals about characterization and theme. Please pay close attention to the tone shifts and changes in the meanings of the motifs, and record Shakespeare’s words (textual evidence) to support your ideas and conclusions. Your personal response should “pull together” bits of information and synthesize it into a new understanding. Please include at least TWO examples of the motif you choose for each act. Provide all of the following information: Act: _1__ Scene____ Lines _______ Speaker______Lady __________ Motif: appearances are not reality Passage and MLA citation Paraphrase Relate to Character or Theme Personal Response (synthesis) Act I “Your hand, you’re tongue, look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”(Shakespeare Act 1, Scene 5). “There’s no art To find the mind’s construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust”(Shakespeare Act 1 Scene 5). Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth that he must appear to be innocent but in reality will be a murderous animal. Duncan states that you cannot read a man’s mind just by looking at his face. He trusted the old Thane of Cawdor completely. Macbeth has a reputation as a loyal subject to King Duncan but he is planning to betray him just as the previous Thane of Cawdor did. Lady Macbeth is the most deceiving of all characters in the play since she is a woman. Often times actions of greed to gain power as well as fraudulence are associated with men. Lady Macbeth is lying to Duncan’s face and is behind Macbeth’s treachery. King Duncan was a victim to false appearances. The old Thane of Cawdor appeared to be a loyal subject to King Duncan but in reality was conspiring behind the Kings back. King Duncan’s flaw is his ignorance to people acting upon greed. He himself cannot relate to treachery since he is in the highest position of power. Fully trusting someone or something solely by how they appear only to have the tables turn is a key motif in Macbeth. Macbeth makes the mistake of fully trusting the witches prophecy and it took over his life. He believes that these prophecies are of good fortune but in reality they lead macbeth to a path of murder and paranioa. Banquo, on the other hand is skeptical and indifferent toward the witches prophecy which benefits him. Banquo does not allow the prophecy to influence his every decision. As a result Shakespear implies that trust in its fullest is blinding while a healthy dose of cynicism can protect from deceit.
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