Language

Shakespeare’s Use of Language

• Shakespeare’s language in Macbeth is remarkable, revealing much about characters, themes, and the plot.
• The differences between prose and verse elucidate characters’ statuses and emotions. Nobles converse in verse while commoners resort to prose.

Dialogue and Monologue

• Dialogue is crucial in character building and advancing the plot.
• Moments of monologue or soliloquy provide a window into the character’s innermost thoughts and intentions.

Use of Rhyme and Meter

• The dialogue in the play is laden with rhythmic quality and rhyme. This lends a particular dramatic intensity to the scenes.
• The iambic pentameter is employed, showcasing Shakespeare’s mastery of the language and its rhythm.

The Language of Imagery

• Shakespeare utilizes rich imagery to paint vivid scenes, invoke emotions, and underline themes.
• Frequent use of symbolic language makes the play more interpretative. Images of blood, water, the night, and animals are used strategically.

Figurative Language

• Figurative language, including metaphors, similes, and personification, is used to make comparisons and provide an insight into characters’ mentalities.

Language and the Supernatural

• The language used to present the supernatural is markedly different, featuring rhymed verse to create a mysterious, eerie atmosphere.

Language of Power and Ambition

• Shakespeare uses powerful and commanding language to depict characters’ ambition and desire for power.

Use of Irony

• Dramatic irony enhances the play’s tragic effect, allowing the audience to understand situations unknown to the characters.

Language Reflecting Themes

• The main themes of the play including ambition, guilt, reality vs illusion, and fate vs free will are reflected in the dialogue and soliloquies.
• For instance, Lady Macbeth’s famous ‘unsex me here’ monologue reflects her unnatural ambition, defying gender roles of the era.