Textual Sleuthing

Textual Sleuthing

What does Macbeth demonstrate about power and ambition?

Students will:

1. Draft an essay analyzing Macbeth's themes, citing one or more scenes as evidence.
2. Evaluate the truth or relevance of themes developed in Macbeth.

Objectives

Students must be able to:

1. Recall key scenes and passages from Macbeth.
2. Interpret the meaning of poetic language.

Skills Needed

• literary analysis
• literary criticism
• literary devices
• summary

Key Words

What is a Theme?

What are the elements of literary analysis, and how do they help you better understand Macbeth?

Literary analysis is a tool that helps audiences better understand the deeper meanings of a text. Critical thinking skills enable you to dissect and understand complex texts like Macbeth. You've looked closely at key scenes and learned about the different ways directors interpret Shakespeare's Scottish Play. Watch the video to learn the literary analysis objectives and why they are important. How does the intricate use of literary elements, themes, and character analysis contribute to a deeper understanding of human nature and the enduring relevance of Shakespeare's work?

Adventures in Analysis

What must you look for when analyzing a text for deeper meanings?

Before you begin your literary analysis writing assignment, it's important to understand the different elements of literary analysis and what to look for when diving into a text. A literary criticism essay focuses on specific elements. See each row to see what types of clues you'll gather when analyzing a text like Macbeth.

Understanding the Text

Before you can analyze a text for deeper meanings and themes, it's important to understand it at the surface level. For instance, can you summarize the basic plot points? How might you describe Macbeth? In your descriptions of the storyline, do you point to moments that reinforce the thematic concepts of ambition and guilt?

Interpreting Themes

Macbeth is focused on the blind ambitions of Macbeth and his wife. The two are hell-bent on having the throne and are even willing to murder to make that happen. The play follows Macbeth, a revered warrior who hears a prophecy that he will one day be king. Throughout the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth make choices that showcase how blinded they are by the crown. Ultimately, their choices, like murdering Duncan and later Banquo and the Macduff clan, serve their ambitions. It is these choices and their guilt for making these choices that eventually lead to their downfall.

Character Analysis

Literary criticism asks that audiences look at how characters transform or don't transform throughout the text. When you think about how Shakespeare introduces Lady Macbeth (being worried about her husband's lack of cruelty) versus how he introduces Macbeth (being described by a fellow soldier as brave and critical to the success of Duncan's army), their transformations reinforce the themes. Analyzing the characters is also a way to tap into their humanity and what their actions, thoughts, and words suggest about unchecked power.

Exploring Symbolism

Writers often use motifs—the repetition of objects, images, or phrases that point to the work's larger themes. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to represent the guilt and consequences of violence throughout the play. The language, like in the lines "Will all great Neptune's Ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red" (Act II, Scene 2), showcases this. In this moment, Macbeth is convinced the literal blood on his hands from murdering Duncan would redden all the oceans. This is a clear indication that he feels guilty. Throughout the play, the mention of blood is often connected to one's guilt.

Assessing Style and Technique

Scholars have spent their lifetimes looking at the style and techniques of Shakespeare's works. His intentional use of diction, rhetorical devices, and iambic pentameter allows scholars to interpret his work through many lenses. When looking at style and technique, challenge yourself to think about how those choices impact the plot, theme, and character development.

Evaluating the Author's Intent and Contextualizing

Art is the product of its time. When analyzing literature, it's important to understand how the work reflects the political climate or historical context of when it was produced. Understanding the context can inform the intentions of the author. For instance, Shakespeare's works are a response to his time's plague and political conflicts, like the Gun Powder Plot. Why might he write a play or plays about tyrannical leaders?

Why is it important to look at a text critically using the elements of literary criticism?

Grow Your Vocabulary

To fully understand a text, it is critical to understand the language. It's also helpful to use precise language when writing a literary criticism. You'll want to be specific in how you phrase your analysis to better support your argument. Below are some words you'll find in the reading that elevate the writer's argument.

• predicament
• spurned
• ostensibly
• distraught
• garners

• indignant
• nonchalant
• abhor
• reminiscing
• machinations

Reading Between the Lines

What are the parts of a literary analysis essay?

A literary analysis, though focused on understanding the deeper layers of a text, is still structured similarly to an argumentative essay. Like an essay arguing about a solution to a problem, a literary analysis has an introduction with a clearly stated thesis, body paragraphs that use textual evidence to support the thesis, and a conclusion. For your literary analysis, you'll choose one key scene from Macbeth and analyze the scene and its broader impact on a theme of the play.

In this student essay, Amari analyzes Shakespeare's Hamlet, a tragedy that revolves around the young Prince Hamlet of Denmark, consumed by grief and anger after his father's sudden death and his mother's hasty marriage to his uncle Claudius. When Hamlet's father's ghost appears, accusing Claudius of murder, Hamlet is compelled to seek vengeance. As he descends into madness and deception, the play explores themes of revenge, moral ambiguity, and the consequences of inaction. Take a look at the body paragraph below to see how Amari uses textual evidence to support his claims.

Early in the play, Hamlet is cautious about punishing Claudius, unsure that his theory about his father's murder is true. Once he has what he sees as proof, though, Hamlet becomes fixated on avenging his father's death. Hamlet tells his friends that he is going to pretend to be mentally unstable so that he can get close enough to Claudius to kill him. However, as the play progresses, Hamlet's behavior becomes more and more erratic, eventually leading him to question the point of existence. About halfway through the play, Hamlet delivers this famous soliloquy. "To be or not to be? That is the question— Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep" (Act III, scene 1) By the end of his speech, Hamlet concludes that living is the better choice, if only because we don't know for sure what happens after death. "The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of?" (Act III, scene 1) This will not be the last time that Hamlet contemplates death as a way out of his predicament. As the play progresses, however, his speeches get shorter and less eloquent, perhaps due to his worsening mental state.

The following is a student model of a literary criticism for Shakespeare's Hamlet. As you complete a close reading of the student essay, look at the structure of the essay. How is the argument presented? How does the writer effectively incorporate textual evidence to support his claims about the specific scene and their impact on the themes of Hamlet? Read through the student essay carefully.

A Closer Look

How is a literary criticism structured to be effective?

What's Rotten in Denmark: Revenge in Shakespeare's Hamlet ​Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play, and one of the bard's best known. The play is set in Denmark and recounts the tragedy of Prince Hamlet as he tries to exact revenge against his uncle, Claudius. Hamlet believes that Claudius has murdered his brother—Hamlet's father—in order to claim the throne and marry Hamlet's mother. Hamlet's attempts to avenge his father's murder eventually cause the death of everyone he loves, and then lead to his own demise. Hamlet is a complex play with many themes. However, more than anything else, it is about the rotten fruits borne of a relentless search for revenge. Early in the play, Hamlet is cautious about punishing Claudius, unsure that his theory about his father's murder is true. Once he has what he sees as proof, though, Hamlet becomes fixated on avenging his father's death. Hamlet tells his friends that he is going to pretend to be mentally unstable so that he can get close enough to Claudius to kill him. However, as the play progresses, Hamlet's behavior becomes more and more erratic, eventually leading him to question the point of existence. About halfway through the play, Hamlet delivers this famous soliloquy. "To be or not to be? That is the question— Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep" (Act III, scene 1) By the end of his speech, Hamlet concludes that living is the better choice, if only because we don't know for sure what happens after death. "The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of?" (Act III, scene 1) This will not be the last time that Hamlet contemplates death as a way out of his predicament. As the play progresses, however, his speeches get shorter and less eloquent, perhaps due to his worsening mental state. Hamlet's famous "to be or not to be" speech is followed by a conversation with his ex-lover, Ophelia. Ophelia once spurned Hamlet, but he now rejects her, insisting that he never had loved her, and that his professions of love were false.

"You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not." (Act III, scene 1) With these words, which don't represent the prince's true feelings, Hamlet makes Ophelia part of his revenge plot. His willingness to hurt Ophelia for the sake of vengeance suggests that Hamlet is beginning to cross the line between pretending to be mad and becoming unhinged in reality. The scene also sets up the later consequences of Hamlet's quest for vengeance, including the deaths of those he loves. Ophelia becomes extremely distraught over Hamlet's lies and eventually dies in an accident that the plays' characters suspect was suicide instead. Claudius and Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, notice Hamlet's unusual behavior and try to figure out what is wrong. Claudius, however, knows what he has done and wants to get rid of Hamlet, so he sends him off to England, ostensibly to help cure him of his madness. However, Hamlet travels with two of his old school friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who carry a letter to the King of England stating that Hamlet should be executed. Hamlet manages to escape this fate after changing the letter to indicate that his former schoolmates ought to be executed instead. While he may not have had a strong bond with the two, Hamlet has now moved from waiting until he garners proof of guilt to arranging the death of his friends without knowing for sure how much they knew about the plot.

Upon Hamlet's return to England, he and Horatio listen as two gravediggers contemplate what profession has the longest-lasting impact. "What is he that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter?" (Act V, scene 1) They are, of course, talking about gravediggers, suggesting that the grave must be the longest-lasting house for our physical selves. One of the gravediggers sings as he does his work, tossing several skulls to Hamlet. Hamlet is initially indignant about the gravedigger's nonchalant attitude about the remains, but then he becomes pensive as he considers the skull of Yorick, a jester he once knew from his father's court. Hamlet remembers fondly the way the man once made him laugh. "… I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand times, and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. -Where be your gibes now? Your gambols? Your songs?" (Act V, scene 1)

Hamlet concludes his reminiscing by asking the jester to tell Ophelia that no matter how much she tries to make herself pretty, she will end up a skull just like him. This bit of gallows humor recalls Hamlet's earlier contemplation on death, before he lied to Ophelia about his feelings, and it foreshadows a later scene when Ophelia's funeral procession enters, and her brother Laertes begins a theatrical bout of mourning for his lost sister. Enraged that Laertes should claim to have loved Ophelia more than any other, Hamlet leaps into the grave with Laertes and the two begin to fight. While not stating it explicitly, the scene suggests that Hamlet's rage against Laertes is partially rage against himself, as he knows he might have caused Ophelia's death by pretending not to love her. The fight ends and Hamlet regrets it, telling his friend Horatio: "But I am very sorry, good Horatio, That to Laertes I forgot myself, For by the image of my cause I see The portraiture of his. I'll court his favors." (Act V, scene 2) Hamlet soon forgets his promise to ask Laertes' forgiveness when Laertes becomes involved in a plot by Claudius to kill Hamlet in a duel, using a poison blade. Hamlet, recognizing the plot, kills both Laertes and Claudius. Before he is killed by Hamlet, however, Claudius accidentally causes Gertrude's death when she

drinks poison intended for Hamlet. In this way, everyone who played a part in the political machinations of Denmark—and several who did not—perish as a result first of Claudius' treachery, then Hamlet's obsession with revenge. Only Horatio survives to explain the fate of the court to the invading King of Sweden, Fortinbras. Oddly, but importantly, Fortinbras offers the honor of a soldier to Hamlet's corpse, claiming he would have made a worthy king.​ "For he was likely, had he been put on, To have proved most royally. And, for his passage, The soldier's music and the rites of war Speak loudly for him." (Act V, scene 2) Thus, Shakespeare lands one last critique of Hamlet's ill-conceived quest for revenge. Had he not been so thoroughly ruled by his emotions—first grief and then hatred and vengeance—he might have learned to be a king worthy of the title. Instead, his reward is death as a mere soldier and a madman, buried by a foreign king.

Prove It!

How do you incorporate evidence to support your analysis?

"What's Rotten in Denmark?" is a student example of literary criticism. In the essay, Amari focuses his analysis on specific lines from soliloquies delivered by Hamlet. Amari suggests that these moments give the audience clues about Hamlet's deteriorating mental state. In order to support claims that Hamlet is spiraling because he is bent on revenge, the student incorporates textual evidence. Click through the tabs to see how the writer uses textual evidence and how the writer can add additional analysis to the writing.

"What's Rotten in Denmark?"

The example below shows the writer's attempt at including analysis. Read the excerpt below. Consider what Amari can do to deepen his analysis of the soliloquy. The writer provides a summary of Hamlet's soliloquy and mentions the way they evolve; he writes, "his speeches get shorter and less eloquent, perhaps due to his worsening mental state" ("What's Rotten in Denmark?" Par 2). There is room for the author to showcase Hamlet's mental state by pointing to the techniques Shakespeare uses to reinforce the shape Hamlet is in mentally. What can the writer add to his analysis to show the deterioration of Hamlet's mind?

Analysis Versus Summary

When learning to write literary criticism, it's easy to confuse analysis with summary.

• A summary is a restatement of the main points or events. It recalls what happened and only contains facts. A summary is important as a precursor to analysis because it often provides the necessary context to support the claims made when analyzing a text.
• An analysis is an examination of those events and points. It is an exploration of why and how. Why is the writer using these techniques? How do those techniques reinforce bigger themes in a text?
• In short, you will need to balance summary with analysis when writing literary criticism.
• What are some ways the writer can incorporate more analysis than summary?

Structure It

Like most essays, your literary criticism will include the same components of an argumentative or persuasive essay. See the following to review the different elements of an essay and to learn how to fit your literary criticism into this format.

How can you structure your literary criticism effectively?

Introduction

In this part of your literary criticism, you'll provide a brief overview of the text you're about to analyze. You'll want to include some context and summary. In the last sentence of your introduction, or thesis statement, you'll state the answer to the big question: What does the scene demonstrate about Macbeth's power and ambition?

Body Pargraphs

Your body paragraphs are where you will showcase your analytical skills. Your first body paragraph will focus on whatever you selected to discuss first in your thesis statement. See the following table to help guide you in structuring the body of your essay. For one of the last paragraphs of the body, you'll address the scene's structure instead of focusing on the literary devices. You can highlight how Shakespeare structures Macbeth to develop the characters or present the larger thematic concepts. Your paragraph can include more than one quote if you balance the context with the analysis.

Conclusion

This paragraph will restate your overall claim/thesis statement and summarize your larger points. You'll emphasize your analysis and end with a broad closing statement.

Prepping for Analysis

What tools do you need to effectively analyze a text?

You've seen a model of how to analyze a scene from a Shakespearean play. Now, it's time to begin brainstorming about a scene from Macbeth. You've looked at key moments in the play that showcase how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are ambitious and what they will do for power. Think about the different interpretations of those key scenes and how they were adapted and interpreted to reinforce the larger themes of Macbeth. Complete the following activity to get a handle on what to include in your literary criticism of a specific scene from Macbeth. You will need to complete this activity before moving on to the next page of the lesson.

Choose one of the following options to download your worksheet for this lesson in Word or PDF format.

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