Writing Techniques(form,structure and langugage) in Macbeth

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  • Created by: Adaeze2
  • Created on: 28-11-16 18:22

Use of structure in Macbeth

The structure of a text refers to the way in which events are organised inside the play as a whole. In the case of Macbeth, the structure is strictly chronological. This is where events are revealed to the audience/reader in the order in which they have happened. Sometimes events are described rather than shown (eg Macbeth becoming king). Others happen offstage (out of sight of the audience) for example, Duncan's murder.

The events of this play are organised into five acts, each containing re turned into published text after being performed that a number of scenes. However, it is important to note that Shakespeare himself almost certainly did not organise the play in this way and that this structure would have been added later during the editing process when the plays weway.

The idea of the five-act structure is a useful one, though, as it follows the model designed by Gustav Freytag, a German author from the 19th-century. Having carefully studied classical drama, he suggested there were five stages in a tragic dramatic structure.

He named these stages: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and catastrophe.

Freytag's pyramid, showing the five-act structure of Macbeth, with labels indicating exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and catastrophe (http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/bam/live/content/zyyj2hv/large)

Freytag's pyramid shows how a drama is divided into five acts

How this applies to Macbeth is shown in the table:

StagesWhat?When? Exposition Introduces the characters, setting, events and key ideas. Act 1: Main characters are introduced; the Witches make their predictions; thoughts of murder start to form. Rising action A series of related events occur leading up to the key moment in the plot. Act 2: Macbeth keeps changing his mind; Lady Macbeth takes control; King Duncan’s murder (key moment). Climax Marks the turning point of the play. Up to this point things have gone well for the main character – now things will go rapidly downhill. Act 3: Macbeth becomes King; Banquo is murdered and Fleance escapes; Macduff joins Malcolm in England. Falling action The main conflict between the protagonist (the central character – Macbeth) and the antagonist (his opposite – Macduff) is established. Act 4: Macbeth returns to the Witches; Macduff’s family is slaughtered; Malcolm and Macduff plan their invasion. Catastrophe The protagonist is defeated by the antagonist and events return to a state of normality. Act 5: The invasion is carried out and Malcolm becomes King; the Witches' predictions come true in unexpected ways; both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth die.

Examining poetic structure

In a play such as Macbeth, examining structure might also refer to the poetic structure which is used. As you will have observed, the majority of the writing in Macbeth is in poetic form, though sometimes prose is used. There are three areas to look out for:

  • lines with a five-beat rhythm
  • lines with a four-beat rhythm
  • lines written in prose

Lines with a five-beat rhythm

This is how the majority of the play is written. It is often called blank verse or iambic pentameter. Each line has five beats with an unstressed (x) 

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This is copied word for word from BBC's analysis of Macbeth...