Both Macbeth and the poem, 'Porphyria's Lover' by Robert Browning share some feature of deception which can be linked to the extract from THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK.
The old thane of Cawdor has confessed to high treason, and has recently been executed, and King Duncan replies as follows,
 "There’s no art

To find the mind’s construction in the face.

He was a gentleman on whom I built

An absolute trust."

The idea of deception can be found in Browning's poem, in many places. 

           "And all her yellow hair displaced,       And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,

       And spread, o'er all, her yellow hair,"

The implicit message is fairly straight forward, as it informs us that this woman named 'Porphyria' has yellow hair, presumably meaning blonde. Yet Browning chose the word yellow purposely. This is because yellow has many connotations that we usually link with the colour, such as, warning, caution, sickness and disease. Although at first the reader may assume Browning only meant blonde hair, which links to the idea of deception. This idea of caution, sickness and deception could be seen in Macbeth when the prophecies have been revealed to Macbeth and Banquo and the first prophecy happens. Macbeth starts to fantasize about being the king as if it is an illness, and his friend Banquo warns him to be cautious of the witches prophecies as they may not be as beneficial as they seem.

Leading on from the previous point of illnesses, during the time period that this poem was written, Porphyria was a mental illness that could cause hallucinations, which could mean that Browning intended for this "woman" to be nothing but a hallucination... the man being deceived by his mind. This may why when entering it was written that she glided in. "When glided in Porphyria".

The hallucinations may have been similar to the hallucinations that Macbeth experienced due to the guilt, "Is this a dagger I see before me?"

It could also be interpreted as someone being described as very beautiful and enticing, but is in actuality quite deadly, in the same way as the throne seemed very appealing to Macbeth, but it ultimately lead to his demise. 

H Ahmad C 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK 1 - Looks are Deceiving...

Dear all,

Every week you will be asked to respond in detail to a set question. You will be expected to offer evidence of your ideas and analyse as far as you can the topic in question. This weeks question is inspired by King Duncan's comment on the appearance of people in Act 1 Scene 4:

There’s no art

To find the mind’s construction in the face.

He was a gentleman on whom I built

An absolute trust.

Here, Duncan is talking about the former Thane of Cawdor and how shocked he is at discovering his treachery. False appearances and placing your trust in the wrong person are a theme in Macbeth, as we are beginning to explore with the main character.  I would like you to apply this idea to one of the poem's we have studied so far. The question is this:

How does Browning give the speaker in his poem a deceptive/ false appearance? Pick one poem to explore this. You must analyse 3 quotations to support your answer.

All answers to be posted in the comments section. End your response with your initials or first name. Deadline for the response is Monday 19th May. Any problems posting, then email 10zsjwms@gmail.com or bring in a paper response to class.

Please find the poems in the POETRY section of the blog.

Macbeth- Act I Scene III

In this scene, Macbeth and his good friend, Banquo, are introduced to the three witches for the first time upon a barren heath. Although, before Macbeth, Banquo and the "Weird sisters" cross paths, some words are exchanged amongst the witches as shown below.

First Witch     Where hast thou been, sister?       

Second Witch            Killing swine.          

Third Witch   Sister, where thou? 

First Witch     A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap, 

            And munch'd, and munch'd, and munch'd:--                  5

            'Give me,' quoth I:              

            'Aroint thee, witch!' the rump-fed ronyon cries.

            Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger:

           But in a sieve I'll thither sail,

            And, like a rat without a tail,

             10

            I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do.

           

Second Witch            I'll give thee a wind.

           

First Witch     Thou'rt kind.           

Third Witch   And I another.                      

First Witch     I myself have all the other,

             15

            And the very ports they blow,

            All the quarters that they know

            I' the shipman's card.

            I will drain him dry as hay:

            Sleep shall neither night nor day              20

            Hang upon his pent-house lid;

           He shall live a man forbid:

            Weary se'n nights nine times nine

            Shall he dwindle, peak and pine:

            Though his bark cannot be lost,

             25

            Yet it shall be tempest-tost.                      

            Look what I have.              

Second Witch            Show me, show me.           

First Witch     Here I have a pilot's thumb,

            Wreck'd as homeward he did come.                    30

            Drum within.                      

Third Witch   A drum, a drum!                

            Macbeth doth come.                      

ALL    The weird sisters, hand in hand,

            Posters of the sea and land,

            Thus do go about, about:               35

            Thrice to thine and thrice to mine

            And thrice again, to make up nine.                     

            Peace! the charm's wound up.

            

This is the three witches plotting their revenge on a woman, indirectly through her husband who is away on a ship in Allepo. Witch one describes how she is planning to sail to him in the form of a rat and make it so that the make cannot sleep and make his journey misery, as he will not feel alive. There are also hints that the first witch may have caused the death of the husband as she said, "Here I have a pilot's thumb, Wreck'd as homeward did he come." Indicating that she forced a shipwreck on which the husband of the woman was sailing.

After this the trio prepare for the arrival of Macbeth. This was done by the three chanting as one, what seems to be a spell, this 'spell' incorporates the line, "Thrice to thine and thrice to mine, and thrice again to make up nine." which could have a biblical background this could be linked to the bible regarding the, nine layers of hell. There are also said to be seven seas and seven continents, which could be linked to the seven heavens.

After this chant, Macbeth and Banquo enter the scene, and immediately presented with the prophecies which have a noticeable impact on Macbeth instantly as Banquo and he, start discussing the possibilities of their futures and the likelihood of these coming true. I.e 

MACBETH    Your children shall be kings.        

BANQUO      You shall be king.

MACBETH    And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so?          

BANQUO      To the selfsame tune and words. Who's here?

Did what I could, HC

Quote Analysis Act I Scene IV

Quote Analysis

"The Prince of Cumberland : that is a step on which i must fall down, or else o'erleap, for in my way it lies."

In this quote Macbeth is saying "To become king myself, I’m either going to have to step over him or give up" This shows Macbeth's view on the current prophecy ,that the witches have spoken, is that he wants to be king and knows clearly what to do, not only that but he has narrowed his decisions to two options; either step over the king "o'erleap" or give up "fall down". He also describes the prince as being in his way "for in my way lies it" this show that Macbeth has great disrespect for the prince. He referrers to the prince as the slave that he "unseamed from the nave to th'chops". Although the quote "The Prince of Cumberland..." is focused on Macbeth's treachery it also shows his uncertainty; "i must fall down". This shows that he would rather give up becoming king but considers over taking the prince.

Analysis of Quote from Act 1 Scene 4:

"If good why do i yield to that suggestion,
  Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
  And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,"

in this part of the act it is where self doubt begins to creep into the heart of the Macbeth  he is questioning the effects of the witches prophesy. this is shown to us through his recurring questioning. "why do i yield..." in this quote it seems as he is saying that this uncertainty of the prophesies has caused him to lose his mind. that all that are left are his body and emotions, these are the ones which is left to judge his actions. but on the other hand it seems that Macbeth has indirectly been discarding the effects on when ones overwhelmed with adrenaline. "unfix my hair" and"seated heart knock at my ribs" helps me to speculate. such feelings can be gained through the act of murder, foreshadowing the later acts of Macbeth.

urm so this is all i can say... dont really know much else.

JO

The Change in Macbeth from Scene 2-Scene 4

The change in Macbeth

From the time that Macbeth was first introduced in the battlefield his thought process have changed very drastically throughout the first act of the play up to the point of considering murder at the end of scene 4. In scene he was portrayed by words from a captain injured in battle. He is shown as the model knight showing acts of bravery and nobility. The captain seemed to be in awe of him so much he described Macbeth of "disdaining fortune". In the scene 3 the first line that is spoken in that scene is spoken by Macbeth and is is a quote from the first scene of the play where the witches were first introduced. This would spring to life alarm to the Shakespearian audience. Showing the witches in the first scene was bold enough by Shakespeare as the witches would have extremely frightened the audience so when they hear Macbeth repeating lines of a witches chant they would start to fear Macbeth greatly. Suddenly his "unseaming from naive to chops" doesn't seem brave and noble but possibly ruthless and evil. After the witches vanish there is a clear change in Macbeth that is very visible immediately. After the first step of the prophecy is completed and he's named as thane of Cawdor the change grows in Macbeth and where as before where he "disdains fortune" and questions Ross and Angus "why do you dress me in borrowed robes" now he's saying to Banquo "don't you wish for your sons to be kings". It's almost if the witches had planted a seed of evil inside of Macbeth and the evil is stating to bloom as by the end of scene 4 he's is starting admit that he will murder the king as he says "stars hide my fires" asking the stars to hide his evil thoughts from people who could read it in the stars.      

'Let not see my black and deep desires.' How does this portray treachery in Macbeth's character in Act 1 Scene 4?

To begin with, Macbeth's desires are expressed as 'black'. From 'black', connotations of darkness can be received. In general if someone is doing something in the dark, it could be said that they are doing it sneakily. Macbeth's desires, in this case, are sneaky and if he has the need to hide these desires, then inside he knows what he would like is not good and that he might not be able to fulfill these desires without doing something bad.

From the word 'black', evil connotations can also be received as the colour 'black' is generally perceived as negative. The idea of these desires seeming evil could foreshadow further into the book, when he kills the king in an attempt to gain the throne. His desires at this point are maybe to become king but as they are expressed as 'black', they are evil desires as he can only become king by doing treachery.

In support of this 'evil' side to Macbeth, he says in scene 3, 'So foul and fair a day I have not seen'. The witches similarly chant in scene 1, 'fair is foul and foul is fair.'. The way in which Macbeth copies the witches, could show that he might copy them in the future and as witches kill to get what they want ('killing swine'), Macbeth could also kill to get what he wants and commit treachery.

Act I Scene IV

This scene is set in the palace of King Duncan. The king hears from his son, Malcolm, that the Thane of Cawdor has been executed. Malcolm tells the King that he died nobly, confessing and repenting his crimes towards Scotland, however this does not change King Duncan's views towards him. Macbeth, Banquo, Ross and Angus enter the palace. Banquo and Macbeth are highly praised for their skills during battle and commended for their sheer bravery and nobility. They in turn profess their utmost loyalty and gratitude to the King. The King also praises Macbeth by stating that there is nothing of worth to give to Macbeth that matches his efforts for Scotland. Macbeth, transfixed by the prophetic words of the witches however knows that there is a prize worth his bravery.  

King Duncan then announces to his audience that he is making his eldest son, Malcolm, Prince of  Cumberland and heir to the throne of Scotland*. He also officially names Macbeth, the Thane of Cawdor.  Although expressing  his joy upon hearing that Malcolm is the next in line to the throne. Macbeth becomes wary that now only Malcolm stands between him and the crown, which the three witches had foretold would be worn by him.  Plans are made for the King to dine at Macbeth's castle, so he goes on ahead of the royal party to inform his wife, Lady Macbeth, of the King's impending arrival.

*Note: During the time period which Macbeth was set, children of the King of Scotland were not born heirs to the throne. Instead, the King would have to judge their capability of ruling the kingdom and see if they have the right skills to do so. If an heir is not announced before the death of the King,the Scottish nobles (Thanes) would gather and vote on who should next sit upon the throne of Scotland.

The Significance of Act 1 Scene 1 - The Witches

The three witches may not be so scary or believable to modern audiences today, but they struck fear into the hearts of the Jacobean audience when it was first staged by William Shakespeare in 1606. In this first blog post, we will explore exactly what made the witches so important to the play and why they were used in the opening scene.

Information for this section is useful for AO4 of the English Literature controlled assessment:

AO4 - relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how texts have been influential and significant to self and other readers in different contexts and at different times. (EXPLORE CONTEXT)