Macbeth: Imagery Of Animal Behavior And Class Status Advances :: essays research papers

Macbeth Imagery of Animal Behavior and Class Status AdvancesIn Macbeth, the imagery of beasts behavior and class locating advancesthe theme of animals in relation to hu manhood characteristics. The examplesdiscussed in my paper will make it quite clear that this imagery is evident,throughout the play.In Act 1 sc. 3 line 8, the first catch chants and says that the sailoris the master of the Tiger. The witch is comparing the man to a Tiger. Thetiger is a very good animal and is near the light up of the Elizabethan World Picture.Hence the man is good. Furthermore the witch says that she herself is likea rat without a tail. Thus she is missing something important. The witch isincomplete, just like the rat. Furthermore I believe she is hiding somethingbecause when you are missing something you are apt to be very self conscious and secrete it. In addition the rat is veer low on the chain of being.The near exit is Act 1 sc. 7 line 49. In this passage Lady Macbethis quoted saying like the poor cat I th adage (1, vii., 49). That means the cat who eats fish but will not hold back his feet wet (Folgers, p 40). LadyMacbeth is telling Macbeth that he is like the cat because he wants to becomeking but he wont get his hands bloody. withal Lady Macbeth would find someoneelse to get their feet wet, someone to do her dirty work.In act 2 scene 4 line 15, the old man and Ross talk about the recentmurder. The old man says that the killer, an owl made sure no one was lookingand attacked the falcon and killed it. The owl, lower then the falcon on thechain of being usually eats mice, which is low on the hierarchy. But this timethe owl eats the falcon whom is usually on the top of the hierarchy.Later in the play during act 3 Macbeth talks bout the list of dogs andthe list of men. On line 140 in sc.1 Macbeth compares the murders with thelowliest of dogs. In the next act, Act 4 three witches use very lowly animalsto describe Macbeths kingship. In sc. 1 lines 1-30 the witches say that