Dr Faustus Reading Journals- Acts 4, 5 and Epilogue.

Act Four:
Chorus

• The chorus reports to the audience of how Faustus is now a famous man, and is invited to court by Charles the 5th and the Emporor- 'Now is his fame spread forth in every land. Amongst the rest the Emperor is one, Carolus the Fifth, at who palace now Faustus is feasted'.
• Faustus is asked many questions on his return home, concerning his travels 'through the world and air'. And he is able to use his knowledge to answer their questions on astrology. It appears that Faustus is admired greatly by his friends- maybe this pact has, in fact, benefitted him?

Scene One:

• Even the emporor requests to see the 'black art' that Faustus is rumoured to be able to do. He seems amazed by what Faustus can do, and asked him to show 'proof of thy skill'. Shows just how famous Faustus has become, as even important figures such as the Emporor are keen to witness what he can acheive.
• Faustus agrees to conjure historical figures (Alexander the great and his mistress). But the Emporor is immediately sceptical- checks to see whether there is a mole on her neck. Takes away the dramatic element?
• The annoying knight is punished by Faustus- a pair of horns grow from his head.
• Emporor promises to reward Faustus for showing his skills. Is there much point- even Faustus admits his is nearing the end of his life. 'Short'ning my days and thread of vital life'.
• Horse dealer enters ('Horse-Courser'). The reputation of dishonesty in Horse Dealers would have made the audience take an instant dislike to this character- this would make it amusing for them when Mephistopheles makes the joke against him (about his apparent 'responsibilties' where in fact, he does not have a family).
• Faustus begins to 'despair'. Regretting his actions?
• The horse-courser attempts to wake Faustus, but in doing so, pulls of his leg. It is both comical and grotesque, and would have amused the audience greatly! Especially when seeing the horse-courser tricked into paying more money!

Scene Two:

• Faustus produces grapes for the duke and duchess- is it all worth selling your soul to the devil? Maybe this links to Faustus having wasted his 24 years?
• Although he is promised a reward again, doesn't seem worth it.

Act Five:
Scene One:

• Faustus representing the idea of him being an inverted christ? How he is at his last supper? The disciples being portrayed by the scholars (who call him 'Master').
• Faustus appears to be regretting his actions?  'I do repent, and yet I do despair'. Faustus is struggling with what to do- although he still does not want to repent. Does not take the chance to save his soul.
• Suicide? God will not save him- ultimate sin to reject the gift of life. Does this explain the absence of God through the play? Or is it the idea of Calvinism- that some people are predestined to go to hell?

Scene Two:

• Has God rejected Faustus? Or has Faustus rejected God? (For he is given the chance to repent, but doesn't.)
• Stark contrast to Faustus' previous attitude towards hell- 'damned both body and soul'. He now seems to believe in hell, is understanding the seriousness of his decision 24 years ago. 'Faustus' offence can ne'er be pardoned'.
• The scholars show similar devotion to faustus as the disciples show towards Jesus. 'we will pray that God may have mercy upon thee'.
• Faustus' soliloquy. Reflects the image of christ upon the cross? 'My God, my God'.
• Would have been shocking for the audience. Very dramatic scene, where Faustus is in torment. 'Impose some end to my incessant pain'.
• Morality play? He ends up going to hell, so the story has an end to it that fits with the structure of a morality play (i.e. evil/good angels represent sides to a human's personality?)

Epilogue:

• 'burned is Apollo's laurel bough'. Reference to greek tragedy?
• 'Regard his hellish fall'. Moral to the story, something to be learnt.
• Ends like the beginning, nothing has been accomplished over his 24 years.

Dr Faustus Reading Journals- Significance of Acts 1 to 5

Act One:

• Opens with Chorus (more similar to Greek Tragedies than Gothic).
• Sets up the themes i.e. Icarus- the ambition related to this is also an element of the Gothic.
• References to necromancy and religion- Anti Catholicism? Atheist Views?
• Juxtaposition between dark scenes and comic scenes.
• Mephistopheles as a Friar- Jibe at Catholicism.

Act Two:

• Heaven/Hell. Shows how people view hell. Mephistopheles thinks earth is hell.
• Angels leave- conscience gone too?
• 7 deadly sins.
• Comic Scene interrupts the tense scene.

Act Three:

• Chorus- summarises/covers alot of information.
• Scenes fo quite quickly- reflects how fast the 24 years are passing? How Faustus wastes his years?
• Pope (holiness). Mephistopheles (Evil). Mockery of religion?

Act Four:

• Morality plays (Faustus doesn't gain anything from selling his soul to the devil).
• Comedy scenes show Marlowe's atheism.
• Faustus beginning to show realisaton that his has made a mistake?

Act Five:

• Last Supper (Faustus with his disciples (scholars)). Acts like a 'Jesus'. Marlowe's atheism- happy to mock religion.
• Faustus' magic- christ's miracles.
• Calvinism (Some people are predestined to go to hell). Explains absence of God?
• Suicide- ultimate sin? Rejecting God's gift of life, so God won't save him from his pact?
• Suicide because he rejects each chance to repent - doesn't try to help himself.
• 'Despair'
• Seven Deadly Sins:

1. Lust- Helen of Troy
2. Greed- Knowledge etc.
3. Gluttony- 'glutted more with learning's golden gifts'
4. Pride- 'self-conceit'
5. Sloth- Doesn't actually acheive anything in the twenty four years
6. Envy- Envious of God's power?
7. Wrath- Towards the old man.

Doctor Faustus Reading Journals- Acts 1 to 3

Prologue:

• We learn that Faustus is from a humble background- 'base of stock'.
• Faustus went to University in Wittenberg (Germany). Studied theology (divinity) and makes very good progress in the subject. Awarded a doctorate- 'graced with doctor's name'.
• Although his is veyr intelligent, he seems arrogant. 'cunning of a self-conceit'.
• A reference to the myth of Icarus could be a sign of Faustus' downfall later in the play? 'waxen wings... melting heavens conspired his overthrow'.
• Faustus is also shown to be indulging in black magic (necromancy) 'sufeits upon curséd necromancy...nothing so sweet as magic is to him'. There are also signs to show that Faustus regards magic as more important that his hopes of joy in heaven- 'he prefers before his chiefest bliss'.

Act One, Scene One:

• In Faustus' soliloquy, we see an arrogant side to his character. 'thou hast attained the end'. He believes he has learnt and studied all that he needs. He feels it is now time to pursue a 'greater subject'.
• A similarity between Faustus and Victor Frankenstein- 'Woulds thous make a man to live eternally? Or, being dead, raise them to life again?' Both characters appear to have the same aspirations. Meddling with nature?
• Such as in Morality Plays, the good and evil angels could be personifications of human traits. Representing two sides to Faustus?
• Magic introduced. Faustus wants to dabble in the dark arts... 'necromancy'. He seems to think that magic is the only way he can better himself? 'A sounds magician is seen as a mighty god'.
• Theme of seven deadly sins- 'glutted with conceit of this'.

Scene Two:

• Scholars represent Faustus' education?
• They become worried for Faustus' soul when they learn of him dining with Valdes and Cornelius. Shows how silly Faustus is- even he can't tell that what he is doing is wrong.
• Comic scene.

Scene Three:

• Faustus conjures the Devil. Black magic.
• Why does Faustus not want Mephistopheles to be there as he is? 'Thou art too ugly to attend on me'. Is he finding excuses already to dismiss him? Regret? Or simply being picky?
• Is Faustus arrogant- it appears Mephistopheles is trying to dissuade him from this path, yet Faustus does not seem to be hearing the warnings. 'Why, this is hell... O Faustus leave these frivolous demands'.

Scene Four:

• Comic scene with Robin, Wagner.
• Could be there simply to provide light relief to a dramatic act? 
• Is this scene here to reflect the foolishness of Faustus?

Act Two, Scene One:

• Faustus talks in third person alot. Is he attempting to distance himself from body and soul? Does this mean Faustus is resigned to his fate?
• However, the use of 'Beezlebub' is not as powerful as the use of 'Lucifer', which could suggest that Faustus is not entirely committed.
• 'lukewarm blood of newborn babes'. Joking/ mocking the idea. Atheism.
• 'fruits of lunacy'- reference to Adam and Eve?
• Biblical references i.e. 'glad tidings'.
• Faustus' blood congeals. His own body is resisting? Or is Faustus seeking excuses too easily- does he actually want to go ahead with it?
• 'Consummatum est'. Resigned to his fate.
• Promises to Mephistopheles like the 10 commandments- mokcing religion?
• Faustus is naive? Doesn't believe there will be consequences- 'I think hell's a fable'. Despite Mephistopheles being proof, Faustus still believes they are 'trifles ad old wives' tales'.

Scene Two:

• Cuts into the dramatic scene. Gives the impression the meeting between Faustus and Mephistopheles goes on alot longer.
• Crude language- Shocks and amuses audience.

Scene Three:

• Faustus is unable to repent- thinks about the pleasures resulting from his new powers to console him. But seems as thoguht he does want to repent- doubting his decision?
• Lucifer arrives, Faustus vows never to look to heaven of pray to God. Shocking to Audience.
• Introduction of the seven deadly sins. Faustus seems to not take it seriously- 'mistress minx'.
• 'Farewell great Lucifer'. 'mighty Lucifer'. Faustus in awe?

Act Three
Chorus:

• Wagner speaks chorus lines. Tells us of Faustus's plans to take part in the pope's feast for St Peter's day. Ironic? Because Faustus can't get into heaven, and Peter is the one at the gates.

Scene One:

• Use the pope's 'privy chamber'.
• Mephistopheles confirms the plans to mischeivously disrupt the celebration in the Vatican.
• Faustus is invisible. Snatches food and wine. Comical scene. Is Faustus trying to distract himself from his own fate?
• Anti-Catholic propaganda? Pope seen as being gluttinous (feasting).
• Friars attempt to perform exorcism.

Scene Two:

• Robin has stolen a goblet from a tavern. Tries to outwit Vintnet by using sleight of hand nad conjuring.
• When conjuring, tries to make it sound convincing in Latin (in fact, the 'latin' is gibberish).
• However, he suceeds in raising Mephistopheles, but he is annoyed at being summoned by them. He turns them into a dog and an ape. This therefore goes to show that he was not annoyed at Faustus- his soul is worth the trouble?

Frankenstein Reading Journal (Chapters 17-20)

Chapter Sixteen:

• Narration is now back with Victor.
• Creature craves company- reader sympathises? 'I am miserable; am I not shunned and hated by all mankind?'
• Creature a monster? 'fiendish rage animated him... his face was wrinkled into contortions too horrible for human eyes to behold.
• Victor agrees to create a companion for his creation.
• The idea of tranquility is mentioned again.
• Links with Paradise Lost- Biblic Language, Adam and Eve (creature wants an 'Eve' figure), Romantic.
• Temperamental nature of Victor towards the creature could be seen as cruel?

Chapter Seventeen:

• Victor does not want to create another.
• On his return, his health improves- 'tranquility' mentioned again. Romantic idea of nature acting as a healing power is present in this chapter, as on his return to Geneva, Victor's health is restored.
• Engagement to Elizabeth. What should be a happy moment in the tale, yet Victor's mind is still distracted upon his promise made to the creature.
• Jouney to England.
• 'tranquil'.

Chapter Eighteen:

• Links with Romanticism: The idea of the sublime, and the use of Wordsworthian Language.
• Idea of slavery can be seen within the chapter. 'slave'.
• Paradise Lost connections.
• 'I saw an insurmountable barrier placed between me and my fellow-men; this barrier was sealed with the blood of William and Justine'. Although there is no physical barrier between Victor and other men, his guilt is a metaphorical one that prevents him.
• Possible envy of Clerval- sees himself in his friend. 'But in Clerval I saw the image of my former self'. However Clerval is free of the guilt that Victor feels, from following his thirst for knowledge.
• Descriptive language- Victor is able to appreciate his new surroundings- yet again nature's healing power. 'majestic'...'sublime'...'picturesque'.
  

Chapter Nineteen:

• Gothic- Creatures face by the light of the moon is a scary image. 'on looking up, I saw, by the light of the moon; the daemon...A ghastly grin wrinkled his lips'. Sinister Language.
• Morality is shown- Victor ponders about right and wrong yet again. His moral dilemma links with Macbeth.
• Victor realises the new creature may not want to be with the original, and may not agree to be peaceful. 'might refuse to comply with a compact made before her creation... They might even hate each other'. This would surely backfire on Victor, and he does not want to be responsible for creating another danger to society.
• 'You are my creator, but I am your master;- obey!'
• 'I will be with you on your wedding-night'. The creature threatens Victor after breaking the promise,  putting yet another life of his loved ones in danger.

Frankenstein Reading Journal (Chapters 21-23)

Chapter Twenty:

• With the discovery that Henry Clerval is dead, Victor becomes apparently inconsolable. It appears that the latest murder has finally cracked him, after the deaths of William and Justine. 'I was carried out of the room in strong convulsions'.
• Victor's health, yet again declines.
• 'I was doomed to live'. Victor seems to think that the death suffered by his friends was better than the fate he was to be dealt- he has to live with the guilt.
• Gothic element of nightmares/dreams. 'I was possessed by a kind of night-mare; I felt the fiend's grasp in my neck'.

Chapter Twenty-One:

• 'tranquility'. Victor longs to see the places of tranquility he had witnessed with Clerval.
• 'A thousand times would I have shed my own blood, drop by drop, to have saved their lives'. Victor has clearly wanted to repent for his 'crimes', and would rather have suffered himself than to see them die- shows his morality.
• '[if we get married] nothing on earth will have the power to interrupt my tranquillity'. Elizabeth says this, with the reader and Victor knowing the monster has promised to be with them on their wedding night- no doubt going to shatter any hope of the 'tranquility'.
• 'Memory brought madness with it'. Victor has not stayed healthy in his mind for very long- it shows his further spiral into madness?
• 'pistols and dagger'. Victor is arming himself- paranoia. Another sign of his descent into madness.

Chapter Twenty-Two:

• 'wind... rose with great violence in the west'. Even the weather is showing signs of unease and foreboding. Pathetic Fallacy.
• 'a thousand fears arose in my mind'. Victor is beginning to feel uneasy, knowing the threat the creature is showing him and his new wife. Paranoid.
• On the discovery of Elizabeth's death, Victor focusses on how he is physically reacting. ''the motion of every muscle and fibre was suspended... i could feel the blood trickling in my veins, and tingling in the extremities of my limbs'. He is looking upon himself with scientific terminology- almost how he looks at the creature.
• Creature is seen, but runs before Victor can shoot him. 'swiftness of lightning.' Shows how inhuman the creature really is?

Frankenstein Reading Journal (Chapters 11-16)

Chapter Ten:

• Narration has switched to the point of the creature.
• Describes how he learns to distinguish his senses. 'I distinguished the insect from the herb, and, by degrees, one herb from another'. Romantic idea of the importance of nature- a refuge. 'My sensations had, by this time, become distinct'.
• Romantic interest in the state of childhood. The creature has nobody to learn from, and has to learn for himself. Touches the fire, and realises it burns him. 'I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain.'
• Humanity in the creature- not so much the monster that society saw him as. Feels hunger, thirst, emotions. Also has the natural instinct to withdraw his hand from the flames- feels pain.
• Begins to observe the De Lacy family.

Chapter Eleven:

• Creature wants to be good- like the family. It is society that doesn't appear to let him. 'What chiefly struck me was the gentle manners of these people; and I longed to join them... I remembered too well the treatment I had siffered the night before from the barbarous villagers'.
• Notices the emotions the family feel- possesses the human ability to empathise with people? 'The young man... appeared to weep... I was deeply affected by it'.
• Begins to learn language. Short, basic words that highlight just how child-like the creature is. 'fire, milk, bread'.
• Admires the cottagers- wants to be like them. Envies? 'I had admired the perfect forms of my cottagers'.
• Likes spring as a season. Changes 'the aspect of earth'. The creature likes the emotions it conjures 'bright rays of hope, and anticipations of joy'.

Chapter Twelve:

• Romantic idea of how nature is seen as being a form of 'therapy'. 'My senses were gratified and refreshed by a thousand sights of beauty. '
• Introduced to Safie.
• The creature is seen to become almost bitter about his lack of childhood or love. 'But where were my friends and relations? No father had watched my infant days, no mother had blessed me with smiles and caresses'. Clearly upset by how he has apparently missed out on what the De Lacy family have.

Chapter Thriteen:

• Learn the history of the De Lacy family and Safie. How Felix had tried to free her and her mother from slavery, but resulted in his family being exiled for their 'crimes'.
• Shows how devoted the family are to each other- Felix returned to save his father and sister from the dungeons. 'His blind and aged father, and his gentle sister, lay in a npisome dungeon... this idea was torture to him'.

Chapter Fourteen:

• The creature is shown to admire the qualities present in the personalities of the De Lacy family members. 'so many admirable qualities were called forth and displayed'.
• Finds Paradise Lost, Plutarch's Lives and Sorrows of Werter. Finds similarities between himself and beings within the texts- can sympathise with them. 'Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition'.
• Religious contexts. Sees himself as almost an 'Adam' figure, having been created by Victor- but knowing that he had been abandoned.
• Plans to talk to the blind man, as his appearance will not shock him. He wants to 'make friends' with the family. After talking with the blind man, he is discovered by the younger family members and chased out- is yet again shown aggression by humanity, despite seeing the family had many admirable qualities. 'he dashed me to the ground, and struck me violently with a stick'.

Chapter Fifteen:

• The creature is angry with his creator (Victor). 'Cured, cursed creator! Why did I live?'. Victor had abandoned the creature, and left him to face a society that clearly loathes him.
• 'sick impotence of despair'.
• Wants to improve his situation with the family, wants to make up for his mistakes previously.
• Still sees the De Lacy family as his 'friends'. Shows that he had grown to love them, despite having only one moment of contact with them, and that had been a bad experience. But he is angry at their departure- he has been abandoned again.
• Sets fire to the cottage, as an act of revenge. Probably the outcome of the treatment he had recieved by all the people he had met, not just the family?
• Saves a woman, but is shot by a man. He suffers for his act of kindness- yet another show of hate towards him by complete strangers. 'I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound'.
• The murder of William after discovering he is related to Victor. Originally wanted to take William to be his friend, as he believes a child would not bare the same hatred towards him as the adults. But this is not to be, as he is terrified. 'I could seize him, and educate him as my companion and friend'.
• Plants the locket on Justine, and in doing so, frames her. Shows intelligence- just as manipulative as humans beings can be. He shows his human side again- but not a nice side to the human.
• Tells Victor to make him a companion. 'one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me'.

Frankenstein (Chapters 9-10)

Chapter Eight:

• We learn that Victor's father is close to his sons, and is deeply traumatised by the death of William. 'No one could love child more than I loved your brother... (tears came to his eyes as he spoke)'. Importance of family or companionship?
• Victor yearns to use his kindness to help others, maybe to help with his own guilt about creating the 'monster'? 'thirsted for the moment when I should put them into practice, and make myself useful to my fellow beings'.
• Nature as a refuge is an idea associated with Romanticism. When Victor goes out on the lake to escape the life in the house. 'passed many hours upon the water...gave way to my own miserable reflections'. Idea of peace and tranquility again. Maybe this reflects how Mary Shelley dealt with grief- as her own life was touched by deaths.
• Victor's state of mind isn't healthy- even thinks briefly of suicide. 'I was tempted to plunge nito the silent lake, that the waters might close over me and my calamities for ever... I wept bitterly'.

Chapter Nine:

• Romantic, emblematic language used when describing nature- 'imperial', 'glorious', 'sublime'.
• 'elevated me from all littleness of feeling'. The romantic idea that nature acts as a remedy for unhealthy emotions is brought up here.
• The conflict between science and nature is a theme throughout the novel, but it is particularly prominent in the language used here. 'perpendicularity of the mountain... uniform clouds'.
• Sympathy felt for the creature?- shunned by everyone. Only experience of human beings have been negative- he was like a child.
• Use of hellish language when Victor refers to the creature 'Devil!' 'daemon'.
• Creature more intelligent then Victor? Taught himself the language, and points out the wrong doings in Victor.

Frankenstein (Chapters 1-8)

Chapter One:

• Victor seems to have come from a happy, wealthy family background... 'one of the most distinguished'. Seems to respect his father very highly and what he has acheived? Maybe Victor's ambition stems from wanting to be as successful as his father?
• Gothic nature introduced- Death. (Caroline's father).
• His family adopted Elizabeth and introduces the idea of making somebody to fit their surrondings as she was from a poor family. 'Noble Savage'?
• Possession as a theme? Describes Elizabeth as being like a 'favourite animal'.
• Victor's favourite books aren't founded on scientific evidence, so aren't respected in the scientific world. 'sad trash'. But sparks the start of his dream to create life. 'My dreams were therefore undisturbed by reality'.
• Introduced to Henry Clerval.

Chapter Two:

• Victor is sent to university- parents encouraged him.
• Victor's mother dies, yet another death so soon in the novel.
• 'we could not tear ourselves away from each other'- Victor shows how he desperately wanted to remain with his family and friends (companionship).

Chapter Three:

• Victor's fascination with human form (or any animal's structure). Seems a bit obsessive over his dream of creating life. 'I was thus engaged, heart and soul, in one pursuit'.
• Grim tone, as Victor goes to 'charnel houses' and the thoughts of using dead matter to construct this creation. 'dissecting room... slaughter-house'.
• His enthusiasm and obsession in his creation made him 'like a hurricane'. Destructive element of his nature implied?
• Loss of morality? Tortures living animals to help his work progress. 'tortured the living animal to animate the lifeles clay'.
• Even Victor seems to understand how his creation is grim. 'filthy creation'. 'turn with loathing from my occupation'. He is controlled by his ambition and enthusiasm, despite appearing to dislike what his is doing.

Chapter Four:

• 'dreary night of November'. Weather foreshadowing how things are to turn out? Gothic element.
• 'anxiety that almost amounted to agony'. Victor has now taken a complete turn aound from his rational self earlier on in the novel. He now seems scared.
• Terrifying description of the creature. 'horror and disgust'. After all his work, is scared and disgusted by the outcome.
• Dream about Elizabeth and his dead mother suggests his mind is not settled? Insanity? Gothic element of nightmares and dreams.
• Pity for the creature, as he tries to smile at Victor, but in Victor's mental state, he completely misinterprets the smile.
• 'nervous fever'- Victor is now suffering for his work.

Chapter Five:

• Elizabeth writes letters to Victor, she clearly cares for him. Taking on a motherly role?
• Introduced to Justine- she was taken from her home as well, and it didn't end well!
• Mention of William makes his death even more tragic- he is portrayed as angellic.
• Ends chapter on a happy note- is this to last? 'unbridled joy and hilarity'.

Chapter Six:

• Shock for the reader in that William is dead! Terrible crime, as he was only a child. 'that sweet child, whose smiles delighted and warmed my heart'. Death again touches Victor.
• Elizabeth feels guilt- she feels she is responsible for his death.
• Victor find comfort in nature. '...the calm and heavenly scene restored me'. Romantic element, use of emblematic language.
• More emblematic language- 'noble war in the sky'. Symbolic language.
• References to hell (Gothic element). 'daemon'.
• 'I resolved to remain silent'. Fear of the consequences he should face if anybody found out about him being responsible for the creature.

Chapter Seven:

• Victors shows he knows he is responsible. 'the result of my curiosity and lawless devices would cause the death of two of my fellow-beings'.
• Use of emotive language shows the extent of the guilt Victor is feeling. 'the fangs of remose tore at my bosom'
• Foreshadowing. 'these are not your last tears! Again you shall raise the funeral wail!' More misery to come!

Frankenstein- Preface to Letter IV

Preface:

• Gothic theme already shown- 'cold and rainy' and the theme of ghost stories.
• Why does it say that the novel is Percy Shelley's?
• Sets the tone.

Letter I:

• Gothic theme of dreams/nightmares. 'day dreams became more fervent and vivid'.
• Creates a tense atmosphere- 'danger of death'. Foreshadowing of danger/peril?
• A possible use of the gothic theme of heaven and hell, as there is alot of heavenly imagery used. e.g. 'perpetual splendour'.
• What is Walton doing there? Reader starts to question his part in the novel? But the letters add a more personal touch, drawing them into the story.

Letter II:

• Walton is lonely, and he tells Margeret that he has no friends- reader feels sympathy for him (maybe showing similarites to the monster later on?)
• 'the lieutenant...is madly desirous of glory'. Ambition seems to be a strong theme in the letters.

Letter III:

• Another use of ambition in the Gothic Nature: 'What can stop the determined heart and resolved will of man?'

Letter IV:

• Again, use of weather is a gothic theme. 'a  very thick fog'.
• Mystery surrounding the 'old man'. Who is he? What is he doing there?
• 'Oh unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxicating draft?'. Walton notices similarities with Victor. Sharing the thirst for knowledge?

Witches in Macbeth

What do the witches bring to Macbeth?
Act One:

• Shakespeare uses the witches here as the introduction to Macbeth. Along with the setting, they help to set the tone for the rest of the play. 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair'. It foretells the way Macbeth gets the crown- his terrible betrayals of trust. Further on in the act, Macbeth repeats what the witches have said, 'So foul and fair a day', possibly portraying the narrow line between him and them? How similar their moralities are. The witches could even be used metaphorically to reflect the evil traits and wrongdoings in Macbeth's nature.
• There is the argument that the witches are a figment of Macbeth's imagination. Although Banquo also sees them too, even he mentions the doubt he has in himself that what he is seeing is real- 'have we eaten the insane root//That takes the reason prisoner?'. Further on in the act and the rest of the play, the idea that Macbeth could be imagining the witches seems more likely, with the apparitions he sees such as the dagger and Banquo's ghost.
• The first moment that the audience is made aware of a prophecy that Macbeth will be king, is when the witches speak of it. 'All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!' This could be said to have planted the initial thoughts in Macbeth's head, and could be said to be the cause of all his murderous acts.
• The witches certainly induce fear within the play, which could mean that they are there simply as entertainment value, and to keep the audience involved. At the time, with King James, the idea of witches was terrifying- many innocent women were accused of witchcraft and killed.
• Lady Macbeth appears in several points throughout the play, to bare striking similarities to the witches- in her language. In scene 5 of act one, she calls to spirits to help her. This seems much like a supernatural element, just like the witches. This point further emphasises the idea that the witches are there to show the thin line between the supernatural evil and natural evil. (Even Lady Macbeth appears as ruthless as them). 'Come, you spirits... all-hail hereafter!'

Act Two

• Despite the witches not being physically on stage in this act, their presence is still felt. In the first scene, Banquo has clearly been disturbed by the sight of the witches, 'I dreamt last night of the three Weird sisters'. It confirms to the audience that there is a reason to be fearful of them, and that they are behind all the bad things happening.
• In Macbeth's soliloquy, the goddess of witches is mentioned 'Pale Hecat's offerings'. It appears here that Hecat is one of the entities responsible for the turning point in Macbeth's speech. He decides here that murder is the way he fulfills his desire for kingship.
• The idea of nature being turned on it's head is most prominent in the fourth scene of act two. When the old man describes the natural order going wrong- when Duncan's horses eat each other. The witches being the supernatural evil could be behind the strange events.

Act Four

• In the first scene of this act, the witches are again used to start the act. They are gathered around the cauldron, using various revolting and horrible things to use for their chanting. Although they are seen here to apparently be using magic, there is no evidence to suggest that they are definately powerful in that way. It could be argued that by Macbeth's willingness to accept and believe all they do, his is in fact giving them their supernatural status. 'What is't you do?' Macbeth is keen to see and understand the acts of the Witches.
• Macbeth, like his wife, uses the language and rhythm of the witches at some points. This further provides evidence for the argument that the witches are very close to LM and Macbeth. It could even be suggested that the witches are just reflections of the natures of both of their characters.

Act III as the 'Gothic Centre' of Macbeth?

How the gothic nature of the play has been used to heighten the tragedy of Macbeth by the end of Act III.

• Morality. At the time of Shakespeare, King James I (England) was obsessed by the idea of witches and witchcraft. Extensive hunts and burnings of witches occured all over the country, and thousands of women were killed after being accused. It has been said that it was these 'Burning Times' that inspired Shakespeare to use the 'weird sisters'. Even if you do not follow the chirstian religion, you will more than likely adhere to the ten commandments. It was these Christian morals that sparked the witch hunts, as they were closely associated with the Devil.
• In Act III of Macbeth, the murder of Banquo is shocking, as initially we are introduced to him as being a friend of Macbeth. It highlights the downward spiral of Macbeth and his sanity, as he is clearly becoming paranoid and insecure.
• In previous scenes, it is clear that Macbeth is aware of the wrong in murdering. He is reluctant to kill Duncan, and is seen to be feeling the guilt of his crime. It is in act III, however, that his morality can be said to have decreased alot.
• Supernatural (and Witchcraft). The theme of witchcraft becomes prominent in the fifth scene of Act III. The three witches are meeting with Hecat, the goddess of witches. Hecat is angry at them for going above their station in seeking Macbeth, and would have been frightening for audiences in the time already obsessed with the idea of witches.
• The ghost of Banquo also appears to Macbeth, again drawing attention to the hallucinations he has (the dagger in Act II). This could further give evidences for Macbeth's unhealthy mental state, and possibly the idea that he has a moral conscience. Despite the fact he appears bloodthirsty and willing to kill again, the apparition of Banquo's ghost could hint at the remaining morals within Macbeth.

Macbeth- Act IV (in progress)

Scene One:

• Immediately we are introduced to alot of gothic elements in this scene. The thunder is a typical gothic setting- bad weather.
• The three witches appear to be reciting an incantation, creating potions and spells. This would have been shocking to audiences when this play was written (early seventeenth century) because witchcraft was feared and many women accused were burnt. To actually hear the chants would have made a big impact. 'hell-broth...Fire burn... Finger of birth-strangled babe'. The image of the murdered child is yet another example of the death of a child. (When Lady Macbeth describes how she would kill her own child, and the murder of Macduff's son later on in the act). The witches use alot of language relating to evil or language that conjures up unpleasant imageries. It shows further how nasty the company is that Macbeth is meeting with (willingly, now).
• 'Something wicked this way comes'. When the second witch exclaims that Macbeth is arriving, it could be reflecting how his morality is pretty much non-existent now.
• Another gothic element present in this scence are the the apparitions arrive. One of which is a 'Bloody Child', which could foreshadow the coming murder of Macduff's son. This apparitions says how nobody will harm Macbeth, except one who is not human- 'none of woman born'.
• After the third apparition, one of Macbeth's sections of speech (Lines 93-100), he begins to speak in rhyme. The same rhythm of the witches suggest how similarly evil Macbeth is to the witches. It almost sounds like one of their chants.

My View on Lady Macbeth

• Originally, I found Lady Macbeth unrelenting in her ambition. I thought that she was an unpleasant person who used her manipulative ways to persuade Macbeth into murdering the king. She was cruel in her criticism towards her husband, calling him a coward.
• She also seemed to be a violent character, with her horrible description of how she would kill her baby. Despite this speech of how she would keep her word, she still refused to murder Duncan herself because he resembled her father. In my eyes, this makes her character quite hypocritical.
• She also shows no remorse for the part she played in the murder, as although she admits she is equally as guilty as Macbeth, she brushes it off, revealing that she feels it is easy to forget what they had done, and easy to ignore the guilt. Her cold attitude made me dislike her, as she was unsympathetic and nasty towards her husband. (Even though it is suggested they have a loving relationship by the way Macbeth writes to her).
• Lady Macbeth is a good actress, who uses her status as a woman to her advantage, to create the image of innocence at the scene of the murder. She swoons at the idea of murder. Although previously she had become the dominating, almost masculine, figure in the plot to kill the king.
• Despite her initial enthusiasm, when she sees Macbeth beginning to think of killing more, she appears to shrink back. She allows her husband to take more control than he had previously, almost as if she regrets planting the first seed of thought into her Macbeth's head. She even asks him what is to be done, whereas before she had been giving the instructions.

Macbeth- Act II

Scene One:

• As Banquo is disturbed, the sky seems restless too- 'There's husbandry in heaven'. (Line 4) Could this be a sign of the evil nature of what is happening?
• Banquo describes the King's sleep. It is ironic, as the audience is aware of what is to befall Duncan during the night. 'The King's a-bed'. (Line 12)
• The witches not only had a big impact on Banquo, ('I dreamt last night of the Weird Sisters'-Line 20) but we know they affect Macbeth too, thus seeing through Macbeth's apparent lack of concern regarding them. ('I think not of them'- Line 21)

Scene Two:

• Lady Macbeth appears to be on egde, starting at noises of her imagination. 'Hark! Peace'. We are also shown some humanity in her character, when she explains why she could not kill Duncan herself. Despite the fact she felt he resembled her father as he slept, she could be seen as a hypocrite, when she chastises Macbeth as being a coward- she described in horrific detail how she would kill her own baby.
• Within the scene, there is thick tension in the atmosphere, reflected by the rapid exchange between Macbeth and LM.
• Macbeth predicts the onset of insomnia. 'heard a voice cry "Sleep no more!"' Clearly he feels that his conscious will not let him forget the murder he has just committed.
• The use of 'S' sounds implies that Macbeth will whisper his explaination to LM. 'Shall sleep' (Line 43). It shows how concerned the character is feeling about the murder and of being caught, and of the guilt he is experiencing.
• Lady Macbeth scorns her husband in a sarcastic, nasty way. 'Why, worthy thane' (Line 44). She has consistently criticised his apparent cowardice or reluctance to carry out the bloody killing. She also calls him childish at his recation to having killed Duncan. ''Tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted Devil'.
• Macbeth feels that he will always be guilty, and that it willl take more than Neptune's ocean to wash the blood from his hands.
• Lady Macbeth seems to admit that she is just as guilty, but dismisses it easily, 'A little water clears us of this deed; How easy is it then!' She simply wants Macbeth to forget it and get over it.

Scene Three

• The Porter in this scene provides a much needed bit of comic relief, with his speech of alcohol and how it increases the desire, yet inhibits his sexual needs.
• There is a alot of mention of the Devil- 'Belzebub' - and this a classic element of the gothic. Along with mention of God and of faith.
• The weather is also severe and links in with the gothic genre. It is so bad, it could be linked to the first sign of nature turning 'wild'.
• Macbeth plays the innocent man well, showing off the two sides to his character- the Doppelganger which is also an element of Gothic literature.
• Macbeth kills the guards for two possible reasons. He wants to appear loyal to the king, and therefore innocent of the murder. He also wants to be sure that the guards could not provide any incriminating evidence against him.
• The conflicting language here could reflect the conflict of morals/conscience within him. 'temperate...furious...loyal...neutral' (Lines 105 and 106)
• Lady Macbeth also proves herself to be a good actress, she swoons at the night's horrors.
• Malcom and Donalblain seem to be aware of the deceit- 'There's daggers in men's smiles'. They then flee, but in doing so incriminates them- makes them suspicious.

Scene Four

• The old man opens the scene with an anecdote, and how he has never seen a worse night. Because of the respect shown by Ross, ('good father'), the audience trusts him and therefore his views on the matter.
• ''Tis said they ate each other'. When discussing how Duncan's horses turned wild, it is clear that something in nature is not right. The order of nature has been turned on its head.
• Macduff's decision to leave to Fife, and not to the coronation of Macbeth suggest that he already has his suspicions or some mistrust of Macbeth.

Macbeth's Soliloquy- Act 2

Hallucination:

• Can see a dagger, but doesn't know it's relevence. Is it a prophecy, a sign that he will kill the king? Or is it just an image reflecting what he had been thinking about lately. 'Art thou not, fatal vision... Or art thou A dagger of the mind , a false creation'. (Lines 36-28)
• Vision changes to one of a bloody dagger, and Macbeth seems to be concerned about the change, and it brings about the turning point within his soliloquy.
• He feels that by seeing it, his eyes 'are made the fools o'the other senses'. He is unsure as to whether he is actually seeing it. (Line 44)
• Brings out his own dagger, almost to compare with what he thinks he's seeing. Might be prophetic, that he is definately going to commit to the murder of Duncan. Macbeth believes the dagger is ordering him,or controlling him. 'marshall'st me the way'. (Line 42)

Change in attitude (Turning point)

• Macbeth snaps out of his concerned/confused state of mind about the hallucination, and tells himself 'There's no such thing.' (Line 47). You can almost say he starts to think 'rationally' (if rational is deciding to kill somebody!) He is more decisive, and sets his sights on the task at hand.
• He uses the visions of Hecat (goddess of witches) and Tarquin (rapist) to compare his movements towards the deed. 'Moves like a ghost'. (Line 56). These are two horrible visions, and really help to emphasise the evil in the act Macbeth is about to carry out.

Gothic Elements

• Blood/Gruesome imagery. The blood on the dagger and the use of a semantic field with 'deathly' vocabulary all tie in with the murder. 'Dagger... fatal... bloody'.
• Witches. Shakespeare uses the goddess of witches to compare with his act and movement towards it.
• Supernatural vs Nature. 'Nature seems dead...witchcraft celebrates'.
• 'That summons thee to heaven or to hell'. (Line 64).

Marxism Analysis

Jane Eyre is a novel that is relatively simple to look at alongside the theory of Marxism. Karl Marx stated that it was ‘not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but their social existence that determines their consciousness’. There are many characters in Jane Eyre that have led their lives in very different places than each other.

Firstly, Jane herself spent most of her early years at a school for girls. There, she had nothing material, and not a privileged life. Because of this, she grows into an adult, who does not yearn for material goods or a wealthy life, but an honest and good one. This outcome does not support the theory of Marxism, because despite Jane never experiencing owning anything valuable or precious, she doesn’t ever aspire to. 

For a character that does fit in with the theory of Marxism, Adele (Rochester’s ward) is a good example. She is a French girl who has been brought up in a wealthy home. She is constantly craving for the attention of Rochester, and the attentions of all the rich guests. She has lived a privileged life, around wealthy people, and can appear to the reader to be ‘spoilt’, which would tie in with the theory of Marxism.

Word Count: 209

Macbeth- Act One, Elements of the Gothic.

Gothic Elements:
Scene One

• The immediate focus point is the setting. There is thunder and lightening, a pretty dismal weather to be out in, and also a key feature of many gothic texts. The three witches are said to be meeting soon on a heath, which gives the feeling of iscolation and open landscape.
• Idea of the three witches is, in itself, an element of the gothic literature. Witches often play a part in gothic texts, and they link with the supernatural. They are devilish creatures, and something horrid that can often perform various items of witchcraft, such as divination and communicating with the dead.
• The witches have 'familiars'.

Scene Two

• The heavy, descriptive language gives a sense of how bloody the battle fought was. 'Which smoked with bloody execution'. (Line 18) 'bathe in reeking wounds'. (Line 40)

Scene Three

• The witches turn up to Macbeth, and speak of the future- make predictions. This hints at the supernatural, which is a main element of the gothic genre, 'shalt be king hereafter!' (Line 49)
• The appearance of the witches is ghastly. 'So withered and so wild... look not like the inhabitants o' the earth'. (Lines 39-45)
• The weather is yet again a perfect setting for a gothic scene. (Thunder)
• The witches speak of murder, a grotesque element of the gothic.
• Mabeth fears the witches (Line 130-140)

Scene Four

• Light/Dark contrast. 'Let not light see my black and deep desires'. (Line 52)

Scene Five

• Ambition shown by Lady Macbeth. She appeasr to b power-hungry and wants to do all she can to get Macbeth to be king. Although she is aware that murder is the only way, she seems to not want to do anything so horrible, and calls on spirits to make her feel no guilt and to make her cruel. 'Stop up the access and passage to remorse'... 'unsex me here'. (Lines 36-42)
• Heaven/Hell. 'dunnest smoke of hell'... 'Nor heaven peep through the blanket of dark'.
• Light/Dark. 'blanket of dark'
• Doppelganger suggested? By Lady Macbeth using the language of the witches, is she showing a second personality, much like theirs? Sounds like an incantation. She also shows duality in her character- 'innocent flower... be the serpent'.

Scene Seven

• Macbeth shows ambition, but he does not want to kill anybody to reach his goal. Doesn't want to betray Duncan.
• Lady Macbeth uses grotesque imargery in persuading Macbeth to understand murder is the best way to go about it. She said he had promised her, and that she would kill her own child if she had said. 'And dashed the brains out' (Line 58)

Coursework Ideas

For my comparative coursework essay, I will use Charlotte Bronte's novel, 'Jane Eyre' and possibly Daphne du Maurier's novel 'Rebecca'. As I have not finished reading Rebecca, I will focus this on possible themes within Jane Eyre.

One of the themes is the social status of women. Jane Eyre is treated with little, or no respect throughout her life, but this is due to her situation rather than her gender. The wealthy, upper class women that Rochester mixes with are treated completely different to Jane, so this is an argument against the idea that women are degraded. However, even the noble women are expected to marry and have children, in contrast today, where they can have a career, and it is not expected of them. Another woman in the novel is Rochester's mentally ill wife, Bertha Mason. She is hidden in the attic of Thornfield, and is kept as a prisoner in secret to keep Rochester's name and reputation safe. The three main male characters each try to keep Jane in a typical 'womanly' role, where she is not permitted to voice her emotions and opinions.

From this, I could look at the importance of status/reputation. How Jane and Rochester cannot be together as Jane refuses to stay while Bertha Mason is still around. She only returns having come into an inheritance, so that could signify that she does not want to be seen as needing him. Her pride, morals and self-respect prevent her from staying with him. Rochester hides his wife, as he is ashamed. His pride prevents him from acknowledging her existence. A theme of pride?

There are also the themes of love/passion, independence, morality and religion.