Katrina Clausen Shakespeare Close Reading Act 3 Scene 2 lines 15-28 As the play reaches Act 3, Macbeth continues

to become overpowered by the guilt he feels for murdering Duncan. When the thoughts of murdering first come to Macbeths mind, he begins to experience preemptive guilt and remorse. In the beginning of the play Macbeth could not even handle the thought of murdering. Now that the deed is done, his mind endlessly circles around the crime he committed. As he is speaking to Lady Macbeth in lines 12-28, he expresses his feelings of guilt and gives the reader insight into the psychological world of a murder. In this scene, Lady Macbeth is questioning Macbeth about why he continues to keep to himself and surround himself with nothing but his sad thoughts. Lady Macbeth obviously feels no remorse for the act and believes Macbeths guilt should have disappeared the minute Duncan was dead. Macbeth responds claiming: We have scorched the snake, not killed it. Shell close and be herself, whilst our poor malice Remains in danger of her former tooth (Act 3.2. lines 1517). According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word snake can mean to get or obtain (a thing) furtively or to cheat (a person) out of something. Obviously the scorching of the snake is referring to the murder of Duncan, but I find it ironic that this definition could also be applied to the word because that is exactly what Lady Macbeth and Macbeth did. I feel that the word snake in this passage could also represent the crime and deception Lady Macbeth and Macbeth executed. They cheated Duncan out of being king by committing a sneaky act that Macbeth cannot kill from this thoughts; an internal reptile devouring his mind. I also find it intriguing that Macbeth is referring to the snake as a female. Lady Macbeth is the motivation behind the crime; Macbeth never would have been able to go through with the murder if it was not for her pushing him towards it. I think Shakespeare uses lines 16-17 to refer to the snake as well as Lady Macbeth. She laid this heavy burden on Macbeths shoulders and she can go along with her life and be herself (at least for a little while) while Macbeth is trapped by his own guilt and remorse for the crime. One of the main rhetorical devices I found in this passage was Shakespeares use of an antanaclasis in line 22. Macbeth claims, Whom we to gain our peace have sent to peace (3.2.22). In my opinion, Shakespeare is using this line to once again create the idea of instability in Macbeths mind. In order to gain their peace they had to send people to peace or death. Macbeth continues to say that he would rather be dead like Duncan then have to live with the endless torture of his thoughts and insomnia. He continues on to say treason has done his worst (3.2.26). By personifying treason, it is almost as if Macbeth is trying to cover up what he did by acting like treason itself did this to Duncan and not himself.
Comment [KC1]: This is a literary analysis I completed for a particular act and scene in Macbeth. I believe this shows my writing skills as well as my ability to write using the English language. My literary analysis goes along with NCTE standard 3.1 know skills of English language. I believe this literary analysis proves my ability to read and interpret literature. Shakespeare can be a bit more challenging and is something I will have to teach to my future students. Being able to analyze literature will allow me to teach and encourage my students to demonstrate their ability to read and respond to a range of texts of varying complexity and difficulty. This also demonstrates my ability to break down and comprehend literature. This ability goes along with NCTE standard 3.5 know/use extensive range of literature an 2.4 foster critical thinking.

Comment [KC2]: I am familiar with all different types of rhetorical devices which I can teach to my students to help enhance their writing. This could incorporate NCTE standard 3.4 because of learning about composing processes and how to use rhetorical devices in writing as well as understand what they mean when read.

In a way, it seems Macbeth is envious of Duncan. Macbeth is so captivated by the power of remorse and guilt that he actually wishes he were dead. Ironically, Macbeth in the beginning of the play was after the title of king (which Duncan previously had) and now he is still jealous of what Duncan presently has, peace and the escape from reality.