Pathos In Macbeth

Words: 698
Pages: 3
Open Document
In the story Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth, the instigator, employs motivational techniques on Macbeth, the would-be murderer, and later on, Macbeth, the instigator, uses persuasive techniques on the first and second murderers. In both scenes, the instigator uses ethos, pathos, and logos. In Act 1, Scene 7, Macbeth backs out of the plan to kill Duncan, so Lady Macbeth responds, “As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that / Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, / And live a coward in thine own esteem, / Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” / Like the poor cat i' th' adage?” (Macbeth 1.7.45-49). Lady Macbeth uses pathos to compare Macbeth to a poor cat in an old story, which makes him emotionally upset. Macbeth responds …show more content…
In Act 3, Scene 1, Macbeth uses pathos when explaining how Banquo has made both his life and their lives hell. He says, “Have you considered of my speeches? Know / That it was he, in the times past, which held you … Who wrought with them, and all things else that might / To half a soul and to a notion crazed / Say, ‘Thus did Banquo’” (Macbeth 3.1.83-93). Macbeth uses pathos to tell the murderers that Banquo had deceived all three of them by working against them. Macbeth tells them that by killing Banquo they will not suffer anymore. Macbeth then starts comparing dogs to men, where he uses ethos. Macbeth states, “All by the name of dogs. The valued file / Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle, / The housekeeper, the hunter, every one / According to the gift which bounteous nature / Hath in him closed, whereby he does receive / Particular addition, from the bill / That writes them all alike. And so of men” (Macbeth 3.1.107-113). Macbeth builds his credibility with the murderers by saying that all dogs are different, as well as men. He then continues to talk about the plan, which will help them get rid of Banquo once and for all. However, the tone and style of the message are what makes him truly persuasive. Macbeth is very determined when speaking to the murderers, Macbeth is very determined when speaking to the murderers, even when they tell him (at the beginning of the conversation)
Show More

Related Documents: Pathos In Macbeth

macbeth essay

Baker Mr. Favreau April 6, 2014 ! ! ! Why Shakespeare’s Macbeth Is The Best Classic Play Shakespeare’s Macbeth is by far the best classic play in existence. His writings pleased masses and he was very much ahead of his own time. Out of many great plays, Macbeth in particular stands out because of Shakespeare’s spectacular use of a supernatural essence to progress the story. Adding to it’s excellence is the writers effective use of pathos throughout the play to truly make it feel like a tragedy…

Words 779 - Pages 4

Macbeth persuasion Essay

Julia Park Exploring the Means of Persuasion In Act 1, scene viii, lines 34­96, Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to murder Duncan using mostly pathos, or emotional persuasion. Macbeth is determined to not commit the murder, but Lady Macbeth attacks his manhood. Lady Macbeth says things she know will hurt Macbeth’s dignity and make him want to stick through with the plan. She says, “As thou art in desire?/ Wouldst thou have that/ Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, /And live a coward in thine…

Words 387 - Pages 2

Macbeth's First Soliloquy

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth has a number of soliloquies which reveal these thoughts to the audience. His soliloquies are a significant part of the play as they cause the audience to distance themselves from Macbeth through the reveal of his inner thoughts and morals, his character development and changes, which in turn, reflect his downfall. To begin with, Macbeth’s soliloquies initially allow for the audience to have pathos for him. In his soliloquy in Act 1, Macbeth is revealed to be doubting…

Words 1007 - Pages 5

Gender And Power In Macbeth

The Relationship between Gender and Power in Macbeth In Macbeth, William Shakespeare focuses on the association of gender and power. This idea is the subject of many themes throughout the play, making it an important component in the tragedy. While men use power as a force to impart their will, women use it to manipulate, and this sometimes leads to their own detriment as in the case of Lady Macbeth. Throughout the play, Shakespeare shows how masculinity and femininity are forms of power in this…

Words 660 - Pages 3

Internal Conflict In Macbeth

In William Shakespeare’s tragic play, “Macbeth”, one dominant moral becomes clear to the audience, do not tempt fate, let nature take its course. Some of the ways that Shakespeare achieves this is through the development of conflicts in the plot and also through dialogue, vivid imagery and metaphors created by the atmosphere in the play. The characters develop in the early acts to identify the protagonist and antagonists to the audience. The characters contribute rhetoric that reveals the disturbing…

Words 1375 - Pages 6

Essay on Macbeth: Macbeth and Macbeth’s Thoughts

Macbeth In this essay I will be discussing the main emotions within Macbeth such as Fear, Ambition and Greed, Love and Guilt. As these are the main emotions that run strongly throughout the play and some that you see up until the very end. These emotions are some of the reasons the book is so enticing you wonder how a certain character is feeling and you can put yourself in their shoes. The first emotion I am going to discuss is Fear some of the most simple of sentences or statements can show vivid…

Words 2297 - Pages 10

Juvenile: Rhetoric and Weary Life Essay

Duncan, Matthew Sep. 5 2013 Expository Reading and Writing Text 1 Surveying the Text • Basically, in the past I’ve read “Macbeth” and “Romeo and Juliet” • They were all cut in half and brought to the next line. • It’s written as a poem. Making Predictions • A tragedy is a horrible event that usually causes pain or suffering. You often find death in a tragedy. • The language Shakespeare uses is difficult to understand and barely makes any sense. In the past, I usually had to…

Words 643 - Pages 3

Literary Terms Essay

Quick List of Common Literary Terms (Terms most applicable to AP Literature are in bold.) Abstract Language-Language describing ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places. The observable or "physical" is usually described in concrete language. Ad homonym—Latin for "against the man." When a writer personally attacks his or her opponents instead of their arguments Ad populum—Latin for "to the crowd." A fallacy of logic in which the widespread occurrence…

Words 3652 - Pages 15

Example: Irony and Big Blue Sky Essay

dome decree") atmosphere - also referred to as mood, it is the prevailing or dominant feeling of a work, scene or event. It may establish a feeling that it sets up readers' expectations as to what will happen in the text. The opening scene of Macbeth, for instance, in which there are three witches on centre stage, sets a mood of doom and evil which hangs over the rest of the play. black comedy - humorous treatment of horrific, shocking and macabre subjects. carpe diem - in Latin this…

Words 2262 - Pages 10