“MACBETH”
Question No.1.:- Discuss the dramatic significance of the opening Seine.
OR,
Comment on Shakespeare's use of the supernatural in Macbeth.
Answer:- Direct presentation of some extra-human forces has always been one of the prime essentials of tragedy. In serves not only to obtain the tragic atmosphere but also to provide some emotion of wonder. In keeping with the age-old tragic tradition, Shakespeare has introduced the supernatural elements in some of his plays. The supernatural in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' not only defuses the atmosphere of enchantment and mystery, but also carries the action forward to its tragic end.
Shakespeare enwraps 'Macbeth' in the atmosphere of the supernatural elements. He uses supernatural elements in 'Macbeth'. It opens with thunder and lighting on a desolate place with broken sentences of the three witch sisters. The witches reappear when Macbeth and Banquo enter to stage and the element of the supernatural is writ large.
Again the prophecy that Macbeth will not be slain by anybody born of any woman and that shall not be vanquished(defeat) till the Birnam wood comes to dun seiner generate a fable sense of security in him. And this ultimately worms out his defeat.
Unlike the witches, Banquo's ghost serves to expose Macbeth before the lords assembled at the Banquet. Its appearance unnerves Macbeth's secret quilt which was so long a mother of surmise.
The dramatic significance of the supernatural elements in 'Macbeth' also lies in the fact that it aids in arising that filling of universality which is the all pervading presence of the supernatural in the play which makes us feel that we are not in the presence of the simple murderer of a King, but in that of a cosmic tragedy.
To conclude, the supernatural in 'Macbeth' not only intensified the sense of dark fatality of Greek tragedy, but also shaped the human action. The all pervasive presence of the supernatural and its irresistible intervention in human affair serve to arouse that feelings of terror on which every great tragedy thrives.
*****The end ***** Question No.2.:- Dramatic significance of Sleep-walking Scene.
OR,
How does the Sleep-walking scene bring out Lady Macbeth's state of mind? Does it held us to understand he nature?
Answer:- The first scene of Act (V) of 'Macbeth' is known as the famous Sleep-walking scene. The scene opens in a room in the castle of Dunsinare with the entrance of a doctor and gentle woman waiting on Lady Macbeth for two nights without finding any truth in the gentle woman's report. She tells the doctor that she has seen Lady Macbeth from bed, thrown her nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take out paper , write on it, read it and seal it and return to the bed again. All these things she did while she was in a deep sleep.
Just at that moment Lady Macbeth appears there carrying a light. Her eyes are quite open, while their sense is shut. She rubs her hands and says with a note of despair “Yet here's a spot.” She curses the spot of blood. Now her self control power melts away and she gives out in her somnambulism the secret of Duncan's murder. She says her husband that a soldier like him need not fear when there is none in Scotland who can bring their power look. Then she pathetically refers to the death of Macduff's wife and looks at her hands which will never be clean again. Then she says that “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” The doctor realizes the significance of what cause out of her 'Sorely changed heart' and admits that the diseases of Lady Macbeth is passed his medical skill. Finally, the doctor advises the gentle woman to look after her carefully and to remove all instruments of injury from her reach.
The Sleep-walking scene is a masterpiece of Shakespeare's psychological insight into human character. It is a scene of redemption so far as Lady Macbeth is concerned. Without the scene Lady Macbeth would have remained a 'fiend like queen' or 'the fourth witch'. This scene enables us to realize that Lady Macbeth is essentially a woman. In it Shakespeare brings her forward for the last time to show the audience what she really is whither a fiend or a woman.
In conclusion we can say that there is an irony in the sleep-walking scene. Macbeth in his distraught mind said, “Will all great Neptune's Ocean this blood clean from my hand?” Lady Macbeth expostulated with him, “A little water clears us of this dead.” Now Lady Macbeth finds undeniable strain of blood on her hand which all the perfumes of Arabia can't clean and sweeten.
***The End***
"THE LAST RIDE TOGETHER"
Question:- Examine “The Last Ride Together” as a dramatic monologue.
OR,
Browning's “The Last Ride Together registers his characteristics optimism.” Do you agree?
Answer:- The dramatic monologue is a form of poetry in which a person expresses his thought and feelings which are uppermost in his mind to another person who keeps silent at the time with a view to convince the hearer of what he thinks. It is essentially a study of character of mental state of moral crisis, made from inside. It is predominantly psychological, analytical, meditative and argumentative.
This genre of poetry was perfected by Robert Browning. Browning is the greatest dramatic monologist. In his dramatic monologues, the focus theme is the human psyche in a movement of crisis.
In “The Last Ride Together” Browning catches the rejected lover at the most critical moment of his life and makes him talk on the painful pleasure of the moment. The lover has been rejected by his ladylove naturally, he is in a state of frustration and dejection. But he tries to philosophise his failure and dress a consolation. So he prays to his beloved for a last ride together and the prayer is granted.
The Last Ride Together with the beloved provides the quintessential movement for the lover under the impact of which he gives out his philosophy of life and love and celebrates the supreme believes of partial fulfillment of his desire. So he is elevated by the ecstasy and rapture of the movement. His soul exults at the realization of his deeper self---- “The instant made eternity.”
“The Last Ride Together” illustrated Browning's philosophy of success and failure in life. The lover speaks out his of beloved and makes him totally spiritualist. The lover feels that his riding is better than the fates of statesmen, soldiers, sculptors, musicians, painters and soon, because he has realistic ideal of life at least for a moment.
The abrupt opening is very important for the dramatic and colloquial and dramatic vigour. The poem begins in the middle and the situation is suggested gradually. It gives dramatic vividness to the poem. Browning's power of giving slight touches of realistic description is also in evidence. “All the world rushed by on either side” is a single line of the ride so vivid.
Last Ride Together is a lyrical dramatic monologue of Browning. It is a wonderful expression of his philosophy of life, love and his characteristic optimism. The beauty of situation, the psychological insight and unparalleled mastery of expression exhibited in this poem.
((Or)):- The Last Ride Together is a representative poem of Browning. It's ample dramatic lyricism, his optimistic philosophy, his humanism, his psychological insight and his concept of love are revealed in the poem.
*****The end *****
ULYSSES
Question:- “Tennyson's Ulysses represents the eternal spirit of man.” do you agree? Substantiate your answer.
Answer:- Tennyson's fame mainly rest on his outstanding poem 'Ulysses'. Here the poet suggest that Ulysses is a modern man of action. He does not allow him to take rest from travel or work. According to him life is an action and adventure. So he desires to follow like a sinking star beyond the utmost bound of human thought. In the poem 'Ulysses' he speaks out his own character and philosophy of life in the form of the autobiography. So he took a resolution to overcome the mood of despair and face life with all it's complexities.
Ulysses is the king of Ithaca. Inner self through Ulysses, Tennyson revels his character and philosophy of his age. 'Ulysses' reprints the typical Victorial mentality. He has returned to his hilly kingdom in Ithaca after a long perilous adventure on land and sea. But he does not like to live happily or peacefully at home. He can't take rest from travel. 'He want to drink life to the lies'--- which is the chief characteristic of the Victorian.
Ulysses has the travel some spirit. He does not want to stop at any particular place. His desire is to earn knowledge and to go far away to know the unknown things. Even in his old age there is no rest from work. According to him when a man will die, he should try to do some noble deeds of his age/life. So Ulysses addresses mariners --- “Death closes all, but some things are the end / Some work of noble note, my yet be done.”
The poem celebrates energy resolution of Ulysses which is the hallmark of the Victorian people. So he(Ulysses) does not like to live a quite and idle life in his kingdom in the company of his old wife and ruling over the savage people who don't know him. He has enjoyed and suffered much and has become a well known figure. So he has been honoured and respected every where. He has fought bravely and joyfully along with his followers and earn much knowledge which is limitless. As he thinks life is an action, so he take a vow to leave his kingdom to his son and he will always in his work to earn knowledge and go far away.
*****The end *****
Abdul Monnaf Pramanik
B. A. 2nd year, Roll No. 66, English Elective(General)
Sitalkuchi College
