What are the Gothic elements in Act One of Macbeth? (Reading Journal for Act 1)

The first Gothic element we are introduced to is the setting o the play which is a key part as it sets the mood and tone for the audience. Automatically 'Thunder and lightning. Enter three witches.' A ere vibe is given off which leaves the audience to feel uncomfortable and slightly scared. The beginning starts off with the witches which shows mystery an mischief, the way the speak is in a steady rhyming pace which could also suggest the way they connect with each other and it gives the impression of a casting spell. 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair.' The phrase is almost like a tongue twisting spell which conveys death and cruelty. The three witches lurk around like the dark thoughts and temptations to evil. They play upon the ambitions Macbeth has. The audience is left to think at the end of Scene One, are the witches independent agents toying with human life, or agents of fate.

The references to animals are made throughout Act one, though they are animals of strong characters or features. For example in Scene 2, line 36 'As sparrows, eagles, or the hare, the lion. Then we have the Animal reference to the Raven. The raven is a strong symbol in mythology, art and literature. Though in some beliefs it is seen as the spiritual figure of God. The animal interpretations could be highlighting Macbeth's deep and dark character in the play.

The use of foul bitter language also adds emphasis the Gothic elements. Especially from Lady Macbeth, from a woman in the time that this was written, her status would be very little and she wouldn't be mentioned much in the play. she would be seen as an object not a person. Her strive for power, control take lead of her which reveals her masculine side, though it could be argued that Macbeth and Lady M. could be two sides to one body. For example in Act 1 Scene 5 ' unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty.' Her desire to have the body of a man and fill her with cruelty, yet she doesn't want to feel guilt for her actions. This is a typical Gothic style in literature, the lust for violence and inhumane actions but at the same time characters gain a thrill. 

Key things to remember for this act:

• Introduction to the three witches.
• Macbeth has been given a prophecy by the three witches that he will become king. 
• Lady Macbeth is introduced- we see how she is as a character, shes stronger, ruthless and ambitious than Macbeth. 
• Plan to kill King Duncan.
• Language used by Shakespeare, Language contradiction is used at times with the witches 'fair is foul, and foul is fair'. Also used by Banquo 'Lesser than Macbeth, and greater'. Adds to a sense of moral confusion that their surroundings seem to be obscure.  
• Form- Use of Soliloquy- shows dramatic tension, the focus on one character is a lot more powerful. Portrays more feelings and emotions, especially Lady Macbeth. 
• Gothic Links- Can be compared to Modern day Gothic/horror films which we see how gender role have changed, women are more confrontational and out spoken, where as Lady Macbeth is held back a lot because of her role as a female. She wants to take the role of being masculine. 'unsex me'.

Themes present so far...

Corrupting power and Ambition- Macbeth's character is over ridden by power, Lady Macbeth, the issue of Morals constrains seems to be ignored.
Loyalty- Macbeth being loyal to the king, as well as being a loyal and devoted husband to Lady Macbeth. Feels a sense of pressure to take the role of a man, when being insulted against his manhood by his wife.

Marxist approach to my coursework text :A thousand Splendid Suns

Marxism approach of A Thousand Splendid Suns-

Marxism is an economic and socio-political worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialect view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was found in the early to mid 19th century by two German philosophers, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marxism encompasses Marxian economic theory, a sociological theory and a revolutionary view of social change that has influenced socialist political movements worldwide.

Marxism sees society as a super structure in which the economic base determines the shape of the super structure of all social institutions.  Society is based on the conflict of inequality and wealth and power, which underpins capitalist society and the conditions with in such a system explain why people turn to crime or act deviant. In the novel we see how society becomes distorted due to the new ruling of the Taliban as well as the change and development of a corrupt government. The decade-long war led to the deaths of over a million mujahedeen fighters and Afghan civilians and 14,000 Russian soldiers before the Soviet withdrawal in 1989. The Taliban regime that came to power, as well as Al-Qaida, originated from the noxious mix of US-sponsored anti-communist foreign policy in the region during this period. This is entirely omitted in Hosseini’s narrative, as he all but erases US complicity in the fate of modern Afghanistan.

  

Society is divided into two different classes the bourgeoisies the ruling class and the proletarians, the working class. The Marxist argue that an imbalance between these classes will always be a problem in society, majority of the working class are set up to fail in a capitalist society and a few will make it to the top. The bourgeoisie is able to keep its power partly through its ability to use the law to criminalise working class activities. The laws are not expressions of value consensus as the functionalist would say, but they a reflection of ruling class ideology. The laws are only made if they are in the interest of the ruling class.

Afghanistan was once a society where women were free to walk in the streets without being guided by a male figure shadowing them. Since the ruling of the Taliban genders become unequal women’s rights banish. This uncovers valuable social truths through the lives of the main characters. The reader gets an impression of the incredibly precarious existence of young people during the most recent period through the fate of Laila and Tariq. But above all, it lays bare the truly horrendous existence of women and girls. The power is passed on to men. Marxism focuses a lot on the strive for ‘power and control’ we see this in the relationships with Mariam and Rasheed. Mariam becomes powerless her status as an illegitimate child stays with her throughout her life, she feels punished for this mistake as she cannot give Rasheed a child. Rasheed becomes an aggressive, controlling violent. The recent attempts by the Afghan parliament with President Hamid Karzai’s initial support to enact a law that would forbid women from leaving their homes without male consent and would sanctify marital rape, recalls Taliban era proclamation.

Theory of alienation- refers to the separation of things that naturally belong together, or to put hate between things that are properly in harmony. In the concept's most important use, it refers to the social alienation of people from aspects of their "human nature" (Gattungswesen, usually translated as 'species-essence' or 'species-being'). He believed that alienation is a systematic result of capitalism. Theory of Alienation is the argument that in modern industrial production under capitalist conditions workers will inevitably lose control of their lives by losing control over their work