Literary Analysis

Literary Analysis of Alliteration in Macbeth

In Macbeth, there are a multitude of literary devices used and they all contribute to the tragedy of this play. Among those, alliteration is used throughout the play. Alliteration stands out because of its effects on the mood of the scene and its audible satisfaction during performance. These two factors from the use of alliteration seem simple, however greatly improve the overall portrayal of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Alliteration can be used to enhance the mood of the scene, create more flowy lines, since being poetry, and convey messages in the feelings of the scene. In the example of the witches in the beginning of the play, saying, “Double, double, toil and trouble”, a darker, more sinister mood is thickened. In combination with Shakespeare’s Iambic Pentameter, alliteration enhances the witches’ already frightening mood and gives the audience shivers. This should convey the witches are one of the antagonists in the play. In addition, this particular use of alliteration can give the audience a sense of supernatural activity among the witches and that they are more powerful than they initially seem.

Using alliteration can tell the audience a character’s opinion on something, without really saying it, and the line sounds nice. An example of this is when Macbeth says “Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow/ Creeps in this petty pace from day to day…” and “All our yesterdays have lighted fools/ The way to dusty death”. Focusing on “petty pace” and “dusty death” shows how Macbeth feels a fool’s death is meaningless, and even death in general. He believes that each person’s life just consists of pointless things each day, day after day, and the “dusty death” of a person is nothing to be moved by. Macbeth developed this way of thinking through his journey of becoming king, and adding these extra words with the same consonant adds to the drama of each of his words.

Overall, alliteration is seen throughout Macbeth and is used to dramatize and enhance the mood of the scene, and say things without really saying them.