Question

through shakespeare’s plays you will see stage directions such as [aside] and [Alarum within]. Choose several of these stage directions and explain what they mean. How do they help you understand “The tragedy of Macbeth, Act 1”? Give examples to support your answer.

Answer 1

Stage directions are what help readers understand what would be happening physically in real life if the play was being acted out. Stage directions such as "Aside" means that an actor is talking aloud to the audience or him/herself, without any other characters being able to hear them. It is as if we are hearing what they are thinking, without other characters understanding. The stage direction "Alarum within" means that there is an alarming sound, such as trumpets happening. They can signal that something is going to happen or there is danger.. These help you understand so that you do not get confused when an actor is talking, and we know who they are talking to. In act 1, it says "Alarum within. Enter King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, with attendants, meeting a bleeding captain". This allows us to understand that there are trumpets going off and that things are going on off stage, such as a fight.

Step-by-step explanation:

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(this is what I wrote. Change wording)

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

Stage directions in Shakespeare's drama serves the purpose of indicating actors what to do on stage. The direction [Aside] refers to the words an actor addresses to the audience without notice of the characters within the play; this way of speaking is to inform or reveal significant events to take place. For example in act I of Macbeth, we can read or listen to Macbeth say "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir" talking to the audience about his fate stated by the three witches of destiny. This allows the audience to understand how his internal conflict starts to develop.