GRAHAM’S MAGAZINE. Vol. XXXVII. Sept, 1850. No. 3. Table of Contents Fiction, Literature and Articles Shakspeare—Analysis of Macbeth Pedro de Padilh (continued) A Visit to Staten Island Woodlawn: or the Other Side of the Medal “What Can Woman Do?” The Bride of the Battle Doctrine of Form Coquet _versus_ Coquette The Genius of Byron Rail and Rail Shooting The Fine Arts Mandan Indians Review of New Books Poetry, Music and Fashion Ode Lines in Memory of My Lost Child Evening The Wasted Heart A Health to My Brother On a Portrait of Cromwell A Sea-Side Reverie Audubon’s Blindness Sonnets On the Death of General Taylor “Psyche Loves Me.” To the Lost One Outward Bound He Comes Not The Bright New Moon of Love Barcarole Le Follet Transcriber’s Notes can be found at the end of this eBook. * * * * * GRAHAM’S MAGAZINE. Vol. XXXVII. PHILADELPHIA, September, 1850. No. 3. * * * * * SHAKSPEARE. ANALYSIS OF MACBETH. BY HENRY C. MOORHEAD. The reader who has not considered the subject in Ulrici’s point of view, will, perhaps, scarcely be prepared, at first sight, to believe that the two plays of Macbeth and the Merchant of Venice, have the same “ground-idea;” that both are, throughout, imbued with the same sentiment, yet he will readily perceive the similarity of the leading incidents of these plays. Shylock insists on the literal terms of his bond, and “stands for judgment,” according to the strict law of Venice. He is entitled to a pound of flesh; “the law allows it, and the court awards it;” but his bond gives him no drop of blood, and neither more nor less than just a pound. Thus the _letter of the law_, on which he has so sternly insisted, serves in the end to defeat him. In like manner Macbeth relies with fatal confidence on the predictions of the weird sisters, that “none of woman born shall harm Macbeth;” and that he “shall never vanquished be till Birnam wood do come to Dunsinane.” The predictions are more _literally_ fulfilled than he anticipated, and that very strictness of interpretation makes them worthless. Now it is from these incidents—both of the same import—that the respective themes of these plays are drawn; hence those themes are substantially the same, and may be thus expressed: