Both Uses of
despair
in
Macbeth
- The mere despair of surgery, he cures,
Hanging a golden stamp about their necks,
Put on with holy prayers.p. 149.6 *despair = lost hopeeditor's notes: This could be paraphrased as: "He heals those who have totally lost hope of being medially cured, placing a golden seal around their necks, which is attached with holy prayers."
Mere is used in an archaic sense that means "entire" or "total."
- Despair thy charm,
And let the angel whom thou still hast served
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb
Untimely ripped.p. 185.9 *despair = give up hope ineditor's notes: This could be paraphrased as: "Give up hope in your charm, and let the evil sprit you have always served inform you that Macduff was born by being prematurely torn from his mother’s womb."
Definitions:
-
(1)
(despair as in: she felt despair) hopelessness; or distress (such as extreme worry or sadness from feeling powerless to change a bad situation)
-
(2)
(despair as in: do not despair) lose hope or feel distress
-
(3)
(despair as in: she was the despair of the team) something that causes hopelessness or great distress