SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL ST. LOUIS. On Macbeth. A Resource for Grades K - 12 About the Play Macbeth

Transcription

1 SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL ST. LOUIS A Resource for Grades K - 12 About the Play Macbeth

2 Welcome! Shakespeare Festival St. Louis' Education Tour offers a fine opportunity for live performance to become a part of the rich fabric of learning within your classroom. Watching a play or becoming an actor helps develop engaged students who enthusiastically take part in a comprehensive learning experience. Spending a little time introducing your class to Shakespeare and the play they will see will increase your student's ability to be an active, thoughtful and entertained audience member. Table of Contents & Show Me Standards On the Play Page 1 Show Me Standards CA2, 5, 6&7; FA2&3 Plot Synopsis Pages 2 & 3 Show Me Standards CA2, CA5; FA2 & 3 The Characters Page 3 Show Me Standards CA2&5; FA 2&3 These study materials offer an entry point for stimulating interest and providing a context through which your students will have a deeper and enjoyable time watching the Shakespeare Festival touring production. The materials are also helpful as a guide to learning about their role as the audience - and THAT is the key! Without an audience, the theatre does not exist. Shakespeare Festival Education Tour provides the performance, but only you and your students can complete the "Shakespearience." Without you, Shakespeare's brilliance is merely words on a page. Together we bring his plays alive, allowing his genius to inspire the audiences of the future! Christopher Limber Education Director Shakespeare Festival St. Louis National Standards Kennedy Center ArtsEdge Theatre Content Standard 2-8: 2. Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining characters in improvisations and informal or formal productions 3. Designing and producing by conceptualizing and realizing artistic interpretations for informal or formal productions 4. Directing by interpreting dramatic texts and organizing and conducting rehearsals for informal or formal productions 5. Researching by evaluating and synthesizing cultural and historical information to support artistic choices 6. Comparing and integrating art forms by analyzing traditional theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and new art forms 7. Analyzing, critiquing, and constructing meanings from informal and formal theatre, film, television, and electronic media productions 8. Understanding context by analyzing the role of theatre, film, television, and electronic media in the past and the present Standards for the English Language Arts Sponsored by NCTE and IRA (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12) National Standards for History 5-12: Era 6, Standards 3, 4, 6 Contributing Writers William Shakespeare Jason Cannon Louise Edwards Christopher Limber Andrew Michael Neiman Michael B. Perkins Janis Valdes Special Thanks to The Shakespeare Theatre Company Education Tour 2009 is sponsored by Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield Students at City Academy enjoy Education Tour 2007 s A Midsummer Night s Dream...In the Wink of an Eye! Photo J. David Levy.

3 On the Play SFSTL 2003 production of Macbeth. Pilar Witherspoon as Lady Macbeth. History & Sources William Shakespeare, as he did in most of his plays, took source material and made his own creation from it. Very few of Shakespeare's plays had original plots. Rarely did playwrights or authors of his time work from a "blank page." Macbeth first appears in Raphael Holinshed's The Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, first published in The historical Macbeth lived in the 11 th century and was not the ambitious, conflicted character of the play. According to Holinshed, Macbeth killed Duncan with Banquo's assistance, because Duncan had named his son as heir. This was a violation of the "rules" of the time because Duncan was an elected, not a hereditary king. Macbeth spent 10 years as a capable ruler of Scotland before his own death. It is not known if he was given to nightmares or seeing ghosts. Shakespeare probably wrote Macbeth with its presentation for King James I in mind. James ascended England's throne on the death of Elizabeth I, the Tudor queen. He was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, whom Elizabeth had beheaded during her reign. As Mary was Elizabeth's cousin, and Elizabeth never married and had no children, James was the most direct heir. James was a great believer in witchcraft, which he and most of his fellow countrymen believed was practiced widely at that time. He thought that witchcraft held actual magic, and that the The historical Macbeth lived in the 11 th century and was not the ambitious, conflicted character he is in the play three Weird Sisters were real. Shakespeare blends these beliefs in the supernatural with history as it was known at that time Banquo was a historical figure and purportedly James' direct ancestor, thus giving James great symbolic significance as the hereditary King of Scotland as well as of England. Shakespeare kept James I in mind especially in Act 4, Scene 1, where the three Weird Sisters show Macbeth visions of ghosts and crowns of those he has killed and must kill or who might kill him. The eighth phantom king bears a "glass" which is a mirror that was said to reflect the image of James I as he sat in the front row of the first audience. Macbeth: Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes! What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom? Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more: And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass Which shows me many more; and some I see That two-fold balls and treble scepters carry: Horrible sight! Now, I see, 'tis true; For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me, And points at them for his. The major themes in Macbeth are pride, ambition, greed, power (it might be said that all these are one), metaphorical blindness, and the idea that "things are not what they seem." These themes are interwoven no one can be considered without bringing the others along for the ride. With the exception of Titus Andronicus, Macbeth is Shakespeare's most violent play. But as with any work, of art the violence is not extraneous but supports the truth and dimension of its story - that of a powerful and power-hungry man who stops at nothing to pursue his ultimate dream. Whether he is fated to be killed in his attempt or whether his own choices bring his death upon him is up to each production to decide. SFSTL 2003 Education Tour production of Quick-Brewed Macbeth. Matt Kahler, Josh Rowan, Corey Jones, Blaize Azzara. Photos this page J. David Levy. : Page 1

4 Plot Synopsis Plot Synopsis The play begins with the brief appearance of three witches, or Weird Sisters, who meet to predict the future, and then moves to a military camp. King Duncan hears the news that his generals, Macbeth and Banquo, have bravely defeated two separate invading armies: one from Ireland, led by the rebel Macdonwald, and one from King Sweno of Norway. Duncan orders the execution of the traitor Macdonwald and arranges for Macdonwald's title to be passed to the valiant Macbeth. SFSTL 2003 production of Macbeth. Rob Krakovski as Macbeth, Joneal Joplin as Duncan. Photo J. David Levy. Following their pitched battle with these enemy forces, Macbeth and Banquo encounter the Weird Sisters as they cross a moor. The Weird Sisters foretell that Macbeth will be made Thane (a rank of Scottish nobility) of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. They also prophesy that Macbeth's companion, Banquo, will beget a line of Scottish kings, although Banquo himself will never be king. The Weird Sisters vanish, and Macbeth and Banquo treat their prophecies skeptically until some of King Duncan's men come to thank the two generals for their victories in battle and to tell Macbeth that he has indeed been named Thane. The first prophecy has come true. Macbeth is intrigued by the remainder of the Weird Sisters' prophecy that he will be crowned king. He visits with Duncan, who thanks Macbeth for his part in the battle and then announces that the next king will be his son, Malcolm. They plan to dine together at Inverness, Macbeth's castle. That night, Macbeth writes to his wife, telling her all that has happened, and rides ahead to prepare for his guests. Lady Macbeth reads the letter and decides to murder Duncan to obtain the crown for her husband. When Macbeth arrives at Inverness, she counters her husband's objections and persuades him to murder the king that very night. Macbeth wavers, but, taunted by Lady Macbeth, resolves to do the "horrid deed." He meets Banquo on his way to Duncan's chamber and reasserts The Weird Sisters prophesy that Macbeth will be made Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. his loyalty to the king. Despite his doubts, intensified by a vision of a bloody dagger, he kills Duncan. Lady Macbeth, having drugged Duncan's guards, meets Macbeth in a courtyard. She is bolder than ever, while his conscience is deeply troubled. He has brought the bloody daggers from Duncan's room, and when his remorse prevents him from returning the gruesome evidence, Lady Macbeth takes the daggers herself. When Duncan's death is discovered, Macbeth kills the guards, feigning rage at their apparent crime. Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee to England and Ireland, respectively, fearing that whoever killed Duncan wants them dead as well. The prophecy is realized: Macbeth is named king. Fearing the Weird Sisters' prophecy that Banquo's heirs will seize the throne, Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. They ambush Banquo on his way to a royal feast, but they fail to kill Fleance, who escapes into the night. Macbeth is told of Fleance's escape and becomes furious: as long as Fleance is alive, his power remains insecure. At the feast, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost and raves fearfully, startling his guests. Lady Macbeth tries to neutralize the damage. She dismisses the company and tries to calm Macbeth, who vows to revisit the "weird sisters" to see what prophecy is yet in store. Macbeth's kingship incites increasing resistance from his nobles and subjects. They are suspicious of Macbeth's actions and learn that Macduff, a Scottish nobleman opposed to Macbeth's coronation, has fled to England to join Malcolm. : Page 2

5 Plot Synopsis & Characters Macbeth visits the Weird Sisters; they present him with further prophecies: Apparition 1: Apparition 2: Apparition 3: Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife! Dismiss me. - Enough. Be bloody, bold, and resolute! Laugh to scorn The pow'r of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him. (Act 4, Scene 1) Macbeth is relieved, because he knows that all men are born of women and that forests cannot move. When he learns that Macduff has fled to England, Macbeth orders his castle seized and his family murdered. In England, Prince Malcolm has succeeded in raising an army. Malcolm is testing Macduff's loyalty when news of Macduff's family's execution reaches him. Macduff is stricken with grief and vows revenge. Macduff joins Malcolm to challenge Macbeth with the support of the Scottish nobles, who are appalled by Macbeth's murderous behavior. Lady Macbeth, meanwhile, is going mad. Plagued with fits of sleepwalking in which she bemoans what she believes to be bloodstains on her hands, she recalls images of the murders of Duncan, Banquo and the Macduffs, and is overheard by a doctor and lady-inwaiting. Macbeth's opponents arrive at Birnam Wood. Macbeth, waiting at Dunsinane, is told of their advances but dismisses the news, certain that the Weird Sisters' prophecies guarantee his invincibility. Still, he armors himself and, as he prepares for battle, learns of Lady Macbeth's descent into madness. The English and rebel Scottish armies, under Malcolm's leadership, cut boughs from the trees of Birnam Wood to mask their numbers as they advance on Dunsinane. Macbeth receives news that Lady Macbeth has died, causing him to sink into a deep despair. He is struck numb with fear when he learns that the English army is advancing on Dunsinane, using tree limbs for cover. Birnam Wood is indeed coming to Dunsinane, fulfilling half the Weird Sisters' prophecy. In battle, the English forces overwhelm Macbeth's army and castle. Macbeth fights gamely, but finally encounters the vengeful Macduff, who declares that he was "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb. Though he realizes that he is doomed, Macbeth fights until Macduff kills and beheads him. With the tyrant dead, Malcolm is proclaimed king and declares his benevolent intentions for the country. The Characters in Shakespeare s Macbeth Macbeth: a Scottish general, ambitious and easily pushed over the edge of rationality when presented with the notion of becoming King of Scotland Lady Macbeth: his wife, also ambitious, driven to push and then help her husband commit murder for the promise of becoming Queen Banquo: Macbeth's fellow general, who is seen by Macbeth as a threat and whom Macbeth has murdered Fleance: Banquo's son, who escapes being murdered by his father's assailants Duncan: the king of Scotland, to whom Macbeth owes allegiance, and whom Macbeth murders Malcolm: Duncan s oldest son, who, with Macduff, leads the army against Macbeth, and eventually is named king Donalbain: Duncan's youngest son Macduff: a Scottish general with a strong sense of righteousness; Macbeth's unbeatable enemy Ross: Macduff's cousin Lennox: a nobleman loyal to Duncan Seyton: Macbeth's lieutenant Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him. (Act 4, Scene 1) Siward: an English earl, Malcolm's supporter after Duncan's murder The Weird Sisters: three supernatural beings : Page 3