Macbeth William Shakespeare
Macbeth - Composed in late 1606 early 1607 - Last of Shakespeare s s 4 tragedies - Considered his darkest work - Macbeth s s rise to power
Research Assignment Group 1 Research Shakespeare Personal life Professional life Important events and influences in his life Topics of controversy surrounding his life
Research Assignment Group 2 Research British History (1550-1650) What was going on in Britain during the time just before, during, and after Shakespeare lived? Who were the rulers? What was the political atmosphere? What were the people concerned about? How did the people live?
Research Assignment Group 3 Research World History (1550-1650) 1650) What was going on in the rest of the world (besides Britain) during this period?
Research Assignment Group 4 Research Macbeth What is the play about? Why is it famous? What do critics say about it? How many versions are there of the play? Which one(s) ) are often most performed? Why? What difficulties are there in performing the play?
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare Born in England (1564 1616) Exact date of his birth is unknown Records indicate he was baptized on April 26, 1564, at Holy Trinity Church Traditionally, a baby was baptized about three days after birth, which would make Shakespeare s s birthday April 23, 1564 Considered the greatest playwright and poet
William Shakespeare 1594 to 1608 - completely involved in the theatre His success as a playwright afforded him the luxury of owning homes in London and Stratford The recorded date for Shakespeare s s death is April 23, 1616
William Shakespeare 154 sonnets (14 line lyric poems written in iambic pentameter) Many poems 37 plays (comedies, tragedies, histories)
Historical Context Macbeth was written for James I (King of Scotland) and was performed in 1606 Referred to in theater circles as, The Scottish Play
Historical Context His plays were performed at the Globe theatre 3 story structure with at least five sides and no roof over the stage Burned down in a fire in 1613 1644 - torn down when theatres were closed due to the government ban on theatres
Characters Macbeth Thane of Glamis Lady Macbeth Macbeth s s wife
Characters Three Witches Evil prophets that guide Macbeth s s destiny with incomplete information regarding his future
Characters Duncan King of Scotland Malcolm Duncan s s older son Donalbain Duncan s s younger son
Characters Banquo General in the Scottish Army and Macbeth s s friend Fleance Banquo s son Macduff Rival of Macbeth Lady Macduff Macduff s wife
Characters Lennox and Ross Noblemen of Scotland Angus Nobleman of Scotland, against Macbeth Menteith and Caithness Noblemen of Scotland in Malcolm s s English Army
Characters Porter Servant at Macbeths castle Murderers Macbeth s s hired killer Hecate Goddess of the witches
Characters Apparitions Visions conjured up by the Witches to inform Macbeth of what he should fear for the future Doctor and Gentlewoman Servants that witness Lady Macbeth s s sleepwalking Seyton Officer in Macbeth s s Army
Characters Siward General in the English army fighting with Malcolm Young Siward Siward s son Captain Soldier in Duncan s s military
Tragedy Drama that shows the downfall or destruction of a noble or outstanding person. Usually the character possesses a weakness called a Tragic Flaw.
Macbeth Act I Play opens in Scotland Setting is enhanced by thunder & lightning Fair is foul, and foul is fair - what is good will be bad and what is bad will be good
Macbeth Act I The Witches greet Macbeth with his current title, Thane of Glamis and two titles he is yet to have, Thane of Cawdor and King.
Macbeth Act I Macbeth is confused by the witches The Thane of Cawdor and King are still alive. Banquo,, now wants to know about his own fate He is told that he will be lesser and greater than Macbeth; even though he will never be king, his sons will. The Witches then disappear, leaving Banquo to wonder if they were real or just an hallucination.
Macbeth Duncan (the King of Scotland) finds out the battle was won Macbeth is reported to be brave and fearless Duncan names him Thane of Cawdor
Macbeth Act I Lady Macbeth has received a letter from Macbeth that Macbeth has been named Thane of Cawdor and will become King King Duncan will be arriving soon for dinner Macbeth arrives and she tells him that by any means he should be crowned King: Duncan arrives and is eager to meet with Macbeth
Act I Macbeth Macbeth gives a dinner for Duncan and his guests that evening He struggles with his conscience The conflict is even stronger because Macbeth is Duncan s s cousin and he has just been honored Lady Macbeth calls Macbeth a coward and implies that he is less than a man Macbeth agrees to go along with Lady Macbeths plan
ACT II Macbeth imagines a floating / bloody dagger Mind is playing tricks on him Guilty conscience Nervous
ACT II Lady Macbeth gets the guards drunk Attempts to commit the murder herself King looks too much like her father
ACT II Macbeth goes into the Kings chamber Kills him Guards awake he kills them Lady Macbeth tells him not to worry it s s no big deal
ACT II Macbeth hears voices Sleep no more Macbeth murdered innocent sleep Glamis hath murdered sleep, and Cawdor shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more
ACT II Macbeth is horrified at what he has done Can t t bring the daggers back Sees the blood on his hands With all great Neptune s s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No
ACT II Lady Macbeth returns from putting the daggers on the guards My hands are of your color A A little water clears us of this deed...how easy is it then Instructs Macbeth to go to their chamber and pretend they were sleeping
ACT II The knocking at the door was Macduff He discovers the King was murdered Duncan s s sons flee to England because they are afraid they might be next Everyone believes they ran away because they were guilty Macbeth is crowned King of Scotland!
ACT III Macbeth is honored as King Banquo is suspicious of Macbeth Macbeth questions Banquo and his son about their ride
ACT III Macbeth hires 3 murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance He knows Banquo is suspicious He is afraid Fleance will become King He doesn t t want Banquo to have any other sons
ACT III There s s a feast at Macbeth s s castle to honor him Sees the ghost of Banquo Lady Macbeth explains her husbands strange behavior by saying My Lord is often thus, And hath been from his youth She tells everyone to ignore him, he will be well momentarily
ACT III Macbeth continues to see the ghost of Banquo Lady Macbeth asks her guests to leave She is afraid he may admit to the murders Take Macbeth to bed Macbeth wants to go see the witches in the morning, he needs to know what is going to happen next
ACT IV Setting: A Cavern The witches are standing around a cauldron Thunder
ACT IV Macbeth comes to see the witches and ask about his future The witches produce 3 apparitions from the cauldron, who give Macbeth some warnings
ACT IV Apparition 1: Armed Head Beware Macduff,, Thane of Fife Apparition 2: Blood Stained Child No man born of woman shall harm Macbeth Apparition 3: Crowned Child/Tree in hand Nothing will happen to Macbeth until Great Birnam wood travels to high Dunsinane Hill
ACT IV Macbeth: Decides to kill Macduff just to be sure Feels safe because: every man was born of woman the forest of Birnam wood could not uproot itself and come to Dunsinane
ACT IV Macduff flees to England Macbeth has Macduffs family killed Ross goes to England to tell Macduff The men vow to get revenge on Macbeth with Macduff leading the way
ACT V Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking Out damned spot! Out I say! Guilt The Thane of Fife had a wife; where is she now? Paranoia What, will these hands never be clean?
ACT V Macduff,, Malcolm, Fleance and men of England are on their way to Scotland Macbeth is receiving reports of their arrival Still feels safe, because of the apparitions warning: No man born of woman shall harm Macbeth
ACT V Macbeth wife is dead Committed suicide guilt and hallucinations were too much Macbeth famous soliloquy Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
ACT V English army is getting closer Malcolm & Macduff make their soldiers carry leafy branches as they approach Birnam wood is coming to Dunsinane hill
ACT V English army arrives at the castle Macbeth is still not afraid because no man born of woman can harm him Macduff informs Macbeth he was ripped from his mother s s womb So he wasn t t born of woman (she was already dead).
ACT V Macbeth and Macduff fight Macduff beheads Macbeth MALCOLM IS CROWNED KING!
Themes Ambition Macbeth desires power Commits Murder Kills Kills Duncan The The Guards BanquoBanquo (Fleance escapes) Lady Lady Macduff and her children
Themes Ambition Lady Macbeth Tells Tells Macbeth to be a man and kill Duncan Starts Starts to hallucinate Commits Commits suicide Once one decides to use violence, it is difficult to stop
Style Hallucinations Visions/Voices that recur throughout the play Floating dagger Sleep Sleep no more Ghost of Banquo Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and envisions blood stained on her hands
Style Violence Battles taking place Murders Malcolm carrying Macbeths severed head
Style Predictions The witches predict Macbeth s s future Thane Thane of Cawdor KingKing Banquo s sons will be King Beware Beware of Macduff No No man born of a woman can harm Macbeth
Symbols Blood Battle On the daggers On the murderers Macbeth & Lady Macbeth s s hands Out, damned spot!, out, I say! BLOOD SYMBOLIZES GUILT!
Symbols Weather Relates to events that take place Thunder and lightning witches appearances Predictions Apparitions
MACBETH S S FATAL FLAW AMBITION