Introduction to Shakespeare’s Macbeth

o -Born April 23 rd, 1564 o -Started out performing with “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men” o -Gave him a chance to write a play o -Henry IV, Pt. 1- It stunk but they gave him another shot

 Many playwrights with nowhere to “play”  Barn turned into theatre (Yea!)  Puritans burn it down (Evil theatre! Boo!)  Globe built! (Yea!)  Globe burns (sniff, darn cannon!)  Globe rebuilt! (Yea!)  Globe burns (Dang that Fire of London!) Reconstructed in the 1990’s

 Only men were permitted to perform  Boys or feminine-looking men were used to play the women  Costumes were often the company’s most valuable asset  Costumes were made by the company, bought in London, or donated by the wealthy

 1 shilling to stand  2 shillings to sit in the balcony  1 shilling was 10% of their weekly income  Broadway Today:  $100-$200  10%-20% of a teacher’s weekly salary

 Set in Scotland  Written for King James I (also King of Scotland, now of England, too)  Shakespeare researched The Chronicles - Banquo is an ancestor of King James I  Wanted to support James I’s claim to the English throne

Shakespeare’s shortest and bloodiest tragedy

 “Macbeth tumbles madly from its opening to its conclusion. It is a sharp, jagged sketch of theme and character; as such, it has shocked and fascinated audiences for nearly four hundred years.”

Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of sinister witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. He is consumed by this and murders King Duncan He begins his reign racked with guilt and fear and soon becomes a tyrannical ruler, as he is forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion. The bloodbath swiftly propels Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to arrogance, madness, and death. Shakespeare’s shortest and bloodiest tragedy

Scottish general Brave soldier/ Powerful man Easily tempted into murder After first murder, commits further murders with increasing ease Better warrior than political leader Solution to everything: violence and murder Unable to bear the psychological consequences of his atrocities.

Macbeth’s wife Lusts for power and position Seems stronger and more ruthless than Macbeth Urges Macbeth to kill king and take the crown She and Macbeth are presented as being deeply in love Violence strengthens their relationship

Plot against Macbeth: charms, spells and prophecies. Their predictions prompt Macbeth to murder and to blindly believe in his own immortality. They take a delight in using their knowledge of the future to toy with and destroy human beings.

Macbeth’s best friend He represents the path Macbeth chose not to take

King of Scotland Macbeth murders him Model of a good leader His death symbolizes the destruction of Scotland

A Scottish General Macbeth murders Macduff’s wife and young son. He eventually becomes a leader of the crusade to unseat Macbeth. Macduff’s wife

 It is believed to be bad luck to even speak the word ‘Macbeth’ in a theatre It is called “the Scottish play”  Legend has it you will lose all your friends involved in the production—horribly  OR  Something terrible will happen during the production

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 A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances.

 TRAGIC HERO: “Man of noble standing whose character flaw leads to his downfall” – Aristotle  Macbeth is one of the most famous examples of the tragic hero.

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