Macbeth Background Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act I Vocabulary pg 305 Valor- Treason- Imperial- Liege- Sovereign- marked courage or bravery betrayals of one’s country or oath to loyalty of an en empire; having supreme authority lord or king supreme in power, rank, or authority Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Elizabethan Drama Playwrights turned away from religious subjects and began writing more sophisticated plays Playwrights drew on models from ancient Greece and Rome Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Tragedies Plays in which disaster befalls a hero or heroine A Shakespeare’s tragedy shows how a tragic hero’s bad choices can disturb the whole universe. Soliloquy (solo)- is a long speech, usually made by a character who is alone - it reveals private thoughts and feelings to the audience, but not to other characters. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Macbeth - Tragedy Tragic hero= main character Tragic flaw= leads the hero to make a fatal mistake Macbeth= is led astray by his “vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself/and falls on th’other—” page 293 Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Background Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles of England The story of the 11th century Scottish king Macbeth was a mixture of fact and legend. Play Setting: Scotland; England A camp near Forres, a town in northeast Scotland Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

A Tribute to the King Shakespeare wrote this play as a means to flatter King James of England Shakespeare included things he thought the king would like: Scotland theme, included a relative of the king, battles, history, and witches Unfortunately the king was horrified by the play, because the play includes a king being murdered, and another king was possessed by witches Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Play Background King James was so upset and outraged by the play, that he banned the play from being performed for twenty years. Because of this ban, many believe the play is cursed. Actors never say the play’s name, because it superstitious When an actor refers to the play, he or she will call it the Scottish play. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Bad Luck Associated with the Play Sweden- a dull prop (stage) knife is used during a production, and is replaced by a real knife, and an actor is accidentally killed on stage 1930’s sword fight at the end the play, a sword’s point of breaks off and flies into the audience, injuring an audience member Thousands of bad-luck tales have piled up, including deaths, grisly sword fighting injuries, riots, fires, collapsing scenery, unexplained illnesses, bankruptcies and more. Even the great Shakespearean actor Laurence Olivier narrowly avoided a crushed skull when a curtain weight nearly fell on his head in a 1937 production. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Macbeth Macbeth is a very physical play, jumping, fighting, and battles, it is a very good possibility someone can get injured. My experience with Macbeth Only 8-10 characters Thane= nobleman Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Macbeth Heath- wide open place (wasteland) Witches are trying to create chaos, discord Ross and Angus are messengers, they provide updates and news throughout the play Nine= magical number The play was first performed in 1606 Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act I Background The war hero Macbeth returns home and on the way, encounters three witches who prophesy that he will one day be king of Scotland. Seized by ruthless ambition and spurred on by his wife, Macbeth plans to murder King Duncan, thus setting in motion a series of events that will lead to his eventual downfall. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act I Background Macbeth is eager for the throne. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Review Who is fighting at the beginning of the play? After the war, what do the witches do? Who is Ross? Who is the traitor? What does the king do with traitor? Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Review As Macbeth and Banquo come from the war how are they addressed? What does Banquo ask the witches? Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act II Vocabulary Augment Palpable Stealthy Multitudinous Equivocate Predominance make greater; enlarge capable of being touched or felt sly Existing in great numbers To use terms that have two or more meanings to mislead purposely or deceive superiority Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act II Macbeth and his wife have “the perfect crime”. They will get his guards drunk/drugged Macbeth will kill Duncan And then he will spread blood on the guards And he will plant the knife on the guards Macbeth and his wife do not consider how Duncan’s sons might react and how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth might deal with them Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act II Background Macbeth and his wife will kill Duncan. Duncan is a beloved king, but he is also weak. Duncan’s kinsman will seek revenge. Macduff discovers Duncan’s body. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act II Background Setting: Inverness, Court of Macbeth’s castle. Equivocate= pg 332 means to use terms that two or more meanings to mislead purposely or deceive Voc (Latin word root)- means voice or calling Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act II Background Sometimes Shakespeare interrupts his blank verse (High- Ranking Characters) writing with prose. Prose is usually reserved low-ranking characters. Only low-ranking characters were bawdy or vulgar. They often have humorous speeches that help to break up the dramatic narrative. (Porter= drunk) Comic Relief is common in Elizabethan drama. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act II Background Prose is usually reserved low-ranking characters Blank verse is appropriate for the high-ranking Macduff and Lennox Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act II Background Monarch was appointed by God Elizabethan- universal order The monarch was God’s representative on Earth “The Lord’s anointed” is used to describe the king It was not just and of political assassination, it was a horrifying desecration of religious values Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act III- Vocabulary Not able to be dissolved or undone Indissoluble Dauntless Jocund Infirmity Malevolence Fearless; cannot be intimidated Cheerful; jovial Physical or mental defect; illness Ill will; spitefulness Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act III- Background Conflict—the struggle between two forces—is what creates drama External conflict- is a struggle between two characters or groups Internal conflict- is a struggle within a character Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act III- Background Dramatic irony- occurs when the words or actions of a character takes on a meaning for the audience or readers different from the one the character intends, Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act III- Background In Act II, Lady Macbeth drugs Duncan’s guards, enabling Macbeth to kill the king. Macbeth then kills the guards, too, so that he can more easily blame them for the king’s murder. Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee, afraid they will be assassinated. They flee, and are suspects. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act III- Background As the act closes, it seems that Macbeth will be named king. Act III begins with Macbeth on the throne—as the witches had predicted. All seems to be going well for Macbeth, but he feels threatened by Banquo. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act III- Background Act III marks a turning point in the action. Up until now, things have gone very much the way Macbeth had planned. However, his sense of insecurity leads him to fear Banquo and his offspring. When his plan to murder Banquo and his son is only partially successful, a series of events is set in motion, leading to Macbeth’s downfall. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act IV- Vocabulary fatal; deadly Pernicious – Judicious- Sundry- Intemperance- Avarice- Credulous- showing good judgment various, miscellaneous lack of restraint greed tending to believe too readily Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act IV- Background Imagery- language used to re-create sensory experiences Blood Ill-fitting clothes Babies and children Archetypal- ideas and emotions expressed by people in many cultures. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act IV- Background Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and Banquo’s son, Fleance. Fleance escapes At the state banquet, Macbeth is shocked to see the ghost of Banquo sitting in the king’s chair. Macbeth decides to visit the witches again, determined to know “the worst.” Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act IV- Background Turning point in the play Macbeth seeks help from the witches to secure his power The forces of good, however, are beginning to gather against him. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act V- Vocabulary Perturbation- Pristine- Clamorous- Harbingers- Disturbance Original; unspoiled Noisy Forerunners/ Omen Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act V- Background In Act IV, Macbeth learns from the witches that he must “Beware Macduff” but that he need not fear any man “of woman born.” However, he sees a vision indicating that Banquo will indeed father a long line of kings. He also learns that he will never be conquered until the forest itself marches against him. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act V- Background Armed with his new knowledge, Macbeth orders the murder of Macduff’s wife and son. Macduff himself is in England to join forces with Malcolm and is overcome when he hears the news. Nevertheless, Macduff and Malcolm will lead an army against Macbeth. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07

Act V- Background Act V will determine the outcome as Macbeth, grown reckless in evil, battles against Malcolm and his men. Mrs. Billet 10-16-07