INTRODUCTING MACBETH Act 1, Scenes 1 – 2 Friday, 09 November 2018Friday, 09 November 2018 INTRODUCTING MACBETH Act 1, Scenes 1 – 2

Falling Action & Resolution Exposition & Rising Action TRAGEDY A play with an unhappy ending, usually involving the downfall of the main character, also known as the Tragic Hero. Falling Action & Resolution Exposition & Rising Action Acts 4 & 5 Acts 1 & 2 Climax Act 3 The story starts in an ordered society, with the Hero being a respected member of society. The Hero comes into a direct and final conflict, usually resulting in his death. At the very end, a new hope is presented for the future. Extreme and often violent events take place, usually resulting in a character's death. The characters’ personalities and relationships are changed.

The Tragic Hero How did these characteristics apply to Romeo? Begins as a respectable, well-liked member of society often of a higher class The Hero has a Tragic Flaw – a characteristic that at first may seem harmless, but will lead to the Hero’s downfall The Hero has an encounter with a character or a powerful force that changes their priorities, attitudes, and overall behaviour The Hero is consumed by the encounter, and starts committing questionable acts The Hero commits an unforgivable actions which changes the lives of the Hero and everyone around them The Hero loses control over their thoughts and actions, becoming a despicable member of society, almost a villain In their final confrontation with their opposing forces, the Hero gives in to their Tragic Flaw, faces his mistakes, and dies How did these characteristics apply to Romeo? How might they apply to Macbeth?

Macbeth’s Downfall Turn from hero to villain Progression of the play

THEMES Ambition – ambition can corrupt even the most honourable people Appearance vs. Reality – what appears to be one thing could turn out to be the complete opposite Gender Roles – despite the Jacobean expectations of men and women, the difference between genders is not definite Fate vs. Free Will – the choices made in life could either be decided by fate, or dictated by our free will Good vs. Bad Kingship – absolute power corrupts absolutely

ANNOTATING THE PLAY Quotes about Macbeth’s character & transformation Quotes about Lady Macbeth’s character & transformation Quotes about the theme of Ambition Quotes about the theme of Appearance vs. Reality Quotes about the theme of Gender Roles Quotes about the theme of Fate vs. Free Will Quotes about the theme of Good vs. Bad Kingship

11/9/2018 the witches How have the Witches been portrayed in each version of the scene? How does way they speak and deliver their lines change in each version? Overall, are the Witches good or evil?

‘More light and light, more dark and dark our woes!’ “Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.” Antithesis = The use of opposites to communicate struggle, contrast, or complex meaning. ‘More light and light, more dark and dark our woes!’ How does this relate to the theme of appearance vs. reality?

List the phrases used to describe Macbeth. Act 1, Scene 2 Duncan Malcolm Captain Lennox Ross List the phrases used to describe Macbeth. What kind of language is used to describe him? What sort of person is he expected to be?

King James I "The fearefull aboundinge at this time in this countrie, of these detestable slaves of the Devil, the Witches or enchaunters, hath moved me (beloved reader) to dispatch in post, this following treatise of mine (...) to resolve the doubting (...) both that such assaults of Satan are most certainly practised, and that the instrument thereof merits most severely to be punished.” King James VI King of Scotland 1567 – 1603 King James I King of England & Ireland 1603 - 1625

Contextual Timeline How are the events in the timeline interlinked?   Elizabeth I crowned Queen of England 1558 1563 Scotland passes the Witchcraft Act William Shakespeare Born 1564 1597 James VI publishes Daemonologie Elizabeth I dies King James I is crowned (also becomes patron of Shakespeare’s theatre company) 1603 1604 England passes the witchcraft Act Shakespeare writes Macbeth 1606 How are the events in the timeline interlinked? How was Shakespeare affected by the beliefs of James I?

Introducing Context Macbeth was most likely written in 1606, early in the reign of James I, who had been James VI of Scotland before he succeeded to the English throne in 1603. James was a patron of Shakespeare’s acting company, and of all the plays Shakespeare wrote under James’s reign, Macbeth most clearly reflects the playwright’s close relationship with the King. In focusing on Macbeth, a figure from Scottish history, Shakespeare paid tribute to his king’s Scottish background. Also, the witches’ prophecy that Banquo will have a line of kings is a clear nod to James’s family’s claim to have descended from the historical Banquo. In a larger sense, the theme of bad versus good kingship, embodied by Macbeth and Duncan, respectively, would have resonated at the royal court, where James was busy developing his English version of the theory of divine right. Shakespeare wrote it to show what might happen if a king, in this case King Duncan, were to be murdered, and his play would have embodied the worries and fears of the English people at that uncertain time, only a year after the Guy Fawkes Gunpowder Plot of 1605 when they plotted to kill the king and blow up parliament.