Shakespeare Introduction Plot Characters Themes Key Scenes/Lines

Shakespeare Introduction Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy Written in early 15 th century Play believed to be cursed Covers regicide and the natural order of the world Play focuses on “blind ambition” Shakespeare uses madness of character and emotions to propel plot

Shakespeare Plot Scotland is in middle of a war Macbeth and Banquo are war heroes Macbeth meets spiritual forces that both predict his future and make him ambitious, (three prophecies: Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, King of Scotland) Macbeth and his wife both become ambitious to the point where they will stop at nothing to meet their goals Macbeth goes on a killing spree to maintain his lies PLOT OUTLINE

Shakespeare Plot Ghosts and spirits become intermingled with guilt and angst for both Macbeth and his wife Macbeth given three more prophecies: Beware MacDuff, none of woman born shall harm Macbeth and never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him. Macbeth murders wives and children to make statements

Shakespeare Plot Lady Macbeth wracked with guilt and eventually dies. Suicide is suspected but never confirmed Noblemen in Scotland defect from the king and begin to stage a revolt Army forms to fight Macbeth using branches from Birnam Wood as a disguise Macbeth fights but is cocky because of the witch’s prophecy about not being able to be killed by a child born from a woman Macbeth killed New rightful king seated

Shakespeare Plot...STRUCTURE OF SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY... ACT I: Exposition, Exciting Force, Rising Action ACT II: Rising Action ACT III: Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action ACT IV: Falling Action ACT V: Falling Action, Catastrophe

Shakespeare Characters...CAST OF CHARACTERS... Three Witches – The “Weird Sisters” Duncan, King of Scotland – The true king Malcolm – Elder son of Duncan Ross – Nobleman and friend of Duncan Macbeth – Scottish Lord and later, King Banquo – Scottish Lord and friend of Macbeth Lady Macbeth – Wife of Macbeth Fleance – Son of Banquo MacDuff – Scottish Lord and friend of Duncan Other characters, children and castle people

Shakespeare Themes TRAGEDY OF CHARACTER Following ambition, guilt, motives, outside of the order of things TRAGEDY OF MORAL ORDER Changes to moral order by death of king, Great Chain of Being, Lady Macbeth calling the shots, WITCHCRAFT AND EVIL Three witches, darkness, chaos, conflict, ghosts

Shakespeare Key Scenes/Lines Act/SceneLineImportance I.i“Fair is foul”-The first scene, foreboding I.iii“All hail, Macbeth...”-First prophecies I.iii“Two truths are told”-Macbeth’s first soliloquy I.vii“Vaulting ambition”-Macbeth’s second soliloquy I.vii“screw your courage”-Lady Macbeth swasys Macbeth II.i“Is this a dagger...”-Macbeth’s third soliloquy III.i“To be thus is nothing”-Macbeth’s fourth soliloquy III.iii“Fly, good Fleance”-Murder of Banquo IV.i“something wicked”-Second set of prophecies V.i“hell is murky”-Madness of Lady Macbeth V.v“a tale told by an idiot”-Macbeth’s final soliloquy