NEW SPELLING LIST Week 2 Glossary Act: the movements of a play like Volumes in a novel Archaic: something from a past time Divine Right of Kings: the idea that God has chosen the King and his successors Genre: a type of text. It has set conventions and can be recognized by them. Imagery: creating a picture through texts—spoken, visual or read. Prose: non-structured, sentence and paragraph writing Scene: separates bits of a play’s plot. They are like chapters in a book. Soliloquy: where a character speaks aloud for the audience— there are no other characters listening. Theme: A message or idea that the composer intended the audience to consider, generally overarching. Verse: poetic writing with a structure and meter

SHAKESPEARE MACBETH

Written approximately in 1606, for King James …formerly, King James VI of Scotland, and supposedly a descendent of the real Banquo.  Why would Shakespeare write a play about Macbeth? Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s shortest and *bloodiest* plays, even though it contains 5 acts and a total of 29 scenes and most murder scenes take place off stage. Why?

SUMMARY What do you remember from our story yesterday? How did it begin? How did it end?

MACBETH SUMMARY “Inspired by a witch’s prophecy, Macbeth murders his way to the throne of Scotland, but his conscience plaques him, and his fellow lords rise up against him.” Macbeth tells the story of Macbeth. (Duh) Why is one Macbeth underlined and not the other? Macbeth is a brave Scottish general who hears a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will be king of Scotland. Consumed with ambitious thoughts and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and seizes the throne for himself. He reigns with guilt and fear, and soon becomes a tyrannical ruler. His fear leads him to commit more and more murders to protect his hold on the throne. The bloodbath swiftly propels Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to arrogance, madness and death.

KEY FACTS Date written: 1606, England Published: 1623 (First Folio) Genre: Tragedy Setting: Eleventh century, Scotland Protagonist: Macbeth Conflict: 1)Macbeth struggles with his conscience after his boundless ambition leads him to murder 2)Struggle between good (Banquo, Malcolm, Macduff) and evil (Macbeth & Lady Macbeth) 3)What else?

CHARACTERS Macbeth : from General to King, Macbeth is the main character who tragically dies at the play’s end. Lady Macbeth : Macbeth’s wife and conspirator—she urges Macbeth to murder. However, she cannot bear the reality and goes insane at the end. King Duncan : the good king of Scotland whom Macbeth murders in his sleep. Banquo : hears the prophecy, killed by Macbeth, his ghost later haunts Macbeth Fleance : Banquo’s son, survives Macbeth’s attempt to murder him. Presumably he will one day rule Scotland as according to the witches’ prophecy. Macduff : A Scottish nobleman hostile to Macbeth from the start of his kingship. He wishes to put Malcolm on the throne and revenge for Macbeth killing his family. Malcolm : Duncan’s son, and is rightfully restored to the throne in the end. Donalbain : Duncan’s son—Malcolm’s younger brother. Witches: plot against Macbeth and tell him their “prophecy.”

CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS… Go through the list of characters and make a diagram (picture) of their relationships. How would you do this? -Family Tree? -Picture of daggers next to those murdered? -Lightning for enemies? -Hearts for loyalty? -Crown for royalty -Crazy face to represent who went mad? -a ghost for those who haunt others?

THEMES Theme: Theme: A message or idea that the composer intended the audience to consider, generally overarching. Unchecked ambition as a corrupting force… The relationship between cruelty and masculinity… Kingship vs. Tyranny (good vs. evil—how to be a good ruler)…

WHY WOULD THIS STORY STILL RESONATE TODAY? Resonate: to be received or understood. Are there current movies that have similar themes?