1. To be, or not to be, that is the question...
William
Shakespeare's
World
To be, or not to be, that is the question...
This above all, to thine own self be true...

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

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

4. Aristocrats
The Queen/King
The Groundlings-poor, pit standers

5. When in a play... Only men were permitted to perform
Boys or effeminate 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 courtiers

6. The Cost of a Show 1 shilling to stand
2 shillings to sit in the balcony
1 shilling was 10% of their weekly income
Broadway Today:
$85 Orchestra
$60 Balcony
10% of a teacher’s weekly salary

7. The tragedy of Macbeth Set in Scotland
Written for King James I (formerly of Scotland, now England)
Queen of Denmark (James’s sister) was visiting
Shakespeare researched The Chronicles - Banquo is an ancestor of King James I

8. What is there about Shakespeare that would interest a contemporary American? Why do we read this?
If being a “contemporary American” means being focused on dirty TV sitcoms, greed, casual sex, A-Rod and his steroid use, twerking, politicians showing their stuff in texts and going to jail for corruption then the answer is probably “Nothing.”
If a contemporary American can still ask, “Is life just a meaningless exercise in status-seeking, or is there anything to give us hope that morality is real?” -- then the answer is maybe that Shakespeare deals with basic human issues.

9. WITCHES
TREACHERY
MURDER
BLOOD
FAITHLESSNESS
DECEPTION
AMBITION 9

10. Notes Full title: The Tragedy of Macbeth Genre: Tragedy
Setting (time): 11th century
Setting (place): Scotland, and briefly, England
Protagonist: Macbeth
Major Conflicts: Macbeth struggles with his conscience (before and after murder); evil (Macbeth and Lady Macbeth); struggles with good (Malcolm and Macduff) 10

11. The Curse!

12. The Scottish Play
It is believed to be bad luck to even squeak the word ‘Macbeth’ in a theatre
Legend has it you will lose all your friends involved in the production--horribly
MORE ON THAT LATER...

13. The Tragic Hero
“Man of high standard who falls from that high because of a
flaw that has affected many” - Aristotle

14. Tragic Hero Hamartia – tragic flaw or error in judgment
Hubris – excessive pride
Macbeth violates the laws of his own nature
Only with his death, is the order in nature and society restored

15. Macbeth is one of the most famous examples of the tragic hero.
However, how could John Proctor also be one? What was his flaw?

16. So what really happens? Good guy goes bad Guy wants power
Married to a pushy control freak
She wants power
Kills people- LOTS of people
Gets power
Gets paranoid (a.k.a. goes crazy)
Ticks off a lot of people
Want more power! Kill! Kill!
Gets what’s coming to him in the end

17. Themes
Fair and foul – To the Weird Sisters what is ugly is beautiful, and what is beautiful is ugly. Throughout the play, fair appearances hide foul realities
Equivocation – To equivocate is to lie by saying something that sounds fair, but which has a hidden, foul meaning
Nature and the unnatural – In Macbeth the word “nature” usually refers to human nature. The whole play is about Macbeth’s unnaturalness.

18. Recurring motifs (patterns)
Blood
Clothing
Insomnia 18

19. what Macbeth is thinking and feeling, why he acts the way he does,
What to Watch For
what Macbeth is thinking and feeling,
why he acts the way he does,
and what consequences his evil brings about upon himself 19

20. At the Start of the Play
Macbeth is a very successful and highly venerable member of a social group, loaded with honors and enjoying every prospect of future commendations . He has a loving wife and a secure home in his castle at Inverness. He is praised for his heroic actions in defense of the kingdom. King Duncan thinks of Macbeth with high regard and treats him generously. 20

21. At the End of the Play
Macbeth is totally alone. He has no friends, he is universally disdained, his wife is dead, and all his most eager hopes have been disappointed. He is a man without a place in the social community. He has become totally isolated. 21

22. Why?
Because of his own free decisions!
He destroys himself. 22