1. Macbeth Notes #4
Hellenga

2. 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...

3. The Man That Would Be Shakespeare
William
The Man That Would Be Shakespeare
Born April 23, 1564
Started out performing with “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men”
Gave him a chance to write a play
Henry IV, Pt. 1- Not his best, but they gave him another shot

4. Reconstructed in the 1990’s
Many playwrights and actors with nowhere to “play”
The Globe and other theaters built during late 1500s
The Globe burns during a performance of Henry VIII in 1613
The Globe is rebuilt
The Globe is demolished by the Puritans in 1644
The Globe
Reconstructed in the 1990’s

5. Aristocrats
The Queen/King
The Groundlings!

6. 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

7. 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:
Still roughly 10% of a typical weekly salary

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

9. King Duncan of Scotland
Honest and good
Probably doesn’t deserve fate
Malcolm & Donalbain
Sons of the King
Malcolm is the eldest son
Macbeth
Duncan’s most courageous general
Ambition to become king corrupts him
The Characters

10. Banquo Lady Macbeth Macduff A General and Macbeth’s best friend
In time, becomes Macbeth’s enemy
An actual ancestor of King James I
Lady Macbeth
As ambitious as her husband
The dark force behind his evil deeds
Macduff
A Scottish nobleman who pays a terrible price for crossing Macbeth
He swears vengeance. Will he be avenged?

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

14. Macbeth is one of the most famous examples of the tragic hero.
Tragic Hero: “a man of high standard who falls from that high perch because of a flaw that has affected many” - Aristotle
Macbeth is one of the most famous examples of the tragic hero.
*However, how could John Proctor also be one?

15. Macbeth: The Hook Macbeth is a heroic figure as the play opens
But….he is ambitious
His wife is also ambitious, and she is able to bend him to her will
King Duncan decides to spend the night in the castle of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to celebrate a great victory won by Macbeth and Banquo
Will this prove to be a wise decision?

16. Great Line!
“Life’s but a walking shadow; a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and is heard of no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
- Act V; Scene 5