1. Blank Verse: Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter Iambic Pentameter Iambic Pentameter A line of verse with five metrical feet, each consisting of one short (or unstressed) syllable followed by one long (or stressed) syllable A line of verse with five metrical feet, each consisting of one short (or unstressed) syllable followed by one long (or stressed) syllable A common meter in poetry consisting of an unrhymed line with five feet or accents, each foot containing an unaccented syllable and an accented syllable A common meter in poetry consisting of an unrhymed line with five feet or accents, each foot containing an unaccented syllable and an accented syllable

2. Macbeth William Shakespeare

3. Unit Objectives Trace the development of the characters Trace the development of the characters Analyze the characters and their relationships to each other Analyze the characters and their relationships to each other Discuss the dramatic development of the play Discuss the dramatic development of the play Identify and analyze Shakespeare’s use of language and techniques, as well as the the importance of literary elements on the development of the play Identify and analyze Shakespeare’s use of language and techniques, as well as the the importance of literary elements on the development of the play

4. Why did Shakespeare write Macbeth ? Only play set in Scotland Only play set in Scotland One of Shakespeare’s shortest plays One of Shakespeare’s shortest plays WHY? WHY? Queen Elizabeth’s death in 1603, no heir to the throne Queen Elizabeth’s death in 1603, no heir to the throne Closest relative was King James VI of Scotland—became King James I of England Closest relative was King James VI of Scotland—became King James I of England In 1606, King James was anticipating a visit from his brother-in-law, King Christian of Denmark In 1606, King James was anticipating a visit from his brother-in-law, King Christian of Denmark Shakespeare to write Macbeth for the royal celebration (and to flatter the new monarch) Shakespeare to write Macbeth for the royal celebration (and to flatter the new monarch)

5. A play for King James Set in Scotland Set in Scotland James was a descendant of Banquo and indirectly of Duncan James was a descendant of Banquo and indirectly of Duncan James believed in witchcraft and ghosts James believed in witchcraft and ghosts James was proud of his ancestry James was proud of his ancestry Macbeth took characters and plotlines from Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1587) (Shakespeare took poetic license though) Macbeth took characters and plotlines from Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1587) (Shakespeare took poetic license though)

6. History of Macbeth Macbeth ruled Scotland for 17 years Macbeth ruled Scotland for 17 years Duncan’s exiled sons plotting to invade Scotland and overthrow Macbeth (for the death of their father) Duncan’s exiled sons plotting to invade Scotland and overthrow Macbeth (for the death of their father) Lady Macbeth was the granddaughter of a Scottish king (whose family was a rival family to Duncan’s) Lady Macbeth was the granddaughter of a Scottish king (whose family was a rival family to Duncan’s) King James (VI of Scotland) (I of England) was a descendant of the Stuart dynasty—ancestry traced back to Duncan I (maternal) and Banquo (paternal) King James (VI of Scotland) (I of England) was a descendant of the Stuart dynasty—ancestry traced back to Duncan I (maternal) and Banquo (paternal)

7. Shakespeare’s Macbeth : a Tragedy “Because, says Aristotle, that’s how tragedy gets you to change—by forcing you to watch the destruction of someone you feel for—by making you feel horror and pity —the two key ingredients to any tragic conclusion. Those emotions, says Aristotle, are what cause us to check our own behavior; we have to relate to the hero, or we won’t see ourselves in him, and in his error, and we won’t learn to avoid that error ourselves. So a hero is also a martyr. He’s someone with a bad quality or two—but it’s a bad quality that he shares with all of us. And unlike us, he pays for that bad quality. He falls into a situation where, if we were in his shoes, we would do the same thing, and then we’re forced to watch as this guy suffers crushing agony in order to teach us a lesson.” Tragedy began in Ancient Greece—to teach a lesson Tragic Hero: someone we admire who suffers a great downfall

8. Ambition & Power Ambition & Power Cruelty & Masculinity (Gender) Cruelty & Masculinity (Gender) Fate & Free Will Fate & Free Will  Hallucinations  Violence  Prophecy o Blood o Weather Macbeth Themes  Motifs o Symbols

9. Figurative Language Dramatic Conventions and Techniques SimileMetaphorPersonificationHyperboleUnderstatementMotif Soliloquy/AsideFoilAllusion Use of Supernatural Madness Conflict (Internal)