An introduction to…

Ask yourself the following: Have you ever given in to temptation?Do you believe in prophecies?How do you personally decide what is good and what is evil?What is the difference between greed and ambition?Do you believe “you reap what you sow”? Do you believe our lives are lead by fate or our actions alone?

Rate each statement on a scale of 1-10.1 =disagree completely to 10 = agree wholeheartedly

Be prepared to explain your reasoning.

1. People who are striving to get ahead often step on other people.

2. Being powerful usually is the same thing as being happy.

3. One mistake can often lead to another.

4. Everyone is capable of murder under the right circumstances.

5. People who are involved in criminal activities can still feel love, fear, and concern for other people.

Macbeth as a tragedy … Since the play is a tragedy it has the following criteria:

Tragic hero – male with a high social ranking or royal birthTragic flaw – a character weakness such as excessive ambition that leads to the character’s downfallTragic downfall – in Shakespearean tragedy, the downfall is always death, caused by the tragic flawCatharsis – the emotional response from the reader – feelings of sorrow, pity, terror, etc.

Supernatural abounds in Macbeth, specifically through the 3 witches and their leader, Hecate. The plot then focuses on Macbeth’s horrific reign in Scotland.

Motifs in Macbeth …Motifs are recurrent patterns in literature. You will be responsible for finding examples of the following motifs …

Loss of sleep and its effectClothing used metaphorically as in “to walk in someone else’s shoes”Images of light and dark representing truth and deception Images that convey deception and betrayal

MacbethMacbeth: : The SummaryThe Summary

Macbeth is a dark, relentless tale of a good and brave Scottish general who, encouraged by the dark prophesies of three evil witches and by his own wife, murders Duncan, king of Scotland. Macbeth then becomes king and brings about his own destruction.

Shakespeare wrote the play for James I, England's new king, who had been king of Scotland. To please James, Shakespeare set the play in Scotland, used many characters who were James' ancestors, and included witches, a subject that James had written about. The play is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy, probably because King James often fell asleep during performances.

Shakespeare's source for the story of Macbeth was The History and Chronicles of Scotland (1526), written by Hector Boece, a Scottish historian and humanist. (Many scholars question the factual reliability of Boece's work, and point out that Shakespeare took liberties with Macbeth's history for dramatic purposes.)

MacbethMacbeth: : The HistoricalThe Historical BackgroundBackground

The King of England in 1606 was James I, a Stuart.

There was no Tudor successor to the throne of England. Therefore, Elizabeth I chose James VI of Scotland to succeed her. After her death in 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England.Elizabeth I had been instrumental in the death of her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, who was beheaded.

On her deathbed, Elizabeth wanted to ease her way into Heaven, so she chose Mary’s son James to become the next King of England.

The appointment of James I was a good political move, unifying England and Scotland under one King.

MacbethMacbeth: : a tribute to King James Ia tribute to King James I

Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in 1606, during King James’ reign.King James was a devout advocate of the “Divine Right of Kings.”The setting is Scotland, King James’ homeland.Banquo was an ancestor of James and is shown in the play to be a virtuous person.James believed himself to be an expert on witchcraft.James had an interest in faith healing.

Macbeth: an appeal to Elizabethan people’s interests

Shakespeare demonstrated the Elizabethan belief that the country is stable only if the King is good and virtuous.Elizabethans believed that evil occurs in darkness, which is a recurring theme in Macbeth.Shakespeare included a lot of blood and murder, which the Elizabethans expected to see in a play. The play was considered a thriller – a threat to an anointed King and the perceived evil behind the threat

Before the Curtain OpensWhen the play begins, there are two wars in progress:

1. Civil War - King Duncan vs. Macdonwald’s rebels

2. National War - Scotland, led by King Duncan, against invading Norway, led by King Sweno

SettingKing Duncan is the King of Scotland.

Edward the Confessor is the King of England.

The time period is the eleventh century (1000-1099).

Shakespeare used poetic license to bend some of the historical information.

MacbethMacbeth: : The Plot OverviewThe Plot Overview

Macbeth is an interesting character to follow. As you read, you can see how he changes. We first meet Macbeth as a brave soldier and later find him as someone completely different …

Lady Macbeth is also a well-developed character. She is conniving and ruthless, though she does seem to have some humane qualities.

The play opens in Scotland. Macbeth and Banquo have defeated their enemies in battle, leading King Duncan to give the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth (who doesn’t know this yet).

Next, Macbeth and Banquo encounter three chanting witches. The witches speak to Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and king hereafter. They also tell Banquo that though he will not be king, he will beget kings (i.e., his sons will be kings).

MacbethMacbeth: : The CurseThe Curse

Macbeth Curse??????1606: First production. The boy playing Lady Macbeth became feverish and died backstage. Rumor has it that Shakespeare himself played the role.

1672: Amsterdam. The actor playing Macbeth substituted a real dagger for the stage dagger and killed the actor playing Duncan, in full view of the audience.

1703: Opening day. England was hit with one of the most violent storms in its history. 500 seamen died.

1849: a riot in which more than 30 people died at the Astor Place Opera House

April 9, 1865: Abraham Lincoln was reading passages from Macbeth (scenes following Duncan’s assassination) aloud to some friends. Within a week, Lincoln was himself assassinated

Curse – Wartime Production ….

The third witch fell ill and died of a heart attack during the final rehearsal.

The actor playing King Duncan died of angina (heart attack).

A witch was dancing around the cauldron, but would not maintain the tempo of the music. She collapsed

and died on stage.

The set designer committed suicide.

Curse – 1937 London Production ….

The director was nearly killed in a car crash. Lady M was badly bruised as well.

Laurence Olivier lost his voice and almost died when a weight from the stage lights

came tumbling down.

The founder of the theater had a heart attack and died on opening night.

A member of the audience was hit by a fragment of Olivier’s sword and then died of

a heart attack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LKMktAN4hcHistory of the Curse (2 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Daz_OpMfBmgOne man’s story (1 minute)

Curse – Is it Really True ?!?!?

MacbethMacbeth: : The CharactersThe Characters

Macbeth: Brave general under Duncan who becomes too ambitious after three witches’ prophesy that he will be King of Scotland. He turns to evil. Lady Macbeth: Vicious wife of Macbeth, even more ambitious than Macbeth. She convinces Macbeth to murder the King. Macduff: General, becomes suspicious of the Macbeths. Banquo: Macbeth’s friend and general. King Duncan: King of Scotland as the play opens.

Macbeth Characters

Malcolm: Duncan’s eldest son, next in line for the throne

The three witches: They tell Macbeth that he is to become King, leading him to evil. They also tell him that he will be defeated, but they disguise it in a way as to give him false confidence.

Characters Continued

Fleance: Banquo’s youngest sonHecate: Moon goddess and goddess of the witches, directs supernatural occurrences. Donalbain: Duncan’s youngest son. Ross: Macduff’s cousin, messenger who carries news to people like Macbeth and Macduff throughout the play. Lennox: Nobleman, suspicious of the murder of the king.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clG8ha2D26ghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1_I36qHDts

As you watch the video clips, make notes about what is going on in each of the scenes and decide which version is your favorite (the best). Be able to explain WHY …