William Shakespeare

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William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was born in
Stratford-on-Avon. He was baptized on April 23,
1564 and died there on April 23, 1616. At 18 he
married 26 year old Anne Hathaway. They had a
daughter, Susanna and twins, Hamnet and Judith.
Hamnet died when he was eleven. This is an
artists drawing of his original home.
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STRATFORD-ON-AVON

• This is Anne Hathaways house. Shakespeare and
  his family lived in it for a time. It has been
  restored and visitors can view how the playwright
  and his family lived.

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Shakespeare moved his family to London where he
became a member of a theatrical company, the Lord
Chamberlains men. He achieved some success as
an actor, poet and playwright. In 1598, he
partnered with James Burbage and created The
Globe Theatre along the banks of the River Thames.
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THE GLOBE THEATRE
The Globe was restored in the 1990s according to
plans and descriptions that survived.
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WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and MACBETH
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www.andycomuic.com/Images/macbeth.jpg
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Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through
the fog and filthy air. 11
What do you suspect immediately from this scene?
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The play Macbeth is called a tragedy but is he a
tragic hero?

• Aristotle offers a definition of a tragic hero
• He is a character of noble stature and a man of
  status.
• 2. The hero is great but not perfect. He is
  essentially like us.
• 3. The hero has an error of judgment or a tragic
  character flaw such as hubris which is arrogant
  pride.
• The heros punishment exceeds the crime.
• 5. The hero achieves self-knowledge
• 6. The audience is not in a state of depression a
  catharsis occurs pity and fear for the fate of
  the tragic hero.

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SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY
EXPOSITION time, place, mood, characters
revealed EXCITING FORCE begins conflict that
will continue throughout the play RISING ACTION
events which lead to the climax of the
play CLIMAX Turning point of the play. The
Shakespearean hero moves to his/her inevitable
end. CATASTROPHE (Denouement in French)
Consequences of the heros actions his death.
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ACT I exposition, exciting force, rising
action ACT II rising action ACT III rising
action, climax ACT IV falling action ACT V
catastrophe/denouement
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• Tragic heroes must inspire fear and pity. They
  contribute to their own destruction by acts that
  reveal a flaw in their character or a tragic
  error that leads to death.
• 2. The tragedy proceed from action a series of
  interconnected deeds and relationships that lead
  to complications and the inevitable catastrophe
  death.
• 3. The tragic hero is isolated.
• 4. Opposition to the hero is mobilized.
• 5. Hero finally recognizes his flaw.
• 6. Hero may attempt to restore lost honor and
  greatness.
• 7. Tragic hero dies.
• 8. Order is restored.

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As you watch the film decide if Macbeth and
Lady Macbeth are tragic heroes or pychopaths.
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Fair is foul and foul is fair. THEMES Nothing
is as it seems Appearance vs reality Macbeth -
And nothing is but what is not.(1.iii.155) Macbe
th False face must hide what the false heart
doth know. (I.vii, 95) Donalbain - Theres
daggers in mens smiles. (II.iii, 4)
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Themes continued Ambition - corrupting
force? Cruelty province only of men? Kingship
vs tyranny Supernatural/superstition effects on
behavior Anything else come to mind?
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• IMAGERY IN MACBETH
• Consider the following as you read
• Ill fitting clothing
• 2. Light vs darkness
• 3. Blood
• Water/washing
• 5. Nature vs supernatural
• 6. Weather
• Hallucinations/dreams

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As you read notice Shakespeares use of literary
or rhetorical devices. He is known for his
clever manipulation of language. Can you
find? allusion alliteration simile/metaphor irony
ramatic irony symbols
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An artists interpretation of Macbeths castle,
Dunsinane.
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Besides his wonderful language, many of
Shakespeares plays have famous soliloquies where
a character stands all alone on the stage and
reveals his thoughts aloud. In the next 3 slides
you will read parts of famous soliloquies from
Macbeth.
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Is this a dagger which I see before me, the
handle toward my hand? Come let me clutch
theeHear it not Duncan, for it is a knell, That
summons thee to heaven or to hell. (Macbeth, I,
i)
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Out, damned spot! out, I say! One two why,
then, tis time to do t. Hell is murky! Fie, my
lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we
fear who knows it, when none can call our power
to account? Yet who would have thought the old
man to have had so much blood in him?  (Lady
Macbeth, V, i)
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Out, out brief candle! Lifes but a walking
shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his
hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and
fury signifying nothing. (Macbeth V, v)
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As you watch the film, think about these
questions Is Macbeth completely a villain? Does
he have a conscience? What are the forces that
determine Macbeths destiny? To what degree are
the witches responsible for Macbeths
downfall? The play opens with the witches talking
in a thunderstorm. This creates atmosphere and
mood. What images throughout the play contribute
to the evil atmosphere? Were the actions of the
characters in tune with the atmosphere? Bad
dreams and disturbed sleep often represent
psychological turmoil. What examples of
disturbed do you find? What do they reveal about
the characters?
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Questions continued Does Macbeth or Lady Macbeth
remind you of any characters that you have read
about, seen on television or the movies? What
sort of music would you choose to surround the
play? What did you like about the play? What did
you hate?
THE END