The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare

1
The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare
2
William Shakespeare

• 1564-1616
• There have been more words written about the
  English playwright William Shakespeare than about
  any other artist in history.
• He wrote 37 plays, 2 long narrative poems, and
  154 sonnets all within a period of 23 years.
• Many details of Shakespeares private life are
  shrouded in mystery.
• Although he was married with three children, most
  scholars agree that many of his sonnets (love
  poems) were written about a man.
• The time period in which Shakespeare lived is
  often referred to as the Elizabethan Era,
  referring to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of
  England (1558-1603).

. . . Not of an age, but for all time.
- Ben Johnson
3
MacbethSummary

• As the play begins, Macbeth is a noble and
  valiant captain who loyally serves King Duncan of
  Scotland.
• However, Macbeths ambition soon makes him hunger
  for greater power.
• Provoked by his equally ambitious wife and
  encouraged by the prophecies of three witches,
  Macbeth murders Duncan and becomes king.

4
MacbethSummary

• Next, Macbeth kills his former comrade-in-arms,
  Banquo, because he fears that Banquo suspects
  what he has done
• Macbeth attempts to scare another perceived
  threat Macduff, by slaughtering the noblemans
  family.
• Driven mad by guilt, Lady Macbeth commits
  suicide, while Macbeth continues desperately
  along a course of destruction.

5
MacbethSummary

• Finally, Macduff and his supporters successfully
  besiege Macbeths castle.
• After Macduff slays Macbeth, Duncans son Malcolm
  is proclaimed king.

6
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II Sources of the
Play
A Play Based in History

• Shakespeare based the main events in Macbeth on a
  book by Raphael Holinshed called Chronicles of
  England, Scotland, and Ireland.

• Shakespeare used this book as a source for many
  of his plays.

7
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II Sources of the
Play
Macbeth for Real
Macbeth was the real-life king of Scotland from
1040 to 1057.
However, the historical Macbeth

• had a legitimate claim to Duncans throne

• gained the throne with the help of other nobles

• ruled rather successfully

8
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II Sources of the
Play
Shakespeares Macbeth
Given the historical facts, why did Shakespeare

• paint Macbeth as such an evil, power-hungry man?

• give him no political allies?

• develop Lady Macbeth into such a ruthless and
  ambitious character?

• depict Macbeths reign as bringing nothing but
  disaster to Scotland?

9
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II Sources of the
Play
Backdrop for the Play
In the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, several Catholic
zealots plottedunsuccessfullyto blow up King
James I and his Protestant Parliament.
King James I
10
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II Sources of the
Play
Creative License

• Shakespeare probably altered Holinsheds story in
  order to create a play that would
• denounce the Gunpowder Plot specifically
• comment on threats to an anointed king in general

By making Macbeth evil and the consequences of
his actions devastating, Shakespeare in effect
paid homage to the reigning king, James I.
11
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II Sources of the
Play
A Play About People
Shakespeare was more interested in psychological
truth than in historical fact.
Macbeth may not be historically accurate, but it
is about real peoplemen and women tempted by
power and caught in a web of their own desires.
12
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I Introducing the
Play
You cannot have power for good without having
power for evil too. George Bernard Shaw
(18561950)
13
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I Introducing the
Play
The Domino Effect
Have you ever wondered . . .
how just one action might affect the entire
course of your life?
Can one selfish impulse lead to a chain of
decisions you will later regret?
14
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I Introducing the
Play
The Domino Effect
In Macbeth a brave and accomplished nobleman . . .

• deliberately murders someone to whom he should be
  loyal

• must then kill two other innocent men as a
  consequence

• finds he cannot turn away from his evil course

Where will this horrific chain of events lead?
What will the consequences be for the main
characters?
15
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I Introducing the
Play
Amid thunder and lightning a trio of witches
arranges to meet after a battle.
At a military camp, King Duncan learns that his
generals, Macbeth and Banquo, have defeated the
enemies.
16
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I Introducing the
Play
On the heath the witches offer a prophecy. They
tell Macbeth and Banquo that Macbeth will be king
of Scotland and that Banquo will beget rulers.
Will the prophecy of the witches come true? Will
Macbeths destiny be fulfilled?
17
Macbeth Quick Facts

• Protagonist   Macbeth
•  Major conflict   The struggle within Macbeth
  between his ambition and his sense of right and
  wrong
•  Climax  Macbeths murder of Duncan in Act II
  represents the point of no return, after which
  Macbeth is forced to continue butchering his
  subjects to avoid the consequences of his crime. 
• Theme   The corrupting nature of unchecked
  ambition
• Motifs   The supernatural, hallucinations,
  violence, prophecy
• Symbols   Blood the dagger the weather 

• Type of work   Play
• Genre   Tragedy
• Language   English
• Time and place written   1606, England
• Tone   Dark and ominous, suggestive of a world
  turned topsy-turvy by foul and unnatural crimes
• Setting (time)   The Middle Ages, specifically
  the eleventh century
• Setting (place)   Various locations in Scotland
  also England, briefly

18
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I Literary Focus
Tragedy
Tragedya literary work depicting serious
events, in which the main character, who is often
a high-ranking, dignified person, comes to an
unhappy end
19
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I Literary Focus
Tragedy
In a tragedy

• ill-judged human actions lead to inevitable
  catastrophe, usually including one or more deaths

• the characters bad deeds, crimes, and mistakes
  are never forgiven or rectified

By contrast, in a comedy

• the characters can do as they please as long as
  they amuse the audience

• the funny mess is easily cleaned up at the end

Act I Audio
20
MACBETHAct 1 Quick Review
21
When shall we three meet again, in thunder,
lightening, or in rain?
When the hurlyburlys done,when the battles lost
and won.
They agree to meet later on that day, in order to
speak to a man named Macbeth.
On a desolate heath in Scotland, three witches
discuss their plans.
That will be ere the set of sun.
22
News of Scotlands victory in battle reaches the
King, Duncan. He hears of the bravery of Macbeth
and Banquo and tells a nobleman, Ross, to go to
Macbeth and give him the title of Thane of
Cawdor as a reward. The man who used to hold
this title has been found to be a traitor, and is
executed.
23
The witches meet Macbeth and Banquo. They amaze
Macbeth by calling him...
Thane of Cawdor
and say that sometime in the future he
will,himself, be King.
They tell Banquo he will be the father of Kings,
but vanish when Macbeth starts to question them.
REMEMBER
Macbeth is already Thane of Glamis.
24
Ross then enters and tells Macbeth that he is
now Thane of Cawdor.
This news disturbs him, as the prophecies are
proving to be true.
25
When Macbeth and Banquo are welcomed by King
Duncan, he thanks them deeply and then names
Malcolm, his son, as his heir. Macbeth admits, to
himself, that this is an obstacle to his own
ambition. He leaves to go home to Inverness, to
prepare for the Kings visit.
26
At Inverness, Lady Macbeth learns of all these
events and plans to persuade her husband to kill
the King that night.
When Macbeth arrives she suggests this, and then
welcomes Duncan into their castle.
27
Macbeth tries to prepare himself for the murder,
debating with himself, and then his wife.
Cleverly, she persuades him to do it.