Macbeth

1
Macbeth

• Background and Plot Structure

2
Background

• Shakespeare combined 2 historical incidents to
  write his play.
• Donwalds murder of King Duff in 967
• Macbeths murder of King Duncan in 1040.
• Most incidents in the play actually happened but
  over a longer time span.

3
Plot Structure of the Shakespearean Tragedy

• Act I
• Exposition general atmosphere, time, place,
  main characters, and opening conditions of the
  play.
• Exciting Force something happens to start the
  action moving.
• Rising Action actions covering more than one
  act when the hero of the play is actively trying
  to make things work out as he or she intends.

4
Plot Structure (cont)

• Act II
• Rising Action
• Act III
• Rising Action
• Climax protagonist reaches height of power and
  a distinct change occurs. Things go against the
  hero following a downward path.
• Falling Action covers several scenes and shows
  all the ways things are going against the main
  character.

5
Plot Structure (cont)

• Act IV
• Falling Action Antagonist begins to rise in
  power. The conflict between the protagonist and
  the antagonist becomes the essence of the play.
• Act V
• Falling Action
• Moment of Final Suspense when things look as if
  they will go well for the protagonist
  momentarily believes that tragedy will be
  averted.
• Catastrophe complete downfall of the
  protagonist death or some other devastating
  circumstance.

6
The Curse of Macbeth

• www.straightdope.com
• In the first production of Macbeth, on August 7,
  1606, Hal Berridge, the boy playing Lady Macbeth,
  became feverish and died backstage. This story is
  likely mythical, and further tradition says that
  Shakespeare had to take over the part. (One
  version holds that Shakespeare played the role
  badly, and later chewed out his fellow actors for
  mentioning that play, thus beginning the
  tradition of not referring to it by name.)