The Tragedy of Macbeth
William Shakespeare
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Introduction
Background
Discussion Starters
The Tragedy of Macbeth
William Shakespeare
Be careful
what you wish for.
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Introduction
What would you do if you encountered three
strange women who predicted your future
and then those
predictions started
coming true?
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Introduction
Suppose the women predicted that you
would become a powerful ruler
someday.
Would you want to wait
to see if this came true?
Or would you want to
make it come true?
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Introduction
As The Tragedy of Macbeth opens, the Scottish
army is battling invading forces
Norwegian
forces
Scotland
and King Duncan wants a victory.
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Introduction
Macbeth fights ferociously
killing the traitor
Macdonwald and
planting Macdonwald’s
head on the castle
battlements.
King Duncan is impressed.
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Introduction
While crossing the stormy countryside after the
battle, Macbeth and Banquo encounter a trio of
witches.
Double, double, toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Introduction
The weird sisters make these
predictions:
•Macbeth will earn noble titles.
•Banquo will produce a line of kings.
•Macbeth will be King of Scotland.
Then, the witches vanish, and
a messenger appears to tell
Macbeth that King Duncan has
just given him a noble title.
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Introduction
All Macbeth can think about is the sisters’ final
prophecy …
And the thought that he might become king.
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Introduction
His wife, the ambitious Lady Macbeth longs for
•high position
•power
•wealth
•prestige
She’ll do anything to make her husband king.
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Introduction
She just may get her chance. King Duncan
decides to visit Macbeth’s castle.
Will the king live to rule another day?
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Background
William Shakespeare wrote more than 36 plays and
150 poems in his lifetime. He is considered the
most influential writer in English literature.
More than four
hundred years
later, his works
still influence
•movies
•music
•TV shows
•video games
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Background
In the tragedy Macbeth, Shakespeare explores
the damaging nature of overwhelming ambition
and greed.
It is the shortest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, and
includes this simple message: “Thou shalt not kill.”
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Background
Before Shakespeare’s time, troupes of actors
traveled the countryside, to perform
in parks
halls
courts
courtyards
and in other
open spaces they
could find.
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Background
In 1576, the first playhouse, called The Theater,
was built outside London’s city walls. Soon other
famous London theaters followed.
•the Rose
•the Fortune
•the Swan
•the Red Bull
•the Globe Theater
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Background
Now drama could be a permanent experience for
theater crowds, rather than a traveling show.
main stage
covered seats
actors
cheap standing
room
The Tragedy of Macbeth:
Discussion Starters
Discuss (1)
• Shakespeare’s works are just as popular today
as they were in his lifetime. Why do you think
these stories are still so admired and imitated
400 years later?
• Shakespeare’s writing works as well on the stage
as it does on the written page. Why? Do you
think that acting out a story on stage adds to its
emotional effect?
The Tragedy of Macbeth:
Discussion Starters
Discuss (2)
Macbeth and his wife are overwhelmed with
ambition, so they plot to steal the throne of
Scotland.
• Which character is more willing to do evil? Why?
Do you think they will suffer a price for their
actions?
• Do you think Shakespeare means for this story
to be a cautionary tale, or warning? How?