Macbeth Notes
Renaissance plays derived from early religious plays: miracle & mystery (taught stories from the Bible)
and morality plays (Everyman/taught Christian principles)
Interlude plays- 1500s, one-act plays, could be religious or rowdy; playwriting stopped being
anonymous.
Shakespeare’s plays
Written in 1590s-early 1600s
Most popular: deformed usurper who becomes the king of England (Richard III); rowdy farce about
mistaken identity (The Comedy of Errors); poetic tragedy about ill-fated lovers (R&J)
During Elizabeth I reign, he became extremely popular; wrote mostly history plays: Henry IV (both
parts), Richard II, Henry V.
17th century, he wrote great tragedies: Othello, Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth.
How to read difficult texts
1. Iambic pentameter imitates the natural rhythm of human speech; read it aloud. You will understand
more than you think.
2. Use the footnotes provided to explain the meaning of words that are unfamiliar.
3. Read the summary provided for each scene. Read the stage directions. Both provide background
information and context.
4. Ask yourself questions when you feel lost. Examples: What is this guy asking? What are they doing?
Where are they? How do they feel about what’s happening? Why did he say that?
Sources of the Play
Renaissance drama had to be about real people whose deeds are recorded in history.
Raphael Holinshed wrote Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1577); Shakespeare used this
material for many of his plays, including Macbeth.
Real Macbeth
Legitimate claim to King Duncan’s throne.
Gained the throne with the help of other nobles dissatisfied with King Duncan; Macbeth ruled
successfully afterwards.
Shakespeare’s Macbeth
No supporters minus his wife, Lady Macbeth.
His reign brings nothing but violence and disaster to Scotland.
Why did Shakespeare change what happened?
He wanted to reflect the events and attitudes of his own time.
Scandal: the Gunpowder Plot of 1605- several Catholic zealots plotted to blow up King James I and his
Protestant Parliament. It would be like someone trying to bomb U.S. Capital during a presidential
address.
Macbeth was considered a thriller during its time. Since King James was Shakespeare’s “audience”, he
altered the play to favor the king. Since he ruled by divine right, he favored any plays that were against
revolt or danger to the monarchy.
Shakespeare dealt with psychological truth versus historical fact.
Themes: ambition, power, caught up in wants and needs. This makes it universal for all time.
Literary Focus
Tragedy- a story in which a heroic character dies or comes to another unhappy end.
Protagonist characteristics in a tragedy: dignified, courageous, high ranking.
Tragic flaw- a character weakness or error in judgment
Tragic hero will gain wisdom by the end of the story.
Play Summary
Act I
Witches meet Macbeth on the heath as he returns from battle. A captain reports to King Duncan of
Scotland that Macbeth has killed the traitor Macdonwald in battle. Another lord reports that Macbeth
and Banquo have forced the invading Norwegians to surrender. Unknown to Macbeth, Duncan
condemns to death the present Thane of Cawdor for treason and awards Macbeth his title. Macbeth
and Banquo meet three witches who make three predictions: that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor;
that Macbeth will be king; and that Banquo will beget kings. Ross and Angus, two noblemen, arrive to
tell Macbeth he has been named Thane of Cawdor. The news causes Macbeth to take the witches’
prophecies seriously, and he begins to consider murdering King Duncan. At Inverness, Lady Macbeth
reads a letter from Macbeth relaying the witches’ prophecies. Fearing Macbeth is too softhearted to do
what he must to become king, she resolves to use her power over him to steel his will. When she learns
the king will visit their castle that night, Lady Macbeth sees it as the perfect opportunity to murder him.
King Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle. The king comments with dramatic irony on the pleasant
atmosphere surrounding Macbeth’s home.
Act II
Macbeth is agonizing over his impending deed- the murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth scolds him for his
squeamish hesitancy, yet she herself feels ambivalent, saying that she would kill Duncan herself, except
that he looks like her father. After Macbeth kills Duncan, Lady Macbeth smears the sleeping servants
with Duncan’s blood, leaving the daggers in the servants’ hands. The next morning those in the castle
discover that Duncan is dead. Macbeth kills the servants, seemingly out of revenge for Duncan’s
murder, but really to protect himself. Lady Macbeth pretends to faint in horror at the king’s murder.
Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, fearing they will be murdered next, flee to England and Ireland
respectively. Their disappearance causes Macduff to suspect them of killing their father.
Act III
Macbeth opens up with Banquo voicing his suspicion that Macbeth has murdered Duncan. Banquo rides
with Fleance away from the castle during the afternoon, but Macbeth meets with two men and instructs
them to kill Banquo and Fleance. Lady Macbeth asks Macbeth to be merry at dinner. The murderers kill
Banquo as he returns to the castle, but Fleance escapes. At dinner, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost. Lady
Macbeth makes excuses and sends everyone home. Macbeth says he will visit the witches. Hecate says
that her magic will bring about Macbeth’s ruin. Lennox and a lord discuss the growing opposition to
Macbeth, and say that Macduff has gone to England to join Macbeth.
Act IV
Begins with the three witches concoct a foul brew and chant over a caldron. Macbeth enters and
demands to know the future. The witches show him three apparitions that warn him of the threat of
Macduff and the continuation of Banquo’s royal line. The witches vanish, and Lennox enters to tell
Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England. Macbeth resolves to murder Lady Macduff and her children.
Meanwhile, Macduff secures aid from Malcolm and forms an army to fight Macbeth’s forces. Ross
enters to tell Macduff his family has been murdered. Turning his grief into anger, Macduff prays to meet
Macbeth in battle.
Act V
While Macbeth gathers his men to fight Malcolm, Lady Macbeth is left alone in the castle at Dunsinane.
She thinks about the atrocities Macbeth has committed at her command and of his own will; the guilt
drives her mad and she dies. Macbeth thinks himself indestructible, but is killed by Macduff, who is not
“woman born.” Malcolm is hailed as the new king as the play draws to a close.