Shakespeare’s
A Classic Tragedy
Elements of a Tragedy
• Main character (tragic hero) has a fatal
character flaw
• This flaw leads to the character’s
downfall or death
A true story?
•Shakespeare used
historical accounts of
real people such as
Macbeth when writing
many of his plays.
•However, he changed
many facts of history to
create more interesting
stories.
Setting: Medieval Scotland
• Scotland’s King Duncan
lives in Glamis Castle.
• The castle was the
childhood home of
England’s Queen Mother
(Prince Charles’
grandma).
• Glamis is reputed to
have several ghosts.
Scotland’s Royalty
Malcolm
eldest son of Duncan
Prince of Cumberland
Banquo
Thane of Lochaber
King Duncan
King of Scotland
Macbeth
Thane of Glamis
Thane of Cawdor
Donalbain
youngest son of Duncan
Macduff
Thane of Fife
Other Thanes:
Ross, Lennox,
Menteith, Angus &
Caithness
Female Characters
Lady Macbeth
Macbeth’s wife
Lady MacDuff
Macduff’s wife
Three Witches
Opening Battle Scene
• Norwegians attacking Scotland
• Norway led by Macdonwald and the
King of Norway
• Norway being assisted by the Thane of
Cawdor (a Scottish nobleman)
• Scottish troops led by the Thane of
Glamis (Macbeth) & Thane of Lochaber
(Banquo)
Witchcraft
• Many people in
Shakespeare’s day
believed in witches.
• King James I, who
financially supported
Shakespeare’s theater,
wrote a book about
witches.
• In literature, “fate” is often
represented as three old
women (Weird Sisters);
“wyrd” or weird meant fate
or destiny.
Common Beliefs about Witches
• Beards on women identified them as
witches
• Agents of the devil
• Had demon companions who appeared in
animal form (cats & toads)
• Blamed for killing farm animals
• Could create havoc but could not kill
humans
• Nine is a magical number.
Themes
• Great ambition
ultimately brings
ruin.
• All things are not as
they appear.
• “Fair is foul and foul
is fair.”
Now enjoy one of Shakespeare’s
greatest (and shortest) plays!
Literary Terms
• Aside—private words that a character in a play
speaks to the audience or to another character,
which are not supposed to be overheard by others
on stage
• Blank verse—poetry written in unrhymed iambic
pentameter
• Foil—a character who sets off another character
by sharp contrast
• Soliloquy—a long speech in which a
character who is usually alone onstage
expresses his or her private thoughts or
feelings.
• Tragic flaw—an error in judgment or
character weakness that leads to a
character’s downfall