MACBETH: ACT I
Paradox
Asides, Monologues, and Soliloquies
The Fates and the Witches
The Great Chain of Being
Important Quotes
Characters
History
Lady Macbeth
Themes & Symbols
PARADOX
Catch-22
What is a Catch-22?
Why is a Catch-22 a paradox?
Where are there paradoxes in Macbeth?
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ASIDES, MONOLOGUES, AND SOLILOQUIES
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What is an Aside (who’s speaking and to whom)?
Where can you find one in the text?
What is a Monologue (who’s speaking and to whom)?
Where can you find one in the text?
What is a Soliloquy (who’s speaking and to whom)?
Where can you find one in the text?
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THE FATES AND THE WITCHES
Who were the fates?
 What do they symbolize in Macbeth?
 How are the witches of Macbeth similar to the
Fates of Greek mythology?
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THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING
Who was at the top of the Great Chain of Being and
why?
 Who was the closest human to God?
 What happened if a “good” King was murdered?
 Where would women be on this chain?
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What does this say about Lady Macbeth?
 Could Shakespeare be a feminist?
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IMPORTANT QUOTES
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Act I, Scene I
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Act I, Scene v
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Act I, Scene vii
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CHARACTERS
Duncan
 Macbeth
 Lady Macbeth
 Banquo
 The Witches
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HISTORY
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Where does the story take place?
Scotland
 Ireland
 England
 Wales
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What is the real history of Macbeth?
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LADY MACBETH
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“Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art
promised. Yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full o’ th’ milk of
human kindness to catch the nearest way” (I.v.17-19).
“Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top full of direst cruelty”
(I.v.41-44).
“What beast was ‘t then that made you break this enterprise to
me? When you durst do it, then you were a man…” (I.vi.48-49).
“I have given suck , and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that
milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked
my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had
I so sworn as you have done to this” (I.vi.54-58)
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THEMES & SYMBOLS
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Supernatural
Weather
Sleep
Deception
Demasculinization
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DUNCAN
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A “Good” King who values Macbeth for his
bravery in battle and has anointed him “Thane of
Cawdor.”
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are planning on
slaying Duncan.
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MACBETH
Loyal to the King until…
 Shows bravery on the battlefield, but shows weakness
when it comes to his wife.
 Still has a conscience: “The supernatural soliciting
cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill, why hath it given
me earnest of success, commencing in a truth?”
(I.iii.130-133)
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BANQUO
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Friend of Macbeth
Prophesy from the witches said that he would have children who
would be king one day…what does this say about Macbeth’s
position as King?
First Witch: “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater”
Second Witch: “Not so happy, yet much happier.”
Third Witch: “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none” (I.iii.
65-68)
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SUPERNATURAL
The Witches
 Prophesies
 Weather
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WEATHER
Scene i with witches – thunder and lightening.
 Scene iii with witches – thunder
 Predictor of things to come (gives a sense of
foreshadowing and ominous things to come)
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SLEEP
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First Witch: “I’ll drain him dry as hay: sleep shall
neither night nor day hang upon his penthouse lid”
(I.iii.19-21)
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DECEPTION
Macdonwald towards King Duncan
 Macbeth towards King Duncan
 Lady Macbeth towards King Duncan
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DEMASCULINIZATION
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Lady Macbeth towards her husband
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