An introduction to…
Objective
To understand the historical background of
Macbeth
To reflect on the nature of ambition as a
motivating force
To discover “The Curse” of Macbeth
Do Now- Answer the following:
Have you ever given in to temptation?
Are you a superstitious person? Explain.
How do you personally decide what is good
and what is evil?
What is the difference between greed and
ambition?
Do you believe “you reap what you sow”?
Do you believe our lives are lead by fate or
our actions alone?
Rate each statement on a scale of 1-10.
1 =disagree completely to 10 = agree wholeheartedly
Be prepared to explain your reasoning.
1. People who are striving to get ahead often step on other
people.
2. Being powerful usually is the same thing as being happy.
3. One mistake can often lead to another.
4. Everyone is capable of murder under the right circumstances.
5. People who are involved in criminal activities can still feel
love, fear, and concern for other people.
Macbeth:
An overall sketch…
Macbeth is a dark, relentless tale of a man who
is accounted a good and brave Scottish general
who, encouraged by the dark prophesies of
three evil witches and by his own wife, risks all
for power.
Shakespeare wrote the play for James I,
England's new king, who had been king of
Scotland.
To please James, Shakespeare set the play in
Scotland, used many characters who were
James' ancestors, and included witches, a
subject that James had written about.
The play is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy,
probably because King James often fell asleep
during performances.
Shakespeare's source for the story of Macbeth
was The History and Chronicles of Scotland
(1526), written by Hector Boece, a Scottish
historian and humanist.
(Many scholars question the factual reliability of
Boece's work, and point out that Shakespeare
took liberties with Macbeth's history for dramatic
purposes.)
Macbeth:
The Historical Background
The King of England in 1606 was
James I, a Stuart.
There was no Tudor successor to the throne
of England. Therefore, Elizabeth I chose
James VI of Scotland to succeed her. After
her death in 1603, James VI of Scotland
became James I of England.
Elizabeth I had been instrumental in the
death of her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots,
who was beheaded.
On her deathbed, Elizabeth wanted to ease
her way into Heaven, so she chose Mary’s
son James to become the next King of
England.
The appointment of James I was a good
political move, unifying England and
Scotland under one King.
Macbeth: a tribute to King James I
Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in 1606, during King
James’ reign.
King James was a devout advocate of the “Divine
Right of Kings.”
The setting is Scotland, King James’ homeland.
Banquo was an ancestor of James and is shown in
the play to be a virtuous person.
James believed himself to be an expert on
witchcraft.
James had an interest in faith healing.
Macbeth: an appeal to Elizabethan
people’s interests
Shakespeare demonstrated the Elizabethan belief
that the country is stable only if the King is good
and virtuous.
Elizabethans believed that evil occurs in darkness,
which is a recurring theme in Macbeth.
Shakespeare included a lot of blood and murder,
which the Elizabethans expected to see in a play.
The play was considered a thriller – a threat to an
anointed King and the perceived evil behind the
threat
Before the Curtain Opens
1.
2.
When the play begins, there are two wars
in progress:
Civil War - King Duncan vs.
Macdonwald’s rebels
National War - Scotland, led by King
Duncan, against invading Norway, led by
King Sweno
Setting
King Duncan is the King of Scotland.
Edward the Confessor is the King of
England.
The time period is the eleventh century
(1000-1099).
Shakespeare used poetic license to bend
some of the historical information.
The Scottish Play
It is believed to be bad luck to even
squeak the word ‘Macbeth’ in a
theatre
Legend has it you will lose all your
friends involved in the production—
horribly
Macbeth:
The Plot Overview
Macbeth:
The Characters
Macbeth Characters
Macbeth: brave general under Duncan
Lady Macbeth: wife of Macbeth
Macduff: A general, loyal to Duncan.
Banquo: Macbeth’s friend and general.
Fleance: Banquo’s son.
King Duncan: King of Scotland
Malcolm: Duncan’s eldest son
Donalbain: Duncan’s youngest son
The three witches: ladies with the power of
prophecy
Hecate: moon goddess and goddess of the
witches, directs supernatural occurrences
Ross: Macduff’s cousin, messenger who
carries news to people like Macbeth and
Macduff throughout the play.
Lennox: A nobleman
Seyton: Macbeth’s lieutenant.
Porter: watches Macbeth’s castle
Old Siward: Earl of Northumberland, ally of
Malcolm and Macduff
Young Siward: Old Siward’s son.
The Murderers: A group of ruffians
Lady Macduff: Macduff’s wife. The scene in
her castle provides our only glimpse of a
domestic realm other than that of Macbeth
and Lady Macbeth.