Macbeth
Shakespeare!
• 1564-1616
• From Stratford-uponAvon, left Anne Hathaway
and their three children
there
• Lord Chamberlain’s Men
• First Folio published in
1623
• Wrote plays and poems,
sonnets are just as
popular and well-regarded
Stratford-Upon-Avon
The Lord Chamberlain’s Men
• Only company to
officially play
Shakespeare’s plays
• No women allowed to
play, men played all the
parts
• Played at The Curtain
Theatre until it was torn
down and carried south
of the river to build The
Globe in Southwark
The Globe
• Built in 1599
• Burned down in 1613
during a performance of
Henry the Eighth
• Rebuilt in 1614, stayed
open until 1642
• Modern version built in
1997 near the original
site
The Globe
The Globe
• Balcony Seats
• Groundlings
• The Stage
– The heavens
– Trap doors
– Tiring house
The Plays
• Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies
• Comedies: light tone, end in marriage, include
lovers, plot twists, deceptions/tricks, and
cleverness
• Histories: describe the history of various
British monarchs, depict the dangers of civil
wars, are often a series
• Tragedies: main character is admirable, but
flawed, ends in death, darker tone
Macbeth’s
Scotland
Witches
• Tell the future/make
prophesies
• ‘Three sisters’ from
mythology
– Fates or Graeae
Macbeth
• Thane of Cawdor
– Thane = leader/noble
• A good soldier and
leader, but perhaps not
a good man
• Lust for power shared
by his wife
Lady Macbeth
• Wife of Macbeth
• Pushes him to take over
the throne
• Willing to do absolutely
anything required to
obtain power
Duncan
• The King of Scotland
• A good man and a good
ruler
• Natural ruler- “Divine
Right of Kings”
• Trusts and favors
Macbeth
Other Characters
• Macduff- a Scottish nobleman who opposes
Macbeth
• Banquo- a good and respectable general who
is with Macbeth when the witches give them
both their prophecy
• Malcolm- Duncan’s son
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Themes
Fate- inevitable or made?
Lust for power
Nature of leadership
Psychological effects of evil actions
The nature of the sexes (Gender issues)
The Divine Right of Kings
Natural vs. Unnatural in acts and character
• Do you believe in Fate?