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Macbeth Introduction

Macbeth Introduction. Written by William Shakespeare in 1605 Macbeth is a man who overthrows the rightful King of Scotland Shakespeare wrote Macbeth at the beginning of King James I’s reign Before James succeeded Elizabeth I he was king of Scotland

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Macbeth Introduction

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  1. Macbeth Introduction • Written by William Shakespeare in 1605 • Macbeth is a man who overthrows the rightful King of Scotland • Shakespeare wrote Macbeth at the beginning of King James I’s reign • Before James succeeded Elizabeth I he was king of Scotland • Placing the play in James’ homeland probably pleased him 1

  2. Will the real Macbeth please stand up? • Macbeth was a real king of Scotland • He did kill King Duncan • Reigned from 1040-1057 • Unlike the Macbeth in Shakespeare’s play, the real Macbeth: • had a legitimate claim to the throne • was a strong leader • had a successful reign • was killed at Lumphanan, not Dunsinane 2

  3. Connections for British Society • “Remember, remember the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot.I see no reason why gunpowder, treasonShould ever be forgot...” • In November 1605 the Gunpowder Plot was discovered • Guy Fawkes and his followers (Roman Catholics) planned to blow up Parliament • They wanted to bring down the British government and put a Catholic ruler on the throne • The plot was discovered; the men involved were tried and killed as traitors • Shakespeare sided with the king and thought that a play about treason and death would find an audience at this time 3

  4. So this is a comedy… right? • Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies (it is also his shortest) • Aside from the violent nature of the plot Shakespeare uses several literary devices to enhance the feeling of evil • He creates a serious and sinister mood by having most of the play take place at night • There is a heavy emphasis on the supernatural (witches, dreams, spells, and ghosts) • There is unusual and frightening weather & environmental disturbances throughout 4

  5. Macbeth Act 1 - Scene 1 • Witches - Supernatural influences • “Fair being Foul” - Paradox • King Duncan - Scotland • Duncan’s sons- Malcolm and Donaldbain • Generals - Macbeth and Banquo • Thunder , lightning , and rain - sense of doom 5

  6. Macbeth Act 1 - Scene 2 • Macdonaldwald’s rebellion • Ross tells Duncan of Norway’s rebellion - King of Norway - Sweno • Thane of Cawdor rebels against Duncan • Scotland wins - Macbeth gets title - Thane of Cawdor - “ THE SPOILS OF WAR” • Macbeth and Banquo - “Two spent swimmers” 6

  7. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 • The witches’ first prophesy has come true - Thane of Cawdor • Macbeth - “So foul and fair a day , I have not seen” - recalls witches’ first scene • Banquo - “The instruments of darkness tell us truths - only to betray us” 7

  8. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 4 • Execution of Cawdor -“You can’t tell what is in a person’s heart by looking at his face” -“Nothing in his life became him like the leaving of it” • Duncan- Malcolm to be King • Macbeth- “Let not light see my black and deep desires” 8

  9. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5 • Macbeth’s home - Castle of Inverness • Lady Macbeth comes up with plan to kill Duncan - Husband is weak • “The milk of human kindness” • Lady Macbeth – “Unsex me now. . .” 9

  10. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 6 • Lady Macbeth=chameleon - perfect hostess • Duncan’s speech full of dramatic irony - “castle pleasant,” - “air is sweeter,” sees a martlet (a summer bird) • to Duncan the castle appears to be a paradise 10

  11. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 • Lady Macbeth - convinces Macbeth to do the “horrid deed” • Macbeth’s soliloquy - marked by confusionDuncan - Kinsman and his subject , a good King and virtuous man , a popular King , whose death would hurt Scotland • Lady Macbeth’s arguments: -“What could have been when he can be King” - “ Would kill her own baby to do this” 11

  12. Macbeth Act II, Scene i • Past midnight - Moon has set and the “Candles” of heaven cannot be seen - dark brooding • Banquo draws sword - irony doesn’t know Macbeth is going to kill Duncan • Dagger Speech - Mental disturbance • “Is this a dagger which I see before me,The handle toward my hand?” —Macbeth, 2.1.42–3 12

  13. Macbeth Act II, Scene ii • Lady Macbeth - “That which have made them drunk, hath made me bold, What hath quenched them have given me fire” • Drunk with boldness and on fire with passion • Lady Macbeth -would have murdered Duncan had he not looked like her father • Macbeth has two concerns - he has murdered sleep , bloodiness of deed • Lady Macbeth - blood is only like paint wash it off 13

  14. Act II, Scene ii (cont.) • Knocking - knocking of their consciences- actual knock • “With all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?”—Macbeth, 2.2.78–9 14

  15. Macbeth Act II, Scene iii • Porter - light comedy • farmer and equivocator have specific religious and historical connotations • A few months before Macbeth performed - Gunpowder plot – James I- Guy Fawkes and John Garnett (nicknamed the farmer) • Lennox - extraordinary weather -unnatural events - The universe and events related 15

  16. Act II, Scene iii (cont.) • Macbeth says he has killed servants - Lady Macbeth faints • Macbeth and other Thanes swear to meet “in manly readiness” to avenge this act of “treasonous malice” • “ There’s daggers in men’s smiles” • Donaldbain - Ireland • Malcolm - England 16

  17. Macbeth Act II, Scene iv • Macbeth has become King • Donaldbain and Malcolm have fled • Old Man - Traditional figure in lit. represents what “has been” • owl kills falcon - daylight has been replaced by night - horses of the King’s stable have eaten each other • The world he has known has been turned on its head 17

  18. Macbeth Act III, Scene i • Banquo suspects Macbeth - gains comfort from 2nd prediction - his own children will be Kings • Even with new title Macbeth does not feel at ease • calls murderers dogs but shows his own inhumanity and imperfections -also wants to kill Fleance 18

  19. Act III Scene ii • Macbeth, not Lady M., plans B’s murder • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s world not at peace • Macbeth wants to get rid of his bond with humanity • “We have scotch’d the snake, not killed it.”—Macbeth, III.ii.15 • “Duncan is in his grave; After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well.”—Macbeth, III.ii.24–5 19

  20. Act III Scene iii • Banquo is killed – Murderers’ lantern extinguished - Fleance escapes • Forces of darkness are at odds with light • Murderers capable of poetry • Escape of Fleance = turning point = Peripeteia = sudden reversal of fortune • Banquo’s dying words: “to revenge” 20

  21. Act III Scene iv • Macbeth has Thanes of Scotland to banquet - Macduff not there • Murderers tell Macbeth what happened - Macbeth is upset • Macbeth sees ghost - goes into a fit • Macbeth has lost control • Macbeth will kill Macduff and visit three sisters • “It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood.” —Macbeth, III.iv.152–53 21

  22. Act III Scene v • Most agree this scene was not in the original play • Hecate (goddess of witches) joins the weird sisters 22

  23. Act III Scene vi • Lennox reveals doubts about Macbeth - Did he kill the guards hastily? • Macduff has fled to England to join forces with Malcolm and also asks help from King Edward of England 23

  24. Macbeth Act 4 Scene 1 • “Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”—Witches, 4.1.10–1 • Macbeth to witches-demands predictions • 1. disembodied head: “Beware Macduff” • 2. blood-covered child: Macbeth cannot be killed by any man “ of woman born” • 3. a child wearing a crown promises Macbeth cannot lose in battle until Birnam wood moves to Dunsinane 24

  25. Act 4, scene 1 • Macbeth asks about Banquo’s sons and sees a procession of Banquo and future kings • Macbethless future • Macduff has fled to England and Macbeth announces revenge of Macduff’s wife and children • “I’ll make assurance double sure.”—Macbeth, 4.1.93 25

  26. Act 4 Scene 2 • Lady Macduff feels Macduff has acted dishonestly • Son says the world is full of dishonest men 26

  27. Act 4 Scene 3 • “At one fell swoop.”—Macduff, 4.3.256 • Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty - says he would be a great tyrant - reverse psychology • Macduff still hates Macbeth - Malcolm has gotten what he wants: Macduff’s loyalty • Ross tells him of the slaughter of wife and child - Macduff vows revenge 27

  28. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 1 • “Out, damned spot! out, I say!” (5.1.31) • “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” (5.1.46–7) • “What’s done cannot be undone.”(5.1.62) • Played in dark except one candle, indicates spiritual darkness • Lady Macbeth has gone mad - sleepwalks and tells fragments of events 28

  29. Act 5, scene 1 (cont.) • overheard by doctor and lady-in-waiting • Lady Macbeth is seen rubbing her hands - • Lady Macbeth needs “divine” help: “More needs she the divine than the physician.” (5.1.68) 29

  30. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 3 • Macbeth dismisses reports of invasion and reports of his own men deserting (confident tyrant) • Trusts the prophecies • Criticizes servant: “cream-faced,” “lillyliver’d”) • Servant announces huge army • Macbeth orders Doctor to cure Lady M. 30

  31. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 4 • English and Scotish armies under leadership of Malcolm meet at Birnam Wood • Malcolm orders soldiers to cut a branch and carry it in front of them as camouflage to “shadow the number of our hosts” (5.4.7-8) • taken from Holinshed’s Chronicles - 1577 31

  32. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5 • Macbeth fully armed - brave rhetoric • shriek offstage - The queen is dead • Birnam Wood appears to have uprooted itself advancing towards Dunsinane • Shakespeare - Power-seeking tyrants tend toward self-destruction • “I have supped full with horrors.”—Macbeth, 5.5.14 - Banquo’s ghost • Re: Life: “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. . .”—Macbeth, 5.5.21 32

  33. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 6 • Malcolm and his troops have reached Dunsinane • Macduff’s ordering of troops indicates discipline - harbinger or sign of what is to come 33

  34. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 7 • Macbeth challenged by son of Siward • Macbeth’s forces have surrendered Dunsinane Castle • “They have tied me to a stake: I cannot fly” • kills young Siward - “Thou wast born of woman” • Macduff - ironic timing- takes place of Siward 34

  35. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 8 • Macbeth and Macduff finally face to face • Macbeth wants to avoid Macduff: “My soul is too much charged/With blood of thine already” (5.8.6-7) • Macbeth thinks he’s invincible • Macduff tells him he entered the world “Untimely ripp’d” from mothers womb • Macbeth realizes witches are “imperfect speakers” • Macbeth dies 35

  36. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 9 • Malcolm proclaimed new king of Scotland • true friends “we miss” • loyalty • he will rule with graciousness and humility • Macduff enters with Macbeth’s head 36

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