Macbeth

1. Macbeth

2. Basic Information Dramatis Personae • Duncan: King of Scotland • Macbeth: Decorated General • Lady Macbeth: Macbeth’s wife • Banquo: Macbeth’s best friend; general in army • Macduff: Friend of Macbeth; Nobleman • Fleance: Banquo’s son • Malcolm: Duncan’s son • Donalbain: Duncan’s son • Witches: Foreseers of future

3. Basic Information • First play written under King James I • Shakespeare added a lot of things that James would identify with: • Male rule • Heirs • An innocent Banquo • Drive: • Determination and predestination • An unnatural force

4. Basic Information • Really a history/tragedy • Holinshed wrote a similar work • If the name of the main character is in the title, it is a history or tragedy • Moving from the Elizabethan to Jacobean rule in England • 1603 Queen Elizabeth dies (in power 45 years) • 1604 James I takes the throne (James is Scottish) • 1616-Shakespeare dies • 1624-James I dies

5. Act I Scene 1 • Play opens in an “open place” • No specific setting noted • Three witches: • Read I.1-1045 • Announce their intentions to meet with Macbeth • War between Duncan and Thane of Cawdor • Play witches scene

6. Act I Scene 2 • At the king’s camp: • Officer tells Duncan and Malcolm about heroism of Macbeth and Banquo • They won the battle • They captured the current Thane of Cawdor • Duncan transfers the title to Macbeth

7. Act I Scene 3 • Read I.3-1046-1047 • The witches meet again: • Brag about their deeds • Wait for Macbeth and Banquo to appear • Macbeth: “Foul and fair”: • Foreshadows the future • Witches predict: • Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor • Macbeth will become King of Scotland • Banquo will never rule but his kids will • Macbeth hears that he has become Thane of Cawdor and suspects that the witches were right • Watch movie scene

8. Act I Scene 4 • Read I.4-1048 • Duncan and his sons greet Macbeth and Banquo: • Duncan greets Macbeth as Thane • Duncan invites himself and company to Macbeths new castle • Duncan then names his son, Malcolm, as his successor

9. Act I Scene 5 • Read: I.5-1048-1049 • Lady Macbeth reads letter from her husband: • Named Thane • Predictions of witches • Figures that she needs to provoke his ambition • Perfect opportunity to kill the king • Macbeth appears and they discuss a plan • Play movie scene: Letter reading/MB’s return

10. Act I Scene 6 • The guests arrive: • Duncan • Malcolm • Donalbain • Banquo • Lady Macbeth welcomes them and is perfectly sweet to their faces although she plans to kill Duncan

11. Theme: Equivocation • Definition: • Open to two or more interpretations and often intended to mislead; ambiguous. • The use of words or expressions susceptible to double signification • The use of equivocation is the most important theme in the play

12. Theme: Equivocation of the Witches • Prophecies are ambiguous • Full of paradox and confusion • “Fair is foul and foul is fair” • They speak with alliteration in rhymed couplets • They add elements of confusion to their words • They are able to confuse Macbeth easily • They speak of the future but are unable to affect it directly • Banquo foreshadows on 1047: • These witches will push Macbeth

13. Theme: Interpretation of Witches • Weird comes from Old English Wyrd meaning fate • Macbeth’s Interpretation: • Suggest future not affect it • Must act on predictions to gain truth • Banquo’s Interpretation: • Affect the future • Must not act on their musings • The witches add: • Mirroring • Doubling

14. Mirroring: Macbeth and Lady • Mirroring heightens the differences between the characters • Macbeth is the double for Duncan: • Macbeth is violent and cruel • Duncan is peaceable and rewarding • Lady Macbeth is the double of Lady Macduff: • Lady Macbeth casts off her femininity and has no problem killing even her own child • Lady Macduff is the model of a good mother and would die to save her child

15. Being vs. Seeming • Fundamental definition of equivocation • Complex differences between the inner and outer world: • Macbeth is told to: • “Look like th’ innocent flower/But be the serpant under’t” • Lady Macbeth calls: • “Unsex me here” • Nightmares and guilt will eat at both characters

16. Act II: Scene 1 • Read II.1.1050 • Macbeth’s famous soliloquy • Sees a dagger in mind reminiscent of his dagger • “a false creation”: messing this murder up could destroy the coup • “fools”: victims • “eyes worth all the rest”: must rely on his eyes, not his heart or mind to become king • “gouts of blood”: the blood on the dagger signals that the action must be done • “Tarquin” a character in a Shakespearean poem, an allusion to himself, very rare • “I go and it is done”: Duncan is as good as dead

17. Act II: Scene 1 • Read 2.1-1052 • Lady Macbeth announces that she drugged Duncan’s guards • Macbeth comes back and says that he has done the “foul deed” • Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to forget “brain sickly things” like praying and God’s wrath • Macbeth’s mistake is bringing the daggers back with him • Lady Macbeth must take them back to plant by the guards • Play Movie: Lady Macbeth poisoning the guards, Macbeth’s Dagger soliloquy, Duncan’s murder scene, Lady taking daggers back

18. Act II Scene 1 • Read II.1.1052-1053 • The clown, Porter, answers the knocking • Lets Macduff and Lenox into the castle • Macduff discovers the king’s body • The real murderers blame the guards • Malcolm and Donalbain make plans to flee Scotland

19. Act II Scene 2 • An old man is discussing the omens of the night with Rosse • Macduff enters with news that the king is dead • Macduff announces that Macbeth is the new King of Scotland

20. Theme: Visions and Hallucinations of Guilt • “Dagger of the mind” • The dagger is a physical manifestation of the guilt Macbeth feels about killing Duncan • All of the ghostly occurrences are psychological • Macbeth cannot pray or sleep

21. Metaphor: Macbeth’s lack of sleep • “Macbeth shall sleep no more” • Freud said (centuries later) that: • Dreams are the gateways to the waking world • By not sleeping or dreaming, Macbeth will not have any further connection to the waking world • He is now the king of a country, in a world, he is not part of

22. Pathetic Fallacy • Two of Duncan’s horse eating each other • Owl eating a falcon: • Many birds of prey symbols • Duncan sees martlets nesting on Macbeth’s castle walls • Martlets are lucky birds • Lady Macbeth hears ravens when she cries to be unsexed • Ravens are birds of prey like she is • While Lady waits for Macbeth to kill Duncan she hears an owl hooting • Owl is a metaphor for Macbeth who also hunts Duncan at night • This owl could be the bell Macbeth hears • These echo the slaughter of one nobleman by another • The murder plunges the country into turmoil

23. Act III: Scene 1 • Read 3.1-1055-1056 • Banquo puts it all together in soliloquy • Banquo recalls the prophesy of his son ruling • When Banquo leaves, Macbeth plans to have two murderers kill Banquo and his son to prevent the witches prophesy from coming true • Watch movie: Banquo puts it together, Macbeth talks to Banquo, Macbeth plans the murder and talks to the murderers

24. Act III: Scene 2 • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth discuss the threat of Banquo and Fleance • Macbeth hints at his plan to kill them but does not tell her directly • Many think that the lack of involvement of Lady leads to this act failing and Fleance (hence his name Flee (run) (L)ance (leaving) getting away

25. Act III: Scene 3 • Two murderers are joined by a third and they wait for Banquo and Fleance • Banquo is killed and Fleeance gets away • Play movie scene: Banquo and Fleance vs. 3 murderers

26. Act III: Scene 4 • Banquet in Macbeth’s honor • He is informed of the news of the evening and sees Banquo’s ghost at the table • This highly upsets Macbeth, but recovers • The ghost of Banquo returns • Lady Macbeth excuses her husband and says that he periodically suffers from seizures • Macbeth plans to seek out the itches and learn more about the threats against them • Play Movie Scene: Banquet with Banquo’s ghost

27. Act III: Scene 5 • Read III.5-1059 • We meet the demon goddess Hecate • She scolds the witches because they did not invite her to participate in their scheme for Macbeth • She tells them that they should make up some potent spells to share with Macbeth

28. Act III: Scene 6 • Lenox talks to another Lord about the deaths of Duncan and Banquo • Malcolm is in England gathering an army to overthrow Macbeth • Macduff and the King of England are also in the army

29. Theme: Stains • The Macbeths are obsessed with stains: • Lady Macbeth’s “out damn spot speech” • As early as Act II we see them struggling with stains: • “All great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/Clean from his hand…” • “A little water clears us of this deed” (II.2-77-87) • The stain of blood seems to follow them: • Banquo’s blood even comes back to the castle on the murderer’s face • “There’s blood upon thy face” (III.4 13-14) • Blood stains are also used by Lady Macbeth to setup the guards for Duncan’s murder

30. Theme: Be a man • When Macbeth asks the murders if they had the courage to kill Banquo they reply: • “We are men my liege” (III.1.102) • This answer is less than acceptable to Macbeth • Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have opposing viewpoints on this issue: • Lady says a man: • Uses whatever means necessary (I.7 55-60) • Must cast away kindness, tenderness and affection (I.5 45-60) • Even Duncan rewards tasks like Macbeth’s slaying from “stern to chops” in Act 1 • Macbeth is therefore confronted with a paradox: • As his ability to shed more blood grows to please his wife, his men desert him

31. Theme: Light vs. Dark • The murder observes that the sun is setting as Banquo and Fleance approach • Banquo is a bright and noble light in contrast to Macbeth’s darkness • It is highly symbolic that the last light of day goes out as he dies

32. The Problem of the 3rd Murderer • Who is this 3rd murderer that appears? • Many critics have hypothesized that it is: • Macbeth himself • Recall that Macbeth did not trust the murderer’s “we are men” reply • Lady Macbeth • Recall that she had great interest in what Macbeth was planning next • A thane or servant • The three witches in disguise • The 3rd murderer means one of two things: • If Macbeth knew about this it would back up the fact that he does not trust anyone • Also it rounds out the next theme, the power of 3’s

33. Theme: The Power of 3’s • Throughout this course you will see the significance of this theme: • Applied to Macbeth: • There are three witches • Three murderer’s • Three murders by Macbeth • Three apparitions appear in castle • There is power in the number three dating back to Grimm’s Fairy Tales where characters received three wishes

34. Act IV: Scene 1 • Read IV.1-1061-1062 • The three witches conjure three spirits to answer Macbeth’s questions: • An Armed Head: warns Macbeth against Macduff • Blood-stained Child: tells Macbeth that no man born of a woman can stop him • Child wearing a crown: tells Macbeth that he will rule Scotland until Birnam Wood matches on Dunsinane • Macbeth asks if Banquo’s children will rule and Banquo appears heading a table of eight kings • The apparitions and witches disappear and Macbeth vows to slay Macduff and his family

35. Act IV: Scene 2 • Lady Macduff cries over her husband’s departure • She tells her son that his father is dead (women did that back then just in case) but the boy doesn’t believe it • Macbeth’s murderers arrive and slay Macduff’s young son and chase his wife off stage to her death • Play movie scene: Lady Macduff and son death scene

36. Act IV: Scene 3 • Read IV.3-1065 • In England Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty • He says that he has committed a crime • Macduff is saddened that a criminal will rule Scotland • Malcolm knows that Macduff is for real • Macduff finds out that his family was killed • He is sad and vows vengeance on Macbeth

37. Theme: Doubling • The witches prepare for Macbeth’s visit: • “double, double, toil and trouble” (IV.1-10) • Through equivocation we know that Macbeth will only listen to, or comprehend half of their message • When he hears the apparitions muses, he realizes that “stones have been known to move and trees to speak” (III.4-154) but he never considers the possibility that he may be defeated

38. Theme: Doubling • The “show of kings” • Doubling to the extreme • Each king is a descendant of Banquo • The 8th king is actually James I (who was an actual ruler and watched the play) • This king holds up a mirror and at one time or another reflected the real James I face in it • This carries the effect of doubling into the audience as well

39. Theme: Doubling • There are also doubled characters in the play: • Banquo is the mirror image of Macbeth in reverse • Lady Macbeth is the foil of Macbeth • Malcolm’s leadership style is contrasted to Macbeth’s • Macduff is a double for Macbeth

40. Theme: Doubling • Plot points and scenes also double: • The two scenes where the witches talk with Macbeth • Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have troubled sleep • Two murders committed on stage and two committed offstage • Two scenes of mother and child

41. Act V: Scene 1 • Read V.1-1066 • Lady Macbeth is ill • She mumbles and walks in her sleep • She confesses of crimes against Banquo, Duncan, and Lady Macduff • Play movie scene: Lady Macbeth

42. Act V: Scene 2 • Military Discussion of: • Macduff and Malcolm have made progress against Macbeth’s troops • They plan to meet with the Scottish rebels in Birnam Wood and march on Dunsinane to overthrow Macbeth

43. Act V: Scene 3 • Read V.3-1067 • Macbeth and Doctor talk: • Macbeth does not fear the invasion • He relates that he cannot be killed by a man born of a woman • He also mentions that the woods must march on him in order to defeat him • Ironic that Seyton (pronounced Satan) should appear here as a servant to Macbeth • Macbeth will begin to see his death through Seyton • Seyton will live on, but not Macbeth • Seyton will also report death, very ironic • Watch movie scene

44. Act V: Scene 4 • Read V.4-1068 • Macduff and Malcolm meet the Scottish rebels at Birnam • Malcolm has the idea to camouflage themselves with branches before they march on Macbeth’s castle

45. Act V: Scene 5 • Read: V.5-1068 • Macbeth told that his wife is dead • Macbeth’s famous soliloquy comes • Macbeth is informed that Birnam Wood is marching towards his castle • Macbeth realizes what this means but still fights on believing that no man born of a woman can stop him • Watch movie scene

46. Allusion to Cain and Abel • Lady Macbeth’s washing of her hands is an attempt to wash the blood off her • This alludes to Cane and Abel and the mark that God placed on Cane after he killed his brother • The difference is that Cane’s mark prevents revenge and Lady Macbeth will die a few scenes later

47. Allusion to future psychological thought • The doctor in Act V plays an important role: • He observes that Lady Macbeth’s dreams are used to infer the cause of her distress • He declares that it is the result of an “infected mind” (V.1-76) • Freud said, centuries later, that the dreams are the gateways to the waking world, Macbeth cannot dream, and Lady Macbeth has nightmares • According to Freud’s assumptions, then, both have lost their link to the real world and must be removed from it

48. Macbeth soliloquy

49. Act V: Scene 6 • Malcolm and Macduff prepare to assualt the castle walls

50. Act V: Scene 7 • Read V.7-1069 • Macbeth is now in armor • He kills some noblemen • He meets Macduff and the two duel throughout the remainder of the scene • Watch duel