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Discover the tragedy of Macbeth, a play written in the 1600s to appease King James, featuring characters like Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, and the exploration of doubles and time. Uncover the supernatural elements and dualities within the plot set in eleventh-century Scotland.
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Background • Setting • Characters • Tragedy • Doubles • Time
Background • It is a later play c. 1605-1606 • James was on the throne; Shakespeare’s players are known as the King’s Men • Written to appease King James
Appeasing King James • King James’ father and mother had been killed; convinced that witchcraft was at play • Favorable portrait of Banquo • Give Scottish line validity • Banquo an invention-ancestor of James
Characters • King Duncan – King of Scotland • Malcolm and Donalbain – his sons • Thane of Cawdor – traitor • Macbeth – Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, King of Scotland • Lady Macbeth - educated and ambitious wife of Macbeth
Characters • Banquo – a Scottish thane • Fleance – Banquo’s son • Macduff – a Scottish thane • Lady Macduff – his wife • Lennox and Ross – Scottish thanes
Setting • Eleventh-century Scotland • Inverness on Dunsinane Hill –Macbeth’s castle • Great Birnam Wood - outside Macbeth’s castle
Elements of the play • Not a true Aristotelian tragedy • Macbeth not a tragic hero • Macbeth is aware of his evil deeds • Macbeth wants more than he can accomplish • Lady is his co-conspirator • Together they make one person
Elements of the play • Are witches a supernatural power? • Much of the play relates to natural versus supernatural; borders between fantasy and reality are broken • Witches are known as the “Weird Sisters” • Set the tone of surreal; sense of evil and supernatural • Are they a concrete manifestation of his ambition?
Doubles • Macbeth has a double nature • One side: loyal, courteous, valiant, good thane • Other side: fearful, apprehensive, uncertain, apart from the norm
Time • Best example of Shakespeare exploring what it means to be a man moving through time • Double time • Lived time versus thought time • Lived time is petty time: the eternal now • Thought time – dream time that can stretch, bend • Borrows time until there is no more