Download The Tragedy of Macbeth

Macbeth
William Shakespeare
Ms. Mathews
English 10 Honors
Shakespeare Mini-Bio
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Born in Stratford-upon-Avon
April 23, 1564 – April 23, 1616
Called “The Bard of Avon”
An actor, poet, and playwright
Part-owner of the acting company
The Lord Chamberlain’s Men
Married to Anne Hathaway; had three children
Shakespeare’s Plays
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Shakespeare’s plays are among the
most famous works in the English
language and all of Western Literature
He wrote three types of plays:
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Comedies
Tragedies
Histories
The First Folio was printed in 1623
and contained 36 plays
Setting of Macbeth
Set in Scotland around the year 1040
 The action of the play alternates between
the battlefield and various castles
 Macbeth’s castle, Inverness, was located
on the River Ness, which flows into the
famous Loch Ness
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Macbeth Background
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Macbeth was written for King James I
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James Stuart was already King James VI of Scotland when
Queen Elizabeth's death made him James I of England as
well
In the late 1500's, Scotland experienced a witch
craze
Many people were convicted of witchcraft and
executed without physical evidence
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James I bought into the witch hysteria, so
Shakespeare incorporated the three witches (the
Wyrd Sisters) into Macbeth for the king's enjoyment
The archaic (old fashioned) meaning of the word
“weird” is “destiny or fate.” The witches, therefore,
echo the three fates of Greek mythology.
James I believed that as part of the Stuart line, he
was descended from Banquo, although no historical
evidence exists to support this claim
The Real Macbeth
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Macbeth really did exist, though Shakespeare only
loosely based his character and story on the real man.
The real Macbeth was king of Scotland from 1040 to
1057 and went to drastic ends to gain the throne and
remain in power.
“Macbeth” is a Christian name meaning “son of life”
(as opposed to the paternal surname MacBeth).
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The real Lady Macbeth was named Gruoch. She
was originally married to another king and had a
son with him, though the child is only indirectly
referenced in the play and the first husband is not
mentioned at all.
It is considered bad luck to say the name of the
play in a theater where it is being performed;
instead, it is commonly referred to only as “The
Scottish Play.”
Important Terms Defined
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Motif—a repeating symbol that furthers an important
idea or theme
Paradox—a statement that seems to be a
contradiction but actually reveals truth
Thane—a Scottish title of nobility equivalent to Earl
Primogeniture—the system of passing on property,
titles, or wealth to the eldest male heir
Themes of Macbeth
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Ambition
Appearance v. Reality
Atmosphere
Disorder
Trust and Betrayal
Fear and Guilt
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Greed and Power
Excuses
Visions
Desperation
Good and Evil
The Supernatural
9 Motifs in Macbeth
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Blood
Natural Order
Darkness
Hands
Masculinity
Supernatural Forces
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Birds
Sleep
Clothing
Main Characters
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Macbeth—Thane of Glamis, military general
Lady Macbeth—Macbeth’s wife
Banquo—Scottish thane and general
Fleance—Banquo’s son
Duncan—King of Scotland
Malcolm—Duncan’s elder son
Donalbain—Duncan’s younger son
Macduff—Thane of Fife, a nobleman of Scotland
As you read…
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Look for and record examples of motifs and themes
Study paradoxical statements to discern hidden truths
Monitor character changes; consider the impetus and
results of each change
Read and re-read. Check your understanding.
Ask questions and seek clarification.
Form your own opinions and be able to support them.
Annotate and/or take copious, detailed notes!
Analysis Exercise
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Sometimes students are hesitant to raise
their hands in class because they think their
opinions are wrong. The thing is, an opinion
cannot be wrong, and most of literary
analysis is simply a matter of creating
informed opinions based on the text.
Let’s try an exercise to illustration the skills
used in literary analysis . . .
Which word does not belong?
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Horse
Clock
Anvil
Nose
Write your answer
in your notes, along
with an explanation
There was no “correct” answer to
the previous question; however,
notice how the answer changes
when a detail-based question is
asked . . . .
Which word does not contain an O?
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Horse
Clock
Anvil
Nose
Now there is only
one correct answer
Why did we do that?
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The exercise demonstrated the difference
between analyzing a work of literature based
on your own ideas or opinions and answering
specific, detail-based questions.
In class discussions, we will do mostly the
first type of analysis; on tests and quizzes, you
will also be expected to answer the second
type of questions. Be prepared for both!