2. Objective
To understand the historical background of
Macbeth
To reflect on the nature of ambition as a
motivating force
To discover “The Curse” of Macbeth
3. Do Now- Answer the following:
Have you ever given in to temptation?
Are you a superstitious person? Explain.
How do you personally decide what is good
and what is evil?
What is the difference between greed and
ambition?
Do you believe “you reap what you sow”?
Do you believe our lives are lead by fate or
our actions alone?
4. Rate each statement on a scale of 1-10.
1 =disagree completely to 10 = agree wholeheartedly
Be prepared to explain your reasoning.
1. People who are striving to get ahead often step on other
people.
2. Being powerful usually is the same thing as being happy.
3. One mistake can often lead to another.
4. Everyone is capable of murder under the right circumstances.
5. People who are involved in criminal activities can still feel
love, fear, and concern for other people.
5. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth for James I,
England's new king, who had been king of
Scotland.
To please James, Shakespeare set the play in
Scotland, used many characters who were
James' ancestors, and included witches, a
subject that James had written about.
The play is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy,
probably because King James often fell asleep
during performances.
6. Shakespeare's source for the story of Macbeth
was The History and Chronicles of Scotland
(1526), written by Hector Boece, a Scottish
historian and humanist.
(Many scholars question the factual reliability of
Boece's work, and point out that Shakespeare
took liberties with Macbeth's history for dramatic
purposes.)
8. The King of England in 1606 was
James I, a Stuart.
There was no Tudor successor to the throne
of England. Therefore, Elizabeth I chose
James VI of Scotland to succeed her. After
her death in 1603, James VI of Scotland
became James I of England.
Elizabeth I had been instrumental in the
death of her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots,
who was beheaded.
9. On her deathbed, Elizabeth wanted to ease
her way into Heaven, so she chose Mary’s
son James to become the next King of
England.
The appointment of James I was a good
political move, unifying England and
Scotland under one King.
10. Macbeth: a tribute to King James I
Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in 1606, during King
James’ reign.
King James was a devout advocate of the “Divine
Right of Kings.”
The setting is Scotland, King James’ homeland.
Banquo was an ancestor of James and is shown in
the play to be a virtuous person.
James believed himself to be an expert on
witchcraft.
James had an interest in faith healing.
11. Macbeth: an appeal to Elizabethan
people’s interests
Shakespeare demonstrated the Elizabethan belief
that the country is stable only if the King is good
and virtuous.
Elizabethans believed that evil occurs in darkness,
which is a recurring theme in Macbeth.
Shakespeare included a lot of blood and murder,
which the Elizabethans expected to see in a play.
The play was considered a thriller – a threat to an
anointed King and the perceived evil behind the
threat
12. History & Macbeth
Macdonwald’s rebellion & the invasion of
Sweno took place at different times—
Shakespeare combined them
Duncan is supposed to have been killed by
four hired servants—Shakespeare has
Macbeth commit the murder
History represents Banquo as equal in guilt
with Macbeth—Shakespeare whitewashes
Banquo’s character as a compliment to
King James
13. History makes no mention of Lady Macbeth
—her character is almost wholly the
creation of Shakespeare
In history, Macbeth fled before Macduff—
Shakespeare shows Macbeth bravely
fighting
Used Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles of
England, Scotland, & Ireland as historical
reference for his plays
14. Before the Curtain Opens
When the play begins, there are two wars
in progress:
1. Civil War - King Duncan vs.
Macdonwald’s rebels
2. National War - Scotland, led by King
Duncan, against invading Norway, led by
King Sweno
15. Setting
King Duncan is the King of Scotland.
Edward the Confessor is the King of
England.
The time period is the eleventh century
(1000-1099).
Shakespeare used poetic license to bend
some of the historical information.
16.
17. The Scottish Play
It is believed to be bad luck to even
squeak the word ‘Macbeth’ in a
theatre
Legend has it you will lose all your
friends involved in the production—
horribly
18. Introduction to Macbeth
Macbeth is another one of Shakespeare’s great tragedies, based on
Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland. It was
written around 1605 but was not published in the first Folio until
1623. It tells about the fall of the ambitious couple, Macbeth and
Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is the tragic hero, a character who has a
fatal (tragic)flaw within himself that he cannot change. He is not a
bad person; he is just too ambitious. Macbeth is a story about the
murder of a king by his cousin, the revenge of a son (Malcolm),
three witches who plot against Macbeth, and Macbeth’s rise and
fall.
20. Macbeth Characters
Macbeth: brave general under Duncan who becomes too
ambitious after three witches prophesy that he will be
King of Scotland.
Lady Macbeth: vicious wife of Macbeth, even more
ambitious than Macbeth.
22. King Duncan: King of Scotland, promotes
Macbeth to a higher rank
Malcolm: Duncan’s eldest son
23. The three witches: They tell Macbeth that
he is to become King, leading him to evil.
They also tell him that he will be defeated,
but they disguise it in a way as to give him
false confidence.
24. Hecate: moon goddess and goddess of the
witches, directs supernatural occurrences. Makes
plan to give Macbeth false security.
Donalbain: Duncan’s youngest son
25. Ross: Macduff’s cousin, messenger who
carries news to people like Macbeth and
Macduff throughout the play.
Lennox: A nobleman
26. Seyton: Macbeth’s lieutenant.
Porter: watches Macbeth’s castle; when
drunk, thought that he was the keeper of
Hell’s Gates and that sinners were knocking
at the door to be admitted.
Old Siward: Earl of Northumberland, ally of
Malcolm and Macduff.
Young Siward: Old Siward’s son.
27. The Murderers: A group of ruffians
Lady Macduff: Macduff’s wife. The scene in
her castle provides our only glimpse of a
domestic realm other than that of Macbeth
and Lady Macbeth. She and her home serve
as contrasts to Lady Macbeth and the
hellish world of Inverness.
