This document provides an overview of key elements in Shakespeare's play Macbeth, including important characters, themes, and aspects of language. It discusses the main characters - Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, and Macduff. The main themes are fate, appearance vs reality, and ambition. It also describes how Shakespeare used rhythm, rhyme, imagery and metaphor in his language to terrify audiences. Finally, it discusses possibilities for staging and interpreting select scenes in performances of Macbeth.

1. ENGLISH
Macbeth

2. Who are the characters?
Therearelotsofcharactersin Macbeth, butitisokayto
concentrateontheonesthatplaythebiggestpartinthestory.
YoujustneedtoknowwhattheirrelationshipistoMacbethand
theimportantpartstheyplayinthestory.
TheScottishnoblemenarecalledThanes, thisisaScottishword,
whichmeansLord.
Thefourmostimportantcharactersare:
vMacbeth
vLadyMacbeth
vBanquo
vMacduff

3. What are the themes?
Themesarethemainideasthatkeepappearinginaplay.
Theimportantthemesin Macbeth are:
vFate
vAppearanceandReality
vAmbition

4. Language overview
Thewaywewriteandspeakhaschangedalotoverthepast
400yearssinceShakespearewrotehisplays, sodon’tbeput
offifyoufindShakespeare’swordsdifficult.
Shakespeareusedthefollowingaspectsoflanguage
in Macbeth togripandterrifyhisaudience:
vRhythmandRhyme
vImageryandMetaphor

5. Performance Analysis
Macbeth isaplayfullofviolence, magicandillusion. In
Shakespeare’sday, thestagewouldhavebeenbare, thepropsfew, and
thelightingwoulddependupontheweather. Theatreswereopenair
andtheplayswereheldindaylight.
Nowadays, Shakespeare’splaysareinterpretedinmanydifferentways
onstageandscreen. Directorsandtheirproductionteamsmakechoices
onhowtheywanttostagetheplayandhowthecharacterswilldeliver
theirlines. Thedecisionstheymakecanoftenchangehowtheaudience
thinkandfeelabouttheplayandthecharactersinit.
Let’slookatthreescenesandexplorethepossibilitiesforanexcitingand
unforgettableperformanceof Macbeth.
vAct2Scene1– Stagingthedaggerscene
vAct3Scene4– RehearsingtheghostofBanquo
vAct1Scene3– CastingtheWitches

6. Performance Analysis
Macbeth isaplayfullofviolence, magicandillusion. In
Shakespeare’sday, thestagewouldhavebeenbare, thepropsfew, and
thelightingwoulddependupontheweather. Theatreswereopenair
andtheplayswereheldindaylight.
Nowadays, Shakespeare’splaysareinterpretedinmanydifferentways
onstageandscreen. Directorsandtheirproductionteamsmakechoices
onhowtheywanttostagetheplayandhowthecharacterswilldeliver
theirlines. Thedecisionstheymakecanoftenchangehowtheaudience
thinkandfeelabouttheplayandthecharactersinit.
Let’slookatthreescenesandexplorethepossibilitiesforanexcitingand
unforgettableperformanceof Macbeth.
vAct2Scene1– Stagingthedaggerscene
vAct3Scene4– RehearsingtheghostofBanquo
vAct1Scene3– CastingtheWitches