The Tragedy of
Macbeth
The Tragedy of
Macbeth
Which words come to mind
when you hear
Shakespeare?
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
Theater Warm-ups
 Break into groups of 2-3
 You will be given a strip of
paper with a line from one of
Shakespeare's plays. You have 5
minutes to figure out how to
act out the line without
speaking.
 Most of these are well-known
phrases or lines you have heard
before
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
WITCHES
TREACHERY
MURDER
BLOOD
FAITHLESSNESS
DECEPTION
AMBITION
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
Macbeth
A tragedy
By William
Shakespeare
About Shakespeare
The Bard
 William Shakespeare, who was often
referred to as the Bard, which simply
means poet, was born in 1564 in
Stratford-upon-Avon, which is a town in
England. Shakespeare’s father, John
Shakespeare, was a merchant. Also,
because of his father’s social standing,
Shakespeare was able to attend
Stratford Grammar School until the age
of fourteen.
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“The Lost Years”
(1578-1592)
 There he studied Latin and Greek.
Historians lost track of what happened
to William Shakespeare after school
until he married Anne Hathaway. There
is another time for which historians
cannot account; these years are know as
the “lost years.”
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
Background
Information
 William Shakespeare eventually left his family behind
and arrived in London where he joined Lord
Chamberlain’s Men, a successful theater company.
 This company changed its name to The King's Men in
1603. Shakespeare stayed a member of this company
until he retired in 1610. While in the company,
Shakespeare made his living three ways: he was part
owner of the Globe theatre, he was an actor, and he
was a playwright. During this time very little Scenery
was used on stage, but successful productions were
accomplished by Dialogue or conversation between
characters.
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The globe
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
The Theater
 Shakespeare and his fellow theater
colleagues were fortunate that Queen
Elizabeth I enjoyed theater because the
theaters were constantly closed because
of the Bubonic Plague, and the queen
wanted to have the theaters reopened.
Other people would have liked to see
these theaters, such as the Globe, which
held about 2,500 to 3,000 spectators,
closed for good.
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
Shakespeare’s Works
 When we study William Shakespeare's
plays, we usually categorize them into
three genres: comedy, tragedy, and
history. Romeo and Juliet, which was
written in Shakespeare's early years, is
considered a tragedy. The Tragedy of
Macbeth is also considered one of
Shakespeare’s tragedies as well.
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The
Rise
and
Fall
of a
Great
Man
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 The Scottish Play is based
loosely on an episode from
history, the death of King
Duncan at the hands of his
kinsman Macbeth.
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Source of the play
 Shakespeare's
source for his
story is
Raphael
Holinshed's
Chronicles
of England,
Scotland and
Ireland (1577)
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
 Written between
1604-1606
 Performed
at the Globe
Theatre,
London
 Published in the
First Folio of
1623
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
Notes
Full title: The Tragedy of Macbeth
Genre: Tragedy
Setting (time): 11th century
Setting (place): Scotland, and briefly,
England
 Protagonist: Macbeth
 Major Conflicts: Macbeth struggles
with his conscience (before and after
murder); evil (Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth); struggles with good
(Malcolm and Macduff)




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Historical Connection
 Scotland at the time was a
violent and troubled country
 The castle was the center of
each rival aristocrat’s (thane)
power
 Political murder and
revenge were not
unusual means to gain
power
 Plundering Vikings
and Norsemen attacked
Scotland constantly
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 The play is the shortest of
Shakespeare's tragedies,
without diversions or subplots.
 It chronicles Macbeth's seizing
of power and subsequent
destruction.
 It is considered Shakespeare’s
darkest work.
 His rise and fall are the result
of blind ambition.
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 Macbeth was intended to stir the interest of
the new king, James I.
 The play's focus on regicide, a supreme
crime in Shakespeare's day, tied into the
November 1605 Gunpowder Plot where
English Roman Catholic conspirators plotted
to blow up
Parliament,
King James,
his queen
and oldest
son.
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Importance of Patronage
 The play pays tribute to the interests and knowledge of
King James. With patronage, a writer composes one of his
works for a king, queen or another rich person for
continued support.
 This play compliments James by making Banquo, who is
said to be his ancestor, a hero in the play. Historically,
Banquo never existed.
Macbeth focuses on issues of kinship and
loyalty, important ideals to King James, who
had survived an assassination attempt early in
his life. His father had been murdered. His
mother, Mary Queen of Scots, had been
executed.
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 The questions of the role of the monarch and the
duties of their subjects toward them were of major
importance to King James.
 A story suggests that King James wrote a letter of
acknowledgment about the play to Shakespeare.
 Shakespeare’s England, the political issue of
succession and order were of major importance.
 Belief in witchcraft was widespread.
 In 1604, the practice of witchcraft became
punishable by death because it was
believed that it attempted to change
God’s natural order.
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The Historical Macbeth
 Born in 1005 to a family that ruled
Moray and Ross
 He married Gruach, granddaughter to
a High King of Scotland; no children
 No historical evidence of Lady
Macbeth’s influence on her husband
 Duncan, an ineffective king, was 38 when he was
killed, possibly by Macbeth
 Macbeth ruled for 17 years, elected High King of
Scotland in 1040. For the first 10 years, this
competent king reformed the country.
 Led Scotland in a long period of peace and
stability
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
Historical Macbeth
 No evidence of attention to witchcraft
 Strong supporter of the church
 Duncan’s son Malcolm invaded Scotland in
1054, supported by the English King
Edward the Confessor
Macbeth was killed on
Aug. 15, 1057
Buried at Iona, the
sacred burial place of the
kings of Scotland
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Theme
 The play is
seen as a
tale of
dangers of
the lust for
power and
betrayal of
friends.
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Inside the
theater
 Actors often consider
the play to be unlucky,
and usually refer to it
as “the Scottish play”
rather than by name.
To say the name of
the play inside a
theatre is considered
to doom the
production to failure.
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Recurring motifs
(patterns)
 Blood
 Clothing
 Natural order
(nature)
 Insomnia
**Motif: reoccurring element that has
symbolic significance
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What to Watch For
what Macbeth is thinking and
feeling,
why he acts the way he does,
and what consequences his evil
brings about upon himself and
others
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At the Start of the Play
 Macbeth is a very successful and highly
respected member of a social group,
loaded with honors and enjoying every
prospect of future commendations . He
has a loving wife and a secure home in his
castle at Inverness. He is praised for his
heroic actions in defense of the kingdom.
King Duncan thinks of Macbeth with high
regard and treats him generously.
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
At the End of the Play
 Macbeth is totally alone. He has no
friends, he is universally despised, his
wife is dead, and all his most eager
hopes have been disappointed. He is a
man without a place in the social
community. He has become totally
isolated.
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
Why?
 Because
of his own
free
decisions!
 He destroys
himself.
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature
As we get to know Macbeth …
In-class reading points:
You are starting this unit with 25 on-task reading points.
You will keep these points by participating in the reading
and paying attention to the lessons.
How can you lose these points?
That would include doing other classwork/homework,
sleeping, not paying attention, passing notes, etc.
These points are non-negotiable. Rather than losing
momentum in the reading, I will simply write your name
down as you lose daily points. If you have any questions
about your point allocation, you may ask me at the end
of the period. I will not reassign points, but you will
know if you are keeping them.
Questions? Problems? Just pay attention, and these will
be free points for you – in addition to your better
understanding of the storyline.
P.S. If you sleep even once, you work alone the
annotated bib partner assignment.
READY TO ACT?
Please turn to
page 322
Mrs. Moulton • British Literature