Download
1 / 22
E N D
Introduction to Shakespeare’sMacbeth John Worston, Macbeth and Banquo Meeting the Witches
Introduction to William Shakespeare’s Macbeth • The Meanings of Macbeth • Brief examination of the historical context ofMacbeth • Witches and Witchcraft in Macbeth
The Many Meanings of Macbeth • A historical thriller • a fast-moving, action-packed murder mystery demonstrating that crime doesn’t pay • A psychological study of a murderer’s mind • A play of political and social realism • how oppressive and hierarchical society can corrupt individuals • A play of illusions • the effect of the mysterious or supernatural on humans • A play of ideas or themes • for example, “appearance versus reality” • A play about gender • A tragedy • the fall of a great person brought about by a fatal flaw in their character
Historical Context of Macbeth • Shakespeare was a playwright, not an historian. However, he knew that history provided great material for plays: war, conflict, ambition, the downfall of great rulers. • Eleventh-Century (1000s) Scotland was a violent and troubled country. • Feuding families and clans fought to control trade and territory. • The castle was the power base of each rival war-lord (thane). • Political murder and revenge killings were commonplace.
The Real Macbeth • The real Macbeth was born in 1005, the son of a ruling family. • Macbeth’s father was murdered by his cousin. • Macbeth married the granddaughter of the High King of Scotland (Gruach) Martin, Banquo and Macbeth on the Heath
The Real King Duncan and Macbeth • Duncan was the king of Scotland at the time the real Macbeth was born • Duncan was 38 at the time of his murder - a murder possibly committed by the real Macbeth. • Macbeth was elected High King of Scotland in 1040. • Macbeth ruled Scotland for 17 years, during which time Scotland became comparatively peaceful and stable. • Duncan’s son, Malcolm, invaded Scotland in 1054, supported by Edward the Confessor. • Macbeth was killed on August 15, 1057 and buried at Iona, the sacred burial place of the Kings of Scotland.
What’s the take-away? • Shakespeare modeled his play after an actual historical figure. • Some of the plot points are the same. • But…the real Macbeth was (almost) universally loved and respected; Shakespeare’s Macbeth wasn’t.
James I Comes to Power • Since there was no successor to the English throne, Queen Elizabeth I selected James VI of Scotland (a distant cousin) to succeed her—he was already King of Scotland. • After Elizabeth’s death (1603), James VI of Scotland also became James I of England, unifying the two countries, though there was still controversy between them. • Macbeth contains many echoes of King James’ interests . . .
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 • A failed assassination attempt against King James! • Disgruntled Catholics planned to blow up the House of Lords. • Guy Fawkes was discovered guarding their horde of explosives in the basement of the House of Lords on November 5, 1605. (“Remember, remember the 5th of November.”) • The traitors were sentenced to death, and this day is still celebrated in England as Guy Fawkes Day. • Shakespeare weaves references to the Gunpowder Plot into Macbeth. Was this rebellious?
Back to the play… Before the Curtain Opens: • When the play begins, there are two wars in progress: • Civil War in Scotland- King Duncan vs. Macdonwald’s (a thane’s) rebels • National War - Scotland, led by King Duncan, against invading Norway
Quick Review • The “real” Macbeth: • Killed king, became king, succeeded, was murdered by King’s son • James I from Scotland • Follows Elizabeth I • Gunpowder Plot: assassination plot • Was Macbeth written for him?
A Macbeth for King James? • Banquo (pictured at right) • an elaborate family tree of the Stuart dynasty suggests that King James is descended from a real Banquo (Holinshed). Henry Fuseli, Macbeth, Banquo and the Witches on the Heath
Shakespeare wasn't the first playwright to interpret the story of Macbeth, King of Scotland. Earlier, a playwright named Holingshed created a similar play. Holingshed's play described a really elaborate family tree that showed King James as a direct descendent of Banquo. In Holinshed's play, Banquo was an accomplice to the murder of Macbeth. Shakespeare lays full responsibility for Macbeth's murder on the Macbeth clan . . . Why would Shakespeare make this change? • Banquo is a fictional character - unlike many others in the play, he never existed (or, at least, his existence cannot be proven!). The appearance of Banquo in Shakespeare's version of the Macbeth story shows you the extent to which Shakespeare's play is modelled on those that came before it.
A Macbeth for King James? • King James’ interest in witchcraft was well known • King James visited Oxford in 1605 and was greeted by three witches who hailed him as the descendent of Banquo . . . interesting. Alexandre-Marie Colin, The Three Witches from Macbeth
Witches & Witchcraft • Witch-mania inthe Elizabethan era. • Most people believed in witches! • Circulating pamphlets containing tales of witches and witchcraft were the equivalent of today’s popular newspapers. Henry Fuseli, The Three Witches
Remember that a person is very much a product of their times. • Elizabethan and Renaissance audiences were morbidly fascinated with witches and witchcraft. Persecution of people for the "crime" of witchcraft reached terrifying proportions - between 1560 and 1603, hundreds of people (nearly all of them women) were convicted as witches and executed. • The most popular method of execution? • King James was as fascinated by witchcraft as were his subjects. There is a story that in 1590, a group of witches tried to kill James (before he was king). Their plot was discovered, and they were brought to trial. One of the "witches", Agnes Sampson, claimed that she had collected toad venom to poison the king, christened a cat, tied parts of a dead man's body to it (we don't know which parts), sailed out to sea in a "sieve" and had thrown cat and body-bits overboard in order to raise a storm that would sink James' ship. A bit elaborate . . . • King James personally interrogated one of the three accused witches, "Doctor Fian" - a male. The doctor was tortured during the interrogation: "his nails upon all his fingers were riven and pulled off . . . his legs were crushed and beaten together as small as might be, and the bones and flesh so bruised that the blood and marrow spouted forth in great abundance". • So. . . all fired up by his witchy experience, King James personally investigated other cases, and in 1597 he wrote and published "Demonology", a book on witchcraft. When he became king of England in 1603, he ordered its immediate printing in London.
Witches and Witchcraft • Witches were said to have “diabolical” powers. They could: • predict the future • bring on night in the daytime • cause fogs and tempests • kill animals • curse enemies with fatal, wasting diseases • cause nightmares and sterility • take demonic possession of any individual • raise evil spirits by concocting a brew • It was believed that witches allowed the devil to suck their blood. Accused witches were examined for the “Devil’s Mark” - a red mark on their body from which the devil had sucked blood.
Witches and Witchcraft - Misogyny? • Between 1560 and 1603, hundreds of people, nearly all of them women, were convicted as witches and executed • In 1604 an official Act of Parliament decreed that anyone found guilty of practicing witchcraft should be executed • Those who confessed to being witches did so under torture or because they were in the grip of delusions recognized today as psychiatric disorders.
You would think that these "witches" would be pretty powerful people . . . • . . . but it was mostly single, old women who kept cats that were in danger of being accused of witchcraft. Remember, in 1604 an Act of Parliament decreed that if you were convicted, you were to be executed - and with the methods of "information extraction" used by the interrogators, people were likely to "spill their guts" (literally - know where that term comes from?)..
Macbeth a Summary • Macbeth is a renowned tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been composed between 1603 and 1607. The play tells the story of Macbeth, a Scottish general who receives a prophecy from three witches that he will become the King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and encouraged by his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the throne. • As Macbeth ascends to power, guilt and paranoia begin to haunt him. He becomes increasingly ruthless, eliminating anyone he perceives as a threat to his reign, including his former friend Banquo. The prophecies of the witches continue to influence his actions, leading him down a path of self-destruction.
Lady Macbeth, initially a driving force behind Macbeth's actions, is tormented by guilt and descends into madness. The play explores themes of ambition, guilt, fate, and the corrupting nature of power. It raises questions about the consequences of unchecked ambition and the psychological toll of immoral deeds. • "Macbeth" is known for its vivid and poetic language, rich imagery, and complex characters. It is one of Shakespeare's shortest plays but remains one of his most widely performed and studied works. The play has had a significant influence on literature, theater, and popular culture, inspiring numerous adaptations, films, and references in various forms of media.
