The Corrupting Ambition: Shakespeare's Macbeth

1. Macbeth 商英A班 熊好雨 201101014101 李立珩 201101014112 李丽萍 201101014129 苏静怡 201101014113 谭丽琪 201101014126 邓燕文 201106054130 陈秀雯 201106054161 吴漫佳 201106054242

2. Background • Feudal system began to fall, and the Emerging bourgeoisie began to raise up.At that time medieval obscurantism which represented by religious theology thought to decline. • Face to the socical reality which beauty was ugliness and ugliness was beauty, Shakespeare wrote this play to express the corrupting effect of ambition.

3. Introduction • Macbeth, Shakespeare‘s shortest and bloodiest tragedy, written by Shakespeare between 1603 and 1606. It is a story about a man who commits regicide(弑君罪) so as to become king and then commits further murders to maintain his power.

4. Characters Intro • Macbeth– A general in the army of King Duncan（邓肯）, originally Thane of Glamis, then Thane of Cawdor and later King of Scotland • Banquo– Macbeth's friend and a general in the army of King Duncan • Macduff– The Thane of Fife（伐夫郡） • Seyton– Macbeth's servant and attendant • Hecate– Goddess of Witchcraft • Three Witches– make the prediction of Macbeth becoming a King and Banquo's descendants being kings. • Three Murderers • Porter (or Messenger)– Gatekeeper at Macbeth's home • Scottish Doctor– Lady Macbeth's doctor • The Gentlewoman– Lady Macbeth's caretaker

5. Theme • This play reflected that the world has unending changes and difficult to recognize the true and false, as same as the people. And the desire of power and careerism can make a hero became a villain. It showed the evil of humanity and this evil finally lead to tragedy.

6. Synopsis（剧情简介） Prepared to murder Duncan Met three witches To maintain his power The knocking at the gate The death of Macbeth

7. Met three witches Macbeth and his friend Banquo met three witches. Each watches gave their prophecies(预言). The third witch said that Macbeth will be the King in the future.

8. Prepared to murder Duncan King Duncan visited Macbeth’s castle to celebrate their victory, and before that Macbeth wrote to his wife, Lady Macbeth, telling her the prophecies. His wife strongly wished him to murder Duncan in order to obtain kingship(王权) and framed (陷害)Duncan’s servants for the murder.

9. The knocking at the gate Whence is that knocking? How is’t with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine eyes. Will all great neptune’s ocean wash this bolld clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas in incarnadine, making the green one red 那打门的声音是从什么地方来的？究竟是怎么一回事，一点点的声音都会吓得我心惊肉跳？这是什么手！嘿！它们要挖出我的眼睛。大洋里所有的水，能够洗净我手上的血迹吗？不，恐怕我这一手的血，倒要把一碧无垠的海水染成一片殷红呢。

10. To maintain his power After that, he became the King, in order to maintain his power, he asked three assassins(刺客) to kill Banquo, and he found some reasons to kill other ministers and their families who offended him. Lots of ministers realized that Macbeth was a tyrant and escaped to England.

11. The death ofMacbeth After the ministers escaped to England, they organized a newarmy and ready to crusade against(讨伐)Macbeth. Finally, Macbeth was killed by one of his minister.

13. Thank you for attention!