Macbeth

1. Macbeth Act I

2. 1608 –London • Globe Theatre is a circular and half covered structure that used natural light to enhance performances. • Most Shakespearean plays were performed at 14h00, so they received the best lighting. • Macbeth, however, because of its dark tone and ominous motifs was performed at night with the use of candle light. The first of this kind of play. • Shakespeare used the dark to enhance the supernatural.

3. History of Macbeth • Chronicles of England Scotland and Ireland – Historical ties between King James and Banquo. • 1605 assassination attempt – bon fire night –anxiety in England. • Macbeth was written about this assassination attempt and how horrible it is to wrongly kill the king and put an imposter in his place.

4. Act 1 Scene 1 • Significance of the number 3 • Three men who betray Duncan, three witches. Everything in Macbeth comes in three’s. The appear three times throughout the play. This is important because it is a significant and supernatural number. • Pathetic Fallacy - n. The attribution of human emotions or characteristics to inanimate objects or to nature; for example, angry clouds; a cruel wind. • Nature has pathos feelings for the actions of characters and reflects what they do– pathetic fallacy –conveys messages to the audience

5. Act 1 Scene 1 “Fair is foul and foul is fair” – Reflects the first thing that Macbeth says on stage. Shows that he already has a sympathy with the witches. • Protestantism – if your soul is weak spirits from hell ascend to meet you. • Tetrameter – When shall / we three / Meet a/gain • Special Rhythm/Rhyme for the witches speak. The rest of the play is in Iambic Pentameter with 5 stresses Rhyming lines and couplet at the end.

6. Act 1 Scene 2 • King of Vikings has attacked Scottish forces. 1040 and a bloody final battle is raging. • King Duncan is concerned about the Vikings. Blood soaked friend arrives and is labeled such by Malcolm, the Prince. • Macdonwald – first to betrayed king, Brave Macbeth saved the day. • Violent image of Macbeth.

7. Act 1 Scene 2 • Norwegian Lord wants to take Northern Scotland and started a fresh assault after McDonawald. New troops attacked • Golgatha –alludes to Bible and place of death in the new testament where romans murdered Jews. • Image of Macbeth – violent killer savage but noble in the sphere of battle.

8. Act 1 Scene 2 • Macbeth is given a Pagan comparison not a Christian one. Interesting for later on in the play. • The victory belongs to the scots. It was not King Duncan but Macbeth who won the battle. This will be important later on. • Echo of the witches: “What the thane of Cawdor hath lost, Macbeth hath won.”

9. Act 1 Scene 3 • Pathetic Fallacy again -> Stormy compared to the tent when the battle was declared won. • Witches there were many during king James’ time. • Old Fat women – witch wants a chestnut and the lady denies her. Tiger is name of the vessel and her husband is a merchant mariner. Witch curses the mariner with insomnia for the sins of his wife. – Macbeth is later persuaded by his wife to commit a crime and is unable to sleep. context specific reference. Macbeth echoes the first scene “Fair is foul and foul is fair,” Witches said. Macbeth’s first words are “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” • All hail Macbeth Thane of Glamis - He knew that he was the Thane of Glamis – Father had died and left him the thanedom • All hail Macbeth Thane of Cawdor – He does not yet know that Duncan has given him this title.

10. Act 1 Scene 3 • All hail Macbeth That shall be king thereafter – He wants to be king who has been the warrior, 35 years old he feels that he should be king so he jumps. No prima geniture. They chose the strongest man to be king. The witches chose him because they knew he was weakened by ambition.   • He seems overwhelmed and Banquo asks what will happen to him. Lesser than Macbeth and Greater Not so happy but yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings though thou be none. His line will be kings. King James I was the great great-great-great-great-great grandson of Flance, Banquo’s son. Banquo is untempt by the witches and a noble character is a shout out to James I.

11. Act 1 Scene 3 • Have we eaten sometime that made us hallucinate? • Ross and Angus – Ross is a talker – long winded. • As foretold by the witches. Thane of Cawdor • Clothing reference appearance verses Reality. Dress someone as a king but that doesn’t make him one. Appearance and reality are not the same. • Two of the three promises from the witches are true! • Banquo shows that he is more perceptive than Macbeth he sees that the witches used Macbeth’s desire to get in his head but instead of dealing with it he goes to the cousins. • Aside. Why does the thought make his hair curl? If this is good why do I feel bad? • Clothing reference.

12. Act 1 Scene 4 • Malcolm’s speech – Dramatic Irony • You can never tell a murder by the face. “trust” and Enter Macbeth. Duncan was saying I trusted him and then enters Macbeth who will betray him. But he now trusts • Malcolm has been assigned to be the next king. • Shakespeare shows us what is in Macbeth’s mind. Duncan has to die and now Malcolm has to too.

13. Act 1 Scene 5 • Reading aloud a letter. You’ll be what was promised. It occurs to her that he might not be able to kill him. This shows for the first time that she doesn’t know her husband. She misjudges him and gives herself the responsibility to kill Duncan.   • Milk of human kindness – ref to this play. • First bird image is eagle. Regal and Nobel. “My” first of three she will kill him. • Un-sex me here. Take away womanhood and make her hard and cruel. She wants her femininity replaced. Macbeth sees a future where he alone is in power and the future vanishes. First reference to womanhood and destruction of fertility and having children.  

14. Act 1 Scene 5 • Second “my” reference in her speech. • She asks for the darkest smoke of hell to fill the castle but later on in the play she is so frightened of the dark she needs a candle with her at all times. She talks big but when the time comes she does not have the gall. Cannot un-sex herself. • Macbeth returns – never shall that morrow see. Looks at his face sees guilt embarrassment and disturbance. Watch your face! I can read it like a book! Now it is important to focus on appearance instead of reality. Look innocent although your intentions are deadly. Powerful serpent image. Satanic side of what Macbeth is up to. She beats around the bush when it comes to murdering people. She uses phrases like “providing for; dispatching them” never talks directly about murder. SHE is determined to do it. Third “my”- Don’t lose her courage. He is surprised by this new demon wife.

15. Act 1 Scene 6 • Duncan Dramatic Irony – after lady Macbeth just asked for the darkest smoke of hell to fill the castle , he says the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself. Shakespeare contrasts two bird images a Raven – evil bird and a Martin building nests everywhere. • Air is delicate – enter lady Macbeth Irony because she is not delicate. • Macbeth is hiding because of his guilty face. Not there to greet the King so Lady Macbeth does it. Hypocritical. • Classic Tragic Hero – Macbeth – its his own Character Flaws that bring about his demise. But he’s not all bad. What is good in him is his intelligence, his poetry.

16. Act 1 Scene 7 • Soliloquy – Solos=“to be alone” and Loqous= “to speak” • Macbeth’s first soliloquy – He wants to make sure he gets away with it… “be all and end all” phrase comes from this line in the play. But things always don’t go the way you want. His reason if he kills he may end up being killed himself. King killing. He doesn’t care about the soul afterlife. He shouldn’t kill the king because its just wrong. Cousin, Subject and his host. Duncan is a great king. With strong qualities. He realizes he has no reason to kill him except for his own ambition.

17. Act 1 Scene 7 • Lady Macbeth enters. Clothing image. Wearing good opinion. Macbeth tries to back out of the plot to kill him. • Lady Macbeth attacks him very carefully. “if you pull out now then obviously you don’t love me and we are doomed as a couple.” • Attacks his masculinity and tries to get him riled up. NOW you’ve got both the time and the place. Grabs her bosom and uses a reference to child abuse. • Crossbow image – was forbidden in many countries by the catholic church because it was a sign of the crucifix, wasn’t dependent on your strength but on mechanical devices. Seen as unfair in warfare. Using this image is a reminder of her readiness to accept the unconventional and the evil.

18. Act 1 Scene 7 • Her plan: Seduce and Get chamberlains drunk and put poison in their gin so they won’t remember. • They will kill the king (use of “we” here instead of “my” in her speech) and pin the murder on the chamberlains. • Lady Macbeth – strong woman in a man’s world. False face must hide what the false heart must know.