1 / 40

Macbeth Introduction

Macbeth Introduction. Written by William Shakespeare in 1605 Macbeth is a man who overthrows the rightful King of Scotland Shakespeare wrote Macbeth at the beginning of King James I reign Before James succeeded Elizabeth I he was king of Scotland

kandrews
Download Presentation

Macbeth Introduction

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Macbeth Introduction • Written by William Shakespeare in 1605 • Macbeth is a man who overthrows the rightful King of Scotland • Shakespeare wrote Macbeth at the beginning of King James I reign • Before James succeeded Elizabeth I he was king of Scotland • Placing the play in James’ homeland probably pleased him 1

  2. Will the real Macbeth please stand up? • Macbeth was a real king of Scotland • He did kill King Duncan • Reigned from 1040-1057 • Unlike the Macbeth in Shakespeare’s play • The real Macbeth had a legitimate claim to the throne • The real Macbeth was a strong leader • The real Macbeth’s reign was successful • The real Macbeth was killed at Lumphanan as opposed to Dunsinane 2

  3. Connections for British Society • “Remember, remember the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot.I see no reason why gunpowder, treasonShould ever be forgot...” • In November 1605 the Gunpowder Plot was discovered • Guy Fawkes and his followers (Roman Catholics) planned to blow up Parliament • They wanted to bring down the British government and put a Catholic rulers on the throne • The plot was discovered and the men involved were tried and killed as traitors • Shakespeare sided with the king and seemed to think that a play about treason and death would find an audience at this time 3

  4. So this is a comedy… right? • Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies (it is also his shortest) • Aside from the violent nature of the plot Shakespeare uses several literary devices to enhance the feeling of evil • He creates a serious and sinister mood by having most of the play take place at night • There is a heavy emphasis on the supernatural (witches, dreams, spells, and ghosts) 4

  5. A little taste of Macbeth 5

  6. Macbeth Act 1 - Scene 1 • Witches - Supernatural influences • “Fair being Foul” - Paradox • King Duncan - Scotland • Duncan’s sons- Malcolm and Donaldbain • Generals - Macbeth and Banquo • Thunder , lightning , and rain - sense of doom 6

  7. Macbeth Act 1 - Scene 2 • Macdonaldwald’s rebellion • Ross tells Duncan of Norway’s rebellion - King of Norway - Sweno • Thane of Cawdor rebels against Duncan • Scotland wins - Macbeth gets title - Thane of Cawdor - “ THE SPOILS OF WAR” • Macbeth and Banquo - “Two spent swimmers” 7

  8. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 • The witches first prophesy has come true - Thane of Cawdor • Macbeth - “So foul and fair a day , I have not seen - recalls witches first scene • Banquo - “The instrument of darkness tell us truths - only to betray us” 8

  9. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 4 • Execution of Cawdor • “You can’t tell what is in a person’s heart by looking at his face” • “Nothing in his life became him like the leaving of it” • Duncan- Malcolm to be King • Macbeth- “Let not light see my black and deep desires” 9

  10. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5 • Macbeth’s home - Castle of Inverness • Lady Macbeth comes up with plan to kill Duncan - Husband weak • “The milk of human kindness” • Lady Macbeth - Must pour spirits in their ear. (Hamlet killed that way) 10

  11. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 6 • Lady Macbeth - chameleon - perfect hostess • Duncan’s speech full of dramatic irony - “castle pleasant” - “air is sweeter” sees a martlet (a summer bird) • to Duncan the castle appears to be a paradise 11

  12. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 • LadyMacbeth - convinces Macbeth to do the “horrid deed” • Macbeth’s Soliloquy - marked by confusionDuncan - Kinsman and his subject , a good King and virtuous man , a popular King , and death would bring sorrow to Scotland • Lady Macbeth Argument- “What could have been when he can be King” - “ Would kill her own baby to do this” 12

  13. Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1 • Past midnight - Moon has set and the “Candles” of heaven cannot be seen - dark brooding • Banquo draws sword - irony doesn’t know Macbeth is going to kill Duncan • Dagger Speech - Mental disturbance • “Is this a dagger which I see before me,The handle toward my hand?” —Macbeth, 2.1.42–3 13

  14. Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2 • Lady Macbeth - “That which have made them drunk, hath made me bold, What hath quenched them have given me fire” • Drunk with boldness and on fire with passion • Lady Macbeth -would have murdered Duncan had he not looked like her father • Macbeth has two concerns - he has murdered sleep , bloodiness of deed • Lady Macbeth - blood is only like paint wash it off 14

  15. Scene 2 • Knocking - knocking of their consciences actual knock • “With all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?”—Macbeth, 2.2.78–9 15

  16. Macbeth Act 2 Scene 3 • Porter - light comedy • farmer and equivocator have specific religious and historical connotations • A few months before Macbeth performed - Gunpowder plot - King James Guy Fawkes and John Garnett (nickname the farmer) • Lennox - extraordinary weather -unnatural events - The universe and events related 16

  17. Scene 3 • Equivocation - The practice of lying in court about one’s religion • Lady Macbeth faints when Macbeth proclaims he has killed the guards - avenge the act of treasonous malice - not in the plan • Malcolm - England • Donalbain - Ireland 17

  18. Scene 3 • Macbeth says he has killed servants - Lady Macbeth faints • Macbeth and other Thanes swear to meet “in manly rediness” to avenge this act of “treasonous malice” • “ There’s daggers in men’s smiles” • Donaldbain - Ireland • Malcolm - England 18

  19. Macbeth Act 2 Scene 4 • Macbeth has become King • Donaldbain and Malcolm have fled • Old Man - Traditional figure in lit represents what “has been” • owl kills falcon - daylight has been replaced by night - horses of the King’s stable have eaten each other • The world he has known has been turned on its head 19

  20. Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 • Banquo suspects Macbeth - gains comfort from 2nd prediction - his own children will be Kings • Even with new title Macbeth does not feel at ease • calls murderers dogs but he shows his inhumanity and imperfections -also wants to kill Fleance 20

  21. Act 3 Scene 2 • Macbeth plans murder not Lady Macbeth • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s world not at peace • Macbeth wants to get rid of his bond with humanity • “We have scorched the snake, not killed it.”—Macbeth, 3.2.15 • “Duncan is in his grave; After lifeʼs fitful fever he sleeps well.”—Macbeth, 3.2.24–5 21

  22. Act 3 Scene 3 • Banquo killed - Murderers lantern extinguished - Fleance escapes • Forces of darkness are at odds with light • Murderers capable of poetry • Escape of Fleance turning point - Peripeteia - sudden reversal of fortune • Banquo’s dying words “to revenge” 22

  23. Act 3 Scene 4 • Macbeth has Thanes of Scotland over - Macduff not there • Murderers tell Macbeth what happened - Macbeth losses it • Macbeth sees ghost - goes into a fit • Macbeth has lost control • Macbeth will kill Macduff and visit three sisters • “It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood.” —Macbeth, 3.4.152–53 23

  24. Act 3 Scene 5 • Hecate joins three sisters • Some say this scene was not in the orginal play 24

  25. Act 3 Scene 6 • Lennox reveals doubts about Macbeth - Did he kill the guards hastily? • Macduff has fled to England to join forces with Malcolm also asks help from King Edward of England 25

  26. Macbeth Act 4 Scene 1 • “Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”—Witches, 4.1.10–1 • Macbeth goes to weird sisters and demands to be shown apparitions of the future • 1. disembodied head of a warrior who warns Macbeth of revenge • 2. blood-covered child who cannot be killed by any man “ of woman born” 26

  27. 3. a child wearing a crown promises Macbeth cannot lose in battle until Birnam wood moves to Dunsinane • Macbeth asks about Banquo’s sons and sees a procession of Banquo and future kings • Macbethless future • Macduff has fled to England and Macbeth announces revenge of Macduff’s wife and children • “I’ll make assurance double sure.”—Macbeth, 4.1.93 27

  28. Act 4 Scene 2 • Lady Macduff feels Macduff has acted dishonestly • Son says the world is full of dishonest men 28

  29. Act 4 Scene 3 • “At one fell swoop.”—Macduff, 4.3.256 • Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty - says he would be a great tyrant - reverse psychology • Macduff still hates Macbeth - Malcolm has gotten what he wants Macduff’s loyalty • Ross tells him of the slaughter of wife and child - Macduff vows revenge 29

  30. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 1 • “Out, damned spot! out, I say!”—Lady Macbeth, 5.1.31 • “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” —Lady Macbeth, 5.1.46–7 • “What’s done cannot be undone.”—Lady Macbeth, 5.1.62–3 • Played in dark except one candle • Lady Macbeth has gone mad - sleepwalks and tells fragments of events 30

  31. overheard by doctor and lady-in-waiting • Lady Macbeth is seen rubbing her hands - (quotes at the beginning) • Lady Macbeth needs a “divine” • Spiritual darkness - 1 candle 31

  32. 32

  33. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 2 • Four lords of Scotland - Lennox, Mentith, Angus, and Caithness resolve to join Malcolm and English forces who are at Birnam Wood • Caithness speech - warrior hero - valiant fury - but not righteous - “ Distemper’d Cause” 33

  34. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 3 • Macbeth dismisses reports of invasion ( confident tyrant) • Trusts the prophecies • Servant ( cream faced lilly livered) announces huge army • Doctor tells of Lady Macbeth • “ yellow leaf” - fall of his own reputation 34

  35. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 4 • English and Scotish armies under leadership of Malcolm meet at Birnam Wood • Malcolm orders soldiers to cut a branch and carry it in front of them as camouflage “To shadow the number of our host” • taken from Holinshed’s Chronicles - 1577 35

  36. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5 • Macbeth fully armed - brave rhetoric • shriek offstage - The queen is dead • Birnam Wood appears to have uprooted itself advancing towards Dunsinane • Shakespeare - Power-seeking tyrants tend toward self-destruction • “I have supped full with horrors.”—Macbeth, 5.5.14 - Banquo’s ghost • “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.”—Macbeth, 5.5.21 36

  37. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 6 • Malcolm and his troops have reached Dunsinane • Siward first to advance - age • Macduff order of troops- discipline - harbinger or sign of what is to come 37

  38. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 7 • Macbeth challenged by son of Siward • Macbeth’s forces have surrendered Dunsinane Castle • “They have tied me to a stake: I cannot fly” • kills young Siward - “Thou wast born of woman” • Macduff - ironic timing- takes place of Siward 38

  39. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 8 • Macbeth and Macduff finally face to face • words are tossed • Macbeth ponders suicide but hey I can’t die • Macduff tells him he entered the world “Untimely ripp’d” from mothers womb • Macbeth realizes witches are “imperfect speakers” • Macbeth dies 39

  40. Macbeth Act 5 Scene 9 • Malcolm proclaimed new king of Scotland • true friends “we miss” loyalty he will rule with graciousness and humility • Macduff enters with Macbeth’s head 40

More Related