Macbeth Introduction l Written by William Shakespeare in

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

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

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

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

A little taste of Macbeth 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1 l Past midnight - Moon has set and the “Candles” of heaven cannot be seen - dark brooding l Banquo draws sword - irony doesn’t know Macbeth is going to kill Duncan l Dagger Speech - Mental disturbance l “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? ” — Macbeth, 2. 1. 42– 3 13

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

Scene 2 l Knocking - knocking of their consciences actual knock l “With all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? ”—Macbeth, 2. 2. 78– 9 15

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

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

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

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

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

Act 3 Scene 2 l Macbeth plans murder not Lady Macbeth l Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s world not at peace l Macbeth wants to get rid of his bond with humanity l “We have scorched the snake, not killed it. ”—Macbeth, 3. 2. 15 l “Duncan is in his grave; After lifeʼs fitful fever he sleeps well. ”—Macbeth, 3. 2. 24– 5 21

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

l Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 has Thanes of Scotland over Macduff not there l Murderers tell Macbeth what happened Macbeth losses it l Macbeth sees ghost - goes into a fit l Macbeth has lost control l Macbeth will kill Macduff and visit three sisters l “It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood. ” —Macbeth, 3. 4. 152– 53 23

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

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

Macbeth Act 4 Scene 1 l “Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. ”—Witches, 4. 1. 10– 1 l Macbeth goes to weird sisters and demands to be shown apparitions of the future l 1. disembodied head of a warrior who warns Macbeth of revenge l 2. blood-covered child who cannot be killed by any man “ of woman born” 26

l 3. a child wearing a crown promises Macbeth cannot lose in battle until Birnam wood moves to Dunsinane l Macbeth asks about Banquo’s sons and sees a procession of Banquo and future kings l Macbethless future l Macduff has fled to England Macbeth announces revenge of Macduff’s wife and children l “I’ll make assurance double sure. ”— Macbeth, 4. 1. 93 27

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

Act 4 Scene 3 l “At one fell swoop. ”—Macduff, 4. 3. 256 l Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty - says he would be a great tyrant - reverse psychology l Macduff still hates Macbeth - Malcolm has gotten what he wants Macduff’s loyalty l Ross tells him of the slaughter of wife and child - Macduff vows revenge 29

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 1 l “Out, damned spot! out, I say!”—Lady Macbeth, 5. 1. 31 l “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. ” —Lady Macbeth, 5. 1. 46– 7 l “What’s done cannot be undone. ”—Lady Macbeth, 5. 1. 62– 3 l Played in dark except one candle l Lady Macbeth has gone mad - sleepwalks and tells fragments of events 30

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

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

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

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

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5 l Macbeth fully armed - brave rhetoric l shriek offstage - The queen is dead l Birnam Wood appears to have uprooted itself advancing towards Dunsinane l Shakespeare - Power-seeking tyrants tend toward self-destruction l “I have supped full with horrors. ”— Macbeth, 5. 5. 14 - Banquo’s ghost l “Tomorrow, and tomorrow. ”—Macbeth, 5. 5. 21 36

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

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

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

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