MACBETH William Shakespeare 1606 THE CURSE OF MACBETH

MACBETH William Shakespeare 1606

THE CURSE OF MACBETH • Theory: Shakespeare wrote actual black magic spells into the script for the characters of the witches in Macbeth • As a result, bad things ended up happening during various productions of Macbeth • Even saying the name “Macbeth” in a theatre is said to bring bad luck • The play is sometimes referred to as “The Scottish Play” instead • https: //www. youtube. com/watch ? v=2 LKMkt. AN 4 hc

LANGUAGE IN MACBETH • Syntax- word order • Sometimes we need to untangle words to make sure they are understandable • Example: This above all: To thine own self be true

• Iambic pentameter- metical line used in traditional English poetry and drama • 5 iambs, 10 syllables, unstressed/stressed • Feet: a tool that measures syllables in iambic pentameter

DRAMA LITERARY TERMS • Act- division in a play • Aside- lines that are spoken directly to audience members • Dramatic irony- when the audience or reader knows something that the characters do not know • Monologue- a long speech spoken by a character spoken to themselves, another character, or to the audience • Scene- a smaller division in a play • Soliloquy- thoughts spoken aloud by a character when he/she is alone or thinks they are

TYPES OF PLAYS Comedy Tragedy • Happy ending • • Light hearted tone *Tragic hero- a character who makes a decision that leads to his/her own downfall • Joking to make people laugh • Supernatural • Comic relief • *Hamartia- tragic and fatal flaw of a character

WHY DID SHAKESPEARE WRITE MACBETH? • Social Appeal! • He wrote the play for King James I • King James was really interested in witchcraft • As a young man in Scotland, James I wrote a book on demonography, specifically about witches • James I argues that the Scottish witches were more dangerous than English witches