Introduction to

Shakespeare’s

Macbeth

Born April 23rd, 1564Started out

performing with “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men”

Gave him a chance to write a play

Henry IV, Pt. 1- It stunk but they gave him another shot

Many playwrights with nowhere to “play”

Barn turned into theatre (Yea!)

Puritans burn it down (Evil theatre! Boo!)

Globe built! (Yea!)Globe burns (sniff,

darn cannon!)Globe rebuilt! (Yea!)Globe burns (Dang

that Fire of London!)

Reconstructed in the 1990’s

Only men were permitted to perform

Boys or effeminate men were used to play the women

Costumes were often the company’s most valuable asset

Costumes were made by the company, bought in London, or donated by courtiers

1 shilling to stand

2 shillings to sit in the balcony

1 shilling was 10% of their weekly income

Broadway Today: 10% of a teacher’s weekly salary

Set in ScotlandWritten for King

James I (formerly of Scotland, now England)

Queen of Denmark (James’s sister) was visiting

Shakespeare researched The Chronicles - Banquo is an ancestor of King James I

Shakespeare’s shortest and bloodiest tragedy

Macbeth tumbles madly from its opening to its conclusion. It is a sharp, jagged sketch of

theme and character; as such, it has shocked and fascinated audiences for

nearly four hundred years.

•Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of sinister witches that one day he will become King of Scotland.

•He is consumed by this and murders King Duncan

•He begins his reign racked with guilt and fear and soon becomes a tyrannical ruler, as he is forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion.

•The bloodbath swiftly propels Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to arrogance, madness, and death.

Shakespeare’s shortest and bloodiest tragedy

• Scottish general• Led to wicked thoughts from the three witches• Brave soldier • Powerful man• Easily tempted into murder• Once he commits his first crime he embarks on

further atrocities with increasing ease• Better warrior than political leader• Solution to everything: violence and murder• Unable to bear the psychological consequences of

his atrocities.

• Macbeth’s wife• Lusts for power and position• Seems stronger and more ruthless of the two

• Urges her husband to kill Duncan and seize the crown

• She and Macbeth are presented as being deeply in love

• Violence strengthens their relationship

• Plot against Macbeth: charms, spells and prophecies.

• Their predictions prompt Macbeth to murder and to blindly believe in his own immortality.

• They take a delight in using their knowledge of the future to toy with and destroy human beings.

• Macbeth’s best friend • He represents the path Macbeth chose not to take

• King of Scotland

• Macbeth murders him

• Model of a good leader • His death symbolizes the destruction

of Scotland

• A Scottish General

• Macbeth murders Macduff’s wife and young son.

• He eventually becomes a leader of the crusade to unseat Macbeth.

•  Macduff’s wife

It is believed to be bad luck to even squeak the word ‘Macbeth’ in a theatre

Legend has it you will lose all your friends involved in the production--horribly

MORE ON THAT LATER...

TRAGIC HERO: “Man of high standard who falls from that high because of a flaw that has affected many” – Aristotle

Macbeth is one of the most famous examples of the tragic hero.

1. Good guy goes bad2. Guy wants power3. Married to a pushy control freak4. She wants power5. Kills people- LOTS of people6. Gets power7. Gets paranoid (a.k.a. goes crazy)8. Ticks off a lot of people9. Want more power! Kill! Kill! Kill!10.Gets what’s coming to him in the

end

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WczOqCy_Mnk