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Macbeth

Discover the tragedy of Macbeth, a play written in the 1600s to appease King James, featuring characters like Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, and the exploration of doubles and time. Uncover the supernatural elements and dualities within the plot set in eleventh-century Scotland.

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Macbeth

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  1. Macbeth

  2. Background • Setting • Characters • Tragedy • Doubles • Time

  3. Background • It is a later play c. 1605-1606 • James was on the throne; Shakespeare’s players are known as the King’s Men • Written to appease King James

  4. Appeasing King James • King James’ father and mother had been killed; convinced that witchcraft was at play • Favorable portrait of Banquo • Give Scottish line validity • Banquo an invention-ancestor of James

  5. Characters • King Duncan – King of Scotland • Malcolm and Donalbain – his sons • Thane of Cawdor – traitor • Macbeth – Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, King of Scotland • Lady Macbeth - educated and ambitious wife of Macbeth

  6. Characters • Banquo – a Scottish thane • Fleance – Banquo’s son • Macduff – a Scottish thane • Lady Macduff – his wife • Lennox and Ross – Scottish thanes

  7. Setting • Eleventh-century Scotland • Inverness on Dunsinane Hill –Macbeth’s castle • Great Birnam Wood - outside Macbeth’s castle

  8. Elements of the play • Not a true Aristotelian tragedy • Macbeth not a tragic hero • Macbeth is aware of his evil deeds • Macbeth wants more than he can accomplish • Lady is his co-conspirator • Together they make one person

  9. Elements of the play • Are witches a supernatural power? • Much of the play relates to natural versus supernatural; borders between fantasy and reality are broken • Witches are known as the “Weird Sisters” • Set the tone of surreal; sense of evil and supernatural • Are they a concrete manifestation of his ambition?

  10. Doubles • Macbeth has a double nature • One side: loyal, courteous, valiant, good thane • Other side: fearful, apprehensive, uncertain, apart from the norm

  11. Time • Best example of Shakespeare exploring what it means to be a man moving through time • Double time • Lived time versus thought time • Lived time is petty time: the eternal now • Thought time – dream time that can stretch, bend • Borrows time until there is no more

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