MACBETH Discussion and Study Guide. Focal Point CONTRADICTIONS Fair/Foul Dark/Light Innocence/Guilt.
By William Shakespeare fair is foul and foul is fair.
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Transcript of By William Shakespeare fair is foul and foul is fair.
by William Shakespeare
fair is foul and foul is fair
• written in 1605 – 1606• set in 11th century Scotland
• Written in 1605 -1606
• Set in 11th century Scotland
The essential questions:
• Shakespeare’s inspirations for Macbeth?
• Motifs and themes in Macbeth?
• imagery in Macbeth?
• What is a tragedy?
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE• 1564 – 1616
• arrived in London around 1587 to pursue theater
• involved in all aspects of theater: writing, acting, producing, financing
King James (r 1603 – 1625)
•
• from Scotland
• patron of Shakespeare
• disliked long plays
• wrote on divine right of kings
• interested in witchcraft and demonology
• claimed to be a direct descendant of Banquo, a character in Macbeth
ELIZABETHAN AND JACOBEAN VIEWS ON WITCHES
• firmly believed in the existence of witches
• embodiment of evil
• in league with Satan
• supernatural powers
• “tempters” to be avoided
Gunpowder Plot of 1605• March 1605• Plot to blow up the House of Lords and
King James• Led by Guy Fawkes• Unsuccessful because one of the
conspirators warned a member of the House of Lords
The Historical Macbeth• 11th century Scotland• Based loosely on the historical death of
Scottish King Duncan at the hands of his kinsman, Macbeth
• Shakespeare's immediate source for his story is Ralph Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland
• Historically, Banquo may have been an accomplice• The actual Macbeth ruled successfully
The Cursed Play
Legend says that Shakespeare included actual incantations from a book of black magic in the witches’ lines resulting in a curse on the play
•1st performance – 1607 – boy playing Lady Macbeth fell ill and died. Shakespeare had to play the role.•1672 – a real dagger was used in Duncan’s murder and the actor playing Duncan died
For example -
More examples … •1721 – altercation between actors and a nobleman resulted in burning the theater down
•1775 – Sarah Siddons, playing Lady M, attacked by the audience
•1849 – riot broke out during performance resulting in 23 deaths
•1926 – actress Sybil Thorndyke
nearly strangled onstage by actor
•1928 – set fell, seriously
injuring several cast members
•1930 – Lillian Boyliss, playing LadyM, died during the final dress rehearsal
•1947 – actor stabbed onstage during
swordfight and died
•1953 – Charlton Heston caught on fire
•1960s – actor playing Macbeth died onstage
And more …
Do not say the name “Macbeth” INSIDE a theater – refer to it as “the Scottish play”
To reverse the curse –cleanse the air with a quotation from Hamlet:
"Angels and Ministers of Grace defend us!
Motifs – blood
false appearances
hands
animals
sleep
More motifs–
• darkness/sight
• manhood
• nature/unnatural
• birds
• clothing
Themes –
lust for power
effects of guiltappearance vs.
reality
good/evil
natural order
TRAGEDY
A literary work depicting serious events in which the main character, often high-ranking and dignified, comes to an unhappy end.
Literary Terms to Knowchiaroscuro – contrast of light and dark imagery
foreshadowing – hints about future actions
aside – character’s private comments, other characters onstage do not hear
anachronism – inaccurate placement of a thing, person, or event in time
comic relief – a humorous scene to provide relief from dramatic tension
ambiguity – suggestion of different, conflicting meanings
irony – (dramatic, verbal, situational)
more literary terms to know
paradox – statement that appears contradictory but reveals a truth
monologue – a long, uninterrupted speech by one character
blank verse – unrhymed iambic pentameter
allusion – reference to another work of literature, history
soliloquy – a character, usually alone on stage, thinks out loud
imagery –use of language to evoke sensation
foil – a character who acts as a contrast to another character
The Language of Macbeth
Almost all of Macbeth is in blank verse, unrhymed iambic pentameter.
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth use blank verse.The witches use rhymed iambic tetrameter.
Notice who uses prose -
Fair is foul and foul is fair,
Hover through fog and filthy air.
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
PowerPoint presentation created by
Jenny Burdette, Dacula High School