Macbeth!By William Shakespeare

Why We Should Study It

What We Should Learn from It

Macbeth

• It inspires…see art, see writing, see common cultural knowledge.

• It reveals a bit of Scottish history that we should all learn.

• It illustrates the power of writing: as an example of how an author uses his writing to purposely affect a viewer (how Shakespeare wrote it for King James I)

• It makes us think (themes and human condition).

Macbeth - inspires

• Art • Dog names• movies

Macbeth - reveals

• History– Shakespeare based his play, “Macbeth,” on

the Scottish king, Mac Beth, and his rise and reign.

Mac Beth

• Lived in Scotland• Became king • Killed his king before

him, Duncan• Reigned for 17 years

and was beloved for bringing peace and prosperity to Scotland

Macbeth

• Lived in Scotland• Became king • Killed his king before

him, Duncan• Reigned for months

and was hated for bringing such violence and unrest as a demoralizing man.

Mac Beth vs. Macbeth

• 1044• King Duncan was born in

1001• Duncan became king

after killing his grandfather

• Duncan “was a spoiled and over zealous young man whose reign was wrought with failed campaigns and death for his people” (http://students.roanoke.edu/t/tnunez/actualstory.html)

• His people hated him and his lords overthrew him.

• 1606

• Duncan was beloved by his people and his thanes.

• In the play (I, i), he arrives after the action, which would not have been “okay” as a leader. He would have fought.

Mac Beth vs. Macbeth

• Mac Beth, his cousin, killed him and became king.

• Duncan’s sons fled: Donald Ban to Ireland and Malcolm to England, but later returned to reign as kings

• They murdered Mac Beth’s father in 1020

• Macbeth, his loyal thane, killed him.

• Macbeth framed Duncan’s sons, so that Macbeth could assume the throne.

• Duncan’s sons fled: to Ireland and Malcolm to England, but later returned, and Malcolm reigned as king.

Mac Beth vs. Macbeth

• Blood• Blood• Murder• Murder• Murder• Deceit• Power• murder

• Blood• Blood• Murder• Murder• Murder• Deceit• Power• murder

Macbeth – power of words

• Shakespeare wrote the play for King James I

• First, he wanted to provoke a reaction from King James I, who was known to fall asleep during plays (http://students.roanoke.edu/t/tnunez/TheRoyalPlay.html).

– Ego?– Please the king? Sycophant??

Macbeth – King James I

• Enthralled by Scottish History

• Events correlated to James’ life– Treachery and Deceit=many assassination

attempts on King James I– Macbeth was Thane of Glamis=James held

hostage by Thane of Glamis– Witches provoked evil=James wrote a book

on witches and how to punish them

http://students.roanoke.edu/t/tnunez/TheRoyalPlay.html

Macbeth – King James I

• Rumor maintained that his father (if James was product of illegitimate affair) was stabbed to death in presence of his mother, the queen.

• Queen’s husband murdered in 1567

• Fear of uprising

• Crowned king at 13 months

• Mother, Mary Queen of Scots, killed for being against Queen Elizabeth

• Many plots to kill James throughout his reign

Macbeth – King James I

• King James I , unlike other kings, died in his bed (age 59) at peace with subjects and foreign countries.

• Also, he passed his crown onto his adult son, also very unusual for the times and history of kings.

• His life was troubled, depressed, and pained.• http://students.roanoke.edu/t/tnunez/TheRoyalPlay.html

Macbeth – makes us think

• Themes– Greed– Power– Fate– Masculinity– Loyalty– Going against Nature– Evil– Supernatural– Ambition

• Human Condition– Tragic hero– Moral degradation

• Choices• responsibilities

– Purpose of life• “Tomorrow and

tomorrow and tomorrow, creeps by in this petty pace…out, out brief candle…”

The Question:

• Is life a series of meaningless events surrounded by violence and treachery of a dog-eat-dog world resulting in tiresome pointlessness, (despair)

or

• is there hope for a better life, for some point to it all? (hope)

Macbeth – bonus

• It is Shakespeare’s shortest play.

• It is full of action.

• Much murder and blood drives the plot of the play.

• Reversals, twists, and gender issues with a touch of madness accent the play.

• You get to chant.