MacbethMacbeth

Ambition. Betrayal. Ambition. Betrayal. Corruption.Corruption.

Witch will destroy them?Witch will destroy them?

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare1564-16161564-1616

The most influential writer in all The most influential writer in all of English literatureof English literature

Wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnetsWrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets During his lifetime he was the During his lifetime he was the

most popular playwright in most popular playwright in England, receiving public and England, receiving public and critical acclaimcritical acclaim

Part owner of The Globe Part owner of The Globe Theater and The King’s Men Theater and The King’s Men acting companyacting company

At the time of his death his At the time of his death his works were proclaimed as works were proclaimed as timelesstimeless

100 years after his death he 100 years after his death he was proclaimed the greatest was proclaimed the greatest poet to ever write in Englishpoet to ever write in English

The Globe TheaterThe Globe Theater Circular, open air Circular, open air theatertheater

The lower class stood on The lower class stood on the ground, the upper the ground, the upper classes were in the classes were in the balconiesbalconies

The theater featured a The theater featured a trap door in the stage trap door in the stage and ropes to hoist actors and ropes to hoist actors upup

Little to no set Little to no set decoration; extravagant, decoration; extravagant, expensive costumesexpensive costumes

Female roles played by Female roles played by young boysyoung boys

Acting & Stage Direction Acting & Stage Direction 101101 SoliloquySoliloquy—A long speech —A long speech

delivered alone onstage by delivered alone onstage by one character; meant to one character; meant to convey the character’s convey the character’s thoughtsthoughts

AsideAside—A shorter speech —A shorter speech delivered by a character to delivered by a character to them self that is them self that is notnot heard heard by the other characters by the other characters onstageonstage

Stage DirectionsStage Directions—Written in —Written in [italics][italics] and in brackets to and in brackets to signal character signal character movementsmovements

MacbethMacbeth The shortest and bloodiest The shortest and bloodiest

of all the Shakespearean of all the Shakespearean playsplays

The story of how ambition The story of how ambition and corruption lead one and corruption lead one man to murder and how man to murder and how guilt and fear lead the guilt and fear lead the same man to insanity and same man to insanity and deathdeath

Explores the theory of Explores the theory of divine right to kingship: the divine right to kingship: the belief that the king was belief that the king was chosen by God; when a chosen by God; when a king died the first born son king died the first born son would take the thronewould take the throne

What happens when this What happens when this natural order is broken and natural order is broken and evil is allowed to influence evil is allowed to influence history?history?

ThemesThemes1.1. Ambition, Corruption & ViolenceAmbition, Corruption & Violence

What are people willing to do in What are people willing to do in order to achieve their greatest order to achieve their greatest ambition? What are ambition? What are youyou willing to willing to do?do?

What happens once violence is What happens once violence is used to achieve a goal?used to achieve a goal?

Pay attention to how Macbeth and Pay attention to how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are affected by Lady Macbeth are affected by corruption once they resort to corruption once they resort to violence to achieve their ambitions.violence to achieve their ambitions.

2.2. Gender Roles Gender Roles How is manhood or masculinity How is manhood or masculinity

defined?defined? How are men and women expected How are men and women expected

to behave?to behave? Are men more violent than women?Are men more violent than women?

ThemesThemes3.3. Evil & the SupernaturalEvil & the Supernatural

Are there evil forces attempting Are there evil forces attempting to manipulate us?to manipulate us?

Is it possible to predict the Is it possible to predict the future or are all prophesies self-future or are all prophesies self-fulfilling?fulfilling?

Is Macbeth completely Is Macbeth completely responsible for his actions or responsible for his actions or are others to blame?are others to blame?

4.4. Order vs. DisorderOrder vs. Disorder Is there a natural order to the Is there a natural order to the

way the world and the universe way the world and the universe operates?operates?

What happens when this order What happens when this order is disturbed?is disturbed?

What signs of disorder are What signs of disorder are evident after Macbeth becomes evident after Macbeth becomes king?king?

ThemesThemes5.5. GuiltGuilt

What effect does What effect does guilt have on the guilt have on the human mind?human mind?

Is guilt in some Is guilt in some way more of a way more of a punishment than punishment than anything else?anything else?

Pay attention to Pay attention to the very different the very different ways guilt affects ways guilt affects Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and Lady MacbethMacbeth