MACBETH

• Written by Shakespeare in 1605.

• Written for King James I, who was interested in witchcraft.

• Glorifies James I’s ancestry by associating him through Banquo to the first Scottish king.

• Shortest drama

William Shakespeare

• Born April 23, 1564.• Married Anne Hathaway (26) when he was

only 18. • They had 8 children, and Susanna received

the bulk of his fortune on his death in 1616.• He left his wife his “second-best bed.”• None of his plays were published during his

lifetime.

• His sonnets were published without his consent.

• His first play, Henry VI, Part One, was written when he was 25 years old.

• Supposedly the play Cardenio has been lost.

• Shakespeare died in 1616; he was 52.

• His plays were published seven years after his death under the title The First Folio.

SETTING

• 11th centuryScotland

• Duncan, king of Scotland is at war with Norway.

• Macbeth is a brave soldier of Duncan’s who is awarded the lands of Cawdor.

• James was at first skeptical of witchcraft until one woman accused of using witchcraft to plot against his life recounted the private words he spoke to his wife on the night of their wedding. He became a true believer and even wrote a book on demons and witches.

• The story is a combination of fact and fiction. The facts came from Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Macbeth Map

Macbeth - Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, later King of Scotland• Menteith, Angus, Caithness - Thanes of Scotland• Lady Macbeth - wife to Macbeth • Seyward - [English ] earl of Northumberland• Duncan - King of Scotland• Malcolm - elder son of Duncan• Donalbain - younger son of Duncan• Banquo - a Thane of Scotland• Fleance - son of Banquo • Macduff - a Thane of Scotland• Lady Macduff - wife of Macduff• Ross - Thane of Scotland• Young Seyward - son of Seyward• Hectate – apparition• Lennox - a Thane of Scotland• Three weird sisters – witches• Seyton - Macbeth's armour bearerPorter - keeper of Macbeth's castle

Characters

• Some famous sayings actually came from this play:

• He’s full of the milk of human kindness

• She thinks she’s the be-all and end-all.

• What a sorry sight that was!

• Don’t worry, What’s done is done.

• She finished the jobs in one fell swoop.

• Macbeth vs. Macduff

• Macbeth vs. Supernatural

• Macbeth vs. His own

conscience

CONFLICTS

MOTIFS• Red, blood• Black, darkness• Birds and Animals• Weapons• Sleep• Nature and weather• Clothing• Numbers• Children

• According to legend, the spell in the beginning of Act IV was lifted from an authentic black magic ritual.

• The witches of the time were not pleased to see their secret spell made public and put a curse on the play.

The Curse

• Hal Berridge was play Lady Macbeth on opening night, August 7, 1606 but was stricken with fever and died.

• In 1672, the actor playing Macbeth used a real dagger for the scene in which Duncan is murdered. Needless to say, the actor died.

• In 1849, a riot broke out in New York City during a protest against the British actor playing Macbeth. Militia fired into the crowd killed 26 people.

• In 1771, a theater playing Macbeth burned down after a show.

• In 1882, during a sword fight, one actor was stabbed with a real sword. He did recover.

• Abe Lincoln is said to have recited lines from Macbeth one week before his assassination.

• In 1930, the actress playing Lady Macbeth died on the final day of dress rehearsal.

• In 1937, Laurence Olivier was almost hit by a falling 25-pound weight.

• In 1942, three actors mysteriously died during rehearsals and the set designer committed suicide in the theater.

• In 1947, actor Harold Norman was stabbed in a swordfight and died of his wounds.

• In 1953 during the open-air production of Macbeth, the smoke and flames from a torch ignited the stage. Charlton Heston, whose tights were accidentally soaked in kerosene, was severely burned in the groan and leg area.

CAVE OF THE THREEWITCHES

-Macbeth fights in two war—one with Norway and one against Scottish rebels

-The two wars are combined into one. -Duncan is killed after being defeated in

battle-Duncan is murdered in his sleep

-Duncan is young and weak.-Duncan is old, wise, and gentle. -Banquo conspires in Duncan’s death.-Banquo, innocent of Duncan’s murder, is

himself murdered by Macbeth. 

• FACT

• FICTION

• Lady Macbeth plays little part in Macbeth’s rise and fall.• -Lady Macbeth is her husband’s partner in evil.

• -Macbeth had some legitimate claim to the throne

• -Macbeth has no claim.