MACBETHA study of ambition, guilt

and madness

Setting: Medieval Scotland• Scotland• 1040

Was there a real King Macbeth?• Yes. Circa (around) 1040. Mac Bethad (MacBheatha)

• Shakespeare based his tragedies on historical documents, in this case a History of England by Holinshed.

• The real King Macbeth was not so evil, nor was the real King Duncan so virtuous.

Timeline

700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600

Macbeth

(Scotland)

Shakespeare

(England)

Geographical location: the British Isles

British Isles

Macbeth’s Scotland

Characters

What do we call a character that changes during the play? A dynamic character.

Conflict

External:

There is a civil war in Scotland when the play opens. The Rebel thanes (lords) hire Irish soldiers. The King of Norway takes advantage of the situation.

Who supported King Duncan during the civil war?

Support Duncan Against Duncan

Sons: Malcolm and DonalbainMacbethBanquoRossAngusMacduffOthers

MacdonwaldThane (lord) of Cawdor 1Other rebel thanes (lords)Hired Irish soldiersKing of Norway

The North Sea

Waves in the North Sea

North Sea Coast of Scotland

Internal conflict

Macbeth, the main character, asks himself:

• Should I or shouldn’t I murder Duncan?

Plot

Plotof Macbeth

Copyright: Daydream Education, UK

Malcolm Flees to England. Macduff follows.

Themes

Copyright: Scribd

Another way to mention the themes, and additional themes.

• Ambition• Superstition• Deceitful appearances (cheating) – Hipocrisy• Disloyalty• Guilt• The ideal ruler vs the vice-laden ruler.• The concept of a true man: he who respects rules or he

who ignores all authority and rules• The state of the psyche and the time that goes by while

an action is not executed.

Tone

What is the attitude of the author while he writes?• Elevated• Serious• Mysterious

Contradictorily, there is a short humorous scene. Shakespeare´s sense of humor is lewd in it. Why?

When and why does the author include this scene?

Is the audience feeling anything else simultaneously?

Mood• What emotions do you experience at the end of the play?

Ran into these interesting links• http://miscellanea.com/making-the-green-one-red-logging-in/ • http://www.inspiration.com/Resources/Case-Studies• http://library.thinkquest.org/2888/resource.html • http://www.daydreameducation.co.uk/servlet/-strse-1837/Macbeth-Plot-cln-%3Cbr%3EThe-Story-of/Detail?category

=Key+Stage+2%3AWall+Charts%3AEnglish+Literature

• http://www.tower.com/themes-shakespeare-macbeth-dvd/wapi/117251717

Well Cast• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAhRf3U50lM

• THOMAS FRANK• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AffuwyJZTQQ