Post on 16-Dec-2015
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• Shakespeare based his tragedies on historical documents, in this case a History of England by Holinshed.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