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MacBeth

Background info:

Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, performed in 17th

century Written specifically to perform to King James I of England James Stuart believed in the Witch hysteria which grew prominent in Scotland around

1500s

Play based on 11th century Scotland- Thane of Glamis Thane of Cawdor King of Scotland

-Macbeth introduced as the valiant cousin and brave Macbeth, his swordsmoked with bloody

execution A HERO AT THE BEGINNING

-Duncan is quite foolish and gullible, great happiness with victory, honour to country. BUT HE IS

BETRAYED BY MACBETH FURTHER ON

-Duncan is a loving father, remaining firm that his son Malcolm will establish our estate, heir to

the throne

-Macbeth is linked with magic, Witches introducing to the audience that the plan on meeting

Macbeth when the hurly-burlys done. Shakespeare hinting magic has something to do with the

climax: -corruption, a twist in the Natural Order. The use of the chiasmus fair is foul and foul is fair

reinforces that the motivation of play and characters is one of deception.

- Witches describing wild concoctions and potions with convoluted dialogue. They put in a toe of

frog, blind-worms sting and tooth of wolf into their hell-broth. LINKED WITH MAGIC,

CASTING TROUBLE, ACCURATELY PROPHESIZING

-Macbeth a curious man, temptation ordering the witches to stay, you imperfect speakers

-However, current thoughts are that if his fateis to be king, chance may crown me [Macbeth]

-Macbeth is honoured by Duncan. He withdraws from his promise to kill Duncan telling his wife that

they shall not proceed no further in this business and that over-ambition oerleaps itself...and

falls on the other

- But Lady Macbeth changes his mind completely. After reading Macbeths letter on the Witches, she

unsexes herselfin her soliloquy, showing audience her masculine side and that she is just as

ambitious as men. She is fearful of thy [Macbeths] nature to be weak, and realizes that they

must go against humanity to achieve the throne and be part of the Scottish aristocracy (benefits)

-She manipulates her husband when he comes to her. She threatens acerbically that his love for her

is green and pale, as weak as his ambition. She tells him to murder in [her] dispatch and that

well not fail. She is EVIL -- > She urges Macbeth to look like the innocent flower, but be the

serpent under it+ that Duncan must be providedfordisguises and display a false face to

court. HER PLOTS DEEM HER VIOLENT, symbol of evil spouse

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-Macbeth is convinced, perhaps frightened of a broken marriage and his wife. Vulnerable to

change

-He proceeds and comes back as a coward. He looks has his murdering hands and scolds, what

hands are here!

- Guilt seizing him, in which he claims you canst not say I did it selfdeception, attempting to

detach himself from his own actions

-Lady Macbeth takes in control, dominates, collecting the forgotten daggers and smearing blood on

the soldiers

-Crowned King. But still unhappy just like the witches predicted that his sleep shall neither night

nor day (they eat our meal in fear and restless ecstasy). It annoys him that no son of mine

succeeding. He becomes obsessive, cautious and fearful of suspicion, his fears in Banquo stick

deep. He attempts to kill Banquo and his son. FEAR STRIKES HIM

- Leading lies, tricking the servants that Banquo was the one who held them so under fortune and

that they should not be so gospelled to Banquo and seek revenge for the King and themselves.

-Yet he does have a mind on his own as he hides from his wife he already hired to kill dear Banquo

as she tells him that she is reluctant to murder again. Aware of surroundings, cunning. Roles are

reversed. Lady Macbeth applauds the deed only when he succeeds in doing so. Fake relationship

even LM does not genuinely love Macbeth

-Lady Macbeth sinking in guilt too, wanting to rub and rub this out, damned spot! Spot is all their

murders as a couple and unhappiness that came with it. Her craziness, insanity and sleepwalkingillness is Nature seeking revenge

-Macbeth sees Banquos ghost during a banquet honouring Macbeth. Nature of Order. It shakes him

a bit. He knows that whats done cannot be undone and frets over the fact that they are yet but

young in deed inexperienced at crime, admits he is in blood/stepped in so far

- Nature against villainous acts, its stones have been known to move and trees to speak

-Wife chastises Macbeth that these flaws and starts of the ghost hallucination was a painting of

your [his] fear

First sign of Nature interfering was the floating dagger Macbeth visioned leading to Duncan. He

convinces himself that it a hallucination, an evil nightmare, from his fevered brain...full of

scorpions and that he should just overcome his nervousness by continuing with the murder right

way. He is fooling himself

- After returning to the witches once again, Macbeth misconstrues their fantastical...predictions

which initiates the cycle of death that is fuelled by his natural ambition. He relies on the witches

quick apparitions for another spur or motive to kill for protection of his throne

-NATURE IS DECEPTIVE HECTATE, WITCHES continue to trade and traffic with Macbeth even

though he is evidently not interested in their art, but only in himself

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-Macbeth takes a risk to spurn fate, scorn death

-He is led by this equivocation that he has to beware the Thane of Fife, Macduff, who has fled to

England. He ignores that the one to kill him is not of woman born (what he makes unimportant),

laughs at this. The devilish Macbeth goes out to hunt Macduffs family.

- Other characters refer to him as a devil more damned in evils; no one can top Macbeth

-He has forgot the taste of fears murdering even innocents now, (refer to young Siward...)

-Reaching the denouement of Shakespeares play, Macbeth becomes the dead butcher. He is

killed by Macduff. But he had fought to the end ...till my bones my flesh be hacked encouraging

Macduff to lay on and fight. Hedisplayed to the world his violent determination; that why should

I [Macbeth] play the Roman fool and die

TRAGIC HERO, DOWNFALL = THE FACT THAT HE MURDERED REGARDLESS OF KNOWING THAT HE

WASNT GOING TO BE HEIR TO A LINE OF KINGS. HE KNEW HE WAS DOOMED TO FAIL YET HE

CONTINUED TO KILL AS HE HAD THE POWER TO AS KING (WAS THIS NOT THIS HIS ORIGINAL GOAL?)

GOODNESS:

- Malcolm is a leader. Deserving King who urges country that there will be more to do even after

victory. He tests Macduffs loyalty shows he values people who are true ofdevotion,

courage, fortitude, perseverance. Tells Macduff he will be a worse king than Macbeth.

Macduff says he is unfit to be King then, not siding with Malcolm. Macduff passes the test.

-Courage: Leading an army camouflaged behind branches ofGreat Birnam Wood to high

Dunsinane Hill

- Macduffs grief convert to anger.Not only does he dispute it like a man by fighting and

crushing Macbeth till the end, but he also feel[s] it as a man, lamenting his familys deaths

-Sacrifice: leaving family behind to seek Malcolm in England for Scotlands sake, risking banishment

- Patriotism urgent need for them to hold fast the mortal sword...like good men and together,

protect their downfalln birthdomwhich painfully sinks beneath the yoke and bleed