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The Tragedy of Macbeth
by William Shakespeare § Written between 1603 and 1606 § Tone (the attitude the writer takes expressed through the writer’s choice of words
and details): o Dark and ominous or projecting harm, threatening § Setting: mostly Scotland, somewhat in England during the 11th century § Motifs (an idea that occurs over and over again in a piece of literature or several pieces
of literature): o The supernatural, hallucinations, violence, prophecies, blood, hands, children, Heaven and Hell § Themes: nature, paradox, manhood, masks, light v. dark, ambition, guilt, fair and foul,
sleep § Written in blank verse – unrhymed iambic pentameter o With many recognitions dim and faint o The picture of the mind revives again § Characters: o King Duncan (Scotland) o Duncan’s sons Malcolm (promised the throne) and Donalbain o Macbeth (Thane of Glamis , Thane of Cawdor) o Banquo (Macbeth’s sidekick) o Macduff o Lennox o Ross o Fleance (Banquo’s son) one of Banquo’s sons who will inherit the throne o Lady Macbeth o Lady Macduff o Hecate (the leader of the witches) o Three Witches o Apparitions -Elements of
tragedy include: a central character who makes mistakes, a catastrophe near the conclusion, a central character who is often
high ranking. -Most of Macbeth
is written in blank verse which is effective because it closely approximates the natural rhythms of speech. Act I - As the play opens, the three gruesome witches (surrounded by lightning and thunder) are talking of a sailor. -The witches’
tale of the sailor indicates that they are malicious. - They plan to speak with Macbeth after the battle is over. - King Duncan of Scotland is at his castle is asking about the battle.
Scotland is fighting off Irish invaders. - He finds that the Thane of Cawdor, Macdonwald , is a traitor, and is soon defeated by Macbeth. -Before we ever
meet Macbeth, we learn of his bravery. - Malcolm is
named heir to the throne. -The Captain
tells the king about Macbeth and Banquo’s bravery in battle King Duncan decides
to make Macbeth Thane of Cawdor because Macbeth has fought heroically for him. Duncan
speaks nothing but kind words to Macbeth during the first act. -A thane is a
feudal lord, attendant, servant, official or baron in Scotland. -When Macbeth
gets his new title of Thane of Cawdor, Banquo is concerned. -“Make
thick my blood/Stop up the access and passage to remorse.”-She is asking to be made insensitive to the cruelty she is
planning. -“Lesser
than Macbeth, and greater” is a paradox meaning that it seems false but actually holds some truth -Because he is
the King’s subject and host, he has doubt about murdering Duncan. -Macbeth is shocked
of the witches’ prediction. -Lady Macbeth’s
remark that her husband is “too full of milk of human kindness” indicates that she is ruthless. -Macbeth’s
tragic flaw is his lust for power. -Macbeth worries
about the consequences of his actions. -The first Act
includes: an invasion, an order of execution, and plotting. Macbeth -
Act II scene i - it’s after midnight and Banquo and Fleaance are walking through the torch lit halls of Inverness. - Banquo is tired, but fears sleep because lately his dreams have been possessed with “cursed thoughts” - Banquo encounters Macbeth and Banquo is surprised that Macbeth is still awake. - Banquo tells Macbeth that he has had dreams about the “three weird sisters.” He tells Macbeth that they have revealed some truth. - Macbeth says that he has not thought of the witches since the meeting in the woods. Macbeth attempts to convince Banquo to agree to talk to him at a later date about the prophecies. Macbeth doesn’t know whether to trust Banquo or not. Is he an ally? -After Fleance
and Banquo leave, Macbeth has a vision. The dagger that Macbeth sees in his scene1
soliloquy is part of a hallucination. The handle points to Macbeth and
the blade toward Duncan. Macbeth grabs for the blade but is unable to grasp it.
(proof that it is a hallucination (lines 37-40). Macbeth tells himself that what
he isees is caused by the uneasiness of having to kill Duncan. - The fact that Fleance is in the scene serves as a reminder of the prophecy. - Macbeth feels a sense of doom, gloom, and witchcraft but decides to go on killing Duncan. - There is a bell to signal that the chamberlains are asleep (guards) Act II scene
ii - Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s paths cross and she remarks about how bold and daring she is while she
imagines Macbeth killing Duncan. - Macbeth cries out and Lady Macbeth fears that the chamberlains were awake. - Since she prepared the evidence herself, she could not see how he could possibly fail at killing Duncan. - Lady Macbeth could not murder Duncan because his sleeping resembled her father. This is one of the few times that we see her as vulnerable. - Macbeth enters the room shaking, hands covered in blood, and carrying the bloody daggers. - Macbeth remarks that when was in the room killing Duncan that he heard the chamberlains awake and say
their prayers. Macbeth tried to say “amen,” but the words stuck. He fears divine punishment. - Macbeth also tells Lady M. that he thought he heard a voice telling him that he would not be able to sleep
anymore. - Lady M. is ashamed at Macbeth because he forgot to leave the daggers, refused to go back to the room,
and so she calls him a coward, and she takes the daggers to leave them with the chamberlains.
The bloody daggers actually frighten Lady M. -Shakespeare
portrays the king in sympathetic terms to make the murder seem more monstrous. -Like most major
murders, Duncan is murdered off stage to make it more vicious. An idea
possibly picked up from Greek mythology. - Knocking (three times) can be heard at the door. The man
at the door with the strange knocking was Macduff. -When Macbeth
talks agitatedly about the murders, Lady Macbeth urges him to not dwell on it. - Lady M. ushers Macbeth to the bedroom to wash the blood off his hands making the remark that water will
wash them of the deed. Act II scene
iii - The porter’s cursing is ironic because he invokes the devil without knowing about the crime. He makes fun of whoever is at the door.
- The porter compares himself to being the door keeper at the gates of Hell.
-When Lennox
and Macduff arrive at Macbeth’s castle in the morning, Macduff wonders if the porter has stayed up late and slept in. The porter says that he stayed up late and makes several remarks about the effects
of alcohol. (red noses, sleepiness, urinate - on problems with sex) -The porter does not speak in iambic pentameter which makes him seem less important. He is used as comic relief. - What he says is like a paradox. The alcohol causes a confusion
much like what Macbeth is feeling about killing Duncan. Being in Inverness is like being in Hell. - Macduff says that the king has asked for him. - Macduff goes to the kings room and Lennox talks about the storms that happened during the night, saying
that he had never seen anything like it before. - The cry of “O’ Horror, Horror, and Horror” from Macduff can be heard. - Macbeth and Lennox go into the room. - Lady M. comes in and remarks how horrible this was, especially to happen in her house. - Malcolm and Donalbain showed up as the other two are leaving the scene.
They were told that Duncan was killed most likely by the chamberlains. - As soon as Duncan’s body is discovered, it triggers Macbeth into defense mode. -Macbeth kills
the chamberlains in rage. This makes Macduff suspicious. - Ladu M. faints and is carried off. She is now going to take
a back seat to Macbeh for awhile. - Malolm and
Donalbain flee Scotland because they fear for their lives and the stability of the country.
Malcolm goes to England and Donalbain goes to Ireland. -Banquo wants
to meet with the other nobles in order to find the purpose for murder. -In Scene 4,
Macduff emphasizes his opposition to Macbeth by refusing to see Macbeth crowned. They
are now arch enemies. Act II scene
iv - Another thane, Ross is walking around the castle with an old man. - They talk about all of the strange things that happened in the past few days. (It is dark during the day, a falcon is killed by an owl, and horses were running around eating each
other. - -Animals behaving strangely also happens in Julius Caesar, Hamlet & King Lear. - Macduff tells Ross that the nobles named Macbeth king. He
also says that the chamberlains may have been paid off to murder Duncan - Suspicion falls on Duncan’s sons. -Macbeth is crowned
in Scone, in the presence of Ross while Macduff goes home to Fife. Act III Scene
i -
Banquo tells us that he fears that Macbeth
committed the murders while back at his castle in Forres -
He has a glimmer of hope since the 1st prophecy came true (Macbeth=King) that the 2nd prophecy would come true
(his sons=kings) -
Macbeth and Lady M. hold a feast and they
want Banquo to be the guest of honor -
Macbeth appears to be getting used to the
idea of committing murders since the dead bodies are piling up. -
Banquo says he will be there after going
horseback riding later that afternoon. -
Macbeth wants to talk about Malcolm and
Donalbain – fears they will come for the throne -
Macbeth’s soliloquy reveals that his
dear friend (Banquo) is the only one he fears -
He mentions that if the prophecy comes true,
it will be a “fruitless” crown meaning no heir/son -
The servant has brought two men back to
the hallway to talk to Macbeth. -
During a conversation with two men, we learn
that Macbeth hired two men to kill Fleance and Banquo -
Ln 72-Macbeth is angry because he realizes
that he has killed a man so another man’s sons can be king -
Macbeth appears to have learned from Lady
M. because now he questions the manhood of the murderers to make them want to kill Banquo and Fleance more. Men and dogs- he convinces the men that Banquo is responsible for their troubles -
Banquo and Fleance must be killed in order
to protect Macbeth. -
The plan must be kept secret because he
and Banquo have friends in common -
He wants to kill Banquo himself but can’t
for political reasons Act III Scene
ii - Lady M is upset and sends for her husband - Macbeth is discontented (full of scorpions, still a threat on the throne)
line 36-40. Good use of imagery in these lines. - He tells Lady M. to be kind and jovial to Banquo and Fleance because
he has planned a “deed of dreadful note” He wants her to lure them into a false sense of security. Line 45. This echoes what she said in the first act.
- Both can’t believe that all of their problems have followed them
to the throne. They are unhappy and trouble seems to be following them around. - Macbeth hopes that each murder will relieve his struggles, but each
one causes more problems. Act III scene
iii - This scene takes place at sundown - There are three murderers. The
murderers are hanging around the woods near the castle. They kill Banquo. As he dies, he urges Fleance to flee and avenge his death - Fleance escapes in the darkness.
This means that the prophecies can still come true. - The murderers take the body to find Macbeth - The 3rd murderer is familiar with the court, some speculation
indicates Macbeth, but not proven. Act
III scene iv - When Macbeth hears Fleance escaped, he becomes anxious and angered,
calling Fleance a venomous worm. The prophecy can still come true - He chastises Banquo for being late.
Ironically, Banquo is there as a ghost - The feast is a sign of the downfall of Macbeth - Macbeth envisions Banquo’s ghost sitting down at the table, specifically
in Macbeth’s chair. Macbeth talks to the ghost. The guests think that Macbeth is unstable. Lady M., not knowing
what was going on, tries to explain his behavior. She tells the guests that he has an illness. - The visions and supernatural seem to be taking over - There is no coincidence that Macbeth is haunted by Banquo and not Duncan
since it is Banquo who is posing the real threat to the throne. - The ghost leaves and Macbeth tries to recover with the crowd. - His unstable mental state causes him to challenge the ghost - Fearing what he might say, she dismisses the guests and nobles - Macbeth sends for Macduff and he plans to revisit the witches. However, Macduff vows to stay away, which Macbeth considers being near treason. Act
III scene v - Hecate meets with the witches in stormy weather. - Hecate is the queen of the witches.
She scolds the witches for leaving her out. She knows that Macbeth will come by for a visit. She plans makes Macbeth overconfident through visions and spirits so he will falter Act
III scene vi - Fleance is blamed for Banquo’s murder. However, Lennox and the lord believe that Macbeth is responsible and they call him a tyrant. - Macduff goes to England to join Malcolm to beg for aid from King Edward - Macbeth gets word of what is going on and prepares for war - Lennox and the lord hope that Macduff and Malcolm will be successful - Lennox speaks sarcastically about Macbeth - We get a little bit of history with the mention of England’s
King Edward who is the opposite of Macbeth and the relationship between the two countries. Act IV scene
i - Macbeth meets the witches in a dark cavern where they can be seen hovering
around a hissing, boiling cauldron. - They are chanting strange spells.
Read the first few lines. - “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes”
signals the appearance of Macbeth. - Macbeth questions the witches and they call upon an apparition (ghost)
to answer the questions - A flying head warns Macbeth to beware of Macduff. The head, which is dressed for war, suggests a rebellion or war is brewing. - A bloody child appears, tells him that no child born of woman shall
harm him. Macduff not born of a woman? - When he learns that no one born of a woman will hurt him, he decided
to kill Macduff anyway - A crowned child holding a tree tells him that he is safe until Birnam
Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill - 8 crowned kings (Banquo’s children) walk by carrying balls, scepters,
and a mirror. Banquo’s ghost is at the end.
- Macbeth wants to know the meaning, but the witches dance, then vanish. - The witches truly seem to have control over what is going on - Lennox tells Macbeth that Macduff fled to England - The witches are constantly called weird which in Anglo Saxon (wyrd) means fate. - Macbeth sends murderers to capture Macduff’s castle and kill
his family - Macbeth describes many destructions including winds destroying churches,
seas swallowing ships, crops destroyed, castles and pyramids crumble Act
IV scene ii - Lady Macduff does not understand why her husband left without explanation
- accuses him of betrayal. She corners Ross and demands to know why her husband
fled. - She is so upset that she tells her son that his father is dead. - A messenger urges Lady Macduff to flee (last chance to escape). She refuses to go claiming that she has done nothing wrong. - Maacduff’s son calls the men who enter a liar and a murderer. - Macbeth’s hired assassins stab Macduff’s son, and the pursue
and kill Lady Macduff - An act done simply out of meanness Act
IV scene iii - Malcolm and Macduff meet in England to discuss Macbeth’s treachery - Malcolm questions Macduff since he left his family in Scotland. Is he a spy? - Theme: true characteristics of a king - Macduff murders = fear; Duncan murder = greed - To ascertain Macduff’s loyalty to Malcolm, he (Malcolm) pretends
to be too evil for the throne - “They were well at peace.” – misleading Macduff thought they were fine - When Macduff learns of his family’s death, he is determined to
get Macbeth. Prays for an attack - “Let not your ears despairing…” = Don’t kill
messenger - When Macduff receives the news, Malcolm urges him to rouse his anger
/ get angry - Ross urges Malcolm to return to his country for it is falling apart. - Malcolm will not return without 10,000 men. Act
V scene I - Lady M .has taken up the hobby of sleepwalking and a doctor and gentlewoman
are discussing the situation. - Lady M.. sleepwalks into the picture carrying a candle. She pretends that there is blood on her hands that she is trying to wash off – “Out damned
spot, out I say…” She wonders how the old man could have so much
blood in him. She feels that nothing can wash away the blood, which is opposite
of what she says in Act 1 (little water) - The gentlewoman does not repeat Lady Macbeth’s words, because
there were no witnesses to confirm the truth - Theme of natural v. unnatural: A perturbation of nature because sleepwalking
is considered unnatural - Lady Macbeth’s disturbed sleep represents danger - “Out damned spot” refers to Duncan’s blood. (reveals
their death) - Lady Macbeth is haunted by guilt - Her behavior is rather hysterical, crazy - Ln 45-47: doctor and gentlewoman show pity for Lady Macbeth so audience
will not see her as evil Act
V scene ii - Outside the castle the lords are discussing the military situation - English army is led by Malcolm.
They plan to meet the Scottish army near Birnam Wood. - Macbeth has manned the Dunsinane castle and has prepared for battle. Act V scene
iii - Macbeth, at his castle, feels invincible because of prophecy - He is telling everyone that he has nothing to fear because no one born
of a woman shall harm him and that there is no way for Birnam Woods to come down the hill. - 10,000 Englishmen are approaching the castle. - He commands the doctor to cure Lady Macbeth - He truly believes the prophecy will save him Act
V scene iv - Messenger tells of approaching army - Macbeth is prepared; he is dressed in his armor. - Malcolm orders the soldiers near Birnam Wood to camouflage themselves
with branches from the woods Act
V scene v - Macbeth is convinced that his castle will repel the enemy. - Lady Macbeth sleepwalked off the castle wall and committed suicide. - The seyton tells Macbeth that his wife is dead - Macbeth seems stunned and doesn’t say much which is surprising
since he loves her very much. He is very indifferent to her death. - “Life is a tale told by idiots.” Life is a meaningless path to death. He realizes that the
game of life is almost over. - Even though Macbeth is a murderer, he is still a human being. - A messenger tells Macbeth that it seems that Birnam Wood appears to
be marching toward the castle. - Macbeth realizes the witches have tricked him - He knows he is doomed, but wants to die courageously Act
V scene vi - Malcolm orders his men to throw down their branches and draw their
swords. Act
V scene vii - Macbeth is going around killing anybody who gets in his way. - He shows no fear because no one born of a woman will harm him. - In the midst of all the fighting, Macbeth kills Young Siward’s
son. - Macduff is searching the castle area looking for Macbeth because he
wants to take him down personally to avenge the death of his family. Act
V scene viii - Macbeth and Macduff finally meet and Macbeth still says that none will
hamr him because of the witches’ prophecy. - Macduff rains on Macbeth’s parade by telling him that he was
not born of a woman, but from a woman, he was untimely ripped (cesarean section). - Macbeth is now scared for his life, but refuses to surrender. He will now kiss young Malcolm’s feet. - Malcolm and Siward capture
the castle. - Siward finds out that Macbeth had killed his son. - Macduff enters the castle carrying the head of Macbeth - Macduff proclaims to make Malcolm King of Scottland. - Malcolm promotes all of his thanes to earls, based on the English system
of royal rules. - Malcolm invites everyone to see him crowned as king and vows to fix
Macbeth’s wrongdoings. |