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Transcript

Macbeth

shakespeare presentation

caterina del monaco, alice negrini, viola caroli e michela ponzi

Title and author, genre, sources

Written during the early reign of King James I, Macbeth stands as one of Shakespeare’s most profound tragedies. It delves into themes of ambition, reckless desire, and damnation, drawing heavily from Holinshed’s Chronicles, which recounts British history, as well as Reginald Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft and King James’s Daemonologie.

Another significant influence is the works of Seneca, which shaped the play's dark atmosphere and the character of Lady Macbeth. Among Shakespeare's works, Macbeth is notable for its darkness and psychological intensity. It is frequently compared to other tragedies like Hamlet and Othello, showcasing Shakespeare’s deep understanding of the complexities of the human psyche.The play was first performed in April 1611.

Macbeth

Macbeth, a Scottish general and Thane of Glamis, is driven to dark thoughts by the prophecies of the three witches, particularly after they predict a future that spurs him into a relentless series of bloody deeds. As a tragic hero, Macbeth’s ambition blinds him. Though a courageous soldier and a powerful figure, he lacks virtue and is easily tempted into murder to satisfy his desire for the throne. After committing his first crime and becoming King of Scotland, he descends into further violence with growing ease. Macbeth is more suited to the battlefield than political life, as he lacks the skills to rule without resorting to tyranny. Unlike Shakespeare's notorious villains such as Iago or Richard III, Macbeth is uncomfortable in his role as a criminal, unable to withstand the psychological toll of his actions.

Characters

Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth initially appears as a strong and persuasive woman, able to push past Macbeth's hesitation through her seductive influence and eloquence. Their deep love is evident, as she is able to sway his emotions and decisions with mere words. At the start, she seems to be the more determined and ruthless of the two, urging Macbeth to murder King Duncan and claim the crown. However, once the violence begins, Lady Macbeth succumbs to guilt and madness even more profoundly than her husband. Overwhelmed by her conscience, she eventually takes her own life.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

The three witches

The three "black and midnight hags" are witches who plot against Macbeth, using charms, spells, and prophecies to manipulate him. Their predictions drive him to murder King Duncan, arrange the deaths of Banquo and his son, and become dangerously convinced of his own invincibility. The play leaves their true nature ambiguous, revealing only that they serve Hecate.

Banquo

Banquo is a courageous and honorable general whose descendants, according to the witches’ prophecy, are destined to inherit the Scottish throne. Like Macbeth, Banquo harbors ambitious thoughts, but unlike Macbeth, he does not act on them. In this way, Banquo serves as a contrast to Macbeth, embodying the path Macbeth could have taken—one where ambition does not lead to betrayal and murder.

King Duncan

King Duncan is the virtuous and benevolent ruler of Scotland, whom Macbeth murders in his quest for the crown. Duncan embodies wisdom and foresight, serving as a model of a just king. His death represents the collapse of order in Scotland, a disorder that can only be repaired when his rightful heir, Malcolm, reclaims the throne.

Macduff

A Scottish nobleman opposed to Macbeth's rule from the beginning, Macduff eventually rises as a key leader in the crusade to overthrow Macbeth and restore rightful leadership to Scotland.

Malcom

Malcolm, Duncan's son, symbolizes Scotland's return to order after Macbeth's tyrannical rule. With the help of Macduff and support from England, he becomes a formidable threat to Macbeth. However, earlier in the play, Malcolm seems unsure of his own strength, fleeing Scotland alongside his brother Donalbain after their father's murder.

Hecate

Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, assists the three witches in their schemes to manipulate and bring about Macbeth's downfall.

Fleance

Fleance, Banquo's son, escapes Macbeth's attempt to have him killed. By the end of the play, his whereabouts remain unknown, leaving the possibility that he could one day rule Scotland, potentially fulfilling the witches' prophecy that Banquo’s descendants will inherit the throne.

The murders

A group of thugs hired by Macbeth to assassinate Banquo, Fleance (whom they fail to kill), and Macduff’s wife and children.

Lady Macduff

Macduff’s wife, whose scene in her home offers the only view of domestic life outside Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s world. Her home and character contrast sharply with Lady Macbeth and the dark, tumultuous environment of Inverness.

Lennox

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Ross

2

Porter

3

Donalbain

4

A Scottish noble.

A Scottish noble.

The drunken porter of Macbeth's castle.

Duncan’s son and Malcolm’s younger brother.

Setting in place

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

● where and when ● Is the setting an important element in the play?

Set in medieval Scotland, the play's setting is crucial because the events and characters depicted are based on historical figures. Shakespeare drew inspiration from the historical accounts of Macbeth, King of Scotland, as recorded by Raphael Holinshed and the Scottish philosopher Hector Boethius.

Time plot

PLOT RESUMED

Macbeth, fearing the witches' prophecy about Banquo’s heirs, arranges for Banquo and his son Fleance to be killed. At a banquet, Banquo’s ghost appears to Macbeth, alarming the guests. Macbeth consults the witches again, receiving new prophecies that he should beware of Macduff, that no man born of a woman can harm him, and that he will be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill. Believing these prophecies to be impossible, Macbeth feels secure.

Upon learning that Macduff has joined Malcolm in England, Macbeth orders the murder of Macduff’s family. Lady Macbeth, tormented by guilt, begins sleepwalking and obsessively cleans her hands. As Macduff and Malcolm advance on Dunsinane with an army disguised with branches from Birnam Wood, Macbeth learns of Lady Macbeth’s death. Confident in his invincibility, he is ultimately defeated and killed by Macduff, who was not “of woman born” but delivered by cesarean section. Malcolm is restored to the throne as King of Scotland.

Macbeth, a distinguished general, returns from battle with Banquo and encounters three witches who predict that he will become King of Scotland and that Banquo’s descendants will be future kings. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth of the prophecy, and she convinces him to murder King Duncan to claim the throne. That night, Macbeth, despite his hesitations, kills Duncan and frames the guards. Duncan’s son Malcolm flees to England, and Macbeth becomes king but remains troubled.

DIVISION INTO ACTS

Set in Scotland during the early Middle Ages, the story begins with Macbeth, the courageous Baron of Glamis, thwarting a Norman invasion. Following his victory, Macbeth and his friend Banquo encounter three witches who prophecy that Macbeth will become Baron of Cawdor and eventually king, while Banquo's descendants will found a royal lineage. Soon after, Ross arrives to confirm that Macbeth has indeed been made Baron of Cawdor, fulfilling the first part of the prophecy.Inspired by these prophecies, Macbeth tells his wife, Lady Macbeth, who then devises a plan to murder King Duncan and secure the throne for Macbeth. Under her influence, Macbeth kills Duncan during a visit to their castle.

Act 1

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ACT 1

Go pronounce his present deathAnd with his former title greet MacbethHe’s here in double trust

After Duncan’s death, suspicions arise regarding the identity of the murderer. Lady Macbeth, concerned for her husband, steers the investigation toward the king’s guards and Duncan’s sons, who flee in fear of being killed, further intensifying the suspicions against them. Macbeth seizes the opportunity and ascends to the throne of Scotland. Meanwhile, Macduff, the loyal Baron of Fife, begins to have doubts about Macbeth’s conduct.

Act 2

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ACT 2

Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knellThat summons thee to heaven or to hellMethought I heard a voice cry “Sleep no more!

Worried about the prophecy regarding Banquo and his descendants, Macbeth arranges for Banquo and his son Fleance to be killed. The assassins succeed in killing Banquo, but Fleance manages to escape. At the following banquet, Banquo’s ghost appears in Macbeth’s seat, visible only to him. Macbeth’s distressed reaction compels Lady Macbeth to end the event and dismiss the guests.

Act 3

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ACT 3

Nought’s had, all’s spentWhere our desire is got without contentThere’s but one down. The son is fled

Troubled by recent events, Macbeth consults the witches once more. The spirits they conjure deliver three prophecies: an armed head warns him to beware of Macduff; a bloody child’s spirit tells him that no man born of a woman can harm him; and a crowned child prophesies that Macbeth will not be vanquished until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane.

Act 4

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ACT 4

Double, double, toil and troubleFire burn and cauldron bubbleFrom this momentThe very firstlings of my heart shall beThe firstlings of my hand

Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth is tormented by the guilt of the murders and, in a famous scene, is seen sleepwalking as she desperately tries to wash the blood from her hands, symbolizing her overwhelming remorse. Macbeth becomes increasingly isolated and is suspected of the murders. Malcolm, King Duncan’s son, leads an army with Macduff and the noble Seyward against Dunsinane. The soldiers, camouflaged with branches from Birnam Wood, fulfill the witches' third prophecy: the forest appears to move towards Dunsinane.Lady Macbeth dies, though the cause remains unclear. Macbeth faces a final confrontation with Macduff, believing he is invulnerable to any man "born of woman." However, he learns that Macduff was "born by cesarean section" and thus not "born of a woman." Macbeth is killed by Macduff, who takes the throne. The prophecy regarding Banquo is fulfilled, as it was believed that King James I was a direct descendant of Banquo.

Act 5

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ACT 5

Out, out, brief candle!Behold where standsTh’usurpers cursed head

Themes

Ambition

Ambition and the witches' prophecies act as catalysts for both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, pushing them to act on their personal desires. Initially, Macbeth is portrayed as a noble general and a good man, but his ambition leads him to become a ruthless killer. He is a complex character whose transformation is driven by his own desires. Lady Macbeth, who initially spurs Macbeth into committing regicide, is eventually consumed by guilt and driven to madness.

Fate and witchcraft

The witches' prophecy sets the action in motion. Macbeth, believing he will become king, murders Duncan to fulfill the prophecy. In contrast, Banquo, who also receives a prophecy, takes no action to alter his fate. Macbeth’s obsession with controlling his destiny blinds him to the true meaning of the witches' final prophecy, leading him to a false sense of security.

Blood

Macbeth is a bloody spectacle. It starts with a battle, escalates with the murders of men, women, and children, and culminates in Lady Macbeth's suicide and Macbeth’s beheading. The play demonstrates that each act of violence inevitably leads to more violence. Blood serves as a powerful symbol of guilt throughout the play. As Lady Macbeth realizes, blood is a stain that cannot be cleansed from either hands or conscience.

Regicide

In the medieval worldview, a nation's well-being is intimately connected to the moral integrity and legitimacy of its monarch. When Macbeth upends this order through regicide, nature itself suffers: storms rage, the earth quakes, and animals become feral, turning on one another. Macbeth conveys a message that would have resonated with King James I, who upheld the Divine Right of Kings and had a deep-seated fear of witchcraft. The play's portrayal of the destructive consequences of Macbeth’s actions and the profound sense of guilt experienced by its characters would have aligned with James’s own beliefs and anxieties.

Popular beliefs

Supernatural beliefs: in the play there are many supernatural creatures such as the three witches, at that time many people believed the existence of supernatural creatures.

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INFLUENCE OF POPULAR TRADITIONS

Fate and Free Will: the texts in the play showed how much people had control on their own life.

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Ambition:Ambition and power led Macbeth to ruin himself and this is a lesson that too much power could ruin a person.

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Natural order: in the 17th century violating the natural order leads to personal disorder and the play reflects that beliefs.

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The Divine Right of Kings: In Shakespeare's era, the belief in the divine right of kings was strong and Macbeth’s murder of King Duncan and his subsequent rise to power are seen as a transgression against this divine order, leading to his ultimate downfall.

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The chain of being

The "Chain of Being," or "Great Chain of Being," is a hierarchical structure that was used in the Elizabethan era. It was based on the belief that all of creation is organized, from the most divine and spiritual beings to the most material. This concept influences Shakespeare's "Macbeth”.Order:in the Chain of Being, the hierarchy is structured with God at the top, followed by angels, humans, animals, plants, and minerals.

Macbeth breaking:the King, as God’s representative on Earth, is central to this order. Macbeth’s actions—killing King Duncan, seizing the throne, and ruling despotically—violate this hierarchy, leading to widespread chaos and disorder in both the natural world and society and also when Lady Macbeth push her husband into committing a murder is an illustration of the destruction of the natural order.

Unit 01

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat sententiae duo. Usu nullam dolorum quaestio ei, sit vidit facilisis ea. Expetenda tincidunt in sed, ex partem placerat sea.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat sententiae duo. Usu nullam dolorum quaestio ei, sit vidit facilisis ea. Expetenda tincidunt in sed, ex partem placerat sea.