william shakespear
Macbeth
boulgoute-cavallottotaschetta-elmouaatamid gicova-Karram
Index
religious and historical context
THEMES
Pag. 04
Pag. 07
story summary and plot
STRUCTURE
Pag. 05
Pag. 08
characters
PLACES AND SETTING
Pag. 06
Pag. 09
Unit 1
religious and historical context
1040-57
1606
Historical Macbeth reigns
Shakespeare writes Macbeth
1603
1607
James I becomes king
Religious and moral meaning
TRAGEDy summary and plot
Unit 2
FIRST ACT
SECOND ACT
THIRD ACT
FOURTH ACT
FIFTH ACT
characters
Unit 3
KING DUCAN
MALCOM
DONALBAIN
CHILD
MADCUFF
LADY MADCUFF
YOUNG SIWARD
THREE WITCHES
MACBETH
LADYMACBETH
FLEANCE
BANQUO
THEMES
Unit 4
Ambition and Power
Guilt and Conscience
Supernatural Influence
Fate vs Free Will
Appearance vs Reality
STRUCTURE
Unit 5
STRUCTURE OF THE TRAGEDY
CATASTROPHE
FALLING ACTION
CLIMAX
RISING ACTION
EXPOSITION
Introduction of characters and conflict
The crime and its immediate effects
Downfall and restoration of order
Consequences and revenge
Point of no return
NEXT
Unit 05
STRUCTURE
MAIN RETHORICAL DEVICES
PLACES AND SETTING
Unit 6
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Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
FORRES
DUNSINANE CASTLE
INVERNESS CASTLE
Title
Title
Title
The royal palace of Scotland at the beginning; Duncan’s court.
Macbeth’s home at the start of the play; the site of King Duncan’s murder.
Macbeth’s fortress as king; where Lady Macbeth descends into madness and where he dies.
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
NEXT
PLACES AND SETTING
Unit 6
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
FIFE
BIRNAM WOOD
ENGLAND
Home of Macduff and his family; where Macbeth orders the massacre of Lady Macduff and her child.
The forest near Dunsinane; Malcolm’s army uses its branches to disguise themselves (fulfilling the witches’ prophecy).
Where Malcolm and Macduff meet to plan Macbeth’s defeat.
Title
Title
Title
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Grazie per l'attenzione
KING DUNCAN
King Duncan is the kind and fair king of Scotland.
When Macbeth wins the battle, Duncan trusts him and gives him the title of
Thane of Cawdor.
His death breaks the peace in Scotland and creates chaos.
THE THREE WITCHES
The Three Witches are also called theWeird Sisters.They meet Macbeth and Banquo at the start of the play and give them prophecies about the future. The witches do not tell Macbeth to kill Duncan, but their words make him think about it.
DOWNFALL AND DEATH
- Lady Macbeth loses her mind and dies (probably by suicide).
- Malcolm’s army marches on Dunsinane, using branches from Birnam Wood as camouflage fulfilling the prophecy.
- Macduff confronts Macbeth and kills him,
revealing he was “not born of woman” (born by C-section).
- Malcolm becomes king, restoring
order to Scotland.
Flattery and the Supernatural
Shakespeare also aimed to flatter King James I by portraying Banquo, James’s supposed ancestor, as noble. The inclusion of witches catered to James’s fascination with the supernatural, making Macbeth both a powerful tragedy and political propaganda.
LADY MADCUFF
Wife of MacduffCriticizes her husband’s flight Killed along with her son Maternal and moral figure Contrast to Lady Macbeth
MALCOM
- Eldest son of King Ducan
- Flees to England after the regicide
- Allied with Madcuff against Macbeth
- Becomes king and restores order
- Based on real Malcom III
The witches’ prophecies ignite Macbeth’s ambition and guide his fate. Though they never command him, their dark influence tempts him toward evil, blurring the line between reality and illusion and revealing the power of the supernatural over human weakness.
The witches predict Macbeth’s rise, but his own choices make the prophecy come true. Shakespeare shows that fate may set the path, yet free will determines how it unfolds, making Macbeth’s downfall both destined and self-inflicted.
MADCUFF
Macduff is a nobleman of Scotland and he does not trust Macbeth after the king’s death.While he is away, Macbeth kills Macduff’s wife and children, so he returns with Malcolm’s army and kills Macbeth in the final battle.
FROM HISTORY TO TRAGEDY
Shakespeare’s Macbeth blends 11th century Scottish history with early 17th century politics. While based on the real King Macbeth who ruled peacefully for 17 years the play turns him into a murderous tyrant to explore themes of ambition and treason.
MACBETH
The main character of the play. At the beginning, he is a brave soldier and a loyal servant of King Duncan, but then he starts to change inside. After he becomes king, Macbeth slowly loses the good part of himself and he becomes paranoid and violent. At the end of the play, Macbeth has lost everything and he dies in a battle.
After Duncan’s murder, guilt consumes both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth’s conscience torments him through visions and fear, while Lady Macbeth, once fearless, collapses under guilt and madness, showing how remorse destroys the mind.
Macbeth’s ambition, stirred by the witches and strengthened by Lady Macbeth, drives him to kill King Duncan and seize the throne. His desire for power quickly turns into obsession, blinding him to morality and leading to tyranny, paranoia, and his eventual downfall.
In Macbeth, nothing is as it seems. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth hide betrayal behind loyalty, and the witches twist truth with deceitful words, showing that appearances are misleading and that evil often disguises itself as good.
PROPHECIES AND BLOOD
- Macbeth visits the witches again. They give him new prophecies that make him feel invincible: no man born of a woman can harm him.
- He won’t be defeated until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill.
- Meanwhile, Macduff’s family is murdered by Macbeth’s orders.
- Malcolm and Macduff join forces in
England to fight him.
CHILD
Innocent child murdered by Macbeth’s assassinsSymbol of destroyed innocence His death fuels Macduff’s revenge Tragic image of tyranny
BANQUO'S DEATH
- Now king, Macbeth fears the witches’ prophecy about Banquo’s heirs.
- He hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance.
- Banquo is killed, but Fleance escapes.
- At a banquet, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, terrifying the guests.
- His guilt and madness begin
to grow.
Moral and Spiritual Corruption
Macbeth is not only a story about ambition and power it’s also about moral and spiritual failure. It shows what happens when people break God’s laws, follow evil paths, and ignore their guilt. Shakespeare mixes religion and tragedy to make the audience think about right and wrong.
YOUNG SIWARD
Son of General SiwardFights bravely against Macbeth Dies with honor Symbol of youthful valor Moral antithesis of the tyrant
LADY MACBETH
She is Macbeth wifeShe is smart, ambitious, and strong.She pushes her husband to kill Duncan.After Duncan’s death she begins to change.In the end, the weight of guilt destroys her.
THE MURDER OF DUCAN
- Macbeth kills King Duncan while he sleeps in their castle.
- Lady Macbeth smears the guards with blood to frame them.
- Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee, making them look guilty.
- Macbeth becomes King of
Scotland.
DONALBAIN
Younger brother of MalcolmFlees to Ireland after their father's murder Suspected of complicity Does not reappear in the play
THE PROFECY
- The Three Witches meet Macbeth and Banquo, predicting that Macbeth will become king and Banquo’s descendants will inherit the throne.
- Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth, who convinces him to murder King Duncan and take the crown.
BANQUO
The witches tell Banquo that his descendants will be kings, but not him. He does not let the prophecy control him. He believes Macbeth may have killed Duncan to take the throne. After his death, Banquo is important, in fact his ghost appears to Macbeth during the banquet.
Political Tension the Gunpowder Plot
Written shortly after the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, the play reflects fears about threats to the monarchy and supports the divine right of kings. The play was written to please James I, who was a patron of the theatre.
MALCOM
Eldest son of King Duncan.Flees to England after the regicide. Allied with Macduff against Macbeth. Becomes king and restores order. Based on the real Malcolm III.
FLEANCE
Son of BanquoEscapes the ambush by the murderers Symbol of hope and dynastic future Connected to the witches’ prophecy Historical link to King James I
Macbeth
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Transcript
william shakespear
Macbeth
boulgoute-cavallottotaschetta-elmouaatamid gicova-Karram
Index
religious and historical context
THEMES
Pag. 04
Pag. 07
story summary and plot
STRUCTURE
Pag. 05
Pag. 08
characters
PLACES AND SETTING
Pag. 06
Pag. 09
Unit 1
religious and historical context
1040-57
1606
Historical Macbeth reigns
Shakespeare writes Macbeth
1603
1607
James I becomes king
Religious and moral meaning
TRAGEDy summary and plot
Unit 2
FIRST ACT
SECOND ACT
THIRD ACT
FOURTH ACT
FIFTH ACT
characters
Unit 3
KING DUCAN
MALCOM
DONALBAIN
CHILD
MADCUFF
LADY MADCUFF
YOUNG SIWARD
THREE WITCHES
MACBETH
LADYMACBETH
FLEANCE
BANQUO
THEMES
Unit 4
Ambition and Power
Guilt and Conscience
Supernatural Influence
Fate vs Free Will
Appearance vs Reality
STRUCTURE
Unit 5
STRUCTURE OF THE TRAGEDY
CATASTROPHE
FALLING ACTION
CLIMAX
RISING ACTION
EXPOSITION
Introduction of characters and conflict
The crime and its immediate effects
Downfall and restoration of order
Consequences and revenge
Point of no return
NEXT
Unit 05
STRUCTURE
MAIN RETHORICAL DEVICES
PLACES AND SETTING
Unit 6
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
FORRES
DUNSINANE CASTLE
INVERNESS CASTLE
Title
Title
Title
The royal palace of Scotland at the beginning; Duncan’s court.
Macbeth’s home at the start of the play; the site of King Duncan’s murder.
Macbeth’s fortress as king; where Lady Macbeth descends into madness and where he dies.
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
NEXT
PLACES AND SETTING
Unit 6
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
FIFE
BIRNAM WOOD
ENGLAND
Home of Macduff and his family; where Macbeth orders the massacre of Lady Macduff and her child.
The forest near Dunsinane; Malcolm’s army uses its branches to disguise themselves (fulfilling the witches’ prophecy).
Where Malcolm and Macduff meet to plan Macbeth’s defeat.
Title
Title
Title
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Grazie per l'attenzione
KING DUNCAN
King Duncan is the kind and fair king of Scotland. When Macbeth wins the battle, Duncan trusts him and gives him the title of Thane of Cawdor. His death breaks the peace in Scotland and creates chaos.
THE THREE WITCHES
The Three Witches are also called theWeird Sisters.They meet Macbeth and Banquo at the start of the play and give them prophecies about the future. The witches do not tell Macbeth to kill Duncan, but their words make him think about it.
DOWNFALL AND DEATH
- Macduff confronts Macbeth and kills him,
revealing he was “not born of woman” (born by C-section).- Malcolm becomes king, restoring
order to Scotland.Flattery and the Supernatural
Shakespeare also aimed to flatter King James I by portraying Banquo, James’s supposed ancestor, as noble. The inclusion of witches catered to James’s fascination with the supernatural, making Macbeth both a powerful tragedy and political propaganda.
LADY MADCUFF
Wife of MacduffCriticizes her husband’s flight Killed along with her son Maternal and moral figure Contrast to Lady Macbeth
MALCOM
The witches’ prophecies ignite Macbeth’s ambition and guide his fate. Though they never command him, their dark influence tempts him toward evil, blurring the line between reality and illusion and revealing the power of the supernatural over human weakness.
The witches predict Macbeth’s rise, but his own choices make the prophecy come true. Shakespeare shows that fate may set the path, yet free will determines how it unfolds, making Macbeth’s downfall both destined and self-inflicted.
MADCUFF
Macduff is a nobleman of Scotland and he does not trust Macbeth after the king’s death.While he is away, Macbeth kills Macduff’s wife and children, so he returns with Malcolm’s army and kills Macbeth in the final battle.
FROM HISTORY TO TRAGEDY
Shakespeare’s Macbeth blends 11th century Scottish history with early 17th century politics. While based on the real King Macbeth who ruled peacefully for 17 years the play turns him into a murderous tyrant to explore themes of ambition and treason.
MACBETH
The main character of the play. At the beginning, he is a brave soldier and a loyal servant of King Duncan, but then he starts to change inside. After he becomes king, Macbeth slowly loses the good part of himself and he becomes paranoid and violent. At the end of the play, Macbeth has lost everything and he dies in a battle.
After Duncan’s murder, guilt consumes both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth’s conscience torments him through visions and fear, while Lady Macbeth, once fearless, collapses under guilt and madness, showing how remorse destroys the mind.
Macbeth’s ambition, stirred by the witches and strengthened by Lady Macbeth, drives him to kill King Duncan and seize the throne. His desire for power quickly turns into obsession, blinding him to morality and leading to tyranny, paranoia, and his eventual downfall.
In Macbeth, nothing is as it seems. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth hide betrayal behind loyalty, and the witches twist truth with deceitful words, showing that appearances are misleading and that evil often disguises itself as good.
PROPHECIES AND BLOOD
- Macbeth visits the witches again. They give him new prophecies that make him feel invincible: no man born of a woman can harm him.
- He won’t be defeated until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill.
- Meanwhile, Macduff’s family is murdered by Macbeth’s orders.
- Malcolm and Macduff join forces in
England to fight him.CHILD
Innocent child murdered by Macbeth’s assassinsSymbol of destroyed innocence His death fuels Macduff’s revenge Tragic image of tyranny
BANQUO'S DEATH
- Now king, Macbeth fears the witches’ prophecy about Banquo’s heirs.
- He hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance.
- Banquo is killed, but Fleance escapes.
- At a banquet, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, terrifying the guests.
- His guilt and madness begin
to grow.Moral and Spiritual Corruption
Macbeth is not only a story about ambition and power it’s also about moral and spiritual failure. It shows what happens when people break God’s laws, follow evil paths, and ignore their guilt. Shakespeare mixes religion and tragedy to make the audience think about right and wrong.
YOUNG SIWARD
Son of General SiwardFights bravely against Macbeth Dies with honor Symbol of youthful valor Moral antithesis of the tyrant
LADY MACBETH
She is Macbeth wifeShe is smart, ambitious, and strong.She pushes her husband to kill Duncan.After Duncan’s death she begins to change.In the end, the weight of guilt destroys her.
THE MURDER OF DUCAN
- Macbeth kills King Duncan while he sleeps in their castle.
- Lady Macbeth smears the guards with blood to frame them.
- Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee, making them look guilty.
- Macbeth becomes King of
Scotland.DONALBAIN
Younger brother of MalcolmFlees to Ireland after their father's murder Suspected of complicity Does not reappear in the play
THE PROFECY
BANQUO
The witches tell Banquo that his descendants will be kings, but not him. He does not let the prophecy control him. He believes Macbeth may have killed Duncan to take the throne. After his death, Banquo is important, in fact his ghost appears to Macbeth during the banquet.
Political Tension the Gunpowder Plot
Written shortly after the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, the play reflects fears about threats to the monarchy and supports the divine right of kings. The play was written to please James I, who was a patron of the theatre.
MALCOM
Eldest son of King Duncan.Flees to England after the regicide. Allied with Macduff against Macbeth. Becomes king and restores order. Based on the real Malcolm III.
FLEANCE
Son of BanquoEscapes the ambush by the murderers Symbol of hope and dynastic future Connected to the witches’ prophecy Historical link to King James I