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Macbeth

Macbeth. Background Setting Characters Tragedy Doubles Time. Background. It is a later play c. 1605-1606 James was on the throne; Shakespeare ’ s players are known as the King ’ s Men Written to appease King James. Appeasing King James.

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Macbeth

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  1. Macbeth

  2. Background • Setting • Characters • Tragedy • Doubles • Time

  3. Background • It is a later play c. 1605-1606 • James was on the throne; Shakespeare’s players are known as the King’s Men • Written to appease King James

  4. Appeasing King James • King James’ father and mother had been killed; convinced that witchcraft was at play • Favorable portrait of Banquo • Give Scottish line validity • Banquo an invention-ancestor of James

  5. Characters • King Duncan – King of Scotland • Malcolm and Donalbain – his sons • Thane of Cawdor – traitor • Macbeth – Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, King of Scotland • Lady Macbeth - educated and ambitious wife of Macbeth

  6. Characters • Banquo – a Scottish thane • Fleance – Banquo’s son • Macduff – a Scottish thane • Lady Macduff – his wife • Lennox and Ross – Scottish thanes

  7. Setting • Eleventh-century Scotland • Inverness on Dunsinane Hill –Macbeth’s castle • Great Birnam Wood - outside Macbeth’s castle

  8. Elements of the play • Not a true Aristotelian tragedy • Macbeth not a tragic hero • Macbeth is aware of his evil deeds • Macbeth wants more than he can accomplish • Lady is his co-conspirator • Together they make one person

  9. Elements of the play • Are witches a supernatural power? • Much of the play relates to natural versus supernatural; borders between fantasy and reality are broken • Witches are known as the “Weird Sisters” • Set the tone of surreal; sense of evil and supernatural • Are they a concrete manifestation of his ambition?

  10. Doubles • Macbeth has a double nature • One side: loyal, courteous, valiant, good thane • Other side: fearful, apprehensive, uncertain, apart from the norm

  11. Time • Best example of Shakespeare exploring what it means to be a man moving through time • Double time • Lived time versus thought time • Lived time is petty time: the eternal now • Thought time – dream time that can stretch, bend • Borrows time until there is no more

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