1. Shakespeare’s Macbeth A little bit of history

2. James I: The beginning of the Stuarts Becomes King of England after Elizabeth I takes throne in 1604 Was formerly James VI of Scotland England had become a superpower under Elizabeth I, also a Protestant nation As King, James became rich, powerful Believed in witches, demons; wrote books on the subject; saw a connection between witchcraft and treason King head of the church; witchcraft in violation of religious teachings, thus an act against the state

3. The Tudor-Stuart Family Tree Henry VII Arthur marries Katherine of Aragon Margaret marries James IV of Scotland Produces James V of Scotland Mary Stuart Queen of Scotland James VI of Scotland I of England Henry VIII Marries 6 wives: Katherine of Aragon Anne Boleyn Jane Seymour Anne of Cleves Katherine Howard Catherine Parr Edward IV Mary Elizabeth I Mary marries Louis XII of France

4. The Gunpowder Plot

5. The role of faith James I inherited a nation pulled apart by faith Elizabeth’s father, Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church over his divorce with Katherine of Aragon, a Spanish princess Elizabeth, James are Protestant but Mary, who was queen before Elizabeth (Henry’s daughter by Katherine) is Catholic.

6. The plan: Gunpowder Plot devised by Papists (Catholic) to destroy Parliament, King (Protestant) Comes after years of persecution of Catholics by Protestant rulers Catholics see James I as a failure as continues Protestant reforms in England

7. The Conspirators: Plot devised from May, 1604 through to execution on November 5, 1605 10 men part of the plot, including Guy Fawkes, a munitions expert who had learned his skills fighting with the Spanish (Catholic) against the Dutch (Protestant)

8. Plot Uncovered Plotters put gunpowder under the Houses of Parliament, with the intent to blow up the building Plot uncovered by an anonymous letter; an investigation was launched and Fawkes was discovered leaving the cellars of Parliament on the evening of November 5 Fawkes is taken to the Tower of London and interrogated under torture (the rack) Fawkes and several other conspirators are hanged, drawn and quartered on January 31 for their acts of treason

9. James I and Macbeth Shakespeare wrote plays for Elizabeth, now takes on role for James Players become the King’s Men Is one of Shakespeare’s most topical plays About a Scottish king dealing with treason, reflects the issues of the times James is a descendant of Banquo

10. New developments in the play Combines the stories of the murder of King Duncan and the reign of Macbeth Macbeth was a warrior king of Scotland (1040- 1057) Introduces the idea of the villain as the hero Beginning of the anti-hero Strong female role in Lady Macbeth

11. Important questions in Macbeth Why do people do evil, knowing it is evil? Does Macbeth do evil because he is tempted by fate/because he is pushed/because of his personal ambition? What is guilt? Why does Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s success fall apart so quickly?