In the Middle Ages people believed in the great Chain of Being: Characters God Royalty Nobles Army Ruling class Lower Class Middle Class Duncan, King of Scotland Malcolm and Donalbain, his two sons Macduff and his wife, Lennox, Ross, Meneth, Angus, Cathness, all Scottish noblemen Two generals: Banquo (and his son Fleance,) Macbeth (and his wife), generals of the English forces, Earl of Northumberland (and hi s son Young Siward)

SOURCE: Holinshed’s Chronicles Of England Maybe a homage to James I, king of Scotland, England and Ireland, so interested in witchcraft. The shortest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, and one of his shortest plays. Complex psychological analysis of what takes place in the mind of the criminal. No sub- plot, the play is centred on Macbeth: Shakespeare uses lesser characters to comment on the central action, to give a wider context to Macbeth’s behaviour. No villain pitted against the hero. Macbeth begins as a brave warrior but, led by ambition, he chooses evil and becomes a murderous tyrant Parable of the tragic hero.

Introduction Rising action Climax Falling action Conclusion Symmetrical development Dramatic structure

RISING ACTION: Macbeth meets the three witches: their prophecy begins to work on his ambition. He kills Duncan. INTRODUCTION: The first two scenes: the appearance of the three witches and the news of Macbeth’s bravery in battle. CLIMAX: Banquo’s murder (Act III, Scene 3) FALLING ACTION: Fleance’s escape the banquet scene arousing of Macduff Macbeth retreats to Dunsinane Castle CONCLUSION: Final fall and death of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth

THEMES: Good and Evil Appearances often hide reality The overthrow of the natural order Reversal of values: ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair’. (the Three Witches) Loyalty and honour Political ambition and greed for power Violation of order that lead to chaos: Regicide, as an act against Nature, brings chaos. Equivocation and false appearance: chain of metaphors connected with clothing Future time: cluster of imagery concerned with growth: babies, seeds, plants, trees.

Features of a tragic hero  Even a good man, and the early reports suggest Macbeth had fine qualities, ‘valiant, noble, brave’, is vulnerable to the seductive and destructive possibilities of POWER  Struggle between the individual and the recurrent forces of demonic possession  Nobility of birth or wisdom.  A flaw, either a mistake in the character’s actions or in his personality that leads to a downfall.  A reversal of fortune caused by his flaw.  The realisation that the reversal was brought about by the hero’s own actions.  The audience has to feel pity and fear (catharsis) for the character.

Use of BLANK VERSE, which is basically unrhymed iambic pentameter: ‘Macbéth does múrther Sleép, - the ínnocent Sleép; Sleép, that kníts up the rávell’d sléave of cáre’ (Act II, Scene 2) If one character ends his speech without finishing his line verse, the following speaker completes that line. Macbeth: “Your chíldren sháll be kíngs” Banquo: “You sháll be kíng.” (Act I, Scene 3) Inclusion, within the verbal structure of verse, of metrical space for other, non-verbal signs Style

Imagery The idea of contrast is fundamental in Macbeth: ORDER opposed by DISORDER HEALTH opposed by SICKNESS LIGHT opposed by DARKNESS GRACE opposed by EVIL similes ‘As two spent swimmers, that do cling together And choke their art.’ (Act I, Scene 2) ‘As thick as hail came post with post.’ (Act I, Scene 3) metaphors ‘Life’s but a walking shadow’ (Act V, Scene 5) ‘They have tied me to a stake.’ (Act V, Scene 7) symbols ‘the innocent Sleep’ - ‘A little water clears us of this deed’ (Act II, Scene 2)