MacBeth William Shakespeare xiii-xv

Middle of Shakespeare’s career - James VI of Scotland became the monarch in England - He would become King James I of England - The country became fascinated with Scottish culture

Scotland - Shakespeare looked to Scotland for inspiration for a play; he wanted to appeal to London’s new Scottish interests -11th Century Scotland: - Violence: Slaughter of armies, families, nobles, rebels - Supernatural: Witches and Wizards

MacBeth Themes Theme: The subject or main idea - Violence - Supernatural - Fate vs. Free Will - Power Corrupts

Literary Devices Aside: Words spoken by an actor that only the audience hears. Image: Paints a picture in the reader’s mind. Irony: Reality is opposite of expectation. Kinds: Dramatic, Verbal, Situational

Literary Devices Soliloquy: A character speaks his deepest thoughts aloud to himself. Symbol: Something that represents something else.

Is MacBeth a Tragic Hero? 1. Person of stature 2. Basically good 3. Actions have far-reaching effects 4. Fatal Flaw 5. Shows promise of further greatness 6. Commits a deed which leads to downfall 7.Blind to reality 8. Commits further crimes 9. Suffers inwardly and outwardly 10. Pity and fear from audience 11. Recognizes mistakes 12. He must die

Pre-writing 1. Have you ever had a supernatural experience? Explain what happened and where. If not, do you know of someone who has? Explain. 2. What is success? How do you know if someone is successful? 3. What is ambition? 4. Can a person ever have too much power? Explain your view using examples. 5. How do you feel after you do something wrong? Explain with an example.