Macbeth By William Shakespeare
Chronology 750 AD BeowulfOld English 1400 ADCanterbury TalesMiddle English 1600 ADMacbethModern English
What’s going on in England? Population increases End of feudalism Rising educational levels / printing press New literature = Sonnets (perfected by Italy’s Francis Petrarch)
Renaissance ( ) Advances in science, art, literature, religion, philosophy, invention, etc. –Art – Michelangelo, Rembrandt, DaVinci –Religion – Protestant Reformation, Lutheran Church –Science – Copernicus, Galileo –Discovery – Balboa, Drake, Cortes, Cartier, colonies in North America
William Shakespeare Born in Stratford-on-Avon No college Married Anne Hathaway at 18 Worked as actor and playwright Builds Globe Theater Writes 37 plays, poems, sonnets
Macbeth Human drama of ambition, desire, temptation, morality, & guilt Based on history, but some things fictionalized/fabricated It’s a tragedy because of its universality Fundamental moral issue is that evil is made possible because of man’s free will
Setting Northern Scotland & England Scotland: –King Duncan’s castle in Forres –Macbeth’s castle in Inverness –Macduff’s castle in Fife –Birnham Wood & Dunsinane Hill in the countryside England –King Edward’s court/castle in England