1. Plot Structure Act I: Exposition (describes society & elements)
Act II: Rising Action (attention grabber)
Act III: Climax (plot twist/turning point)
Act IV: Falling Action (fatal flaw leads to a decision made by main character)
Act V: Resolution (explain ending)

2. Reconstructed in the 1990’s
Many playwrights with nowhere to “play”
Barn turned into theatre
Puritans burn it down
Globe rebuilt!
The Globe
Reconstructed in the 1990’s

3. Aristocrats
The Queen/King
The Groundlings!

4. When in a play... Only men were permitted to perform
Boys were used to play the women
Costumes were often the company’s most valuable asset
Costumes were made by the company, bought in London, or donated

5. The Cost of a Show 1 shilling to stand
2 shillings to sit in the balcony
1 shilling was 10% of their weekly income
Broadway Today:
$85 Orchestra
$60 Balcony

6. MACBETH
The Scottish Play is based loosely on an episode from history, the death of King Duncan at the hands of his kinsman Macbeth.
The play is the shortest of Shakespeare's tragedies
It chronicles Macbeth's seizing of power and subsequent destruction.
It is considered Shakespeare’s darkest work.
His rise and fall are the result of blind ambition.

7. Notes Full title: The Tragedy of Macbeth Genre: Tragedy
Setting (time): 11th century
Setting (place): Scotland and England
Protagonist: Macbeth
Major Conflicts: Macbeth struggles with his conscience (before and after murder); evil (Macbeth and Lady Macbeth); struggles with good (Malcolm and Macduff)

8. Theme
The play is seen as a tale of dangers of the lust for power and betrayal of friends.

9. Inside the theatre
Actors often consider the play to be unlucky and usually refer to it as “the Scottish play” rather than by name. To say the name of the play inside a theatre is considered to doom the production to failure.

10. Recurring motifs
Blood
Clothing
Natural order
(nature)
Insomnia

11. Historical Context
Scotland at the time was a violent and troubled country
Political murder and revenge were not unusual means to gain power
Plundering Vikings and Norsemen attacked Scotland constantly

12. King Duncan of Scotland Malcolm & Donalbain
Honest and good
Malcolm & Donalbain
Sons of the King
Malcolm is the eldest son
Macbeth
Duncan’s most courageous general
Ambition to become king corrupts him
The Characters

13. Banquo Lady Macbeth Macduff General and Macbeth’s best friend
An actual ancestor of King James I
Lady Macbeth
As ambitious as her husband
A dark force behind his evil deeds
Macduff
Scottish general
his family was murdered
Swears vengeance

14. The REAL Macbeth Born in 1005 to a family that ruled Moray and Ross
He married the granddaughter to a High King of Scotland; no children
Duncan, an ineffective king, was 38 when he was killed, possibly by Macbeth
Macbeth ruled for 17 years, elected High King of Scotland in For the first 10 years, this competent king reformed the country.
Led Scotland in a long period of peace and stability

15. Anticipation Guide
Decide if you agree or disagree with the following statements:
People will do whatever is necessary to achieve their goals
All leaders are ambitious
Everyone is capable of being evil
Our fate is predetermined; we cannot alter our own destiny
Ambition, lust, greed, and desire all mean the same thing

16. Writing Prompt
1. Is evil inherent in human nature? That is, are some people just “born evil,” or is evil caused by circumstance or environment?
2. Are women “naturally” more evil than men?
3. Are our lives determined by fate, or by the acts of our free will?
4. Is redemption truly possible? That is, is it possible to commit an act of genuine evil and truly recover from it?
5. Is it possible to admire or respect a person whom you know has committed acts of genuine evil?
6. Do “the ends justify the means”? That is, if one uses morally evil methods to acquire a goal, is that goal forever tainted or polluted by the actions one has taken to achieve it?

17. Final writing prompt
Macbeth did what he thought was right in order to achieve his version of success…
What do you want most from life? What are you prepared to do to attain it?