1. William Shakespeare Life & Times

2. William Shakespeare 1564-1616 Stratford-upon-Avon By the time he was 21, had 3 kids 1590 had success with the history play Henry VI

3. Background May have been a school master –Early works filled with Latin, logic, rhetoric, allusions to the bible Also acted, but true success in playwriting –Gained the attention of the Earl of Southampton who introduced him to aristocratic circles

4. Background 1592-93 theaters closed because of the plague Wrote long poems: “Venus & Adonis,” “The Rape of Lucrece” Began to do private theater When theaters reopened, he wrote with new insight 1599, Globe Theatre constructed

5. The Globe

6. The New Globe

7. Friends in high places Queen Elizabeth I often viewed his plays Upon her death, her Scottish cousin, King James VI (6 th ), became King of England (King James I) in 1603 –Ends Tutor line, start of Stuart line –Shakespeare’s actors became known as “The Kings Men”

8. Plays 38 plays –Early works mostly comedies and histories Romeo & Juliet was a tragedy (1591-1595 written) –Tragedies came as Shakespeare matured Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello written 1600-1608 Elizabethan audience liked improbable, dramatic, sensational –Murderers, psychos, evil Shakespeare intuitive and worked on conscious & subconscious level –Characters are true

9. King James and Macbeth Well known James I was interested in witchcraft, the supernatural, ghosts, etc. –involved in persecution of witches in Scotland –ghosts, witches, supernatural may have been a nod to the king James reported to be descendant of Banquo

10. The Real Macbeth Shakespeare used history and historical events as foundations for plays Macbeth loosely based on historical event –Early 1000s, Scotland in civil war King Duncan (Donnchada) tyrant Macbeth (Mac bethad Mac Findlaich) had been loyal then realized the king, his cousin, was weak August 14, 1040 Macbeth kills Duncan in battle and becomes king

11. For 17 years, Macbeth rules an efficient king, keeping law and order, protecting Scotland In 1054, Earl of Northumbria in England, Siward challenges Macbeth to put Duncan’s son, Malcolm (Mael Coluim mac Donnchada) on the throne August 15, 1057, Malcolm kills Macbeth in the Battle of Lumphanan, not in Dunsinane as Shakespeare writes it

12. Why the change? James claimed to be descended from Banquo, an accomplice to Macbeth in defeating and killing Duncan Shakespeare changes the reality to make the king happy –Duncan, an old well-loved king murdered –Macbeth, a brutal, vicious tyrant –Banquo, a friend of Macbeth, but suspicious