1. Macbeth By William Shakespeare

2. Chronology 750 AD BeowulfOld English 1400 ADCanterbury TalesMiddle English 1600 ADMacbethModern English

3. 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)

4. Renaissance (1500-1660) 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

5. William Shakespeare 1564-1616 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

6. 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

7. 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