How far would you go to have power???

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Important concepts you will need to understand.

What is tragedy? What purpose does tragedy serve? What are dramatic conventions? What key literary devices and concepts will

we need to recognize and analyze?

What is tragedy?

According to Aristotle’s Poetics (4th century B.C.), tragedy is a serious and dignified play that recounts the story of a person of significance whose actions result in a reversal of fortune, culminating in a catastrophic ending.

What purpose does tragedy serve?

According to Aristotle, tragedy serves as a catharsis. Catharsis: the events in a tragic play should inspire pity

and terror in its viewers, allowing them, through vicarious participation in the dramatic event, to attain an emotional purgation, moral purification, or clarity of intellectual viewpoint.

When we view the downfall of a great man—his “fall from grace”—it evokes pity and fear in us. We think: “How awful!” and “If it can happen to him, it could happen to us.”

By viewing a tragedy, the audience sees the consequences of the protagonist’s flaw, which then “purges” or “empties” us of similar ill thoughts, feelings, or desires

In the end, our minds, hearts, and souls are purified and cleansed; our moral viewpoint is “set straight” again.

What key terms will I need to know?

Allusion Aside Character foil Monologue Irony: verbal, situational, dramatic Mood Motif Soliloquy Symbolism Theme

Soliloquy Definition

A long speech said by a character ALONE on stage.

Example from Romeo and Juliet [Enter FRIAR LAWRENCE alone, with a basket.] 

FRIAR: The gray-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night, Check’ ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light; And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels From forth day’s path and Titan’s burning wheels. Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye. The day to cheer and night’s dank dew to dry.

Aside

DefinitionA short statement said by an actor in a play;

the aside expresses the character’s thoughts.

Example: Romeo (Act II, scene ii) Romeo overhears Juliet speaks at the beginning of the balcony scene.

ROMEO. [Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

Monologue A speech by a single character (other characters are

usually present) without another character's response.

[JULIET appears above at a window]

ROMEO. But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Setting (copy in Notes on Tragedy section)

Takes place in medieval Scotland around the year 1200 A.D.

Inverness: City in northern Scotland, the site of Macbeth's castle and the location of several scenes.

Inverness is associated with the planning, execution and aftermath of crimes committed.

The heaths of Scotland Cawdor Castle

Glamis Castle

So, where’s Scotland?

Scotland

Major Characters: The three witches

•Called the “Weird Sisters”

•Prophesize events in the play

•Weird comes from the Old English version of wyrd

•Wyrd means fate

•Allusion to mythological 3 Fates

Major Characters:King Duncan

The loyal but naïve, trusting King.

At the beginning of the play (when Duncan is betrayed by the original Thane of Cawdor), he grants this title to the loyal Macbeth who secured the King victory in battle against this Scottish traitor.

Major Characters:Malcolm & Donalbain Malcolm is one of King

Duncan's sons and future heir to the throne.

He is a figure of goodness placed in opposition to Macbeth's evil. 

Donalbain is the younger son of King Duncan and brother to Malcolm.

He flees Scotland

Major Characters:Macbeth, Thane of Glamis

•Scottish general who serves King Duncan

•Thane: a man who held land granted by the king or by a military nobleman, ranking between an ordinary freeman and a hereditary noble.

•Brave and powerful

•His ability to remain virtuous drives the action of the play.

Major Characters:Banquo Banquo is a decent and

honorable nobleman who senses that the Witches are evil and thus not to be relied on.

Thus, we see that Banquo's fate will be sealed by his virtue, just as Macbeth's is determined by his villainy.

Motifs

Scene Summaries: Act I, sc I & sc ii

Three witches plan to meet Macbeth! King Duncan learns that Macbeth and Banquo

have defeated the rebel army that includes the Thane of Cawdor (a Scottish traitor).

Duncan awards Macbeth with Cawdor’s title.

Scene Summaries:Act I, sc iii The witches meet Macbeth & Banquo Macbeth will become the next Thane of

Cawdor and the future King of Scotland. Banquo will have sons that will become

future kings. The seed is planted: Macbeth contemplates

killing King Duncan.

Scene Summaries:Act I, sc iv

The former Thane of Cawdor has been executed. Duncan announces that his son Malcolm will succeed

him as the future king. Macbeth welcomes Duncan to dine with him at his

castle (Inverness) and sets out ahead to prepare for the visit.

Now that Malcolm has been named the future heir, Macbeth is convinced that the only way to become king is to TAKE the throne.

Scene Summaries:Act I, sc v Lady Macbeth receives a letter from

Macbeth that explains the witches’ prophesy.

She fears that Macbeth lacks the will to carry out the murder and make the prophesy come true.

When Macbeth arrives, she tells him that she will take charge of the preparations for Duncan’s visit and murder.

Scene Summaries:Act I, sc vi & vii

Lady Macbeth welcomes King Duncan and his attendants.

Macbeth contemplates why it is a terrible idea to kill King Duncan.

Lady Macbeth mocks her husband and makes a plan for Duncan’s murder, which Macbeth later accepts.

Major Characters:Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth shares her husband's lust for power.

She is fierce– her influence over Macbeth is what drives him to possibly murder the king.

She is good at playing the “innocent flower yet being the serpent under it”

Scene SummariesAct II, sc i Banquo is tempted by the witches’

prophecies in his dreams. Macbeth sees visions of a gory dagger

that point him in the direction of Duncan’s chamber.

Lady Macbeth rings the bell to signal that she has prepared the scene (the guards are passed out).

Macbeth leaves to murder Duncan.

Scene SummariesAct II, sc ii Macbeth is horrified by what he has

done and has absent-mindedly brought back the murder weapons.

Lady Macbeth takes charge and returns the daggers to the crime scene so guards will be framed for the murder.

When she returns, she finds Macbeth paralyzed with horror and she urges him to change and wash his hands.

Scene SummariesAct II, sc iii A drunken porter answers the knocking at Inverness’ gates

and compares his job to being a porter for the gates of hell. Macduff enters the scene- he is to wake the King and they are

to leave together. Macduff enters the King’s chamber and discovers he has

been murdered. Lennox finds the guards and blames them; Macbeth kills them

on the spot. Lady Macbeth creates a distraction and calls for help. Donalbain and Malcolm trust no one, and plan to escape for

fear of their lives. Donalbain will go to Ireland, and Malcolm to England.

Scene SummariesAct II, sc iv Ross and an old man discuss strange

occurrences that have happened: it is dark out, even though it is daytime; an owl killed a falcon; Duncan’s horses have killed each other.

Macduff joins them and explains how Malcolm and Donalbain are now under suspicion for Duncan’s murder.

Macduff also announces that Macbeth has been chosen king.

Themes and MotifsAristotle’s Vices & Virtues (Moral Code)A person’s character is determined from habit and is voluntary. In other words…People have control of their character and moral virtue.Character development lies between EXCESS (TOO MUCH) and DEFICINECY (NOT ENOUGH). For each character trait there should be a BALANCE.AKRASIA: Sometimes, people TRY to do the RIGHT thing, but it is not according to their own choice. They have a weakness in WILL-POWER or lack of SELF-CONTROLThink of this in terms of Macbeth & Lady Macbeth’s reach for power…

Major Characters:Macduff & Lady Macduff

Wife of Lord Macduff. In her brief appearance she is vivid enough

to contrast powerfully with Lady Macbeth. As a loving mother, domestic life is more

important to her than politics, and she is everything in a woman that Lady Macbeth is not.

The Thane of Fife.  After the murder of King Duncan, Macduff joins Duncan's

son Malcolm in exile in England.

Literary Devices*Add these definitions to your foldable

Dramatic Irony: when the audience knows something (about the plot) that the characters in the story/play do not.

Situational Irony: the situation turns out to be the opposite of what was expected.

Verbal Irony: when the speaker says the opposite of what they truly mean. *Sarcasm is a form.

Scene SummariesAct III, sc i & ii Banquo suspects that Macbeth has killed

Duncan to become king. Macbeth arranges with 2 murderers to

have Banquo and his son Fleance murdered.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth discuss their unhappiness now that they have the throne.

Macbeth does not confide his plans (to Lady Macbeth) to have Banquo killed.

Scene SummariesAct III, sc. iii & iv

The murderers wait for Banquo to return and attack him; he is killed, but Fleance escapes.

Macbeth hosts a banquet for the lords. He learns that the murderers were only partially successful in their task.

Banquo’s ghost torments Macbeth and his guilt causes him to display fits of madness in front of his unknowing guests.

Lady Macbeth tries to cover for Macbeth by explaining he has been like this since childhood.

Scene SummariesAct III, sc v & vi Hecate scolds the 3 witches for not

including her in their spells against Macbeth.

She plans to develop a false sense of security for Macbeth using apparitions.

Macduff has fled to England to seek help from the king and the British army.

He hopes to join forces with Malcolm to overthrow Macbeth.

Act IV, sc i

Macbeth meets with the witches again. They show him 3 apparitions: an armed head,

a bloody child, and finally a child crowned holding a tree.

Macbeth’s confidence is shaken when they show him a line of kings that look like Banquo.

Macbeth learns that Macduff has fled to England and hires murderers to kill Macduff’s family immediately.

Act IV, sc ii & iii

Lady Macduff and her family is murdered. Macduff finds Malcolm in England and urges

him to attack Macbeth. Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty, and finding

him sincere he tells Macduff that King Edward has provided 10,000 troops to fight against Macbeth’s army.

Macduff learns that his family has been killed and uses his grief as fuel for revenge.

Themes and Motifs “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”: not everything in

life is what it seems. In life, some people will commit inhumane acts

in order to obtain their selfish & greedy desires. In life, people can only achieve a goal if they

have the will, courage, and ambition to see it to the end.

When life gets difficult and obstacles cloud one’s path, it doesn’t mean one should back out or quit.

Themes & Motifs Animals: birds (falcon, owls, sparrows), horses,

bats- all show how nature is out of order since Duncan has been murdered.

Night/Day or Dark/Light-conceal guilt, regret, inhumane actions

Supernatural visions & noises-fear, guilt, loss of sanity

Blood-murder, deceit, guilt Daggers-murder, mental instability

Themes and Motifs

It is human nature to struggle with knowing right vs. wrong and always making the right decisions.

It is important to think things through before you act out of rashness and later feel guilt or regret.

Major CharactersRoss, Siward & Young Siward Ross: Scottish noble who ends up supporting

Malcolm’s fight to take back the throne.

Siward: commander of the English forces. Helps lead 10,000 troops to fight against Macbeth’s army.

Young Siward: Siward’s son; killed by Macbeth in the 1st battle.

Scene SummariesAct V, sc i, ii, iii Lady Macbeth has been sleepwalking and revisiting

the murders that have been committed. A Scottish force in rebellion against Macbeth march

toward Birnam Wood to meet up with Malcolm and the English army.

Macbeth learns of the advancing army, and seeks reassurance from the apparitions’ predictions.

Macbeth grows more concerned that the Doctor cannot find a cure for Lady Macbeth’s condition.

Scene SummariesAct V, sc iv-v The Rebel Scottish forces meet with Malcolm

at Birnam Wood. Malcolm orders the soldiers to disguise their

identities using branches as shields as they continue their march toward Dunsinane.

Lady Macbeth commits suicide Macbeth remains certain he can defeat

Malcolm’s army even though Birnam Wood has arrived at Dunsinane.

Scene SummariesAct V, sc vi-vii-viii Malcolm arrives at Dunsinane ready to fight. Macbeth kills young Siward on the battlefield. Malcolm and Macduff seize Dunsinane. Macduff finds Macbeth. Macbeth is reluctant to fight because

of having murdered his family. Macbeth is even more afraid to fight Macduff when he learns

that Macduff was not born of a woman (technically C-section disqualifies this).

Macbeth is finally challenged to fight when Macduff threatens to make a public display of him.

Macduff beheads Macbeth and Malcolm becomes the rightful King of Scotland.

BUT, WAIT… WHAT HAPPENED TO FLEANCE??