“Life’s but a walking shadow; a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And is heard of no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

The Man That Would Be Shakespeare

• Born April 23rd, 1564• Started out performing

with “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men”

• Gave him a chance to write a play

• Henry IV, Pt. 1- It stunk but they gave him another shot

• Many playwrights with nowhere to “play”

• Barn turned into theatre Puritans burn it down

• Globe built• Globe burns • Globe rebuilt• Globe burns

Reconstructed in the 1990’s

o Aristocrats

o The Queen/King

o The Groundlings!

When in a play...• Only men were permitted

to perform• Boys or effeminate men

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 by courtiers

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

– 10% of a teacher’s weekly salary

• Set in Scotland

• Written for King James I (formerly of Scotland, now England)

• Queen of Denmark (James’s sister) was visiting

• Shakespeare researched The Chronicles - Banquo is an ancestor of King James I

• King Duncan of Scotland– Murdered by cousin Macbeth

– 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 causing him to murder Duncan

• Banquo– General and Macbeth’s best friend– Suspects Macbeth in Duncan’s murder – An actual ancestor of King James I

• Lady Macbeth– As ambitious as her husband– A dark force behind his evil deeds

• Macduff– Scottish general, suspects Macbeth of

murdering the king– Macbeth has his family murdered– Swears vengeance

The Scottish Play• It is believed to be bad luck to

even squeak the word ‘Macbeth’ in a theatre

• Legend has it you will lose all your friends involved in the production--horribly

• MORE ON THAT LATER...

• Def. “Man of high standard who falls from that high because of a flaw that has affected many” - Aristotle

• Macbeth is one of the most famous examples of the tragic hero.

However, how could John Proctor also be one?

So what really happens?• Good guy goes bad

• Guy wants power

• Married to a pushy control freak

• She wants power

• Kills people- LOTS of people

• Gets power

• Gets paranoid (a.k.a. goes crazy)

• Ticks off a lot of people

• Want more power! Kill! Kill!

• Gets what’s coming to him in the end

“Life’s but a walking shadow; a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And is heard of no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

- Act V; s.5

The Scottish Play• Referred to as The Scottish Play or The Bard’s

Play-even those who don’t believe won’t say the name out of respect

• Believed to be ACTUAL spells cast in the scene with the witches

• Shakespeare “borrowed” language from a coven of witches who later cursed the play after seeing it performed

The Bard’s Play• Causes for belief/fear:

– Actor died during premier because an actual dagger was used rather than a prop

– Many fight scenes—more cause for accidents– Often performed by theatres in financial trouble

(due to popularity); theatres eventually closed– Hazing

HECACTE• Greek goddess of

witchcraft, magic, the night, the moon, ghosts, and necromancy

• Her inclusion intensifies, or triggers, the curse

Reverse the Curse• If the name is spoken in the theatre, the offender

must:– Immediately leave the theatre– Turn three times– Spite over the left shoulder– Recite one of the following

• "Angels and ministers of grace defend us" (Hamlet 1.IV)

• "If we shadows have offended" (A Midsummer Night's Dream 5.ii)

•  "Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you" (The Merchant of Venice, 3.IV)