(Macbeth Background) : William Shakespeare

Danelle Hamman Macbeth 30 May 2023
[ Macbeth background]
William Shakespeare
• born and raised in Stratford upon Avon, England
• believed to be born on 23rd April 1564
• At the age of 18 he married a 26-year-old, Anne Hathaway
• Belonged to acting company called Lord Chamberlain’s men,
they built the globe theatre. When Queen Elizibeth I died and
King James I took over the name changed to the King’s men.
• Macbeth was written for Kind James
• Shakespeare became a director, actor, playwright and
shareholder in the company, and became quite wealthy
• He wrote 38 plays and 154 sonnets
• In 1611 retired to Stratford upon Avon
• In 1616 he died on 23rd April (his believed birthday)
Entertainment in Elizabethan times

• Very different form today
• Only boys and men were allowed to act on stage. There was a law that ladies were not
allowed to act
The globe theatre

• Shaped like an enormous ring doughnut
• Sometimes called the “Wooden O”
• 3 Storeys, open air area in middle called ‘the pit’
• Bricks and timber
• Burnt down in 1613 due to a canon that was set
off, thus setting fire to the roof. It happened
during a performance of henry VIII, the globe
was rebuilt immediately
• 3000 people could be held inside and 1000 people
could stand outside
• Was on the south bank of the river Thames in London, England
• Outside city = could not be controlled by officials who disapproved of theatres
• 1642 – The puritans got the globe closed down
puritans – a group of people who condemned theatres as evil as it showcased
scandals
• Plays had to be performed in the day, because there was no artificial lighting
• Plays were only staged in the summer, because there was more daylight than in the
winter
The Pit:
• Common Folk paid 1 penny to stand in the yard.
• Cheapest tickets.
• 500 max.
• Audience was called groundlings/ stinkards.
• Kept it lively by throwing fruits+ nuts etc.
• Known to be aggressive+ violent.
1
The great chain of being:

Posh folk: During the middle age people believed
• Tickets around edge of pit cost 2 everything was arranged in certain
pennies. order.
• Seating for 1500 people.
• To the left+ right of musicians’ area, The Celestial world:
above stage were most expensive 1. God
seats. 2. Angels
• 5 pennies. Human world:
• Rich nobles paid to sit on side of stage 1. King
on cushioned seats- they did this to be 2. Pope
seen. 3. Men in all positions placed above
female counterparts like Dukes, Lords
The heavens and the hell: and Thanes.
• Painted ceiling= heavens. 4. Slave or savage
• Angels/ fairies would fly around by The Sublunary world:
swinging with ropes. 1. Man
• Hell located under the stage+ located 2. Mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish+
under the trapped door. insects.
• Characters associated with evil 3. Oysters then unmoving animals.
entered the stage like this. 4. Trees, flowers, grass.
5. Inanimate objects: gold above silver,
The balcony: metals above stones, soil above clay.
• Gallery above the stage was Satan and the fallen angels were not
sometimes required by musicians. part of the great chain of being coz
• Sometimes used to enact other Satan’s crime was to challenge this
scenes like Romeo+ Juliet.@ the hierarchy and continues to try undo it.
balcony scene.
Violations of hierarchy such as killing the
Playhouse flags: king or adopting animalistic behavior
• Black= tragedy. [ Macbeth/ Hamlet] were associated with chaos and
• White= comedy. [ Merchant of Venice] unravelling God’s plan. EVIL.
• Red= historical. [ Henry VIII/ Julius
Caesar]
The divine right of kings:

• Kings were seen as God’s
representatives on earth thus they
were the supreme upholder of order
on earth.
• If this position was violated [ killed] it
would destroy the perfect order in
the universe and bring chaos to the
world.
• Any act of treason or treachery
against king was considered a mortal
sin against God.
• Penalty was death.
2
Scotland: Witches and witchcraft:

• MB is set during the Medieval times • Shakespeare drew on the popular
around the +-11th century in Scotland, in traditions of his time and used them
the northernmost region of what is for his own purposes.
known as the UK. • Popular beliefs about witches+
• Due to the location far north, witchcraft:
Scotland is often damp, dark and • Associated with the dark+ death.
dreary, which creates perfect setting • In Christian countries they were
for a play of witchcraft+ evil deeds thought to be the agents of Satan
done under the cover of darkness. going about their business at night.
• In scene 2 of play, 2 battles are • They were believed to gather near
mentioned: graves to conduct their evil rites and
- A rebellion led by Macdonwald- a make potions+ poisons.
Scottish traitor. He has raised an • Frowned upon by society.
army of Irish mercenaries. [ • If people were accused of witchcraft
Western Isles] to fight king Duncan. they were tried and if found guilty,
- Sweno, the King of Norway, has executed.
invaded and landed in Fife with large • 2 common ways of killing witches were
army. The Thane of Cawdor, a by burning at the stake and drowning.
Scottish nobleman turns traitor as • King James 1 was a devout believer in
well and allies with Sweno. witchcraft, and he even published a
• Most scenes take place in Scotland. book on the subject- he advocated
• King Duncan’s headquarters are at that witches should pursued. [ he
Forres. hates witches]
• Much of the action takes place around • Witches were supposed to be capable
Macbeth’s castle at Inverness. of doing all the things that the three
• Closing battle takes place at his castle weird sisters are said to perform in
at Dunsinane. Macbeth.
• For an Elizabethan audience, the play • Believed that they could see into the
would have been frightening because it future, that they could create
was set at both a time and place that storms, hail, thunder and lightning.
had wild reputation. • Believed to be able to sink ships, dry up
springs, stop the sun and change night
Macbeth: to day and day to night.
• Ideas for his plays were found in in • Cause death of enemies and could
historical sources. make themselves invisible, it was
• Lives of great rulers with their believed.
dramatic conflicts provided excellent • Open graves and steal parts of the
plots for plays. bodies to make potions.
• Did not follow his sources closely, he • Could call up the dead and converse
messed with the facts. with spirits.
• He took the most interesting parts
and sometimes added new material to
make it exciting on stage.
• For Macbeth he used Holinshed’s
Chronicles of England, Scotland, and
Ireland as his source.
• A number of alterations.
• Macbeth was written in 1606 during
Elizabethan era.
3
Shakespeare’s language: Rhymed verse:

• Language has 3 different forms- • Witches speak in trochaic tetrameter
blank verse, verse with rhyme, and [ chanting speech]
prose. [ noble- blank; witch- rhyme; • Lines made up of 4 feet or 8 beats
normal- prose] with emphasis on 1st syllable.
• Each of these is significant and is used • Weirdness of witches and their
by Shakespeare and other playwrights horribly capricious brand of evil are
of his time to give particular effects. brought to life by the combination of
• They help to indicate to the audience this childlike- seeming chant with its
the social status or nature of person simple language and their gleeful
who is speaking. descriptions of their evil pastimes.
• All the noble spoke in blank verse.
• The chanting sound of the witches’ Prose:
• Refers to ordinary speech with no
speech opens the play immediately
regular pattern of accentual rhythm.
signals to audience that these are
• Text does not all have same number
strange beings different from
of syllables.
ordinary country folk.
• Flexibility of prose allows Shakespeare
• His use of form varies and is flexible
to produce widely different effects is
for a purpose.
clearly demonstrated in MB.
• Prose is form of speech used by
Blank Verse:
• Verse without rhyme with definite common and often comic people in
rhythmic pattern. Shakespearean drama.
• Iambic pentameter which means that • The porter’s drunken ramblings are
rhythmic pattern of line is made up of set in prose.
five iambs or beats. • Important characters can also speak
• Most of play is blank verse coz MB is in prose.
predominantly about the upper • In her sleepwalking, Lady Macbeth
classes. loses the customary controls of
• Blank verse is mostly preferred form verse and talks ‘straight’ for the 1st
coz it’s close to natural speaking time in the play.
rhythms of English, but its formal
rhythmic structure elevates it above Understanding Shakespeare’s use
ordinary speech and thus leads an of pronouns:
element of distinction to the speech • Modern English uses only four
of nobles. pronouns for addressing a person’s
• Lack of rhyme is significant coz you, your, yourself, and yours.
rhyme would bring a sing-song effect • Used ten pronouns: thou, thee, thy,
destroying the impression of natural thyself, thine, ye, you, yourself and
speech. yours.
• Sharing of a line of blank verse by 2 • Use of these pronouns were
speakers. grammatical and cultural.
• Gives an impression of urgency to the • Their application depended not only on
dialogue- that the 2nd speaker is syntax but also on social status of
rushing to respond to the 1st. the persons addressed.
4
[ Act 1 scene 1: ]
Setting: Figures of speech:
An open place. Heath or bar wasteland, Paradox
Scotland • “Lost and won”
• Even if they won the battle, they
Themes: would still have lost the lives of their
natural vs. supernatural: soldiers
Line 2: what happens in society is
mirrored in nature. The witch’s intent is Paradox and pun
to create disturbances. Troubled an • “Fair is foul and foul is fair”
ominous atmosphere. • Witches’ motto
The witch’s evilness is emphasized by • Good is evil and evil is good
lightning and thunder
Chain of being: Important quotes:
Line 3: ‘when the hurly-burly’s done’ • “Fair is foul and foul is fair” – things
Fighting noise+ confusion is over. These aren’t what they seem
are consequences of the power • “When the battle’s lost and won” –
struggles involving traitors. Paradox – soldiers are lost on both
Winning and losing: sides of the lines
Line 4: “when the battle’s lost and won”
One side will lose+ the other will win. Even Summary:
the side that has won has lost some • Play opens with a storm in the heath.
soldiers during battle. • 3 witches are discussing when they will
Fate vs free will: meet again.
Line 7: “there to meet with Macbeth” • Mention MB’s name + the battle.
To meet with Macbeth whom is • Their evil comes to show.
corruptible. • Arrange to meet with MB.
Appearance vs reality: • Know MB is corruptible.
Line 11: “fair is foul and foul is fair”
Appears to be good, but turns out to be
evil+ the other way around. What is evil
will be corrupted to look good by
witches.
Characters:
Witches:
Weird sisters.
Interested in MB
Evil and foul weather.
Macbeth:
Might be tempted to do evil.
Corruptible.
Gray Malkin:
1st witch’s familiar [cat].
Paddock:
3rd witch’s familiar [toad]
5
[ Act 1 scene 2: ]
• Camp near Forres. Simile
• Forres is King Duncan’s military camp • line 8+9: “2 spent swimmers”
• during the battle the two armies were
Themes: compared to 2 tired swimmers holding
Betrayal: onto each other, as one is above
Line 65-66: “Our bosom interest. Go water then the other is under, and so
pronounce his present death, and with his the motion continues, this shows that
former title greet MB.” it was unclear who would win the
Former TOC loses title to MB+ also loses battle.
life
Personification
Winning and losing: • line 14-15:
Line 18: even the winning side loses • Macdonwald thought that fortune
soldiers. was on their side, but in reality, it
seems like fortune was on Macbeth’s
Appearance vs reality: side.
TOC seemed to be loyal to KD but
turned out to be traitors. Metaphor
• line 17: “brandished steel”
Characters: • meaning a sword.
Duncan: Personification
Too old to fight.
• line 17: “disdaining fortune”
2 sons Malcolm+ Donalbain. Malcolm is • -MB pays no attention to fortune.
oldest. Donalbain is the youngest
Metaphor
Wounded Sergeant: • line 18: “smoked bloody with execution
Gives account of battle and MB’s like valour’s minion”
bravery. • many deaths+ MB is like a servant for
bravery, it almost looks as if the
Ross: sword were causing the damage not
Brings news MB has defeated the
the person wielding the sword.
enemies.
Personification
Macbeth: • “My gashes cry for help”
Mighty and brave.
• His injuries cannot cry or ask for help,
Macdonwald: only the person experiencing the pain
Rebel. can cry for help
Thane of Cawdor: Metaphor

Secret traitor. • line 25-28
• just when they thought the battle
Lennox+ attendants: was over new threats arrived.
6
Simile • “What he hath lost, noble MB hath

• line 35: “as sparrows eagles, or the won.”- KD repaying MB for his loyalty
hare the lion.” and bravery. [irony] Winning+ losing.
• MB+ B are as afraid of the new threat
as an eagle is afraid of a sparrow. This Summary:
simile shows their fearlessness on the • KD waiting for reports from the
battlefield. They were not afraid of battlefield.
the threat. • Wounded sergeant tells him of MB’s
bravery.
Simile • Also, of Macdonwalds betrayal.
• line 37:
• Ross arrives with news that king of
• MB+B are like cannons filled with twice
Norway [Sweno] + Cawdor [traitor] are
number of explosives. Thus, showing
defeated.
that they are ready for a new battle
• Duncan orders death of TOC and
to begin.
promises to reward MB with his title.
Metaphor
• line 54: “Bellona’s bridegroom.” Two battles:
• MB fought so bravely that it seemed • MB+B fight Macdonwald+ Irish
he could be the husband of the roman mercenaries.
goddess of war. • Battle is undecided.
• MB kills Macdonwald.
Important quotes: • Irish flees.
• “The victory fell on us”- Ross with • Sweno behind Macdonwald.
news of MB’s victory. Winning+ losing. • Attack MB from rear.
• “No more that Thane of Cawdor shall • MB defeats Norwegians.
deceive our bosom interest, go • MB is hero and kills many. [ valor’s
pronounce his present death.” – refers minion]
to KD. Deception. • Sweno begs for peace.
[ Act 1 scene 3: ]
Reversal of natural order/ kingship vs
Setting: Tyranny:
• A heath near the Battlefield. Regicide is punishable by death// even
• Setting suits, the characters [ foul the mere thought of it is.
weather and evil witches]
appearance vs reality:
Themes: Witches have beards that prevents B
Ambition: from correctly identifying them.
MB is eager to become King + puts
beliefs in witches as their prophecy
Clothing image
is used to refer to titles. He says the
echoes his desire.
title is not his therefore he is borrowing
Equivocation/ deception/ good vs evil: a robe since TOC is still alive.
Witches say 1 thing + mean another. Hide
the truth and lure MB with words that Fate vs free will
sound good. “If chance may have me king, why
chance, may crown me without my stir”
MB chooses that he will become king in

good time and to not intervene with
fate.
7
Characters: Important quotes:

Witches: • “So foul and fair a day I have not
• Evil. seen”- MB. Ironic that such a brave,
• Want MB’s soul. loyal soldier should repeat the witches’
• Persuading. words.
• Manipulative. • “…why do you start and seem to fear
things that do sound so fair”- Banquo
Macbeth: repeats words.
• Corruptible.
• “What, can the devil speak true? –
• Trusts witches.
Banquo immediately recognizes the evil
Banquo: in the witches. He doesn’t put his trust
• Not trust witches. in them.
• Thoughts are pure + warns MB about • “Why do you dress me in borrowed
witches. robes?” – He is unknowledge about
becoming TOC – [clothing image]
Ross:
Angus: Summary:
• Witches meet again to prepare for M.
Figures of speech: • Tell about their evil deeds+ suffering
Dramatic irony of captain.
very words of the witches under the
• Banquo sees them 1st and they do not
spell- they name MB TOC.
respond to him, since he is not evil, he
Metaphor and clothing image cannot be corrupted, on the other
• “Why do you dress me in borrowed hand they only speak to MB thus
robes” showing us again that MB is not pure,
• Titles are compared to clothes he is already being corrupted
• MB’s new title is compared to the • They call Macbeth Thane of Glamis,
previous owner of the title, he says Thane of Cawdor and future king.
that it is a borrowed title since the • They tell Banquo lesser than MB but
previous ToC is still alive greater, not so happy yet much
happier, not king but father of kings…
Irony/pun/alliteration/paradox - all lies.
• “So fair and foul a day” + “fear… that
• Ross+ Angus tell MB that he is TOC +
do sound so fair”
he must go to Duncan.
• It’s the witch’s motto
• 1st soliloquy- ambition= he has already
• It is ironic that such a loyal soldier
thought of murder - fate vs free will.
repeats their words
• Foul = weather, fair = victories of the
battle
8
[ Act 1 scene 4: ]
Setting: Characters:
Forres. Duncan’s palace Duncan:
Oblivious + unaware of the evil deeds
Themes: being planned against him
Appearance vs reality:
• Line 11-14: “There’s no art to find the Fair, rewards everyone.
mind’s construction in the face.”- MB
Malcolm:
is trustworthy in looks but he is Becomes PoC
plotting a murder.
• Line 23: “In doing it, pays itself.” – MB Donalbain:
talks about his loyalty when planning a Greedy+ angry.
murder. Macbeth:
• Line 44-45: MB says that everything • Shocked because he thought he will be
done by him, that is not done for the named prince of Cumberland.
king, is hard work. • Greedy+ jealous.
• Ambitious.
Ambition:
Wants to be king and is willing to get rid • Appears to be loyal but isn’t
of any obstacles in his way • Insincere and corruptible
• Duncan’s cousin
Good vs evil: • Chooses to take him becoming king
Asks for darkness to cover evil deeds. into his own hands, wants to kill D and
Because he knows what he’s doing is M
wrong
Ross+ Angus+ Lennox:
Fate vs free will:
Makes conscious decision to kill the king.
Summary:
• Malcolm- Tells KD TOC confessed+ died
noble death.
• Duncan thanks MB for role in battle.
• Malcolm= prince of Cumberland
[Duncan’s heir].
• MB sees this as an obstacle.
• Starts taking matters into his own
hands to make sure the prophecy
comes true.
• Duncan says they will go to celebrate
the victory at INVERNESS MB’s castle.
• MB goes ahead to tell Lady MB.
9
Figures of speech: Important quotes:

Metaphor: • “There’s no art to find the mind’s
• “I have begun to plant thee, and will construction in the face.”- Duncan/
labor to make thee full of growing” TOC. [appearance vs reality]
• Duncan compares his people and • “There if I grow the harvest is your
servants to children who are obedient own.” -Banquo is sincere+ loyal to
to him Duncan.
• “That is a step on which I must fall
Simile down or o’erleap, for in my way it
• “… signs of nobleness like stars”
lies.”-[ambition/ fate vs free will]
• Nobility is compared to the stars
• “Stars hide your fires, let not light see
Metaphor my black and deep desires.” [good vs
• “That is a step on which I must fall evil]
down, or o’erleap for in my way it lies.” • “It is a something Kingsman.” -MB=
• Macbeth sees D and M as plotting KD murder.
stones/obstacles he need to remove
from his path in order to become king
Personification:
• “Stars hide your fires.”
• MB is talking to the stars, he is asking
them to not shine, he wants to hide his
evil desires from everyone.
[ Act 1 scene 5: ]
Setting: Themes:
Inverness MB’s castle Good vs evil/ light vs dark:
• MB is inherently good; ambitious which
Irony: is also his downfall.
• Line 14-21: LMB describes • LMB asks power of darkness to help
characteristics that she sees as her.
weakness, audience knows that MB has • LMB uses power of words to influence
already begun to plan the murder. MB negatively.
• Line 57: LMB wants to know when KD
will leave again but she has already
Deception:
MB should appear innocent before the
decided to kill him.
king and everyone else but should also be
• Line 65: LMB is going to “take care” of
prepared to commit the murder.
KD- she’s going to kill him.
• “Wouldst not play false, and yet Appearance vs reality:
wouldst wrongly win.” MB is plotting “Look like the innocent flower…” MB
KD’s murder. must look innocent but he must be like a
serpent
Reversal of natural order:

Regicide (to kill your king)
10
Characters:
Lady Macbeth: Figures of speech:
• Stronger. Metaphor
• Ambitious – but more determined • L23-28
• Cruel. • poison his thoughts with her words.
• Influence over MB.
Metaphor and personification, also
• In control. symbol of death.
• Ruthless. • L36-38: “the raven himself is hoarse.”
• Manipulative – pressures MB into • Messenger has foretold the murder
taking the crown of KD without realizing it.
• Doesn’t want inner conflict like MB
Personification
Macbeth: • L50: “that my keen knife does not see
• Too Kind, not evil enough the wound it makes”
• Indecisive, he wants to become king • the knife is an inanimate object that
but cannot decide if they should leave cannot see but can inflict wounds.
it up to fate or if they should kill
Duncan Personification
• Moral.
• L48-50: “Come thick night and pall thee
in the dunnest smoke of hell.”
• Ambitious+ not wicked, he is a man of
conscience
• heaven must not be able to see
through his darkness to stop her.
• Wants to gain achievements
[good vs evil/ ambition] They know
legitimately.
what they’re planning is wrong and evil
• Won’t do anything evil, but if
something falls into his lap that was Simile
achieved through evil, he will gladly • L60-61: “Your face, my thane, is as a
accept it book where men may read strange
• “My dearest partner of greatness” – matters”
They have a very loving relationship, in • MB’s face is compared to a book that
which they can share secrets. can be read easily. He must learn to
hide his emotions to appear innocent
Summary:
• LMB reading MB’s letter about Simile
witches’ prophecies. • L62-64: “Look like innocent flower but
• He is too gentle to achieve greatness. be the serpent underneath”
• She will have to sacrifice her humanity • MB must look innocent but he must be
to help him get the crown. ready to strike like the serpent
• Messenger arrives to announce Metaphor
Duncan’s visit. • “O never shall sun that morrow see
• LMB decides Duncan must die. the next light of day.”
• MB arrives and they discuss their • KD will not see the next light of day,
plans. since he will be killed in the castle at
night. [reversal of natural order]
11
Important quotes:
• “Yet I do fear thy nature. It is too full of the milk of human kindness.”- LMB about
MB.
• “Unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the…” – LMB calling on evil forces to
help her to guide MB. [ goof vs evil/ destruction of natural order/ ambition]
• “Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men may read strange matters.”- LMB
telling him to hide his true feelings [appearance vs reality]
• “Only look up clear. To altar favor ever is to fear.” -LMB is telling MB to change the
expression on his face coz it could be interpreted as fear. [appearance vs reality]
• “My dearest partner of greatness” – LMB and MB shares a loving relationship in which
they can share secrets and confide in each other.
[ Act 1 scene 6: ]
Inverness. - Outside. Duncan:
Fatal flaw = Too trusting.
Themes:
Good vs evil: Rewards those loyal to him
KD awarded MB + he plans to do more Cousin of MB.
which justifies KD’s goodness + fairness
as a king, while LMB + MB is plotting evil. Trusts MB= good relationship.
LMB echoes the witches. Malcolm:

Donalbain:
LMB welcomes Duncan but is planning his
Banquo:
murder.
Macduff:
Duncan is good and LMB is evil Ross+ Angus:
Appearance vs reality/ equivocation: Lady Macbeth:
Appears to be loyal.
Castle looks pleasant+ peaceful, but
inside MB + LMB acts the gracious
hostess to hide her betrayal + limit
Figures of speech:
• Simile
suspicions.
• L23-24: “And his great love sharp as a
LMB doesn’t feel any loyalty towards spur.”
KD even if she says so. (She says what • MB’s love for LMB is compared to a
she is supposed to feel but in reality, she horse that runs very fast to reach
does not) its destination. He has hurried home to
see his wife/ plan KD’s murder.
Kingship vs tyranny:
Duncan is fair+ kind, giving- thanks LMB
Summary:
for hospitality • KD and his followers arrive outside
Macbeth’s castle.
Important quotes: • Banquo+ Duncan talks about the
• “This castle hath a pleasant seat”-
beauty and serenity of the scene.
KD.
• LMB comes to greet them and acts
• “And his great love sharp as his spur.”
as the perfect hostess.
-KD.
12
•
Irony:
• Line 14-20: LMB’s language is formal to show her loyalty and obedience towards the
king, but she is not sincere.
• Line 25-28: D could inspect the castle and find it in order- suggests everything is fine
and there is no need to fear, but his murder was plotted in one of the rooms.
• Line 1: [dramatic] D does not know how misleading this atmosphere is and that, behind
the walls, his host+ hostess is planning his murder. Ironic that KD finds the setting
peaceful.
• Line 10-31: KD is totally unsuspecting of the cruel hypocrisy. LMB’s welcoming speech.
What she says she feels is what she should feel, but she does not.
[ Act 1 scene 7: ]
Inverness- inside. Butler and servants:
Macbeth:
Themes: • Ambitious. [fatal flaw]
Appearance vs reality: • Inner conflict+ lacks courage.
“False face… false heart.”- MB must • Brave outside+ coward inside.
pretend to enjoy the feast while hiding • Indecisive.
his true feelings. • Afraid of going to hell.
Good vs evil: • Worries about soul.
• MB decides not to proceed. • He wants to impress LMB so he
• LMB manipulates him [negative willingly agrees to the plan despite his
influence]. morals.
• Calls him unmanly.
Lady Macbeth:
Ambition. • Ruthless + cunning. + confident
• Remains MB’s fatal flaw • Cruel+ manipulative. – calls MB a
• Wants to become king but is too coward
pleased with his new title • Go-getter, - woman/man of her
• Does not have enough courage to word
stand up to his wife • Ambitious.
• Admired by MB
Kingship vs tyranny:
• Tyrant = someone who only cares for
Irony:
himself, and will go against the rules to Line 15-16: as a host your guest’s safety
achieve what he wants – MB should be the most important goal. It
• King = looks after his subjects and is a would be completely wrong to betray his
good and kind king, rewards those loyal trust. LMB does betray the trust.
to him – D
Important notes:
• “I have no spur to prick the sides of
my intent but only vaulting ambition.” –
[ambition/ fatal flaw].
13
Figures of speech:
Metaphor Summary:
• L6: “But here upon this bank and shoal • Duncan and noblemen at feast.
of time.” • MB leaves the feast and is thinking
• MB compares his life to a sand bank in about what he should do.
ocean of eternity. • LMB persuades him to carry out the
murder.
Metaphor
• L10: “the even-handed justice”
• Justice is compared to a woman
holding a scale
Simile
• L18-19: “that his virtues will plead like
angels…”
• KD’s good virtues will cry out like
angels against murder.
• “But screw your courage to the
sticking place and we’ll not fail.’- LMB is
ruthless.
• “Bring forth men children only.” -MB
about LMB.
• “False face must hide what the false
heart doth know.” MB [appearance vs
reality]
[ Act 2 scene 1: ]
counselled!”- Banquo staying loyal to
Setting: Duncan+ having clear conscience.
Inverness- courtyard. (After dinner) • “I think not of them!”- MB lying to B
about witches’ prophecies.
Summary: • “Words to the heat of deeds too cold
• Banquo+ Fleance comment on dark night.
breath gives!” – MB murder Duncan
• Surprised to find MB still awake.
before his confidence to act cools.
• Banquo+ MB talk about prophecies.
• MB lies to Banquo to test his loyalty.
Themes:
• Banquo sticks to honesty.
Natural vs supernatural and good vs
• The sergeant exits to tell LMB to ring
evil
bell this is the sign that the scene for • Preparing to murder the king.
the murder is set. • Unlike MB, B does not give in to the
• MB hallucinates about dagger. witches’ prophecies, yet he senses
something is amiss.
Important quotes: Hosting:
• “Is this a dagger which I see before A guest raping the hostess (Tarquin) or
me, the handle toward my hand?”- a host murdering a guest (MB) are both
soliloquy guilty conscience. foul crimes against hospitality. Hosts
• “… but still keep my bosom franchised should protect their guests
and allegiance clear, I shall be
14
Good vs evil: Figures of speech:

• MB’s actions in this scene proves Metaphor
conflict between what is good and evil. • L4: “There’s husbandly in heaven. Their
MB is moving away from goodness candles are all out.”
when having these murderous • Heaven seems to be saving its energy
thoughts. tonight, the stars are compared to
• B is not associated with any evil or candles
violence
• “Hold take my sword.” simile+ pun
• “A heavy summons lies like lead upon
Equivocation: me.”
“who’s there?” “A friend” MB says he is a
• Summons = calling someone
friend but in reality, he is a
• Lead = his tiredness is compared to
murderer/enemy
being as heavy as lead
Deception/good vs. evil/destruction of Irony
natural order • “I think not of them”
Duncan is at peace unknowing of the evil • MB says he does not think about the
being plotted against him prophecies, yet it is all that he thinks
about
Characters:
Banquo: Soliloquy
• Loyal to KD. • L32: “Is this a dagger which I see
• No violence, does not give into before me?”
temptation • MB’s thoughts before he kills KD, he is
• determined to keep his conscience troubled by a guilty conscience thus he
clear started to hallucinate. He sees a
dagger floating in the air
Fleance:
12-14 years old Irony:
• Line 14: KD gives LMB a diamond to
Macbeth:
• Lies to B, showing how corrupted he thank her for being a good hostess,
has become yet she is the one who put murderous
• Tries to justify his guilty conscience thoughts in MB’s mind.
• Overwrought and hallucinates. (Dagger • Line 16: unlike MB+LMB KD is at peace.
resembles the one he must use to kill He feels secure even though he should
D) not.
• Plans murder. (Takes hallucination as a • Line 20: witches have in fact been the
sign to go through with murder) only thing on his mind.
• Becomes the embodiment of murder • Paradox line 49: dreams are supposed
to be peaceful, but wicked dreams
actually refer to nightmares.
15
[ Act 2 scene 2: ]
Inside the castle of inverness. A Metaphor
• L3: “Owl.”
chamber inside MB’s castle.
• Owls are thought to be birds of ill
omen+ is compared to the official who
Themes:
rings the bell outside the cells of
Guilt:
• MB feels guilty about killing KD. prisoners condemned to death.
• Hallucinates about hands plucking out Personification
his eyes. • L7-8:
• Death+ life is struggling to decide
Sleep [innocence] and good vs evil whether attendants live or die.
• “MB does murder sleep.”
• MB has killed his innocence by killing D Metaphor
• Not being able to sleep = guilty • L27: “hangman’s hands”
conscience • after people were hanged for treason,
they had to be disemboweled resulting
Equivocation and Appearance vs reality in bloody hands. Macbeth is the
Lie about murder. They put on pj’s to
murderer.
appear as if they have been sleeping,
they must appear innocent Metaphor
• L38-40: “sleep.”
Characters: • MB no longer deserves to sleep. Sleep
Lady Macbeth: is also compared to death.
• Anxious+ does not trust MB to
complete the deed.
Personification
• L47:
• Only sign of weakness- D resembled
• Blood is personified as a person who
her father.
can tell people of MB’s crime.
• Takes control after MB starts falling
apart. Simile
• Ruthless, unfazed by blood • L53-54: “sleeping and the dead are but
• On edge+ drinking to have courage as pictures.”
• MB failed the plan, she takes action • LMB accuses disemboweled MB of
being a coward when he didn’t want to
Macbeth: take the daggers back.
• Regrets deed, ill ridden
• Hears voices+ has hallucinations- guilty Hyperbole
conscience. • “Will all great Neptune’s Ocean wash
• Starts falling apart, feels guilty, this blood clean from my hand?”
unstable • his bloody hands will rather color the
• Feels isolated from God, feels as if he whole sea red.
cannot be reached by God’s mercy
• Failed to stick to the plan, he took the
daggers with him
• He realizes the deed was vile and evil
• No longer a brave and loyal soldier,
now identifies as a murderer
• MB has doomed himself
16
Summary:
Irony: • LMB is waiting for MB to return after
• Line 12+13: this is LMB’s only sign of murdering Duncan.
weakness so far. The powers of evil • She would have done it herself if he
could not get her to kill the King coz he hadn’t looked so much like her father.
resembled her father. • MB returns with blood on his hands
• Antithesis Line 47: refers to the blood and the daggers of the guards which
on MB’s hands. This is evidence of his was not part of the plan.
act of killing. • He is appalled that he couldn’t pray.
• Line 68-69: MB feels so guilty that not • LMB takes daggers back- MB refuses.
even oceans of water will clear the • Loud knocking is heard.
deed of his mind. • LMB tells MB to wash the blood from
his hands.
Important quotes: • MB wishes KD were still alive.
• “This is a sorry sight.”- regrets killing
KD.
• “I could not say ‘Amen’.” -MB doesn’t
deserve mercy for his treacherous
deed. He is outside of the reach of
God’s grace.
• “You do unbend your noble strength…”
-LMB thinks MB is a coward.
• “Infirm of purpose.”- she takes
control.
• “I shame to wear a heart so white.”-
LMB is ruthless.
[ Act 2 scene 3: ]
Setting: Themes:
Inverness, Entry of MB’s castle. Natural vs supernatural/chain of being
KD’s death was a crack in God’s nature.
Important quotes: Weird winds etc. mature protested
• “Had I but died an hour before this against the murder.
chance, I had lived a blessed time.”
Dramatic irony.
Appearance vs reality:
• LMB knows KD was murdered. MB
• “The spring, the head, the fountain of
knows what is the matter. LMB
your blood is stopped.”- pun+
appears gentle, but she planned the
euphemism for death of Duncan.
murder of KD.
• “In the great hand of God, I stand.” –
• People’s smiles cannot be trusted
Banquo.
• “Where we are there’s daggers in Deception:
men’s smiles, the near in blood, the • MB must appear sincere, must hide
nearer bloody.” – metaphor guilty conscience
• Links with MB’s words – “false face
must hide what the false heart doth
know”
17
Clothing image: Figures of speech:

It looks like Duncan was covered with a Metaphor and allusion
rich garment • L65-66:” With a new Gorgon”
• In Greek Mythology, the Gorgon
Equivocation:
He’s lying, he says he loved KD, that’s why Medusa (snakes for hair) turns every
he killed the guards, but in reality, he man who looks at her into stone.
wanted to make them look guilty Duncan’s body has the same effect, it
shocks people into standing still.
Characters: Metaphor
Porter: • L70: “and look on death itself”
• Comic relief. • Sleep is compared to death; sleep is a
• Porter of hell’s gates. counterfeit of death.
• Drunk and talkative
Metaphor and allusion
Macduff: • L72: “The great doom’s image”
• Good. • They will see a sight like a picture of
• In a state of panic as he discovered the Last Judgement when ghost will
Duncan’s murder rise from their graves. The sight of a
• Places himself in the position of God dead Duncan is compared to that of
Lennox: which will happen to Christians on the
Nature disturbed mirrors society. Last Judgement Day, when Christians
will rise from the dead
Macbeth:
• Equivocator. Simile
• Has gone beyond the plan, killed the • L73-74: “As from your graves rise up,
guards (he admits he killed the guards and walk like sprites, to countenance
out of love for Duncan – lies) this horror”
• Links with note on the last Judgement
Lady Macbeth:
• Acts as if she knows nothing Irony:
(equivocator) • Line 1: Porter doesn’t know he is
• Faints: 1. Shocked by MB going beyond speaking truth.
the plan • Dramatic irony: “but this place is too
2. Tries to cover their tracks cold for hell.”- Inverness is hell- KD
3. Tries to draw all the attention has been murdered here.
away from MB • Irony+ inner conflict: “twas a rough
Banquo: night.”- inner conflict he is the reason
• Good. for his own restlessness.
• Remains loyal to D • Line 36: we know he has not been
sleeping at all.
Donalbain: • Antithesis line 77-80: LMB is seen as
Ireland.
gentle but planned the murder, she is
not weak.
Malcolm:
England.
18
Summary:
• The drunken+ talkative porter is called to open the gates of Inverness.
• Macduff+ Lennox have come to wake Duncan.
• MB takes them to Duncan’s room.
• Macduff discovers the murder- everyone is shocked.
• LMB faints when she hears MB did not stick to the plan+ killed the guards too.
• The Thanes decides to get dressed+ meet in the hall.
• Donalbain flees to Ireland.
• Malcolm to England.
[ Act 2 scene 4: ]
Outside Inverness. MB’s castle Metaphor+ personification
• L7: “By the clock ‘tis day, and yet dark
Themes: night strangles the travelling lamp.”
Reversal of natural order: • Metaphor: Sun is compared to a lamp;
• Nature retaliated against Duncan’s Darkness is closing in on the land like a
murder. Strange things happened. tomb would enclose a person
• Things that normally would be • Personification: The night is given the
impossible is now possible like an owl ability to strangle
hunting a falcon, Duncan’s horses
returning to their wild state
Metaphor
• L38: “Lest our old robes sit easier
• What happens in society is mirrored in
than our new”
nature.
• Duncan was a better king, than MB will
Kingship vs Tyranny/reversal of ever be. Previous times under KD
might have been better than the new
values/overthrown or destruction of role under MB.
natural order
MB’s killing KD makes him a tyrant. Irony/contrast
Clothing image A king is chosen by God and yet MB has
MB is not fit to be king now become king through deceit and lies
Characters: Important quotes:

Old man: • “A falcon towering in her pride of
place, was by a mousing owl hawked at
Ross:
and killed.”- overthrow of natural
Macduff:
• Doesn’t go to Scone for coronation, order.
goes home to Fife • “Lest our old robes sit easier than our
• Does not support MB, suspects him of new!”- time spent under Duncan’s rule
the murder was easier than the future under MB.
• He shows his opposition to MB.
Macbeth
Will be crowned king
19
•
Summary:
• Ross and old man discuss strange event of previous night.
• Hawk/ owl; horses; day is dark.
• Macduff reports Malcolm+ Donalbain fled- they have been blamed for the murder.
• Macduff was not convinced they did it.
• MB is to succeed Duncan.
• On the way to Scone to be crowned.
• Macduff will not attend coronation.
• Duncan was buried in Colme kill.
[ Act 3 scene 1: ]
Macbeth
Setting • Wants others to believe Malcom &
Forres, the palace Donalbain committed patricide (killing
your father)
Themes • Has become a tyrant with bloody
Clothing image hands
“wear”, when his health is poor, the • His mind is filled with suspicion of
garment is ill-fitting, but fits perfectly everyone and fear of the honorable
when he is in good health. Banquo is a people, like B, he says they are threats
threat to Mb’s reign, but he will feel to his reign.
healthy if B was dead. • Wants to shed more blood in order for
Equivocation his reign to become more secure
Mb has accepted the witches’ prophecy • Tormented by guilty thoughts
literally, without any doubt, but they are • Feels weak in B’s presence
purposely tricking him, they never said he • Was noble, his own ambition killed his
wouldn’t have descendants, simply that nobility
B’s sons will be kings, mb now believes • Sees B as political rival, B is a strong
that he will have no children. character, he does not fear B as his
physical body, but more his mind
Appearance vs. reality • Has damned his soul for B’s sons to
If mb wanted to he could simply
become kings, he has basically done
command that B, be killed, but since mb
everything for someone else
is king, he has to do it in secret, since he
• There was once peace in his heart, but
needs the people’s favor. He will need to
it’s now filled with bitterness and
appear sad when B’s death is made public
hatred
in order to deceive people into thinking he
• He tries to convince the murderers
had no hand in the murder.
that b has wronged them
• Evil – speaks in rhyme like witches
Characters
Banquo Summary
• Believes MB killed KD
• B is suspicious of mb
• He wanted to do the right thing by
• MB will hold a royal feast, asks B to
confronting mb, but he was blinded by
attend
fulfilling the prophecies.
• Mb is king, he is powerful, yet he fears
• Wise, brave & thinks before he acts
B
20
• Mb hires two murderers to kill B. He Simile
convinces them that he is the reason The murderers are compared to
for their struggles. grappling irons that hold fighting hips
together in battle, they should fasten
Figures of speech themselves to Macbeth
Double irony
MB says that B should attend the event,
Metaphor
MB compares his health to a garment he
but he knows B will not, since he will be
wears. (Refer to clothing image note)
killed, but then B’s ghost appears at the
feast, so it’s ironic Metaphor
B is compared to a fencer’s sword, a
Irony challenge to MB’s life. It is a threat to
Mb is trying to convince people to turn
mb’s vital organs, the essence of his
their backs on M&D, but they are telling
being that keeps him alive, basically
the truth, Mb is lying, he committed the
saying that as long as b lives, mb is
murder
threatened
Personification and metaphor
“Barren sceptre” – a crown and sceptre
Irony
MB refers to the murder as business,
have been given which cannot be passed
but it is very cold can callous, bur since
to his descendants. The Sceptre is
there is money involved, it can be called
infertile/barren.
business.
Metaphor
Rancours – are compared to bitter/ill
feelings, and a vessel is compared to a
chalice
Metaphor
An immortal soul is compared to an
eternal jewel
Metaphor and Euphemism

The common enemy of man, is a
euphemism for the devil, he is everyone’s
enemy.
Metaphor and Personification

Fate is compared to a medieval knight
who should come and fight.
Metaphor
L93-102, MB compares the different
types of men to dogs, according to their
worth.
Metaphor
MB compares Christians who believe in
the doctrine of forgiveness to the
lowest and weakest of men
21
[ Act 3 scene 2: ]
Setting Figures of speech
The palace at Forres Metaphor
MB compares KD’s line, the royal dynasty
to a wounded snake, but it will recover,
Themes
MB will be in danger again
Good vs. evil
M&D are good people, just like KD was, Metaphor
they are compared to snakes by the evil, The snake is compared to all the forces
MB, as they are a threat to his reign opposing MB. KD is dead but his sons, B &
his son are still alive and can take the
Appearance vs. reality and deception
Once again, LMB says he should appear crown away from mb
happy, unbothered at the feast, Irony
remember she did it right before KD’s MB wishes he was dead and at peace. But
murder. it’s ironic that MB killed KD, he is now at
peace, while MB wishes for peace and is
Appearance vs. reality and deception
“vizards” – masks, the part of the filled with worry
helmet that covers the face, this hides Metaphor
the feelings or thoughts. Links with MB compares the dangerous thoughts in
“false face must hide what the false his mind, to scorpions
heart doth know”
Personification
Symbol of death MB asks night to cover up the evil deed
Crows and rooks are black birds, he has planned, just like he did in A1s5
foreshadowing death of Banquo and
Fleance Metaphor
The murderers are compared to animals
Good vs evil and Light vs. darkness who hunt their prey in the darkness of
MB has become more evil night, the murderers are going to ‘prey’
on B & F
Characters
Lady MB Summary
• Knows that they are unhappy since • LMB & MB have achieved their goals,
they have achieved their ambition yet they are unhappy since they are
• Have sacrificed their souls so guilt-ridden and they have
• Tells mb to act like a king and not like sacrificed their souls
a guilty man • MB hints at B’s death, but he does not
• No longer “dearest partner of tell LMB about it, he has grown in his
greatness”, now “dearest chuck” evil deeds
Macbeth Important Quotes

• Guilt ridden
• “say to the king, I would attend his
• Afraid of the punishments he will
leisure for a few words” – LMB has to
receive in the afterlife
make an appointment, they have
• It has become easier for him to
drifted
commit evil things
• “we have scotched the snake, not
• Planned B’s death without LMB,
killed it”
showing his progress in his corruptness
• “night’s black agents to their preys do
and evil deeds
rouse”
22
[ Act 3 scene 3: ]
Fleance
Setting Escapes when the light was put out
A park near the palace, Forres
Macbeth
• Never sticks to plan
Themes
• If he had sticked to the original plan,
Order vs. disorder
When the light was put out, disorder the 2 murderers might have
erupted, and it gave Fleance a chance to succeeded in killing both B and F
escape • Has become easier for him to commit
evil things, yet we still see him doubting
Good vs. evil and having inner conflict just like he did
Banquo was a good man; it was an evil when planning KD’s murder
deed to murder him
Figures of speech
Important Quotes Irony
• “But who did bid thee join us?” The murderers say that MB trusts
• “O, treachery, fly good Fleance, fly, fly, them to do the deed, yet we know he
fly!” has sent a 3rd murderer because he does
not trust them, and wants things to go
Characters smoothly
Murderers
There was only supposed to be 2, but MB Pun
changed his mind last minute and sent a Remember puns always have 2 meanings,
3rd to make sure that everything goes 1st meaning, “let it come down” referring
smoothly, but this turns into more to the rain, 2nd meaning, the blows have
chaos to go down on B in order to kill him
Banquo Summary
• “o, treachery!” • MB has sent a 3rd murderer along with
• B knows mb is responsible for this, as the other 2
mb is the only one who knew and asked • They kill B and F escapes
where they were going • B manages to keep the prophecies
• Is a good father, he told Fleance to alive by instructing F to run
escape while he could
• Died
23
[ Act 3 scene 4: ]
Kingship vs. tyranny
Setting MB is not a good king, he is a tyrant, who
A hall in the palace, Forres, while a does things for his own self gain
banquet is prepared
What happens in society is mirrored in
Themes nature
All of nature would help to expose the
Hosting murderers
MB is portraying himself as the perfect
host, he is doing all the right things Ill omen symbols
The mention of black birds, which are
Hosting always associated with death are
LMB reprimands MB for not being a good
symbols of evil
host, he has to welcome the guests, he
has to perform in social rituals and he Fate vs. freewill
has to make the event worthy, or MB makes the conscience decision to get
otherwise the guest could have just as rid of his threats
well eaten at home
Characters
Appearance vs. reality Macbeth
When MB starts hallucinating B’s ghost,
• Greets his guests and tells them to sit
LMB need to keep up their good
in the order of importance
appearances and take control of the
• Has grown cold and chalice
situation, she plays this scene off as a
• MB is happy to hear of B’s death
“fit” that MB has had since his childhood,
• Every time he says B’s name, he
and if they are to pay attention to it, it
hallucinates a ghost, resembling B,
will worsen, she urges them to go on as
covered in blood
if nothing is happening
• Still afraid of B, even though he is dead
Order vs. disorder and hosting • Would rather face dangerous animals
MB is not a good host, his reign will be one than see B’s ghost again
of disorder and chaos, since he broke the • Mb thinks he is brave, but in reality, he
chain of being. is losing his sanity
• He doubts his courage
Appearance vs. reality • Turns out MB has bribed servants in
LMB tries to keep up mb appearing to be
other castles to spy for him,
okay, but in reality, he has lost his mind
something a tyrant would do.
Order vs disorder • Only interested in self-gain
At banquets, the lords and nobles enter • Has no care for rules, he only wants to
the feast in a certain order of rank, but keep his reign and political position safe
in all this chaos, LMB tells them all to • Starts planning MD’s murder
hurry out, and not to worry about the • Will visit the weird sisters
order of ranks. The banquet ends in a • Wants to harden his mind, by
disorder committing more crimes
Fate vs. freewill
MB made these choices on his own,
unbound from fate
24
Lady Macbeth feast, but the audience and MB knows

• Urges mb to be a good host that he is dead, but it is ironic since B is
• Tries to salvage the situation when MB there in some form
sees ghost
• Tries to play his fit off by saying he
Metaphor
That which MB is afraid of are only
has had it since childhood
things he is imagining, like the dagger,
• Using her old tactics to get him to
voices and now B
snap out of it, she questions his
manliness Metaphor
• She calls him an old woman and MB is compared to an old lady
shames him
• She realizes that only mb can see the
Irony
MB is talking about cleaning up the laws
ghost, but he thinks everyone can see
of society, yet he has been the cause
it
for many evil deeds
• Says he is behaving like a child
• LMB tells him that he has ruined the Simile
night by making a spectacle of himself The vision of B has appeared so suddenly,
• Wants to get rid of the guests as just like a cloud appears on a sunny day
quickly as possible, she hurries them to cover the sun
out, despite the order of importance
Metaphor
Committing murder is compared to a
Figures of speech stream of water, he has already gone so
Similes far, it wouldn’t make a difference if he
If fleece were dead, he would have been
goes back or continues, he chooses to
in good health, but now he is feeling
continue, he thinks the more murders he
unwell
commits, the closer he comes to safety
Irony
He is the king he has a lot of power yet Summary
he feels as if his freedom has been • MB greets his guests and tells them to
taken away sit in order of importance
• The murderer tells him of B’s death
Metaphor and that F escaped
The 20 cuts on B’s body are compared • LMB tries to make MB be a good host,
to the trenches in the ground she tries to hold everything together
Metaphor when MB starts to hallucinate again
MB compares B to the snake and F to • Every time MB says B’s name, the
the worm, who will later become Ghost of B appears, mb thinks
poisonous, when he has grown, but at the everyone can see it
moment he is harmless • LMB tries to make everyone think he
is okay and keeps them from
Metaphor questioning his sanity
The lords are compared to the roof of a
• MB reveals a lot of information in his
house, MB says that the feast is as
speech, like how unkind it is for B not
uncompleted without the lords, just like
to attend etc.
a house is uncomplete without a roof
• LMB rushes all the guests out, not
Dramatic irony and irony worrying about the order of
MB is saying how unkind B is since he has importance
not even bothered to show up at the • MB will go to the witches again.
25
Important quotes
• “Never shake thy gory locks at me” – talking to B’s Ghost
• “Are you a man?”
• “If I stand here, I saw him”
• “a kind good night to all”
• “I keep a servant fee’d”
[ Act 3 scene 5: ]
Setting Characters
On a heath with thunder Hecate
• Goddess of witches (do not write main
witch or anything else than goddess of
Themes
witches)
Equivocation
They will deliberately tell MB half-truths, • Filled with content for MB and wants
because they want to punish him for to deliberately lead him onto the path
being so self-absorbed of self-destruction
• She is mad at the other 3 witches,
Appearance vs. reality since they have been dealing with MB
“Artificial sprites” wicked spirits made by and left her out of their plans
art and not demonic powers, they will • She wants them to meet with MB
not be real, but will look real again, she will make a spell which shows
Fate vs. freewill him illusions which he will believe, but
MB will make his own choice to believe these illusions will be his downfall
these visions • MB will think he is invincible because of
these illusions that they will concoct,
Summary will give him a false sense of security
• Witches meet Hecate • Wants to teach mb a lesson
• Hecate is angry
• We can tell she wants to teach mb a
lesson
• Instructs witches to meet mb again
and to show him illusions that
foreshadows his demise
26
[ Act 3 scene 6: ]
Setting MB’s reign
Forres, the palace
• Based on disloyalty
• Plots to bring him down
Themes
• M & MD are getting support from
Appearance vs. reality
neighbouring countries to take mb
“Pious rage” – pious means to be loyal,
down
they are saying MB killed the guards
• No one believes that M & D killed KD
because he was loyal to KD, but in reality,
he just wanted to cover his own tracks
Figures of speech
Kingship vs. tyranny and good vs. evil Metaphor
Edward the confessor is in strong • “The cloudy messenger turns me his
contrast to the evil MB back”
• The messenger knows how MB treats
Characters those who brings him bad news, he
Lennox knows he will probably be killed, he is
• A young thane cautious
• Took part in the meeting after KD’s
murder Summary
• Official story of KD – M&D bribed • Lennox talks to another lord,
guards to kill KD, we don not know if describing how strange the deaths are
Lennox believed that, but he must act of KD and B, since both of their sons
like he believes it at all times are being blamed for their murder
• Thinks MB is a murderous usurper • He says that MB is a tyrant to be
(taking the crown unlawfully, like feared
taking something that isn’t his) and a • MD refuses to address MB, he is in
tyrant England with M and plans to take the
• He noticed there is a pattern of all crown away from MB
MB’s crimes, the sons are blamed for • They will get help from King Edward
the father’s murder and Siward, Earl of Northumberland
• Longs for restoration of laws in and his son.
Scotland
• He expresses in a sarcastic way that
he truly does believe MB only killed the
guards in order to get rid of threats
27
{ Witches }
Act one
• Also called the weird • Witch 1 had gotten • 3 was rumoured to have
sisters revenge on a sailor’s wife magical properties
• They intent to create who refused to share • Witches can only address
disturbances in nature & her chestnuts with the things that are evil, they
society witch. The witch got only respond to MB, not
• In A1S1, we meet them furious and decided to to B, since B is pure
and it foreshadows evil. take revenge on her by • They give MB a prophecy,
• They plan to meet MB, harming her sailor he is thane of Glamis, Will
which shows he can be husband who was at sea be thane of crawdor, and
corrupted • He was lost at sea for then also king
• They have familiars – 1st 569 days, where he had • They also give B a
witch: Graymalkin (cat), trouble sleeping at night prediction, but it’s a lie.
3rd witch: Paddock (toad) & he endured many They want to sow doubt
• Motto: “fair is foul and storms & mistrust in order to
foul is fair” • The witches don’t harm come between MB & B.
• For them it is as if the people, they create They tell B that his sons
normal moral order is events to happen that will be kings
turned upside down will harm them, basically • Witches cannot be
• They want to corrupt harming them indirectly controlled or
what is good and make it • Witches can transform commanded by humans
evil into animals, but without • Witches are master
• In A1S3 we learn the evil their tails equivocators, they tell
they have been up to • They always repeat him half truths in order
since A1S1 things in 3’s – 3 is to gain his trust, only to
associated with evil and betray him when it
witchcraft – emphasises matters the most
their evil nature • Witches can vanish into
thin air
• They intend to damn
MB’s soul
Act three
• In A3S5, we meet the witches again, along with the goddess of witches, Hecate
• Hecate is mad/cross at them since they did not let her know that they were meeting
with MB, they left her out of it
• Hecate is filled with content for MB and wants to teach him a lesson
• The witches will desperately try to lead him onto a path of self-destruction
• They want to punish him for being so self-absorbed
• They will show MB illusions to create a false sense of security, these illusions actually
foreshadow MB’s demise
28
{ Banquo }
Act one
• Banquo was part of the battles • Becomes a threat to MB
against Macdonwald and against Sweno • On his guard, warns MB of their evil
too • B is MB’s best friend, can keep his
• In A1S3 B meets witches secrets and is always ready to
• Sees them first protect MB
• They declare that he will not be king, • In A1S4, they are all there at Forres,
yet he will be the father of kings to get rewards etc. for their hard
• Banquo is cautious of the witches; he work, B is sincere while MB is not
is unsure whether they can actually • KD embraces B, this foreshadows that
predict the future MB is being corrupted, since KD is
• He has an immortal soul, he has no drawn to B’s pure heart
deep secrets or evil thoughts, he is • KD feels safe with B
pure and cannot be harmed by the • In A1S6, they all arrived at inverness,
witches’ evil curse KD & B are enchanted by the beautiful
• Calls the witches the devil, he knows sight of inverness
they are evil
Act two
• B & F are outside talking how dark the • In A2S3, when the body of KD is
night is discovered, B is shocked, and starts to
• B calls on merciful powers, while MB & suspect MB
LMB call on dark powers • Says they must investigate this
• B does not give into temptation thoroughly
• Alert and tense • He has the determination to fight this
• He is surprised to see MB still awake treason against God
at this hour (later adds to his • B is still loyal to KD
suspicion of MB killing KD) • B & MD are the good guys in the
• B is loyal to KD and determined to drama
keep his conscience clear
Act three
• Believes MB killed KD • Fun fact – remember this play was
Since 1st – he was deeply troubled after written for King James, and he was a
the first encounter with the witches descendant of B
2nd – B saw MB wandering the castle • B tells MB where he is planning to go
late, the night KD was murdered • MB plans to murder B & F
3rd – He found it strange that MB had • In A3S3, B is murdered
killed the two guards • He realised it was MB who planned to
• Did not confront MB, went along with kill him, since he only told MB where he
the official story was going
• B wanted to help complete the • Manages to get F to escape, thus
prophecy (make his son king) ensuring that the prophecy can still be
fulfilled
29
{ King Duncan }
Act one and two
• King Of Scotland
• Too old to fight
• Has 2 sons, Malcom & Donalbain
• The sergeant has proved his loyalty to KD by preventing M to be captured by the
enemy
• MB’s cousin
• Gives Thane of Crawdor title to MB
• KD expresses his gratitude and rewards those who are loyal to him
• Expresses his joy about the victories of battles, yet his sadness about being betrayed
by T.o.C
• Announces M as the Prince of Cumberland
• Uses the ROYAL PLURAL
• KD is going to inverness
• Trusts MB since MB has done so much for him
• In A1S6 KD is misled by the nice appearance of the castle, he does not know they plan
to murder him
• He is God’s representative on earth
• He rules over his people with love and trust.
• Fatal flaw – too trusting
• He rewards those loyal to him
• He plans to reward MB further, but he won’t be able to since they plan to kill him
• Kisses LMB as a sign of gratefulness and love
• Killed by MB
• M & D are blamed
{ Malcom }
Act one, two, three
• KD’s eldest son thought that they’re lives were in
• Does not fight in battles danger, they fled (resulted in people
• Tells KD that T.o.C. has been executed thinking they committed patricide)
and died repentant • M fled to England
• The heir to KD’s throne, P.o.C. • In A3 we learn that M & MD are in
• The night of KD’s murder, he and D England gathering forces to take the
were lodged together crown from MB
• When KD’s murder is discovered, they
did not know who to trust, they
{ Donalbain }
Act one, two, three
• KD’s youngest son
• Flees to Ireland
30
{ Macduff }
Act one, two, three
• Thane of fife
• In A2S3, MD & L have arrived, they joke with the porter
• MD discovers KD, shocked
• True and loyal person
• MD alerts everyone
• He and B are the good of the drama
• In A2S4, we learn MD is not supportive of MB, he will not attend the coronation @
Scone
• Suspects MB of murder
• In A3 he did not attend the feast, showing he is not supportive of MB
• He has left for England to join forces with M
• MB plans to kill him too
{ Lennox }
Act two, three
• Arrives with MD @ Inverness
• There when they find KD’s body
• A young thane
• Took part in the meeting after KD’s murder
• Official story of KD – M&D bribed guards to kill KD, we do not know if Lennox believed
that, but he must act like he believes it at all times
• Thinks MB is a murderous usurper (taking the crown unlawfully, like taking something
that isn’t his) and a tyrant
• He noticed there is a pattern of all MB’s crimes, the sons are blamed for the father’s
murder
• Longs for restoration of laws in Scotland
• He expresses in a sarcastic way that he truly does believe MB only killed the guards in
order to get rid of threats
{ Ross }
Act one, two, three
• In A1S2, tells KD about the battle 2
• In A1S3, tells MB that he is now T.o.C. (Ross & Angus)
• In A2S4, talks with an old man, about the strange things that happened during the
night of the murder
• These things are: 1. The gloomy & tempestuous weather
2. A mousing owl killed a falcon
3. Duncan’s horses turned back to their untamed, wild states
• Also attended the feast in A3
31
{ Macbeth }
Act one
• In A1S2 we learn MB & B are brave and • Ambition – to become king
loyal soldiers who fought in 2 battles • Possibly discussed this with LMB & B
• 1st battle – MB & B led the Scottish army • Totally enchanted by witches, he can only
and fought Macdonwald’s army of Irish think about the prophecies now
mercenaries. MB showed his might as a • B receives a prophecy too; this causes
soldier when he cut through the ranks, and doubt and mistrust to seep into their
killed Macdonwald. The Irish army fled and relationship. B becomes a threat to MB
MB put his head on a sword • B’s prophecy plagues MB’s mind, this shows
• 2nd battle – When the army of Macdonwald that the witches plan is already in motion,
fled, King Sweno & the T.o.C. seized the since MB is now starting to doubt B
opportunity and attacked the Scottish • Enter Ross & Angus, they tell him of KD’s
army, who was tired after the first gratitude and him getting a shiny new title
battle, but in the end, they defeated • MB starts trusting the witches
Sweno and his army. MB fought heroically, • Experiences major inner conflict
sweno begged for peace. MB fought so • He starts to think about murdering KD
bravely that they compared him to the • MB decides he will become king in good
Roman goddess of war Bellona’s husband. time, he will not interfere
Sweno was not killed, he was captured. He • Wants fate to run its course
had to pay 10000 silver coins in order to • MB already being corrupted, he lies to B
get back the Vikings’ bodies. During the • In A1S4, KD thanks MB for his loyalty
Viking-era, they put their dead on a raft • KD’s cousin
and set it ablaze while it was going down a • MB is greedy
river, as a sign of respect for the dead, • MB is having inner conflict when M is
since the bodies could not be sent off announced P.o.C.
correctly, this was a great dishonour to • He feels as if he was the one who
the Vikings deserved it, since he fought in battles and
• During the 2nd battle, T.o.C. was captured he didn’t
and found guilty of treason, he is to be • MB cannot show his true emotions here,
executed or people will start to get suspicious of
• MB is going to become the new T.o.C., thus him
fulfilling a part of the witches’ prophecy • MB goes against his own words in A1S3, he
• In A1S3. MB meets the witches for the now decides to kill KD & M, to achieve his
first time, along with B. a drum announces ambition, even though he knows it is
their arrival treason & regicide
• MB’s greeting “so foul and fair day I have • In A1S5, MB arrives at Inverness, and says
not seen” shows that he is already being KD is on his way there
corrupted, the air seems to affect MB • Easily controlled and manipulated by LMB
and not B. It is ironic that such a brave • Indecisive
soldier should repeat the words of • MB is ambitious, but remains a man of
something so evil conscience, he is too kind and not evil
• MB’s father is Sinel, he got the title Thane enough in LMB’s eyes
of Glamis from him after his death • LMB & MB have a loving relationship
• Thane of Crawdor – MB will be receiving “dearest partner of greatness”
this title in A1S3 Wants to share his victories with her and
• Truths are told, but the 3rd prophecy is a wants her to celebrate with him
complete lie, them saying he will be king • They decide to kill KD
here after. They aim to deceive him to • In A1S7, MB is experiencing extreme inner
damn his soul conflict, he is having doubts and tries to
• The witches want to gain Mb’s trust, so reason with his conscience
they tell 2 truths and a lie • He wants to impress LMB
32
• Worried for his soul in the afterlife, since • MB’s conscience has convinced him that it
his soul is going to be damned is wrong to kill KD, but when he tells LMB
• MB wants to automatically become king if to drop it, he is once again easily swayed
he kills Duncan, he does not want to • Another smaller reason why he does not
suffer the consequences, he realises that want to kill KD, is because he has grown
he will pay for these crimes in the comfortable with his new title, and does
afterlife not want to risk losing everything
• Reasons why he should not kill KD: • LMB questions his manhood, basically calls
1. They are related him a coward for not sticking to the plan
2. He is his host, their guest’s safety • MB is another kind of coward, he is a
should be their nr 1 priority, and it would be brave and loyal man, but he cannot stand
wrong to betray his trust up to his own wife
3. KD is a kind and good ruler (he • MB is cautious, because he knows there
rewards effort) are consequences to their actions if they
4. The people of the county, including fail
the heavens and earth will condemn this • When LMB lays the whole plan out on
deed, and will want to punish whoever is display for him, he admires her, and says
responsible she should bear only sons
• MB is like an evil tyrant who only cares for • MB is easily swayed, and they will now
himself proceed with their plans
Act two
• In A2S1, MB was walking in the court of • He feels isolated from God’s mercy,
Inverness since he could not say “amen”
• MB lies to B, saying he has not thought • MB feels guilty, he is unstable
about the prophecies at all, but it is all • MB has murdered sleep, meaning he
that he has been able to think about has killed his innocence, not being able
• MB tries to find out where B’s to sleep is a sign of a guilty conscience.
loyalties lie without revealing his He will never be able to sleep in peace
intentions again, he will always be haunted by the
• MB will reward B once he becomes king, murder
but B is loyal to KD • MB has lost his mind, 1st he saw a vision,
• After B excuses himself, MB enter a 2nd he heard an aural hallucination
soliloquy, where he hallucinates. MB • He forgot about the plan to leave the
stresses about killing KD daggers at the scene of the crime.
• MB Hallucinates a dagger which looks • He is too much of a guilt-ridden
like the dagger he is going to use to kill coward to face the scene again, LMB
KD jumps in and fixes his mistake
• Has become so evil that he sees this • He knows the deed is vile & evil
as a sign to proceed with the murder • He is no longer a brave and loyal man,
• Has totally gone mad, speaks to he is a murderer
dagger as if it were a real person • He has committed regicide (killing your
• He has become the embodiment of king)
murder, he is murder • MB has damned his soul, just like the
• MB compares himself to Tarquin witches wanted him to
• Bell rings and MB is on his way to kill KD • In A2S3, MB has changed into his
• In A2S2, MB has done it, he is guilt- nightwear to appear as if he was
ridden sleeping
• MB looks @ his bloody hands. He is • When MD finds KD’s body, he acts
anxious, he is already regretting his surprised
actions • MB must appear uninformed about
• His conscience is bothering him the murder
33
• MB confesses that he killed the guards • A2S4, MB has been crowned king, his
out of love for KD, but he just wanted coronation is held @ Scone
to cover his tracks (no loose ends) • He has achieved his ambition, and the
• MB has become an equivocator 3rd prophecy has come true at the
• Unsteady Character cost of his soul
• MB is only physically strong, not
mentally, men are supposed to be
strong
Act three
• MB is now king • He has become more practised in the act
• He is planning to kill B & F, he hired 2 of murder
murderers • Drifting apart from LMB, their
• Announces they will have a feast relationship has changed
• Asks B not to miss the feast, but he • She is unaware of the murder
knows B will be dead • MB must appear sad when B’s murder is
• Wants to kill the people who pose a threat made public
to his reign • MB is now colder and eviller
• Lies to B, he wants to find out what his • MB starts to rhyme just like the witches,
plans are so that he can kill him emphasising that he has become totally
• MB wants to kill B, since B is suspicious of evil
him • In A3S2, MB & LMB are unhappy
• MB wants to kill F, to stop B’s prophecy • MB is using royal plural
from becoming a reality • MB has not been able to sleep, sign of
• MB is a usurping tyrant (did not become guilty conscience
king in the legitimate way) with bloody • MB sounds like the witches wounding up a
hands charm/spell
• Mind is filled with suspicion and fear • MB calls her “dearest chuck”, emphasising
• Wants to make his reign secure by the distance between them & how she is
shedding more blood not as important to him anymore.
• Mb fears B’s nobility, MB was noble, but his • He wants her to be unaware of his plans,
ambition killed it. (MB is not afraid of B as so that she can remain innocent
a person, but more of his • Afraid of punishment in the afterlife
character/personality and morals) • The eviller deeds he commits, the easier it
• MB believes that he will have no children becomes for him to commit
since B’s sons will be kings, but the witches 1. Kills KD
never said that he would not have sons, 2. Kills Guards
merely that B’s sons will be kings 3. Plans to murder B with ease
• MB has damned his soul for B’s sons, he • In A3S3, B is murdered
was a noble person, he threw it all away •Never sticks to plan
for B’s sons to become king •If he had sticked to the original plan, the 2
• Where there once was peace in his heart, murderers might have succeeded in killing
there is now a bitterness & Hatred. He both B and F
threw it all away just to become a •Has become easier for him to commit evil
murdering king things, yet we still see him doubting and
• Hires 2 murderers in order to keep his having inner conflict just like he did when
hands clean planning KD’s murder
• He convinces them that B is the reason •In A3S4, he is at the feast.
for their struggles. He wants them to • Greets his guests and tells them to sit in
hate B, so that they kill him for revenge, the order of importance
so that he can deny any involvement • Has grown cold and chalice
• MB is eviller than before • MB is happy to hear of B’s death
• MB can now lie with ease
34
• Every time he says B’s name, he • Only interested in self-gain
hallucinates a ghost, resembling B, covered • Has no care for rules, he only wants to
in blood keep his reign and political position safe
• Still afraid of B, even though he is dead • Starts planning MD’s murder
• Would rather face dangerous animals than • Will visit the weird sisters
see B’s ghost again • Wants to harden his mind, by committing
• Mb thinks he is brave, but in reality, he is more crimes
losing his sanity • In A3S6, the witches want to create
• He doubts his courage illusions. MB will think he is invincible
• Turns out MB has bribed servants in other because of these illusions that they will
castles to spy for him, something a concoct, will give him a false sense of
tyrant would do. security
{ lady Macbeth }
Act one
• MB’s wife • LMB is ruthless and cruel, and
• In A1S5, she receives a letter from her confident
husband • She manipulates MB by calling him a
• They share a loving relationship; they coward, and saying if he does not go
share secrets and victories with each through with the plan, he does not
other love her
• She also has the ambition of becoming • Cunning, evil and easily taunts MB
the queen, but her determination to • She keeps her word, she even goes as
make it happen is greater than MB far as to say that she will bash in her
• Pressures MB into taking the crown own baby’s head, if she had made such
• Very capable, MB should leave a promise
everything to her • Urges Mb to put his strength and
• Ambitious and decisive faith into their plan
• Ruthless and evil • She lays out her plan for him
• Spirited and brave in words and deeds • Plan - They will wait till KD is asleep
• Doesn’t want inner conflict like MB She will drug the guards with wine
• She has already started to plan KD’s mixed with a sleeping potion
murder, she just needs him to come They will kill the unguarded king
home, so that she can convince him to with the guard’s daggers
do it They will then smear the guards
• LMB appears to be loyal to KD, but with KD’s blood and place the daggers
isn’t since she is planning his murder in hands
• She will betray KD’s trust • Admires by MB
Act two
• Has to ring a bell to let MB know that • She is unfazed by the blood
everyone is asleep • When MB spirals, she takes control
• While she is waiting for MB to return, • When MB did not stick to the plan, she
she admits that the has been drinking went back to put the daggers in the
• The only reason why she did not kill KD right place
herself; since he resembles her father • In A2S3, when the body is discovered,
while he sleeps. (Fatal Flaw) she must act as if she knows nothing,
• She is anxious because she does not she is an equivocator
trust MB to do it
35
• She faints: 1st reason – to distract everyone from MB confessing that he killed the
guards. 2nd reason – she was so shocked that MB went beyond the plan. 3rd reason – to
cover their tracks, to make it seem as if she is truly shocked by KD’s murder
Act three
• Knows that they are unhappy since • Using her old tactics to get him to
they have achieved their ambition snap out of it, she questions his
• Have sacrificed their souls manliness
• Tells mb to act like a king and not like • She calls him an old woman and
a guilty man shames him
• No longer “dearest partner of • She realizes that only mb can see the
greatness”, now “dearest chuck” ghost, but he thinks everyone can see
• Urges mb to be a good host it
• Tries to salvage the situation when MB • Says he is behaving like a child
sees ghost • LMB tells him that he has ruined the
• Tries to play his fit off by saying he night by making a spectacle of himself
has had it since childhood • Wants to get rid of the guests as
quickly as possible, she hurries them
out, despite the order of importance
36

(Macbeth Background) : William Shakespeare

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Danelle Hamman Macbeth 30 May 2023

Entertainment in Elizabethan times

The globe theatre

The great chain of being:

The divine right of kings:

Scotland: Witches and witchcraft:

Shakespeare’s language: Rhymed verse:

Thane of Cawdor: Metaphor

Simile • “What he hath lost, noble MB hath

MB chooses that he will become king in

Characters: Important quotes:

Figures of speech: Important quotes:

Reversal of natural order:

LMB echoes the witches. Malcolm:

Good vs evil: Figures of speech:

Clothing image: Figures of speech:

Characters: Important quotes:

Metaphor and Euphemism

Metaphor and Personification

Macbeth Important Quotes

Lady Macbeth feast, but the audience and MB knows

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