Macbeth Study Guide - MsEffie

1 MacbethStudy Guide by Course HeroWhat's Insidej Book Basics 1 .. d In Context 1 .. a Author Biography 2 .. h Characters 2 .. k Plot Summary 6 .. c Scene Summaries 10 .. g Quotes 23 .. l Symbols 25 .. m Themes 26 .. b Glossary 27 .. e Suggested Reading 28 .. j Book BasicsAUTHORW illiam ShakespeareYEAR WRITTENc. 1606 GENRET ragedyABOUT THE TITLEAs the main character in the play, Macbeth has the title simplicity of the single-word title belies the intricacy of theplay and its main character, however. Plot details andcharacter details unfold side-by-side in Macbeth . Powerful yetweak, courageous yet afraid, the character of Macbeth haslayers of complexity and influence that make him bigger thanlife or any In ContextHistorical InfluencesScholars do not list Macbeth among Shakespeare's historyplays, which include Henry V and Richard II, but there is ahistorical basis for the play.

2 The actual Macbeth ruled Scotlandfrom 1040 until 1057 and killed his predecessor, Duncan , this killing took place on a battlefield near theScottish town of Elgin, rather than under Macbeth 's own later married the granddaughter of another king,Kenneth III, and defeated Duncan I's father in battle in characterize the real Macbeth as a fair and law-oriented king who encouraged the spread of Christianity inScotland. This description, too, is a sharp contrast with the"tyrant" of Shakespeare's play, who is obsessed with occultvisions and fought against Siward, Earl of Northumbria, whenSiward attempted to bring Duncan I's stepson Malcolm to theScottish throne in 1054. However, Macbeth rebuffed thischallenge and ruled three more years before Malcolm defeatedhim at the Battle of Lumphanan to become Malcolm 's version of Scottish history was likely inspired byone of his own contemporaries, Raphael Holinshed, whopublished his Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland in1577.

3 Holinshed's version includes the witches, or weird sisters, Macbeth Study GuideAuthor Biography 2 Copyright 2017 Course Hero, makes Banquo a coconspirator with Macbeth . The Houseof Stuart, James I's family line, claimed Banquo among itsancestors, which explains why Shakespeare changed Banquointo the tragic victim of his friend's treachery and why the playemphasizes Banquo's role as the father of many play includes other elements arguably designed to appealto James I. Macbeth is defeated by a unified army of Englishand Scottish soldiers, significant because James I was the kingwho united England and Scotland under one crown. The defeatof the usurper is important as well, because James I was thetarget of a number of plots early in his reign, most notably theGunpowder Plot. Finally, James I was known for his oppositionto witchcraft and the supernatural. He presided over a fewwitch trials and, while king of Scotland, published a papercalled "Daemonologie," which claims witches are a seriousthreat to Scotland.

4 Accordingly, the witches in Macbeth arepresented as a malicious force bent on creating chaos in though the witches were written in a way that reflectsJames I's views on witchcraft, the devoutly Christian kingbanned the play from performance for five years. This is thesame James I who commissioned the first English translationof the Bible in 1604, and he may have objected to the play'suse of allegedly authentic witches' incantations in the king may not have been the only one to object to thewitchcraft in the play. Legend has it that a coven of witchescursed Macbeth after its early performances, ostensiblybecause they didn't want their secret incantations going or not this story is true, a superstition took hold in thetheater community that forbade performers and crewmembers from speaking the play's name aloud. Even today,many performers refer to the work as "the Scottish Play" in aneffort to keep the curse at have been notable instances of bad luck associated withperformances of Macbeth , such as falling equipment andactors falling from the stage.

5 One of the best-known instanceswas a 1849 riot in New York City's Astor Place, which wassparked by fans of two different actors performing the titlerole in different venues. Twenty-two people were killed duringthe riot. Despite these incidents, Macbeth has remained one ofShakespeare's most popular and frequently performed Author BiographyWilliam Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon,England. Although his birth date was not recorded, he wasbaptized on April 26, 1564, meaning he was likely born in thepreceding week. His birthday is celebrated on April 23. Hemarried Anne Hathaway in 1582, and they had two daughtersand a son, the latter of whom died in the primary writer and a performer with the LordChamberlain's Men theater company, Shakespeare was wellestablished in London theater when James I, formerly JamesVI of Scotland, became king of England in 1603.

6 The LordChamberlain's Men had enjoyed success under Elizabeth I'sreign, and when James I was crowned, the king formally tookthe company into his service. The company then changed itsname to the King's Men. The actors attended James I'scoronation ceremony as honored guests and performedfrequently for the 1605 conspirators tried to assassinate the king in an incidentknown as the Gunpowder Plot. Shakespeare wrote Macbethshortly afterward, in about 1606 or 1607, and wove allusions tothe attempted regicide into his play. Shakespeare and hisfamily may have known some of the Gunpowder Plotconspirators, and his cautionary tale about treason may havebeen meant to disavow any connection to such misdeeds. Inaddition to the Gunpowder Plot, Shakespeare arguably builtnumerous other references to James I and to contemporaryhistory into Macbeth , his one and only Scottish some point between 1613 and 1616, Shakespeare returnedto Stratford.

7 His theater career and investments had made hisfamily financially comfortable. Shakespeare died in Stratfordon April 23, 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church on April25, CharactersMacbethMacbeth is a Scottish nobleman who holds three successivetitles in the play. Initially serving as Thane of Glamis, he meetsthree witches who prophesy he will be awarded the title ofMacbeth Study GuideCharacters 3 Copyright 2017 Course Hero, of Cawdor and later become king of Scotland. WhenKing Duncan makes him Thane of Cawdor as a reward for hisrole for putting down a rebellion, Macbeth decides the witchesmust be correct. He kills Duncan and takes the crown forhimself. He then has his friend Banquo killed, as Banquo wasthe only other person to know the prophecy. When the otherthanes become suspicious, they help Duncan's rightful heirraise an army and defeat MacbethWhen Lady Macbeth hears of the witches' predictions, shehelps her husband murder Duncan and take the the characteristics expected of a woman in herposition (though she has no problem using them when it suitsher purpose), she claims to feel no guilt about the murders thatshe and Macbeth have committed.

8 She encourages Macbethto let go of his guilt as well. However, it becomes clear that shestill feels guilty, and the memory of Duncan's murder slowlydrives her sisters in this malevolent trio act as the catalyst for theplay's action. The predictions they give Macbeth spark histhoughts of becoming king. They meet twice with Macbeth ,and it becomes clear during a meeting with their goddess,Hecate, that they are not working in Macbeth 's best interests,as they show him visions that are incomplete and lead to is a friend and thane who fights alongside Macbeth inthe battle to put down Macdonwald's rebellion. He is withMacbeth when the witches first appear, and they predict thatBanquo will never be king but that his descendants will be. Healso hears them predict Macbeth 's rise to the throne. Later,this makes him suspicious of Macbeth 's role in Duncan'smurder, and Macbeth knows this.

9 Based on this knowledge andthe prediction about Banquo's descendants, Macbeth decidesBanquo is a threat and has him is the Thane of Fife and a loyal follower of KingDuncan. He has suspicions about Macbeth 's role in Duncan'sdeath, as seen in his refusal to attend Macbeth 's , he tracks Duncan's son Malcolm to England andconvinces him to return to Scotland to fight for his birthrightand save the country. The cost of his loyalty, though, is his wifeand child, whom Macbeth murders while Macduff is Macduff encounters Macbeth on the battlefield, Macduffis the one to kill is, by all accounts, a good, respectable king. Heinspires loyalty in his thanes and rewards them for this, givingMacbeth a new title to honor his performance in battle. Afterhe is murdered, the thanes and lords mourn him and avengehim by uniting against is King Duncan's older son. Fearing that he and hisbrother might also be killed or accused of their father'smurder he flees to England.

10 He has fears about returning tochallenge Macbeth but overcomes them when Macduffconvinces him how much his country needs him. With an armyof 10,000 English soldiers and a thirst for revenge, he returnsto Scotland to claim his rightful place as Study GuideCharacters 4 Copyright 2017 Course Hero, MapMurdersLady MacbethMacbeth's wife andco-conspiratorAdviseEnemiesSpousesMac duffThane of Fife; defeatsMacbeth in battleDuncanKing of Scotland;murdered by MacbethMacbethThane of Glamis; becomesKing of ScotlandMalcolmDuncan's heir; fleesfollowing king's deathMurdersEnemiesFatherAlliesBanquoMac beth's friendand fellow lordWitchesProvide unclearprophecies thatinfluence Macbeth 'sactionsMain characterOther Major CharacterMinor CharacterMacbeth Study GuideCharacters 5 Copyright 2017 Course Hero, Character ListCharacterDescriptionMacbethMacbeth is Thane of Glamis, thenThane of Cawdor.