The Tragedy of Macbeth William Shakespeare

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The Tragedy of MacbethWilliam Shakespeare
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Introduction Background Discussion Starters
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The Tragedy of MacbethWilliam Shakespeare

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The Tragedy of MacbethWilliam Shakespeare
Be careful what you wish for.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Introduction
What would you do if you encountered three
strange women who predicted your future
and then those predictions started coming true?
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Introduction
Suppose the women predicted that you would become
a powerful ruler someday.
Would you want to wait to see if this came true?

Or would you want to make it come true?
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Introduction
As The Tragedy of Macbeth opens, the Scottish
army is battling invading forces
Norwegian forces
Scotland
and King Duncan wants a victory.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Introduction
Macbeth fights ferociously
killing the traitor Macdonwald and planting
Macdonwalds head on the castle battlements.
King Duncan is impressed.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Introduction
While crossing the stormy countryside after the
battle, Macbeth and Banquo encounter a trio of
witches.
Double, double, toil and trouble, Fire burn and
cauldron bubble
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Introduction
The weird sisters make these predictions

• Macbeth will earn noble titles.

• Banquo will produce a line of kings.

• Macbeth will be King of Scotland.

Then, the witches vanish, and a messenger appears
to tell Macbeth that King Duncan has just given
him a noble title.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Introduction
All Macbeth can think about is the sisters final
prophecy
And the thought that he might become king.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Introduction
His wife, the ambitious Lady Macbeth longs for

• high position

• wealth

• power

• prestige

Shell do anything to make her husband king.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Introduction
She just may get her chance. King Duncan decides
to visit Macbeths castle.
Will the king live to rule another day?
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Background
William Shakespeare wrote more than 36 plays and
150 poems in his lifetime. He is considered the
most influential writer in English literature.

• movies

More than four hundred years later, his works
still influence

• music

• TV shows

• video games

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The Tragedy of Macbeth Background
In the tragedy Macbeth, Shakespeare explores the
damaging nature of overwhelming ambition and
greed.
It is the shortest of Shakespeares tragedies,
and includes this simple message Thou shalt not
kill.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Background
Before Shakespeares time, troupes of actors
traveled the countryside, to perform
in parks
halls
courts
courtyards
and in other open spaces they could find.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Background
In 1576, the first playhouse, called The Theater,
was built outside Londons city walls. Soon other
famous London theaters followed.

• the Fortune

• the Rose

• the Red Bull

• the Swan

• the Globe Theater

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The Tragedy of Macbeth Background
Now drama could be a permanent experience for
theater crowds, rather than a traveling show.
covered seats
main stage
actors
cheap standing room
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The Tragedy of Macbeth Discussion Starters

• Discuss (1)
• Shakespeares works are just as popular today as
  they were in his lifetime. Why do you think these
  stories are still so admired and imitated 400
  years later?
• Shakespeares writing works as well on the stage
  as it does on the written page. Why? Do you think
  that acting out a story on stage adds to its
  emotional effect?

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The Tragedy of Macbeth Discussion Starters

• Discuss (2)
• Macbeth and his wife are overwhelmed with
  ambition, so they plot to steal the throne of
  Scotland.
• Which character is more willing to do evil? Why?
  Do you think they will suffer a price for their
  actions?
• Do you think Shakespeare means for this story to
  be a cautionary tale, or warning? How?