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Macbeth
Tragic Hero
• tragic flaw or error in judgment
• Hubris – excessive pride
• Macbeth violates the laws of his own nature
• Only with his death, is the order in nature and society restored
Act I Scene i
• The 3 witches ugly, poor, diseased, meet in a thunderstorm and make evil plans.
• The witches unite ugliness, evil and power, in the service of disorder.
• They seek Macbeth.
Act I Scene ii
• A wounded sergeant reports to Duncan the latest information about a battle against a Scottish nobleman…
• Macdonwald, who is rebelling against the king.
• The sergeant, an accomplished warrior who protected Malcom during an attempt to capture him, in battle,
• Relates Macbeth’s deeds on the battlefield.
• Shakespeare presents Macbeth as valorous and loyal who “disdaining fortune”
• (setting aside concern for his own life)
• found and killed the rebel.
• Macbeth is the agent who restores order to the Scottish kingdom.
• Duncan and his soldiers embody virtue seeking order,
• through Macbeth’s victories, good order is restored.
• The witches would like to destroy this victorious time.
• Macbeth is rewarded for his services,
• Duncan sends Ross to give him the news
• Macbeth is made the center of the witches and Duncan’s desires.
• Duncan ends the scene by ordering the rebellious Thane of Cawdor (Sinel) to be
executed
• his title is given to Macbeth.
• Dramatic irony – Macbeth does not know he has been given the title
Act I Scene iii
• The 3 weird sisters cause a storm to the seafaring husband of a woman who refused to share her chestnuts with one of the witches.
• The weird sisters’ level of evil seems to reach its peak with the display of “pilot’s thumb” (28.
• Clearly, these weird sisters are set up as Macbeth’s foes, though we have yet to know their purpose
• Macbeth and Banquo are literally travelling between the battle,
• which represents disorder, and the capital and court which represents order.
• Macbeth echoes the witches, “Foul and fair” lines from the first scenes.
• This indicates that nature is out of order.
• The sisters predict Macbeth will be king and Banquo’s sons will be king. Titles are given in the play through the death of the holder
Act I Scene iv • Back at the royal court, Duncan names
Malcom as the heir to the Scottish throne.
• Macbeth sees this recognition of Malcom as an obstacle that he must overcome in order to become the King of Scotland.
• The scene ends with Duncan indicating that he will stay at Macbeth’s castle that night.
• While Macbeth still realizes the difference between right and wrong,
• he finds himself unable to control his ambition.
• It is ironic that the scene begins with Duncan’s comment that it is impossible to know someone’s inner thoughts and plans
• it ends with Macbeth asking that his inner thoughts and desires be disguised.
Act I Scene v
• This scene marks the introduction of Lady Macbeth
• she is reading a letter from Macbeth that informs her of the predictions of the weird sisters
• In her soliloquy, Lady Macbeth details her plans to
• “pour” her spirits into her husband’s ears so he can overcome his nature and take the crown.
• When she learns that Duncan is staying at their castle that night,
• she becomes the first character to actually voice the murderous act that is required
• when Lady Macbeth asks the spirits to “unsex” her, she wants the spirits to remove from her any feminine attributes that will interfere with her plan to murder Duncan.
• The request implies that men are more capable of cruelty than women.
• Her words are ironic because Macbeth though brave in battle is conflicted about killing Duncan –
• she is more suited to committing murder
Act I, scene 7
• In his first true soliloquy, Macbeth contemplates the consequences of killing Duncan from a variety of perspectives
• reveals his inner struggle.
` • Lady Macbeth executes her plans to convince her husband to commit murder through a combination of
– insulting her husband’s masculinity
– demonstrating her own fierce support of this course of action.
• This scene ends the first act with Macbeth resolved to kill Duncan and obtain the Scottish throne.
Act 1 Scene vii • Lady Macbeth describes to her husband how they
will commit the crime and subsequently frame Duncan’s servants for the murder.
• After she assures him that they will not be blamed for the crime,
• a shift occurs in Macbeth.
• Although he still realizes that it is wrong,
• he commits to that course of action.
• Macbeth’s final line of the scene-
– ”False face must hide what the false heart doth know”
– -illustrates the disparity between his face, which is false because
– it is not an accurate representation,
– his heart, which is false because he is being traitorous.
Act I, Scene vii
• the choice that ends this first act begins Macbeth’s tragic fall.
• Under the notion of divine right kingship, murder of a monarch is the highest crime.
• Macbeth knows that there is no good reason for him to commit such an act,
• Duncan is a virtuous and good king.
• Ultimately, his personal ambition is the only reason to commit regicide.
Act II
Act II Scene i
• Conversation between Banquo and his son, Fleance, in the courtyard of Macbeth’s castle late a night.
• Fleance represents the second part of the weird sister’s prophecy , which foretold that although Banquo will never become king himself, he will have a line of kings
• . Banquo refers to the stars as candles and notes that they are all “out.”
• The darkness of this night resonates with the requests we heard from Macbeth and his wife in earlier scene for darkness to hide their evil thoughts and plans.
• Banquo admits that he has been having dreams of pursuing the prophesy, but…
• he maintains his resolve to passively await the predictions when Macbeth broaches the possibility of taking action.
•
Act II Scene ii
• Macbeth hallucinates a dagger that leads him toward Duncan’s chamber where Lady Macbeth has drugged his servants
• Bell sounds to signal that the guards are in a drugged sleep.
• Macbeth kills Duncan
• Macbeth joins Lady Macbeth after killing Duncan.
• Macbeth is extremely distraught over his actions and claims to have heard voices saying that he had murdered sleep.
• Lady Macbeth is much more calm and composed
• She returns the daggers to Duncan’s bed chambers and smears blood on Duncan’s servants.
Act II Scene iii
• The comedic porter opens the gate and allows Macduff and Lennox to enter.
• Shortly after a humorous exchange between the porter and Macduff, the thane discovers Duncan’s murder.
• Chaos ensues.
• we learn that Macbeth, in a “fury,” killed the two servants thereby removing the possibility of defending themselves
• Malcom and Donalbain, Duncan’s sons, flee to England and Ireland for their own safety.
• This scene reminds the audience that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are not the only two people in the world of the play.
Act II Scene iv
• Ross and an old man discuss the turmoil.
• Macduff reports that the king’s sons are accused of killing their father and announces that Macbeth has been named king.
• Ross departs to prepare for the crowning at Scone; Macduff stays at his home at Fife.
Act III
Act III Scene i • Banquo suspects that Macbeth killed Duncan
in order to become king.
• Macbeth invites Banquo to a feast that night.
• Banquo promises to return in time.
• Macbeth seizes upon the opportunity provided by Banquo’s scheduled return after dark to arrange for his murder.
• To carry out the crime, Macbeth employs two men whom he has persuaded to regard Banquo as an enemy.
Act III scene ii
• Lady Macbeth says (to herself) that “We gain nothing and sacrifice everything when we get what we want without achieving happiness.”
• Lady M notices that her husband is upset and preoccupied.
• She presumes that he is still distracted by Duncan’s murder.
• He tells her that he has something “awful and infamous” planned – but will not reveal any other details of his plan to murder Banquo.
Act III Scene iii
• Banquo’s murder.
• Fleance escapes!
• Who is the third murderer?
• If it’s Macbeth, why don’t the other two assassins recognize him?
• Could it be that he’s in disguise?
• Remember: “Borrowed robes.”
• Could Macbeth be disguised (i.e. wearing “borrowed robes”) so that the other two guys don’t spot him?
Act III Scene iv
• The banquet begins; Macbeth sits with the thanes rather than in his royal position.
• Banquo’s ghost enters and sits in Macbeth’s chair.
• Macbeth’s disturbances and direct addresses to a ghost that only he can see cause the banquet to end in disorder.
• After the thanes depart, Macbeth notes Macduff’s absence and decides to consult the witches.
Act IV
Act IV Scene i
• Macbeth revisits the witches, and they show him four apparitions that predict the future.
•
The Witches’ Apparitions
I. an armed head, tells Macbeth to beware of Macduff.
II. a bloody child, informs the king that no man born of a woman will be able to kill Macbeth.
III. a crowned child holding a tree, indicates that until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill, he will not be conquered.
IV. depiction of the initial prophesy of Banquo’s royal descendants.
• Macbeth learns of Macduff’s departure and orders the execution of Macduff’s family.
Act IV Scene ii • Ross and Lady Macduff discuss Macduff’s
departure for England
• which has left his family unprotected
• a messenger enters and warns them to flee for their safety.
• Lady Macduff refuses, and soon murderers enter who kill their son onstage and pursue Lady Macduff off the stage.
Act IV scene iii
• Macduff finds Malcom at the English court and urges him to attack Macbeth at once.
• Malcom suspects that Macduff is Macbeth’s agent sent to lure Malcom to his destruction in Scotland.
• Malcom reveals that Edward, king of England, has provided a commander (Siward) and ten thousand troops for the invasion of Scotland.
• Ross then arrives with the news of the slaughter of Macduff’s entire household.
• Macduff is grief stricken
• But recovers himself and follows Malcom’s advice…
• converts his grief into a desire to avenge himself on Macbeth.
Act V
Act V Scene i
• A doctor and a gentlewoman witness Lady Macbeth sleepwalking.
• The gentlewoman indicates that Lady Macbeth sometimes composes a letter in her sleep.
• On this night, however, she rubs her hands together in an effort to “wash” a spot of blood off.
• Although the doctor and the gentlewoman realize that her conscience is burdened, they don’t understand that it stems from her complicity in Duncan’s murder
• . After Lady Macbeth returns to bed, the doctor commands that precautions be taken to prevent Lady Macbeth from committing suicide.
Act V Scene ii
• A group of Scottish thanes enter on their way to Birnam Wood to unite with Malcom and the English forces.
• They also indicate that although Macbeth’s army still obeys him, it no longer feels loyalty toward the King.
• The reference to Birnam Wood in line 5 should raise a signal.
• Recall that this is the forest that has to move to Dunsinane hill
• (on top of which stands Dunsinane castle where Macbeth is fortified) in order for Mabeth to be vanquished
Act V Scene iii
• Waiting for the battle to begin, Macbeth oscillates between being
»overly aggressive/ confident
»and
»sad “sick at heart.”
• Macbeth is seen as pitiable.
Act V Scenes iv and v • The Scottish thanes unite with Malcom and the
English forces at Birnam Wood.
• Malcom reveals his plan to use tree branches to disguise the approach of the army to Dunsinane Castle.
• With a large army, this strategy will create the illusion that the woods are moving.
• Preparing for war, Macbeth learns of his wife’s death
• He exhibits little grief.
• A messenger informs Macbeth of the approach of Birnam Wood.
• Questioning his invulnerability, Macbeth decides that if he is to die, he wants to die in battle.
Act V Scenes vii and viii
• Macbeth learns that Birnan Wood is marching against Dunsinane.
• His bravado wilts at this confirmation of the witches’ prophesy.
• He outfights young Siward, who dies in the struggle and moves on to a face-off against Macduff.
• Macbeth voices his false hope that no man born of woman can harm him.
• Macduff, supercharged with hate, shatters his confidence by describing how he was delivered surgically .
• and was, therefore, never born in the ordinary sense of human birth.
• Their final clash ends Macbeth’s life.
• Macduff beheads his enemy and exposes the gory trophy on the battlefield,
• Where he proclaims Malcolm the next ruler of Scotland.
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