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.