Macbeth

Macbeth is a tragedy about a Scottish general whose ambition, spurred by witches' prophecies and his wife's encouragement, leads him to murder King Duncan and seize the throne. His guilt and paranoia drive him to further violence, ultimately leading to his downfall.

• 1Three witches prophecy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland
• 2Encouraged by Lady Macbeth, Macbeth murders King Duncan while he sleeps
• 3Macbeth becomes king but is plagued by guilt and paranoia, seeing Banquo's ghost
• 4He orders the murder of Banquo and Macduff's family to secure his power
• 5Lady Macbeth descends into madness and dies, haunted by guilt
• 6Macduff kills Macbeth in battle, and Malcolm becomes the rightful king

• •Ambition and its destructive consequences
• •Guilt and conscience
• •The supernatural and fate versus free will
• •Appearance versus reality
• •Masculinity and power
• •The disruption of natural order

• Macbeth: A brave warrior corrupted by ambition
• Lady Macbeth: Macbeth's ambitious wife who encourages his murderous acts
• The Three Witches: Supernatural figures who prophesy Macbeth's rise
• Banquo: Macbeth's friend who is murdered for his suspicions
• Macduff: The nobleman who ultimately defeats Macbeth
• King Duncan: The virtuous king murdered by Macbeth

• Written around 1606 during the reign of King James I
• Reflects James I's interest in witchcraft and the supernatural
• Explores the divine right of kings and political legitimacy
• Set in medieval Scotland during a time of political instability
• Shakespeare drew on Holinshed's Chronicles for historical inspiration

• Focus on how ambition is portrayed as both motivating and destructive
• Analyze Shakespeare's use of imagery (blood, darkness, sleep) to convey themes
• Examine character development, particularly Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's psychological decline
• Consider the role of the supernatural in influencing human actions
• Discuss how the play explores Jacobean ideas about kingship and order