1
Q
what book is macbeth based on, and how does it differ from the play?
A
- 1577 Holinshead’s chronicles
- banquo originally sided with macbeth
- James I claimed his ancestor was Banquo
2
Q
how is macbeth linked to the Gunpowder PLot?
A
- many of the themes resonate with the attempted revolt: it’s a play about treason, the overthrow of a King, and the downfall of his murderers
- The insistent reference to equivocation {porter} could allude Henry Garnet (catholic priest), who was hung, drawn and quartered for his role in the Gunpowder Plot and was deeply criticised for equivocating
- After the foiled attempt on his life, King James had a commemorative medal mad which featured the image of some flowers with a serpent hiding amongst them. It is said to symbolise the deceit and treachery of the Jesuits
3
Q
how did religion influence ‘Macbeth’?
A
- James I & Elizabeth I were Protestant
- Regicide - killing a royal - worst crime - against DROK
- Great Chain of Beings
4
Q
what was life like for women, at the time Shakespeare was writing?
A
- women did not go to school/have advanced jobs
- could only inherit not buy property
- not entitled to father’s title
- marriage - money/politics - used by men - obedient and silent
- men were defined by their status - behave with duty and honour
5
Q
how is gender linked to ‘macbeth’?
A
gender & witchcraft linked, gender roles swictheroo, witches are androgynous, macbeth’s masculinity
6
Q
how is witchcraft linked to ‘macbeth’?
A
banquo’s suspicion is seen as good, the witches influence Macbeth, LM linked to witchcraft (corrupt women)
7
Q
what were some beliefs about witchcraft at the time shakespeare was writing?
A
- cause of disaster/harm
- burned at stake
- cats, birthmarks, curdled milk, moldy bread, float in water, charms
- pact with the devil - heretical
- black death, famine, animal death
- James I believed that he & his wife had been personally targeted by witches who conjured dangerous storms to try to kill them during their voyages across the North Sea.
8
Q
what was the Daemonologie?
A
- philosophical dissertation on contemporary necromancy
- endorsed witch hunting
- Shakespeare attributed many quotes and rituals found within the book directly to the Weird Sisters
9
Q
how is leadership addressed in ‘macbeth’?
A
- perhaps a warning against committing regicide, as King James was patron of the playing company Shakespeare wrote for and people questioned James’ legitimacy to rule: he was Scottish, his mother was a catholic and he was only a distant relative of his predecessor Elizabeth (eg Gunpowder plot 1605)
- perhaps Shakespeare was subtly showing James the consequences of being too much of a trusting leader
10
Q
how is ambition addressed in ‘macbeth’?
A
- LM has an interesting view of power: where only those who are able to set aside morality can rise to greatness
- ambition is what drives people to commit ever more terrible atrocities - it leads to evil
- once someone decides to use violence to further their quest for power, it is difficult to stop - there will always be threats so it will always be tempting to use violence to stop them
- Macbeth has natural ambition but this is reinforced by his meeting with the Witches and by his wife - he has a deep internal desire for power and advancement
- shows that naked ambition, freed from any sort of moral or social conscience, ultimately takes over every other characteristic of a person. It can never be fulfilled, and therefore quickly grows into a monster that will destroy anyone who gives into it.
11
Q
what is hamartia?
A
a fatal flaw - basic mistake in the central character’s personality which drives their actions
12
Q
how is the theme of appearance vs reality and the supernatural explored in ‘macbeth’?
A
- warning against engaging with the supernatural and witchcraft - perhaps suggesting that no matter how good the promises from the supernatural seem, engaging with supernatural will end in death and tragedy
- M is 1st introduced as valiant and brave - but he is neither of these things. Not only is he, in the eyes of LM, weak - but he is also proved to be disloyal.
13
Q
how is gender explored through LM?
A
- ‘Unsex me here’ shows LM calling her femininity and, by extension, weakness to be stripped away. it is not masculinity that she craves – but androgyny. Whilst LM associates femininity with weakness, so, also, does she associate masculinity. In her eyes, M is also hesitant and feeble, despite being a man. She no longer wants to be human; she wants an inhumane conscience so that she shall feel no remorse. (‘Come to my woman’s breasts, And take my milk for gall’ - no gentleness, no nurturing nature)
- the aggression of the female characters is striking because it goes against prevailing expectations of how women ought to behave
- Lady Macbeth’s behaviour shows that women can be as ambitious and cruel as men
- because of the constraints of her society, Lady Macbeth relies on deception and manipulation rather than violence
- In Act 1 Scene 5 LM’s speech establishes her as the dominant partner in the relationship, which inverts typical 17th-century gender & social roles. Since husbands were supposed to “rule” their wives in the same way that kings ruled countries, LM’s plan is just another version of treason: taking power that doesn’t belong to her.
14
Q
how is gender explored through the witches in macbeth?
A
3 witches - perhaps symbolising an ‘anti-holy trinity’? Their ambiguous femininity would contrast with the masculinity of the holy trinity.
15
Q
how is masculinity and manhood explored in macbeth?
A
- LM taunts M when he won’t kill D. This associates masculinity with violence. M also says that he ‘does all that may become a man’ - this associates masculinity with honour
- ‘And wakes it now to look so green and pale At what it did so freely?’ - here LM tells M that he looks ‘green and pale’. At the time, this was a sign of anemia - a disease, in that time, associated with young, virgin, women.
16
Q
how is fate presented in macbeth?
A
- The witches’ prophecies indicate the presence of fate in the situation. This prophecy leads M to plot the potential overthrow of King Duncan. Though Macbeth thinks that fate is leading him to this, it is actually his own free will. His choices lead him to plot Duncan’s downfall.
- Macbeth may be fated to be king, but he decides all on his own that he will murder Duncan in order to obtain the crown. His actions suggest that fate may be predetermined, but free will determines how a people reach their destinies.
17
Q
how is chaos explored in macbeth?
A
- SUPERNATURAL - the witches - appear and vanish randomly and plant ideas into people’s heads (‘Foul is fair and fair is foul is fair)
- Lady Macbeth goes against the natural order and gender roles of the time
- DROK→Usurping the king is chaotic - (‘Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter The Prince of Cumberland’ At that time period, it was believed that the Kings were chosen by god therefore, the family line was very sacred. Duncan is following the normal royal path in which the eldest son will take the throne.)
18
Q
how is order presented in macbeth?
A
- Banquo is sceptical of the witches and loyal to Duncan (‘Were such things here as we do speak about or have we eaten on the insane root that takes reason prisoner?’)
- duncan executes thane of cawdor - justice is brought - (‘But under heavy judgement bears that life which he deserves to lose)
19
Q
how is good presented in macbeth?
A
- BRAVERY - ‘brave Macbeth’
- HEROISM
- DROK - ‘‘this Duncan hath borne his faculties so meek… that his virtues will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against the deep damnation of his taking off.’
20
Q
how is evil presented in macbeth?
A
- EVIL THOUGHTS - eg Lady Macbeth talking about killing her child
- EVIL DEEDS - murder - eg Macbeth reasoning with himself to not kill Duncan
- SUPERNATURAL - witches - eg Lady Macbeth calling on evil spirits
