William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon. He was baptized on April 23, 1564 and died there on April 23, 1616. At 18 he married 26 year old Anne Hathaway. They had a daughter, Susanna and twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died when he was eleven. This is an artist’s drawing of his original home.

STRATFORD-ON-AVON • This is Anne Hathaway’s house. Shakespeare and his family lived in it for a time. It has been restored and visitors can view how the playwright and his family lived.

Shakespeare moved his family to London where he became a member of a theatrical company, the Lord Chamberlain’s men. He achieved some success as an actor, poet and playwright. In 1598, he partnered with James Burbage and created The Globe Theatre along the banks of the River Thames.

THE GLOBE THEATRE

The Globe was restored in the 1990’s according to plans and descriptions that survived.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and

MACBETH

www.andycomuic.com/Images/macbeth.jpg

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air.” 1:1 What do you suspect immediately from this scene?

The play Macbeth is called a tragedy but is he a tragic hero? Aristotle offers a definition of a tragic hero: 2. He is a character of noble stature and a man of status. 2. The hero is great but not perfect. He is essentially like us. 3. The hero has an error of judgment or a tragic character flaw such as hubris which is arrogant pride. 5. The hero’s punishment exceeds the crime. 5. The hero achieves self-knowledge 6. The audience is not in a state of depression a catharsis occurs – pity and fear for the fate of the tragic hero.

SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY EXPOSITION – time, place, mood, characters revealed EXCITING FORCE – begins conflict that will continue throughout the play RISING ACTION – events which lead to the climax of the play CLIMAX – Turning point of the play. The Shakespearean hero moves to his/her inevitable end. CATASTROPHE –(Denouement in French) Consequences of the hero’s actions – his death.

ACT I – exposition, exciting force, rising action ACT II – rising action ACT III – rising action, climax ACT IV – falling action ACT V – catastrophe/denouement

1. Tragic heroes must inspire fear and pity. They contribute to their own destruction by acts that reveal a flaw in their character or a tragic error that leads to death. 2. The tragedy proceed from action – a series of interconnected deeds and relationships that lead to complications and the inevitable catastrophe – death. 3. The tragic hero is isolated. 4. Opposition to the hero is mobilized. 5. Hero finally recognizes his flaw. 6. Hero may attempt to restore lost honor and greatness. 7. Tragic hero dies. 8. Order is restored.

As you watch the film decide if Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are tragic heroes or pychopaths.

“Fair is foul and foul is fair.” THEMES Nothing is as it seems – Appearance vs reality Macbeth - “And nothing is but what is not.”(1.iii.155) Macbeth: “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.” (I.vii, 95) Donalbain - There’s daggers in men’s smiles.” (II.iii, 4)

Themes continued Ambition - corrupting force? Cruelty – province only of men? Kingship vs tyranny Supernatural/superstition effects on behavior Anything else come to mind?

IMAGERY IN MACBETH Consider the following as you read: 3. Ill fitting clothing 2. Light vs darkness 3. Blood 6. Water/washing 5. Nature vs supernatural 6. Weather 9. Hallucinations/dreams

As you read notice Shakespeare’s use of literary or rhetorical devices. He is known for his clever manipulation of language. Can you find? allusion alliteration simile/metaphor irony ramatic irony symbols

An artist’s interpretation of Macbeth’s castle, Dunsinane.

Besides his wonderful language, many of Shakespeare’s plays have famous soliloquies where a character stands all alone on the stage and reveals his thoughts aloud. In the next 3 slides you will read parts of famous soliloquies from Macbeth.

“Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come let me clutch thee…Hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell, That summons thee to heaven or to hell.” (Macbeth, I, i)

“Out, damned spot! out, I say! One; two: why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky! Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? ” (Lady Macbeth, V, i)

“Out, out brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.” (Macbeth V, v)

As you watch the film, think about these questions: Is Macbeth completely a villain? Does he have a conscience? What are the forces that determine Macbeth’s destiny? To what degree are the witches responsible for Macbeth’s downfall? The play opens with the witches talking in a thunderstorm. This creates atmosphere and mood. What images throughout the play contribute to the evil atmosphere? Were the actions of the characters in tune with the atmosphere? Bad dreams and disturbed sleep often represent psychological turmoil. What examples of disturbed do you find? What do they reveal about the characters?

Questions continued: Does Macbeth or Lady Macbeth remind you of any characters that you have read about, seen on television or the movies? What sort of music would you choose to surround the play? What did you like about the play? What did you hate? THE END