Macbeth notes for Honors English 4

Remember that you cannot have a printed copy of notes in your notebook for the end of the grading period notes test.


Macbeth
Published around 1603 as a way for Shakespeare to win favor with King James; James supposedly was a descendant of Banquo and was interested in witchcraft.
Takes place in Scotland around the year 1100. Most of the characters are real in history, but are portrayed differently in the play.



MACBETH: ACT 1
THE 3 WITCHES FORSEE THE FUTURE. FROM THE BEGINNING, THEY ARE MALICIOUS.
THE TRAITORS ON THE BATTLEFIELD WILL BE EXECUTED; MACBETH WILL BE GIVEN THE TITLE THANE OF CAWDOR BECAUSE OF HIS BRAVERY DURING BATTLE.
THE BLOODY CAPTAIN BROUGHT ALL OF THE NEWS.


Shakespeare’s Macbeth
The Witches
MACBETH ACT 1
MACBETH AND BANQUO DISCOVER THE WITCHES ON THE HEATH. HE IS REFERRED TO AS THANE OF GLAMIS, WHICH HE IS. HE IS THEN REFERRED TO AS THANE OF CAWDOR AND KING, WHICH HE IS NOT…YET.
BANQUO IS GIVEN 3 PARADOXICAL STATEMENTS: 1. LESSER THAN MACBETH, BUT GREATER 2. HAPPIER, BUT NOT SO HAPPY 3. NOT A KING, BUT WILL HAVE KINGS
MACBETH ACT 1
LADY MACBETH GETS THE NEWS FROM MACBETH IN A LETTER. SHE ASKS TO BE “MADE INSENSITIVE” TO WHAT SHE IS ABOUT TO DO; HER PLAN: SHE WILL DRUG GUARDS. MACBETH WILL USE GUARDS’ DAGGERS TO KILL DUNCAN. BLOOD ON GUARDS WILL MAKE THEM SEEM GUILTY.

MC. FEARS HIS WIFE’S PLOT B/C HE IS THE KING’S SUBJECT.
MC.’S FATAL FLAW WILL BE HIS LUST FOR POWER.
LIT ELEMENTS: A)THE PLAY IS WRITTEN IN BLANK VERSE (UNRHYMED IAMBIC PENTAMETER).B) A PARADOX IS A CONTRADICTION.

MACBETH:ACT 2
MC THINKS HE SEES A DAGGER; HE FEELS GUILT ALREADY, BUT DECIDES TO KILL DUNCAN ANYWAY.
MC HAS KILLED DUNCAN,BUT LADY MC TELLS HIM TO QUIT DWELLING ON IT; SHE’S THE ONE WHO REPLACES THE DAGGERS.
THE PORTER CALLS UPON THE DEVIL & IS UNAWARE OF THE CRIME(DRAMATIC IRONY). PORTER TAKES A LONG TIME TO ANSWER MACDUFF’S KNOCK; MACDUFF THINKS HE’S SLEEPING.
MACBETH: ACT 2 CONT.
MALCOLM &DONALBAIN FLEE FOR FEAR OF THEIR OWN LIVES AND BECAUSE SOME THINK THEY HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH DUNCAN’S DEATH.
BANQUO MEETS W/ NOBLES TO DISCUSS THE MURDER.
OMENS ARE USED THROUGHOUT: SCREAMING, WILD HORSES; EARTHQUAKE; LENNOX IS FEARFUL BECAUSE OF THESE.
MCB. IS UNABLE TO PRAY/SAY AMEN; CAN’T SLEEP


`Banquo says he has had dreams; he fears there may be some truth.
MACBETH HAS GONE TO SCONE. HE WILL BE CROWNED KING THERE.
MACDUFF WILL RETURN HOME TO FIFE.
DUNCAN’S BODY WILL BE BURIED AT COLMEKILL, AN ISLAND WHERE ALL SCOTTISH KINGS ARE BURIED.
MACBETH ACT 3
BANQUO FEELS HOPEFUL THAT HIS SONS WILL BE KING.
MCB. discusses ‘BARREN SCEPTER’, WHICH IS AN OMEN THAT HE WON’T HAVE HEIRS TO THE THRONE.
MCB. TELLS 2 HIRED MURDERERS TO KEEP QUIET B/C HIS &BANQUO’S FRIENDS WOULD BE UPSET.
FLEANCE HAS ESCAPED; MCB.NERVOUS.
ACT 3 CONT.
MCB. TALKS TO BANQUO’S GHOST.
LENNOX IS NOW SARCASTIC & ALL NOBLES ARE SUSPICIOUS OF ALL EVENTS REGARDING MCB.
MCB KNOWS HE’S IN TROUBLE.
LIT ELE: SIMILE, METAPHOR, ETC IN THIS SECTION…
MACBETH ACT 4
HECATE MAKES MCB. OVERCONFIDENT AS SHE DECIDES TO GET INVOLVED WITH MAC’S RUIN.
WITCHES TELL MCB. TO CALL UPON THE APPARITIONS, BUT DON’T ASK TOO MUCH.
MCB. IS TOLD “NO ONE BORN OF WOMAN “ WILL HURT HIM. HE DECIDES TO KILL MACDUFF ANYWAY.
LADY MACDUFF DOESN’T LISTEN TO THE MESSENGER. HE WARNS HER TO FLEE AND SHE DOESN’T. IDENTITY IS UNKNOWN…

ACT 4 (CONT.)
MALCOLM PRETENDS HE IS TOO EVIL TO BECOME KING SO THAT HE CAN GET MACDUFF’S LOYALTY.MALCOLM AND MACDUFF VOW TO OVERTHROW MACBETH.
ROSS JOINS MALCOLM AND MACDUFF TO SAY THAT HE’S SORRY, BUT HE BRINGS BAD NEWS.
WHEN MACDUFF HEARS ABOUT HIS FAMILY’S FATE, MALCOLM TELLS HIM TO GET ANGRY AND DO SOMETHING.
ACT 4: C HARACTER INFO.
THERE ARE MESSENGERS AS FOLLOWS:
CROWNED CHILD: “Macbeth will not be vanquished until Birnam Wood marches to Dunsinane.”
BLOODY CHILD: “No man born of a woman will harm Macbeth.”
ACT 4 CHARACTERS (CONT.)
BANQUO’S GHOST:”The 8 ghostly kings are Banquo’s offspring.”
ARMED HEAD: “Beware of Macduff”
ROSS: “Macbeth has killed Macduff’s family”
ACT 5
THE GENTLEWOMAN REFUSES TO REPEAT LADY MACBETH’S SLEEP-TALK TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE THERE ISN’T A WITNESS TO CONFIRM IT.SHE IS AFRAID THAT SHE’LL GET IN TROUBLE IF SOMEONE THINKS SHE LIES.
THE “DAMNED SPOT” THAT LADY MACBETH REFERS TO IS DUNCAN’S BLOODSTAIN.
MACBETH TRIES TO REASSURE HIMSELF THAT MALCOLM AND MACDUFF ARE NOT A THREAT TO HIM B/C THEY ARE BOTH BORN OF WOMEN.
ACT 5 (CONT.)

MACBETH’S REACTION WHEN LADY MACBETH DIES IS THAT LIFE IS REALLY JUST A PATH TO DEATH.
MACDUFF DECLARES THAT HE MUST KILL MACBETH B/C HE MUST AVENGE THE MURDERS.
ACT 5 (CONT.)
MACBETH REALIZES THE WITCHES DECEIVED HIM WITH THEIR MESSAGES.
MALCOLM IS ACKNOWLEDGED AS KING.
IMAGES OF DAGGERS, WOODS, AND CHILDREN ARE USED THROUGHOUT THE PLAY AS SYMBOLS AND OMENS OF EVIL AND SINISTER HAPPENINGS.
CHARACTERS, ACT 5
CHARACTERS’ REVELATION:
SEYTON: REVEALS THAT LADY MACBETH IS DEAD.
LADY MACBETH: REVEALS MURDERS OF LADY MACDUFF AND DUNCAN (in her sleep)
THE MESSENGER: REVEALS THAT BIRNAM WOOD IS APPROACHING THE CASTLE ( INVADERS)
CHARACTER REVELATIONS

MALCOLM:REVEALS THAT HIS SUPPORTERS WILL BE MADE EARLS (ROYAL TITLE)
PLAY IS WRITTEN IN BLANK VERSE, WHICH MAKES THE SPEAKERS SOUND MORE NATURAL IN TERMS OF THE RHYTHM OF THEIR SPEECH.



Lit Terms to know for the test:
Catalyst
Imagery
Tragic hero
Tragic flaw
Tragedy, comedy, history
Metaphor, simile, personification