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Introduction
Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare and was first performed between 1605 and 1606. William Shakespeare’s plays were never published, and the original manuscript of Macbeth therefor does not exits today. The play takes place in Scotland og England, and is divided into 5 acts, some with more scenes than others.
Macbeth was a king who ruled Scotland in the 11th century after he killed his cousin King Duncan, with help from his wife; Lady Macbeth.
Duncan's eldest son, Malcolm, ended Macbeth's reign in 1057 by killing him in battle and later assuming the throne as Malcolm III. The real Lady Macbeth's first name was Gruoch, although this is not mentioned in the play, and he was her second husband.
Scholars believe Shakespeare learned the storyof the historical figure from a chronicle which was popular in England at the time. There was a difference, however, between the facts presented in the chronicle and the actual history of Macbeth.
This picture is a scene from Macbeth, involving the main character and his wife Lady Macbeth. The picture dates back from the 18th century.
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The play revolves around the main character Macbeth and his desire to become a king.
The characters:
The tragedy begins with the three witches deciding to confront the Scottish general Macbeth and his soldier Banquo with their predictions. They greet Macbeth as “Thane of Glamis”, “Thane of Cawdor” and then tells him that he will be king hereafter. The witches finally prophesy that the future inheritors of the throne will descend from Banquo not Macbeth.
The Scottish king, Duncan, decides that he will confer the title of the traitorous Cawdor on the heroic Macbeth. Therefore the first part of the witches’ prophecy is fulfilled.
Lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband, describing the witches’ prophecies. She fears that her husband lacks the courage to kill the king and seize the crown. When Macbeth returns to his castle, where King Duncan is spending the night,he confronts his wife with his worries about killing the king. But Lady Macbeth convinces him, and together they plan the murder of the king. When Macbeth has killed King Duncan, Lady Macbeth takes his blood and smears it on a sleeping guard. The murder is discovered, but Macbeth kills the servant whom he accused of murdering the King as well. Malcolm, a son of Duncan fears for his own live and flees to England. Macbeth is crowned king, but remembers the last prophecy the witches made. He therefore plans to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance, but only succeeds in killing Banqou while Fleance escapes.
Macbeth suddenly sees Banquo’s ghost sitting in his chair and disturbs him at the royal banquet he is attending. Afterwards Macbeth decides to visit the witches again. They present him with more prophecies. 1. That he must be aware of Macduff. 2. That he can’t be killed by any man born by a woman. 3. That he shall not fear until Birnam Wood moves. After these prophecies he feels secure because all men are born by woman and a forrest can’t move. He finds out that Macduff has fled to England, and seizes his castle and kills Lady Macduff and her children.
When Macduff learns this, he joins the army Duncan’s son, Malcolm, has raised in England to seek revenge. Meanwhile Lady Macbeth is haunted by guilt, because of her husbands murderous behaviour. She ends up committing suicide, which Macbeth finds out on the way to the battlefield. He is still certain on his victory, because of his invincibility. But when he learns that the English shields is made from Birnam Wood, he is frightened. Macbeth encounters Macduff on the battlefield, who explains that he is not born from a woman, but “untimely ripped” from his mother’s womb”. Macbeth now knows that he is doomed, but fights the battlefield, until Macduff kills him. Malcolm becomes the new King of Scotland.
Watch this movie to get a quick general view of the plot in Macbeth:
Macbeth today
Since Shakespeare wrote his play Macbeth, it has been a source of inspiration to many people regarding their work. Several modern movies have used the plot of Macbeth as an inspiration, those encounters the films “Throne of Blood” “Scotland PA” and the film by the same title “Macbeth” amongst others.
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare did not want his work published, which is why none of the original manuscripts have survived. Some of Shakespeare’s actors therefore took detailed notes of the play, without Shakespeare’s knowing, before a performance, which is why Macbeth first was printed in 1623, after Shakespeare’s dead.
Some of the most famous quotes:
"There 's daggers in men's smiles". (Act II, Scene III).
"What 's done is done". (Act III, Scene II).
"Fair is foul, and foul is fair". (Act I, Scene I).
"I bear a charmed life". (Act V, Scene VIII).
"Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness." (Act I, Scene V).
"When shall we three meet again in thunder, lightning, or in rain? When the hurlyburly 's done, when the battle's lost and won". (Act I, Scene I). - The famous witches scene
"Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?" (Act II, Scene I).
Ressources:
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/summary.html
http://www.macbethonbroadway.com/macbeth-synopsis.html
http://www.william-shakespeare.info/shakespeare-play-macbeth.htm
https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/Macbeth-The-Play-and-the-Story-Behind-It-Part-2
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