Context

• What do Shakespeare's tragedies typically include?

  A heroic figure whose fatal flaw leads to their tragic downfall
• Aristotle defined three key elements which make a tragedy: hamartia, anagnorisis, and peripeteia
• What is hamartia?

  Hamartia is a hero's fatal flaw that leads to their tragic downfall
• What is anagnorisis?

  When the tragic hero recognises something about themselves; some depth to their identity that spurs a change in action
• What is peripeteia?

  The ‘reversal of fortune’ in the plot which marks the protagonist’s descent towards tragedy
• As James I was a patron of Shakespeare's acting company, they had a close relationship and Shakespeare paid homage to his Scottish lineage - that was claimed to have descended from the historical Banquo
• James I was fascinated by the supernatural, triggered by his father's death due to instability and mother's torture followed by death - the supernatural is explored in 'Macbeth' through the 3 witches
• What was 'The Divine Right of Kings'?

  • A royal and political law
  • Stated that the monarch had earthly authority, chosen by God
  • Treason was a grave crime and considered a sin
• What was 'The Great Chain of Being'?

  A social order said to have been set out by God;

  
• Witchcraft was believed to be real in the Jacobean era, associated with Satan, darkness and death
• James I wrote 'Demonology', studying its evils and further influencing society's belief and paranoia about the supernatural
• Punishments for witchcraft or any association with evil doings were punished with hanging, burning or drowning
• Occult power was supposedly a womanly trait because women were considered weaker and more susceptible to the devil
• How can Shakespeare's plays be categorized?

  • Histories (e.g. Henry VI)
  • Comedies (e.g. Midsummer’s Night Dream)
  • Tragedies (e.g. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet)
• What was the name of Shakespeare's acting group after 1603?

  The King's Men
• During which period did Shakespeare write?

  The Renaissance
• What characterized the Renaissance period?

  Expansion of artistic expression
• What was a central form of entertainment during the Elizabethan and Jacobean era?

  Plays
• When was Macbeth written?

  1606
• What genre is Macbeth classified as?

  A dramatic tragedy
• Who acts as catalysts for the events in Macbeth?

  The witches
• What does the term 'Hamartia' mean?

  Fatal flaw
• What is Macbeth's hamartia?

  His ambition and lust for power
• What does 'Catharsis' refer to in tragedy?

  The purging of emotions
• How does Macbeth's story lead to catharsis?

  His self-destructive actions lead to pity
• What is the original source of the story of Macbeth?

  Holinshed's Chronicles
• What is believed about the narrative in Holinshed's Chronicles?

  It is more legend than truth
• What was a significant influence on Shakespeare's Macbeth?

  Holinshed’s ‘Historie of Scotlande’
• Who is suggested to have possibly co-written Macbeth?

  Thomas Middleton
• What artistic liberties did Shakespeare take with Macbeth?

  To enhance the plot and political relevance
• What are the three main changes Shakespeare made from Holinshed's Chronicles?

  1. Macbeth is portrayed as cruel and tyrannical.
  2. The witches are simplified from 'goddesses of destiny'.
  3. Banquo is depicted as an honorable man.
• Why did Shakespeare characterize Macbeth as cruel?

  For dramatic purposes and to show violence
• What was the motive behind changing the witches from 'goddesses of destiny'?

  To limit their power and give Macbeth agency
• Why was Banquo portrayed as an honorable man?

  To please King James I
• How did King James I influence Shakespeare's work?

  He was a supporter and patron of Shakespeare
• What mood did Shakespeare's works reflect during the Jacobean era?

  Uncertainty and tension
• What significant event happened to James I's mother?

  She was executed by Queen Elizabeth I
• What was the impact of James I's early life on his reign?

  It created a sense of uncertainty
• What was King James I's view on witchcraft?

  He believed it was an act of Satan
• What is the title of King James I's book on witchcraft?

  Daemonologie