Context

• Who is the author of Macbeth?

  William Shakespeare
• Why is context important for understanding Macbeth?

  It helps understand the relationship between texts and their context
• Who was king of Scotland during Elizabeth's reign?

  James
• Why did James become king of England and Scotland?

  Elizabeth had no children, and he was her cousin's son
• What historical event led to civil war among families in Scotland?

  Disputed claims to the throne
• How did Duncan's defeat by Macbeth affect Scotland?

  It led to stability for 17 years
• Who wrote "Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland"?

  Raphael Hollingshead
• How is the real Macbeth described historically?

  As a fair and just king
• Why might Shakespeare have portrayed Banquo as good in Macbeth?

  Banquo was related to King James
• What was Shakespeare's company called under royal patronage?

  The King's Men
• What pressure did Shakespeare face regarding his plays?

  To please King James to avoid closure or arrest
• How did the church and crown control society during Shakespeare's time?

  Through feudalism and the divine right of kings
• What does Macbeth's story suggest about traitors?

  It shows the consequences of attempting to kill a king
• What event occurred in 1605 related to King James?

  A foiled attempt to blow him up
• Who was Guy Fawkes?

  A conspirator in the gunpowder plot
• What was the fate of Guy Fawkes and his conspirators?

  They were captured, tortured, and executed
• How did Shakespeare's family background influence his plays?

  They may have had Catholic sympathies
• What term describes double-talking to hide true beliefs?

  Equivocation
• What role did the church play in Shakespeare's world?

  It persecuted non-believers
• How many were burned at the stake during Henry VIII's reign?

  More than 80
• How many were burned alive during Queen Mary's reign?

  Nearly 300
• How many executions of witches occurred under James's rule?

  Two and a half thousand
• How did the belief in witches influence Shakespeare's writing?

  He included witches in Macbeth with ambiguity
• What did James write about witches?

  A booklet called Demonology
• What significant line do the witches say in Macbeth?

  Something wicked this way comes
• How is Banquo's ghost portrayed in the play?

  Sometimes visible, sometimes invisible
• What does the floating dagger symbolize in Macbeth?

  Macbeth's hallucination and inner turmoil
• What does the number three signify in the Bible?

  Harmony and wholeness
• Why are there three witches in Macbeth?

  To create ambiguity and tension
• How do the witches address Macbeth in their first prediction?

  By three titles
• What do the witches conjure up in Act 4, Scene 1?

  Three apparitions
• What does the porter say about drink in Macbeth?

  It provokes three things
• What does Macbeth say about time after hearing of his wife's death?

  Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
• What are the key themes in Macbeth related to power and ambition?

  • The corrupting influence of power
  • The consequences of unchecked ambition
  • The moral implications of regicide
  • The impact of fate versus free will
• How does Shakespeare use supernatural elements in Macbeth?

  • Witches as catalysts for Macbeth's ambition
  • Ghosts representing guilt and paranoia
  • Hallucinations illustrating Macbeth's mental decline
  • Ambiguity surrounding the supernatural's role
• What societal issues does Macbeth reflect from Shakespeare's time?

  • The tension between monarchy and rebellion
  • The fear of witchcraft and the supernatural
  • The influence of religion on politics
  • The consequences of betrayal and treason