Context

• Who is England's most famous playwright?

  William Shakespeare

  
• What years did Shakespeare live?

  1564 – 1616
• What are the three main categories of Shakespeare's plays?

  • Histories (e.g. Henry VI)
  • Comedies (e.g. Midsummer’s Night Dream)
  • Tragedies (e.g. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet)
• For which acting group did Shakespeare primarily write?

  The Lord Chamberlain’s Men
• What was the name of Shakespeare's acting group after 1603?

  The King's Men
• Who was Richard Burbage?

  A talented actor known for his role as the first Romeo and Hamlet
• During which period did Shakespeare write?

  The Renaissance
• What was the Renaissance known for?

  Expansion of artistic expression
• What genre is Macbeth classified as?

  A dramatic tragedy
• What is the classic structure of a tragedy that Macbeth follows?

  A five-act structure
• 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 the context of tragedy?

  The purging of emotions through pity and fear
• How does Macbeth's story lead to catharsis for the audience?

  His self-destructive actions culminate in his downfall, evoking pity
• What is the original source of the story of Macbeth?

  Holinshed's Chronicles
• What type of document is Holinshed's Chronicles?

  A historical document
• What is suggested about the narrative of Holinshed's Chronicles?


  It is more legend than truth
• What was one of the influences for Shakespeare's Macbeth?

  Holinshed’s ‘Historie of Scotlande’
• Who is suggested to have possibly contributed to writing Macbeth?

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

  He altered the plot for dramatic purposes and political relevance
• What are the three main changes Shakespeare made to the original story of Macbeth from Holinshed's Chronicles?

  1. Macbeth is characterized as cruel and tyrannical.
  2. The weird sisters are changed to three simple witches.
  3. Banquo is portrayed as an honorable man rather than an accomplice.

  
• Why did Shakespeare characterize Macbeth as cruel and tyrannical?

  To support the belief in the Divine Right of Kings
• What was the significance of the witches' portrayal in Macbeth?

  It limited their power and made Macbeth responsible for his actions
• Why was Banquo portrayed as an honorable man in Macbeth?

  To please King James I, who believed he was descended from Banquo
• During which reign was Macbeth written?

  The reign of King James I
• How did King James I influence Shakespeare's work?

  His beliefs and interests are reflected in the plot of Macbeth
• What was the mood of the Jacobean era during King James I's reign?

  One of uncertainty and tension
• What significant event occurred in King James I's early life?

  His mother was executed by Queen Elizabeth I
• What was the content of King James I's book 'Daemonologie'?

  It explained his beliefs on witchcraft and justified witch hunts
• What were the three parts of 'Daemonologie'?

  Magic and necromancy, witchcraft and sorcery, spirits and spectres
• What was the purpose of 'Daemonologie'?

  To provide evidence for witchcraft and inspire witch hunts
• How did witchcraft laws change after James I published 'Daemonologie'?

  Cases of witchcraft increased by 53% and laws became more severe
• What was the name of the act enacted by James I in 1604 regarding witchcraft?

  An Act against Conjuration, Witchcraft and Dealing with Evil and Wicked Spirits
• What did James I believe about the divine right of kings?


  He believed he was chosen by God to be the king
• How did James I's beliefs influence his actions regarding witch hunts?

  He felt a supernatural duty to rid the earth of witchcraft
• What event led James I to launch a witch hunt in North Berwick?

  He believed he was attacked by witchcraft during a journey
• What was the outcome of the witch hunt in North Berwick?

  70 suspects were rounded up and tortured
• How did King James I's misogyny manifest in his beliefs about witchcraft?

  He believed only women could be witches due to their perceived weakness
• What biblical story did James I reference to support his views on women and witchcraft?

  The story of Adam and Eve