Macbeth by William Shakespeare | Schemi e mappe concettuali di Inglese

MACBETH

THE MACBETH PLOT:

The massive Macbeth tragedy was probably written between 1605 and 1606. For the

main plot of his story Shakespeare took inspiration from Raphael Holinshed through

the Chronicles of England, Ireland and Scotland and it was firstly commissioned

directly by the king James Stuart.

Three witches tell the Scottish general Macbeth that he will be King of Scotland.

Encouraged by his wife to kill King Duncan of Scotland, Macbeth did it and after he had

become the new king and had killed more people out of paranoia, Civil war erupted to

overthrow Macbeth, resulting in more death.

Act I

First part:

On a bleak Scottish moorland, Macbeth and Banquo, two of King Duncan's generals,

discover/three strange women/revealing to be witches. The witches prophecy that

Macbeth will be promoted twice: to Thane of Cawdor (a rank of the aristocracy

bestowed by grateful kings) and King of Scotland. Banquo's descendants will be kings,

but Banquo isn't promised any kingdom himself. The generals want to hear more

about it, but the ugly women have already disappeared.

Second part:

Afterwards, King Duncan names Macbeth Thane of Cawdor as a reward for his success

in the recent battles. It seems to support the prophecy. The King then stopped over

that night at Macbeth's castle at Inverness. After getting Lady Macbeth known about

the prophecy news from her husband, she vows to help him becoming king by

whatever means are necessary./

Act II

Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth conjured against Duncan and wait until everyone is

asleep. At the appointed time, Lady Macbeth gives the guards drugged wine so

Macbeth can enter and kill the King. She leaves the bloody daggers by the dead king

just before Macduff, a nobleman, arrives. When Macduff discovers the murder,

Macbeth kills the drunken guards in a show of rage and retribution. Duncan's sons,

Malcolm and Donalbain, flee, fearing for their own lives; however, they are,

nevertheless, blamed for the murder./

Act III

Macbeth becomes King of Scotland but is plenty of feelings of insecurity. He

remembers the prophecy that Banquo's descendants will inherit the throne and, as

soon as he can, arranges for Banquo and his son Fleance to be killed. In the darkness,

Banquo is murdered, but his son escapes the assassins. During a banquet that night,

Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo and worries the courtiers with his mad response.

Lady Macbeth dismisses the court and unsuccessfully tries to calm her husband./

Act IV

Macbeth seeks out the witches who say that he will be safe until a local wood, Birnam

Wood, marches into battle against him. He also need not fear anyone born of women.

They also prophesy that the Scottish succession will still come from Banquo's

son./Macbeth embarks on a reign of terror, slaughtering many, including Macduff's

Anteprima parziale del testo

Scarica Macbeth by William Shakespeare e più Schemi e mappe concettuali in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity!

MACBETH

THE MACBETH PLOT:

The massive Macbeth tragedy was probably written between 1605 and 1606. For the main plot of his story Shakespeare took inspiration from Raphael Holinshed through the Chronicles of England, Ireland and Scotland and it was firstly commissioned directly by the king James Stuart. Three witches tell the Scottish general Macbeth that he will be King of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife to kill King Duncan of Scotland, Macbeth did it and after he had become the new king and had killed more people out of paranoia, Civil war erupted to overthrow Macbeth, resulting in more death. Act I First part: On a bleak Scottish moorland, Macbeth and Banquo, two of King Duncan's generals, discover three strange women revealing to be witches. The witches prophecy that Macbeth will be promoted twice: to Thane of Cawdor (a rank of the aristocracy bestowed by grateful kings) and King of Scotland. Banquo's descendants will be kings, but Banquo isn't promised any kingdom himself. The generals want to hear more about it, but the ugly women have already disappeared. Second part: Afterwards, King Duncan names Macbeth Thane of Cawdor as a reward for his success in the recent battles. It seems to support the prophecy. The King then stopped over that night at Macbeth's castle at Inverness. After getting Lady Macbeth known about the prophecy news from her husband, she vows to help him becoming king by whatever means are necessary. Act II Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth conjured against Duncan and wait until everyone is asleep. At the appointed time, Lady Macbeth gives the guards drugged wine so Macbeth can enter and kill the King. She leaves the bloody daggers by the dead king just before Macduff, a nobleman, arrives. When Macduff discovers the murder, Macbeth kills the drunken guards in a show of rage and retribution. Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee, fearing for their own lives; however, they are, nevertheless, blamed for the murder. Act III Macbeth becomes King of Scotland but is plenty of feelings of insecurity. He remembers the prophecy that Banquo's descendants will inherit the throne and, as soon as he can, arranges for Banquo and his son Fleance to be killed. In the darkness, Banquo is murdered, but his son escapes the assassins. During a banquet that night, Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo and worries the courtiers with his mad response. Lady Macbeth dismisses the court and unsuccessfully tries to calm her husband. Act IV Macbeth seeks out the witches who say that he will be safe until a local wood, Birnam Wood, marches into battle against him. He also need not fear anyone born of women. They also prophesy that the Scottish succession will still come from Banquo's son. Macbeth embarks on a reign of terror, slaughtering many, including Macduff's

family. Macduff had gone to seek Malcolm (one of Duncan's sons who fled) at the court of the English king. Malcolm is young and unsure of himself, but Macduff, pained with grief, persuades him to lead an army against Macbeth. Act V Macbeth feels safe in his remote castle at Dunsinane until he is told that Birnam Wood is moving towards him. Malcolm's army is carrying branches from the forest as camouflage for their assault on Macbeth's stronghold. Meanwhile, an overwrought and conscience-ridden Lady Macbeth walks in her sleep and tells her secrets to her doctor. She commits suicide. As the final battle commences, Macbeth hears of Lady Macbeth's suicide and mourns. MACBETH’S CHARACTERS THE MAJOR ONES: Macbeth Macbeth is a Scottish general and the thane of Glamis who is led to wicked thoughts by the prophecies of the three witches, especially after their prophecy that he will be made thane of Cawdor comes true. He is easily tempted into murder to fulfill his ambitions to the throne, and once he commits his first crime and is crowned King of Scotland, he embarks on further atrocities with increasing ease. Ultimately, Macbeth proves himself better suited to the battlefield than to political intrigue, because he lacks the skills necessary to rule without being a tyrant. His response to every problem is violence and murder. Unlike Shakespeare’s great villains Macbeth is never comfortable in his role as a criminal. Lady Macbeth Macbeth’s wife, a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power and position. Early in the play, she seems to be the stronger and more ruthless of the two, as she urges her husband to kill Duncan and seize the crown. After the bloodshed begins, her conscience affects her to eventually commits suicide. Interestingly, she and Macbeth are presented as being deeply in love and her influence over her husband is primarily sexual. The Three Witches The three witches plot mischief against Macbeth using charms, spells, and prophecies. Their predictions encourage him to murder Duncan, to order the deaths of Banquo and his son, and to blindly believe in his own immortality. The play leaves the witches’ true identity unclear—aside from the fact that they are servants of Hecate, we know little about their place in the cosmos. In some ways, they resemble the mythological Fates, who impersonally weave the threads of human destiny. Banquo The brave, noble general whose children, according to the witches’ prophecy, will inherit the Scottish throne. Like Macbeth, Banquo thinks ambitious thoughts, but he does not translate those thoughts into action. Appropriately, then, it is Banquo’s ghost —and not Duncan’s—that haunts Macbeth. King Duncan

Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Schemi e mappe concettuali di Inglese

Documenti correlati

Anteprima parziale del testo

Scarica Macbeth by William Shakespeare e più Schemi e mappe concettuali in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity!

MACBETH

THE MACBETH PLOT: