A L T O G E T H E R S H A K E S P E A R E ' S
W O R K S I N C L U D E 3 8 P L A Y S , 2
N A R R A T I V E P O E M S , 1 5 4 S O N N E T S ,
A N D A V A R I E T Y O F O T H E R P O E M S .
N O O R I G I N A L M A N U S C R I P T S O F
S H A K E S P E A R E ' S P L A Y S A R E K N O W N
T O E X I S T T O D A Y . I T I S A C T U A L L Y
T H A N K S T O A G R O U P O F A C T O R S
F R O M S H A K E S P E A R E ' S C O M P A N Y
T H A T W E H A V E A B O U T H A L F O F T H E
P L A Y S A T A L L . T H E Y C O L L E C T E D
T H E M F O R P U B L I C A T I O N A F T E R
S H A K E S P E A R E D I E D , P R E S E R V I N G
T H E P L A Y S . T H E S E W R I T I N G S W E R E
B R O U G H T T O G E T H E R I N W H A T I S
K N O W N A S T H E F I R S T F O L I O ( ' F O L I O '
R E F E R S T O T H E S I Z E O F T H E P A P E R
U S E D ) . I T C O N T A I N E D 3 6 O F H I S
P L A Y S , B U T N O N E O F H I S P O E T R Y .
S H A K E S P E A R E ā S L E G A C Y I S A S R I C H
A N D D I V E R S E A S H I S W O R K ; H I S
P L A Y S H A V E S P A W N E D C O U N T L E S S
A D A P T A T I O N S A C R O S S M U L T I P L E
G E N R E S A N D C U L T U R E S . H I S P L A Y S
H A V E H A D A N E N D U R I N G P R E S E N C E
O N S T A G E A N D F I L M . H I S W R I T I N G S
H A V E B E E N C O M P I L E D I N V A R I O U S
I T E R A T I O N S O F T H E C O M P L E T E
W O R K S O F W I L L I A M S H A K E S P E A R E ,
W H I C H I N C L U D E A L L O F H I S P L A Y S ,
S O N N E T S , A N D O T H E R P O E M S .
W I L L I A M S H A K E S P E A R E C O N T I N U E S
T O B E O N E O F T H E M O S T
I M P O R T A N T L I T E R A R Y F I G U R E S O F
T H E E N G L I S H L A N G U A G E .
THE WITCHES ARE RECOGNISED AS SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL WITH MALICIOUS
INTENTIONS BUT WITHOUT ACTIVE AGENTS.
MACBETH IS A TRAGIC HERO, AT THE BEGINNING HE'S A VERY IMPORTANT SOLDIER
BUT AT THE END BECAUSE OF HIS AMBITION HE'S TOTALLY ALONE.
MACBETH IS AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO HIM, HE EXPERIENCES THE FEAR AND
A PSYCHOLOGICAL TERROR AND THIS GIVES HIM AN HEROIC QUALITY.
WE ARE WITNESSES OF A DE-HUMANISATION WITH THE LOSS OF HIS PHYSICAL
RELATIONSHIPS AND POWER TO FEEL EMOTIONS.
LADY MACBETH IS A DEVOTED WIFE WITH AMBITION AND STRENGTH BUT WHEN SHE
COMMITTED THE MURDER SHE STARTS TO BE FILLED UP OF DOUBTS AND LOSES
CO N F I D E N C E .
SHE IS OVERCOME BY MADNESS AND DIES.
W. SHAKESPEARE
MACBETH
L I F E C H AR A CT E R S
THIS PLAY HAS A COMPLEX PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS, THERE'S NO VILLAIN BUT IS
MACBETH THE VILLAN AND THE HERO.
THE MAIN THEMES ARE:
-REGICIDE THAT BRINGS CHAOS AND TERRIBLE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE WORD
ABOUT THE BLOOD ARE THE MOST USED DURING THIS SCENES;
-THE REVERSAL OF VALUES INTRODUCED BY THE THREE WITCHES AND REPRESENTS THE
MOST DANGEROUS ASPECT OF THE EQUIVOCATION;
- FALSE APPEARENCES RELATED TO THE THEME OF EQUIVOCATION. HERE SHAKESPEARE
EXPLORES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S TRUE AND WHAT SEEMS TO BE TRUE;
-TIME THAT IS IN A WAY PRE-ORDINATED AND EVERY DECISION TO CHANGE THE FUTURE
IS ONE OF THE STEPS NECESSARY TO CHANGE IT. FUTURE NEITHER FIXED NOR
INEVITABLE THEREFORE ONE CAN BE SHAPED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY.
THEMES
STYLE
IN THE PLAY THERE'S A STRIKING USE OF IMAGERY.
AFTER DUNCAN'S DEATH THE HARMONY IS LOST AND THE WEATHER STARTS TO GO
CRAZY.
ON THE NIGHT OF HIS MURDER THE EARTH WAS TRAMBLING.
THE MACROCOSM OF NATURE MIRRORS THE CHAOS OF THE SOCIAL MICROCOSM.
THERE ARE IMAGES OF DISGUSTING INSECTS USED BY MACBETH.
HE EXPRESSES HIS THOUGTHS AND EMOTIONS IN VIVID PHYSICAL TERMS LIKE A MAN
WHO'S REACHED THE VERY EDGE OF HUMANITY.
