W. SHAKESPEARE
MACBETH
L I F E
A LT OG ET HE R SH AK ES PE AR E' S
W OR KS I NC LU DE 3 8 PL AY S, 2
N AR RA TI VE P OE MS , 15 4 SO NN ET S,
A ND A V AR IE TY O F OT HE R PO EM S.
N O OR IG IN AL M AN US CR IP TS O F
S HA KE SP EA RE 'S P LA YS A RE K NO WN
T O EX IS T TO DA Y. I T IS A CT UA LL Y
T HA NK S TO A G RO UP O F AC TO RS
F RO M SH AK ES PE AR E' S CO MP AN Y
T HA T WE H AV E AB OU T HA LF O F TH E
P LA YS A T AL L. T HE Y CO LL EC TE D
T HE M FO R PU BL IC AT IO N AF TE R
S HA KE SP EA RE D IE D, P RE SE RV IN G
T HE P LA YS . TH ES E WR IT IN GS W ER E
B RO UG HT T OG ET HE R IN W HA T IS
K NO WN A S TH E FI RS T FO LI O (' FO LI O'
R EF ER S TO T HE S IZ E OF T HE P AP ER
U SE D) . IT C ON TA IN ED 3 6 OF H IS
P LA YS , BU T NO NE O F HI S PO ET RY .
S HA KE SP EA RE ’S L EG AC Y IS A S RI CH
A ND D IV ER SE A S HI S WO RK ; HI S
P LA YS H AV E SP AW NE D CO UN TL ES S
A DA PT AT IO NS A CR OS S MU LT IP LE
G EN RE S AN D CU LT UR ES . HI S PL AY S
H AV E HA D AN E ND UR IN G PR ES EN CE
O N ST AG E AN D FI LM . HI S WR IT IN GS
H AV E BE EN C OM PI LE D IN V AR IO US
I TE RA TI ON S OF T HE C OM PL ET E
W OR KS O F WI LL IA M SH AK ES PE AR E,
W HI CH I NC LU DE A LL O F HI S PL AY S,
S ON NE TS , AN D OT HE R PO EM S.
W IL LI AM S HA KE SP EA RE C ON TI NU ES
T O BE O NE O F TH E MO ST
I MP OR TA NT L IT ER AR Y FI GU RE S OF
T HE E NG LI SH L AN GU AG E.
P L O T
THE PLAY STARTS WITH A FAILED ATTEMPT OF INVASION OF SCOTLAND ARRESTED BY
MACBETH WHO'S THE HERO OF THE SCENE.
WHEN HE'S COMING BACK FROM THE BATTLEFIELD HE MEETS THREE WITCHES WITH
HI S FR IE ND B AN QU O.
THE WITCHES PROPHESY TO THE HEROES THAT ONE OF THEM WILL BE THE KING OF
SC O T L A N D .
THIS PROPHECY WORKS ON MACBETH AND HE INVITES DUNCAN (KING OF SCOTLAND)
AND WITH HIS WIFE'S HELP HE KILLS HIM.
ONCE DUNCAN DIED HE BLAMES A SERVANT AS THE TRAITOR AND MURDERER.
NOW MACBETH IS THE KING AND HIS FRIEND BANQUO WITH MCDUFF START TO BE
SU S P I C I O U S .
MACBETH BECAUSE OF THE PROPHECY DECIDES TO KILL BANQUO AND HIS SONS BUT
HE ESCAPES.
THEN THE WITCHES WARN MACBETH ABOUT MCDUFF AND HE KILLS THE WIFE AND
HI S CH IL DR EN .
ONCE THEY'RE DEAD WE SEE LADY MACBETH THAT, BECAUSE OF A NIGHTMARE IN
WHICH DREAMS SHE HAS STAINED BLOOD ON HER HANDS, STARTS TO GET MAD TO
WASH AWAY THE BLOOD.
WHEN MACBETH IS ISOLATED AND GETS KILLED BY MCDUFF AND HOLDS MACBETH'S
HEAD PROCLAMING MALCOLM KING OF SCOTLAND.
THE PLAY IS SET IN SCOTLAND DURING 11TH CENTURY AND AT THE BEGINNING WE
HAVE FOG AND THUNDERSTORMS.
THE ACTION TAKES PLACE IN MACBETH'S CASTLE AND LATER IN DUNSINANE.
USING MOORS AND CASTLES HE CREATES A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE NATURAL AND
THE UNNATURAL, THE FAIRNESS AND THE FOULNESS AND SECURITY AND DANGER.
THE MORRS ARE AN EVIL PLACE USUALLY WHERE MACBETH FINDS WITCHES BUT
ACTUALLY THOSE MOORS ARE SAFER THAN THE CASTLES WHICH ARE DESCRIBED AS
PLEASANT BUT IN REALITY ARE VERY DANGEROUS.
HERE WITCHES HAVE A POSITIVE DESCRIPTION BECAUSE THEY JUST PROPHECY.
FAIRNESS TURNS INTO FOULNESS INSIDE MACBETH'S CASTLE WHERE MURDERS ARE
COMMITTED.
"FAIR IS FOUL, AND FOUL IS FAIR"
SETTINGS
