Context of Shakespeare's Macbeth for Literary Analysis
Engage with the contexts of Shakespeare's Macbeth to enhance your understanding before delving into detailed analysis. Learn about the influences on Shakespeare's writing, audience reception in the 17th century, and how modern viewers might interpret the play. Useful websites for research are recommended, and the importance of context in the themes of power, ambition, and betrayal is explored.
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Presentation Transcript
Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 Preparing for . MACBETH
IGCSE set text: Literary Heritage 1 Jonathan Peel JLS 2016
Macbeth witches The Scottish play Before you do anything else, write down what you think you already know about this text: Lady Macbeth is evil Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 Play He dies Shakespeare Something about killing a king?
What did you get? If you got some of the ideas on the previous slide: well done. What else did you come up with? Share them with the class and the teacher. Jonathan Peel JLS 2016
Context Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 AO4 requires an understanding of context
Context of Creation and Reception Creation: What was the England in which Shakespeare was writing like? How did this affect what he wrote. Reception: How was the work received by an audience in 17th Century and how have things changed over the intervening period? How might a 21st Century theatre goer respond? Jonathan Peel JLS 2016
TASKS I want to help you to engage with the contexts of this play, before we start to read it in detail You will need to undertake research. I recommend the following websites as good starting points: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwj1 m8vZu47NAhWqKMAKHSGHDEsQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fbitesi ze%2Fhigher%2Fenglish%2Fmacbeth%2Fbackground%2Frevision%2F1%2F&usg=AFQjCNFz P1sH15I0MaSHlwP9hqOChDx-Kw&sig2=-JV_RK2abn- fZBXKQFYb_A&bvm=bv.123664746,d.ZGg Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/macbethresources.html https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&ved=0ahUKEwi NhJiYuo7NAhXqIsAKHTovC9IQFghKMAY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fschools% 2Fgcsebitesize%2Fenglish_literature%2Fdramamacbeth%2F&usg=AFQjCNEFiF7ThsnUH1frC QHD7SVrCKFLow&sig2=P4T6DpCwGC0SXJX_gmL3Zw
Why do contexts matter? (SPOILER) This is a play about the murder of a King and the seizure of power by an ambitious husband and wife. It reflects the situation familiar to contemporary play-goers Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 What happens on November the 5th and why does it happen? Today Guy Fawkes is an excuse for a bit of a party round a bonfire with fireworks thrown in
1606 In 1605 Guy Fawkes led a conspiracy to blow up Parliament to assassinate the King and all those present. The plot was uncovered. In January 1606 the plotters were put on trial. Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 Against this background, Shakespeare wrote a play about an assassinated King and the cruel civil war which would follow such an act. Everybody in the audience knew of the plot and would see the resonance clearly in the play in front of them. TASK: research the Gunpowder Plot and note 5 key points of interest. Share them in class.
2016 Why is this still relevant? Consider events around the world. Can you find any parallels to the situation in the play? Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 Are attempts to remove governments and to challenge religious doctrines unique to the 17th Century? TASK: Consider this question and be prepared to discuss it.
Religion Need to understand the previous 100 years. By 1548 King Henry VIII had completed the change from Catholicism to Protestantism in England. This is a mere 60 years or so before the writing of the play and certainly within living memory for some. After his death his daughter Mary returned the country to Catholic beliefs and there was wide persecution of Protestants. On her death, Henry s 2nd daughter, Elisabeth re-established the Protestant church with more persecution- this time of Catholics Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 Whilst not a civil war, as such, the country lived in an atmosphere of fear and religious repression.
Religion 2 On Elisabeth s Death in 1603, she was succeeded by JAMES who was already King of Scotland James VI and I. He was a Protestant believer who was determined to secure the break from Catholicism Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 Imagine this: England is now ruled by a foreign King, from a country with whom England has been at war for much of the previous 300 years. The Catholic believers saw their chance and plots arose. In an atmosphere of fear, Shakespeare produced a play rooted in a description of the effects of Regicide and Civil War.
James VI&I James was not universally popular and had curious obsessions: Witchcraft: He published a book called Daemonologie about witchcraft The Law: James wrote much about legal issues. The correct behaviour expected of and towards a monarch. James claimed descent from the sons of Banquo who are shown in a vision in this play. Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 This play allows all three areas to be addressed.
Witches Amongst the most famous characters to emerge from Shakespeare s pen They offer visions of glory? Are they truthful or deceivers? Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 You will need to decide for yourselves 2 questions you will face when reading this play: Is Macbeth s ambition too strong or are the witches the cause of his behaviour? What role does Lady Macbeth play?
Law Obviously it is not right to commit murder. One interesting element of this play is shown in The Porter scene in Act 2. Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 This is a comic scene and one which is a little tricky to decipher He seems obsessed with equivocation . Essentially this is forgivable lying and was used by the Guy Fawkes plotters at their trials to avoid having to admit their guilt. Crucially it was sanctioned by the Pope and so was not seen in any way as a sin. Is Shakespeare commenting on the big legal case of the day in this sequence? We shall have to consider the idea.
Monarchy A play about Regicide is a clear warning to the monarch of the day. James had claimed descent from Banquo Macbeth s friend at the start of the play. Jonathan Peel JLS 2016 When the witches show Macbeth the descent of Kings, it is Banquo ssons who reach the throne, not Macbeth s. Is Shakespeare indulging in a little propaganda here? His job rested on the good will of King James. Here he establishes James forebears as clearly on the right side in this Scottish regal battle.
Enough! Plenty for you to consider. One of the bloodiest plays, full of opposites and contradictions. Full of the supernatural - Ghosts and witches Deeply relevant to its day. No less relevant to a modern audience. Jonathan Peel JLS 2016
