Macbeth Notes

Witches = foreshadowing (prophecy)

-theme- we see the hatred of women

-Shakespeare had to be careful because he was writing a play and the current king james I had relations to some characters in real life.
-Many underlying things

-Sailors wife= foreshadows lady macbeth

-3 witches told macbeth he would be king.

-Banquo wants to know what about him

-Do the witches have a purpose?

- Banquo = key player, big part of Macbeths rise and fall (after math)

-Angus and Ross inform Macbeth he has the title to be next in line for king

-Previous thane of Cawdor = in line for treason (norway)

Literary elements used that add to theme and tone

-Foreshadowing- 3 witches
-Witches often speak in Rhyme.. which adds to the theme of predestination (prophecy)
"When the hurlyburly's done, when the battle's lost and won."
-Sailors wife Foreshadows lady Macbeth
-Metaphor= (chestnuts in her lap) Stripping away manhood
-Chaiasmus= "Fair is foul and foul is fair..
hover through the fog and filthy air" "By each one her chappy finger laying upon her skinny lips: you should be women."- Imagery
-Paradox- Contradicting statement that portrays some kind of truth
"Fair is foul and foul is fair"

Lady macbeth wants the throne.. but realizes king Duncan is in the way.

In the castle before dinner Macbeth ponders his thoughts of murdering Duncan

When macbeth decides not to kill duncan.. lady m. is outraged and calls him a coward

They come up with a plan to get the guards drunk then sneak in and murder Duncan.. then smear his blood on the sleeping guards to frame them.

Banquo and his son Fleance go to macbeths castle around midnight.. they talk to macbeth about the witches briefly..

B. and F leave.. and then macbeth has a vision of a daggar.. pointing towards duncan

Macbeth kills duncan but lady macbeth has to take the daggars back to the room to frame the guards.. mysterious knocking frightens macbeth.. he goes into his room and washes off the blood.

Macduff and lennox were knocking at the door

Macduff asks to see the king.. so macbeth takes him there and when macduff sees he has been murdered he freaks out and runs out of the room screaming.

Macbeth and lennox run in to look

Malcom and donablain arrive and are told there father was killed

Macbeth says that in the furry of Duncans death he killed the guards(Chamberlains)

Malcom and Donablain feel unsafe and fear they are next

Ross declares that macbeth has been made king

Suspicioun grows about the two princes because they fled the scene

Macbeth fears Banquo will seize the thrown so he hires a group of murderers to kill Banquo and his son Feance

Fleance escapes but Macbeth is visited by Banquos ghost durring a noble dinner and is fearful

Macbeth goes to see the three witches who give him prophecy to fear Macduff

When Macbeth hears that Macduff has fled to england to be with Malcom he orders that Macduff's wife and kids be killed

Macduff is filled with grief and vows revenge.. he joins malcoms army in england and rides to scotland to challenge macbeth's forces

Lady macbeth goes through some sleep walking and eventually kills herself

Macbeth grieves

At first macbeth feels invincible due to the witches prophecy but he is fearful, however, when he learns that the English army is advancing on Dunsinane shielded with boughs cut from Birnam Wood. Birnam Wood is indeed coming to Dunsinane, fulfilling half of the witches’ prophecy.

Macbeth keeps fighting until macduff kills and beheads him..

Malcom is now the king of Scotland.. and declares he has good intentions.