Macbeth: Shakespeare made Easy

Introduction

Historical and Social Context of Shakespeare and his play: The Importance of James 1st and the state of the monarchy

Telling the Story- Plot Summary

THEMES:  What are the overarching themes and motifs that drive the action in this play?

Supernatural

Ambition

The main theme of Macbeth—the destruction wrought when ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints—finds its most powerful expression in the play’s two main characters.

Gender

Characters in Macbeth frequently dwell on issues of gender. Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband by questioning his manhood, wishes that she herself could be “unsexed,” and does not contradict Macbeth when he says that a woman like her should give birth only to boys.

At the same time, however, the audience cannot help noticing that women are also sources of violence and evil.

Political Themes: Kingship & Tyranny

In the play, Duncan is always referred to as a “king,” while Macbeth soon becomes known as the “tyrant.”

Character Analyses

There are only two major characters, representing (perhaps) male and female poles of what ambition looks like. Macbeth’s true downfall is his own ambition. Lady Macbeth is as ambitious as her husband, encouraging him to commit murder to achieve their goals. Both Macbeths fail to see how their ambition makes them cross moral lines and will lead to their downfall. Once Macbeth kills Duncan, his ambition to hold on to his title as king becomes intertwined with his paranoia.

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