Page 72 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

British Drama

Notes • Illustrate the state of minds of various characters specially Macbeth and Lady Macbeth;

• Explain the moral of the story;
• Elaborate the fact that the course of fate can not be changed;
• Illustrate that the play ends as it began.

Introduction

Macbeth was written in 1605 or 1606 and performed at Hampton Court in 1606 for King James I and
his brother-in-law, King Christian of Denmark. Whether it was first performed at the royal court or
was premiered at the Globe theatre, there can be little doubt that the play were intended to please
the King, who had recently become the patron of Shakespeare's theatrical company. The play is
quite short, perhaps because Shakespeare knew that James preferred short plays. The material for
Macbeth was drawn from Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1587).
Despite the play’s historical source, however, the play is generally classified as tragedy rather than
a history. This derives perhaps from the fact that the story contains many historical fabrications—
including the entire character of Banquo, who was invented by a 16th-century Scottish historian in
order to validate the Stuart family line. The play is divided into 5 Acts. Here in this unit a detailed
analysis of the text of of all the acts i Macbeth has been given.

5.1 Act 1

5.1.1 Scenes 1-7

Scene 1
On a heath in Scotland, three witches, the Weird Sisters, wait to meet Macbeth amidst thunder and
lightning. Their conversation is filled with paradox and equivocation: they say that they will meet
Macbeth “when the battle’s lost and won” and when “fair is foul and foul is fair”.

Scene 2
The Scottish army is at war with the Norwegian army. Duncan, king of Scotland, meets a captain
returning from battle. The captain informs them of Macbeth and Banquo’s bravery in battle. He also
describes Macbeth’s attack on the castle of the treacherous Macdonald, in which Macbeth triumphed
and planted Macdonald’s head on the battlements of the castle. The Thanes of Ross and Angus
enter with the news that the Thane of Cawdor has sided with Norway. Duncan decides to execute
the disloyal thane and give the title of Cawdor to Macbeth.

Scene 3
The Weird Sisters meet on the heath and wait for Macbeth. He arrives with Banquo, repeating the
witches’ paradoxical phrase by stating “So foul and fair a day I have not seen”. The witches hail him
as “Thane of Glamis” (his present title), “Thane of Cawdor” (the title he will soon receive officially),
and “king hereafter”. Their greeting startles and seems to frighten Macbeth. When Banquo questions
the witches as to who they are, they greet him with the phrases “Lesser than Macbeth and greater,”
“Not so happy, yet much happier,” and a man who “shall get kings, though [he] be none”.
When Macbeth questions them further, the witches vanish into thin air. Almost as soon as they
disappear, Ross and Angus appear with the news that the king has granted Macbeth the title of
Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth and Banquo step aside to discuss this news; Banquo is of the opinion
that the title of Thane of Cawdor might “enkindle” Macbeth to seek the crown as well. Macbeth
questions why such happy news causes his “seated heart [to] knock at [his] ribs/against the use of

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