Renaissance Drama – Macbeth (Acts I–III)
It is hard to imagine the debut performances of William Shakespeare's plays during the English Renaissance without imagining the Globe theater where Shakespeare and his fellow actors performed. View the video clip All the Globe's a Stage: Shakespeare's Theatre from eMediaVASM to hear a brief story of how the Globe theater came to be. Then view the video clip Playing in the Globe from eMediaVASM to get an idea of what experiencing a play, such as Shakespeare's Henry IV, in the Globe theater would have been like.
The Globe Theater
Before theaters were constructed in the 16th century, plays were performed in public halls, private houses, and the courtyards of inns. By the late 16th century, several theaters were built specifically for performing plays, and the most recognizable one today was known as the Globe. At the dawn of the 17th century, the Globe theater in London served as the home of William Shakespeare's most famous plays. In this interactivity, click each of the tabs to explore the history and characteristics of the iconic Globe theater. Click the player button to begin.
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Elements of Drama
Reading a play and reading a short story are two different types of experiences. Plays have many of the same story elements as prose, such as characters, plot, and conflict. However, plays are meant to be performed, not read. Consequently, there are many additional terms related to drama that will help your understanding when reading a play. Before you read Shakespeare's play Macbeth, take a moment to review some of these important terms. In this interactivity, click each of the tabs to explore key elements of drama. Click the player button to begin.
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Introduction to Macbeth
Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare's most iconic plays. Allusions to characters and key scenes from Macbeth still abound in popular culture today. But what is this play about? Take a moment to familiarize yourself with some of the historical background and context behind this famous drama. In this interactivity, click the tabs to learn more about this drama. Click the player button to begin.
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Witchcraft in Shakespeare's Time
The three witches of Macbeth were taken from the Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland by Raphael Holinshed. Shakespeare transforms these "goddesses of destiny" to hags, or "weird sisters" sisters as they are sometimes called. The existence of witches was a widely held belief in Shakespeare's time. There were well over two hundred witch trials held during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and King James I was so intrigued by the topic of witches that he even wrote a book about it. Some common beliefs regarding witches during the 17th century include:
- Witches had familiars, or demonic servants that were typically animals.
- Witches could fly and control the winds.
- Witches made potions and could cast spells that destroyed crops and sickened animals.
Shakespeare uses the three witches to manipulate Macbeth and move the plot forward. Besides representing unanswered questions and manipulation, the witches also create a sense of anxiety, promote the fear of powerful of women, and invert the traditional gender roles accepted by society at the time. The use of the witches introduces the theme of fate in which the audience is asked to consider whether people control their own destiny. As you read, see if you can identify the different lines that make reference to the powers commonly believed to be held by witches.
The fascination with witches has survived the 17th century through the study of Shakespeare's play Macbeth. A matter that is still up to debate is whether or not the witches plant the idea of betrayal in Macbeth's mind. Was Macbeth negatively influenced (or bewitched) by the witches, or was the capacity for evil always inside of him? In reflecting on this question, take a moment to learn more about the importance of witches in Shakespeare's time. View the video clip Supernatural Shakespeare and Macbeth from eMediaVASM to further explore the role that witches held in English Renaissance society.
Main Characters of Macbeth
By now you know that Macbeth is set during the 11th century in England and Scotland. You also know some of the main characters, such as King Duncan, Banquo, Macbeth, and the three witches. But who are the other important characters that move the plot forward? In this interactivity, click each of the names on the left to view descriptions of the main cast of characters from the play Macbeth. Click the player button to begin.
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Getting to Know the Language of Macbeth
When Shakespeare was writing Macbeth, the English language was still evolving from Middle English to Modern English. You will be able to understand most of the text from Macbeth, but traces of language forms from Middle English may sometimes seem confusing. Before reading Macbeth, take a moment to explore these differences in this interactivity. Click the notes on the bulletin board to examine pronouns, verb forms, contractions, word order, and commonly used words typical of the Elizabethan age. Click the player button to begin.
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Reading Shakespeare's Macbeth
Act I
As you read Act I of Macbeth, you will have the opportunity to review or expand your vocabulary. Take note of the words listed below that you will see in the following reading assignment.
| broil | dwindle | minion | surmise |
| chalice | fantastical | mortal | swine |
| chastise | imperial | posters | trifles |
| compunctious | harbinger | present | valor |
| corporal | liege | sovereign |
Even though the three witches open the play with the prophesy of Macbeth being crowned King of Scotland, King Duncan selects his son Malcolm as the heir to the throne. As Macbeth begins to covet the crown for himself, Lady Macbeth becomes the catalyst that pushes him to carry out his plans of gaining the throne immediately. She even calls on spirits to cause her female traits of mercy and gentleness to disappear in order for her to have the strength to support her husband in his quest for power.
Access and read Act I of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. As you read Act I, consider the problems that arise for Macbeth. How do you think he will overcome these challenges? What is his principal conflict, or problem, and which conflicts are minor?
Act II
As you read Act II of Macbeth, you will have the opportunity to review or expand your vocabulary. Take note of the words listed below that you will see in the following reading assignment.
| allegiance | equivocate | palpable |
| augment | incarnadine | sacrilegious |
| dire | multitudinous | stealthy |
Act II opens with a visit from King Duncan to Inverness, the home of Macbeth. As a guest of the home, King Duncan expects to be treated with the utmost respect, and he in turn will honor his hosts by offering gifts. In Act I, Lady Macbeth helped devise a plan to accomplish Duncan's murder: intoxicate his two guards and plant the murder weapons on them. As Macbeth still struggles with his internal conflict about murdering an innocent man who loves and trusts him, he imagines seeing a bloody dagger pointing toward Duncan's chamber.
Access and read Act II of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. As you read Act II, think about your predictions from Act I and the anticipation you feel about the rest of the story. How does the action in the play build suspense?
Act III
As you read Act III of Macbeth, you will have the opportunity to review or expand your vocabulary. Take note of the words listed below that you will see in the following reading assignment.
| bent | infirmity | predominant |
| dauntless | jocund | saucy |
| fruitless | malevolence | scotched |
| grave | malice | sundry |
| indissoluble | nonpareil |
Macbeth is now King of Scotland, and Duncan's two sons have fled the country fearing that their lives were also at risk. As Macbeth continues to spill blood to protect his crown, many signs throughout Act III bring him uneasiness and anxiety about his future security. As suspicion regarding Macbeth's culpability rises, Macbeth's guilt increasingly deteriorates his state of mind.
Access and read Act III of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. As you read Act III, pay close attention to examples of imagery and reflect on the meaning and symbolism of the imagery. What themes can you see developing in the story so far?
Shakespeare's Macbeth (Acts I–III) Review
Now that you have read the first three acts of William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, drag and drop the character names to the blanks that correctly complete the statements. Click the player button to get started.