Lecture Notes: Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'

Historical Context

• Elizabethan vs. Jacobean Periods
  • Most plays written in Elizabethan era (Queen Elizabeth I).
  • 'Macbeth' written in 1606, during the Jacobean period.
• Political Context
  • King James I succeeded Queen Elizabeth I in 1603.
  • Elizabeth had no heirs; James was a distant relative.
  • Political tension was marked by events such as the Gunpowder Plot (1605).
  • Themes of usurpation and divine justice in 'Macbeth' reflect these times.

Shakespeare's Intentions

• Warning Against Ambition
  • Regicide (king-killing) depicted to warn against ambition.
  • Shakespeare aligns with King James, not against him.
• Characterisation of Banquo
  • Banquo, ancestor of King James, portrayed as honorable.
  • Witches' prophecy about Banquo’s descendants foreshadows James’ rule over England and Scotland.

Influential Renaissance Ideas

• The Great Chain of Being
  • Belief in a sacred order with God at the top, then the king, then the people.
  • Disruption of this order (e.g., Duncan’s murder) leads to chaos.
• Religious vs. Humanist Paradigms
  • Middle Ages were dominated by religious thought.
  • Renaissance inspired humanism, new philosophies.
  • 'Macbeth' explores tension between fate (determinism) and free will (humanism).
  • Use of supernatural elements like witches to reflect and challenge these ideas.

Representation of Women

• Jacobean Gender Stereotypes
  • Women seen as passive and virtuous; men as courageous.
  • Lady Macbeth subverts roles, adopting dominance and cruelty.
  • Gender role inversion reflects societal debates on gender roles.

Form and Structure

• Dramatic Tragedy
  • 'Macbeth' as a dramatic tragedy aligns with Renaissance theatrical forms.
  • Influenced by classical Greek theatre, e.g., Aristotelian tragedy.
• Structure of Tragic Narrative
  • Peripetia: Turn of fortune for the tragic hero.
  • Hamartia: Fatal flaw, Macbeth's ambition.
  • Pathos: Audience's pity.
  • Anagnorisis: Realization and acceptance of doom.
  • Catharsis: Emotional release upon hero's death.

Conclusion

• Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' is shaped by the dynamic political and philosophical contexts of the Jacobean period.
• The play reflects and critiques societal norms and beliefs, particularly through its themes, characterisation, and form.

These notes cover the thematic and historical underpinnings of 'Macbeth' as explored in the lecture. They are intended to serve as a guide for understanding the play's broader context and its reflection of Renaissance ideas.