Studied by 2 people
was macbeth real?
macbeth was king of Scotland in 1040-57 but shakespeare’s character had no resemblance to the historical figure
when is the play set?
11th century
what was the hierarchy during the 11th century?
king at the top
thanes governed different regions
important families
serfs who worked the land
was Scotland a religious country?
yes it was a christian country
give an example of a religious belief
the Great Chain of Being
what was the Great Chain of Being?
god gives every living thing a place in an ordered hierarchy, to upset the order was a crime against God and nature and their were punishments
who were Scotland normally fighting against?
vikings invaders
each other, Scottish lords fighting amongst themselves for more land and the throne
give an example of brutality in Scottish battles during the 11th century
Macbeth burnt 50 of his enemies to death
what was the status of women in society during the 11th century?
their power came from their husbands
they were seen as physically and morally inferior
when was the play written?
1606
who was the king at the time the play was written?
James VI of Scotland (1567)
when was the gunpowder plot and who by?
1605
Guy Fawkes and fellow conspirators
what happened to Guy Fawkes when he failed to blow up parliament and james?
he was hanged and quartered an example of a punishment to go against the order of the great chain of being
what did james visit often?
witch trials
what did James write a book on?
the ‘Divine Right of Kings’ developing on the idea of the great chain of being and the idea that the monarch was chosen from God
how were women in renaissance England considered?
they were considered inferior to men
what type of play is macbeth?
a tragedy
define a tragedy
a story that usually features tragic events, the downfall of a central character through a flaw in their character and an unhappy ending
who did James VI descend from?
Banquo, Shakespeare wanted to keep on the good side of the king so made Banquo ‘noble’ and respectable
why was James so interested in the supernatural and witches?
he was protestant and was told how catholics were heretics and therefore wanted to understand more about how the supernatural (so he was told) effected their views
