English Literature (Macbeth)

MACBETH CONTEXT

• Lady Macbeth is shown as strong, ruthless and ambitious. This is the complete opposite of how women were viewed when Shakespeare wrote this play. Women were seen as weak.
• Macbeth was written around 1606. Shakespeare was writing for the theatre during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. the plays he wrote during the reign of King James such as Macbeth were much more cynical and dark reflecting the insecurities of King James.
• When Macbeth was written the concerns of the time were reflected in Shakespeare's plays, many of which feature kings and queens struggling to hold onto their power or having it taken from them by someone considered evil. 
• When Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, witchcraft and supernatural happenings were of high interest. King James I was highly engaged with the idea of witchcraft and even wrote a book about the topic. Shakespeare used them for his play…