MACBETH

Context:

• Manipulation is considered a female method of achieving power but power is a male ambition
• Lady Macbeth has to pursue power on her husbands behalf as society denied women this
• Shakespeare is showing that women are as cruel and ambitious as men but perhaps her cleverness and ultimate sensitivity and understanding becomes her weakness and she is overcome with guilt and kills herself
• Boys played female roles until the 1660`s

Sum up of the play:

• Macbeth is a Scottish lord who is told by 3 witches that he will become King
• Then, spurred on by his ambition he commits regicide to Duncan and takes the throne
• He is made desperate by guilt and fear, tries to kill anyone who he sees as a potential threat
• In the end…