William Shakespeare s Play For King James I, The Tragedy...

In 1606, William Shakespeare wrote a play for King James I, the tragedy of Macbeth. For the last five-hundred years, this highly regarded piece of literature has been studied by countless students and intellectuals. One of the many methods scholars use to interpret a piece of literature is through the feminist perspective. Feminism is defined as the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men (â€Å"Feminism†). Although one can use a feminist lens to interpret Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the historical perspective will provide the most effective means of interpretation for readers. As a modern reader, it is easy to read Macbeth and see elements of feminism come into play. In today’s society where people have become increasingly aware of racial and gender disparities, these aspects of the play have become more clear to the audience. Throughout the play, Lady Macbeth shows valuable insight into gender stereotypes of the time period. After the discovery of Duncan’s death, Macduff addresses Lady Macbeth by saying â€Å"O gentle lady, / Tis not for you to hear what I can speak. / The repetition, in a woman’s ear / Would murder as it fell† (Macbeth 2.3.96-99). This supposed innocence contrasts with her true character because she was actually the one who encouraged the murder in the first place. This particular line is interesting in that one can see both the defiance and compliance with stereotypes. Lady Macbeth bends gender norms by showingShow MoreRelatedEssay Macbeth Character Analysis577 Words   |  3 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp ;In the tragedy Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, many character traits are portrayed through the various characters throughout the play. Macbeth was one of Shakespeareamp;#8217;s greatest tragedies. It was completed in 1606 and was most likely first performed before King James I and his royal family at Hampton Court. King James I is believed to be a direct descendent of the character Banquo. Probably the most potent character trait expressed in Macbeth would be integrity orRead More The Victorious Banquo of Shakespeares Macbeth1723 Words   |  7 PagesThe Victorious Banquo of Macbeth       The audience sees in Shakespeares Macbeth that the one who ends up victorious, the one whose family will provide kings for the kingdom, is the innocent, spiritually inclined Banquo. It is he about whom this essay will deal.    A.C. Bradley in Shakespearean Tragedy explains the main interest in the character of Banquo:    The main interest of the character of Banquo arises from the changes that take place in him, and from the influence of theRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Life And Life3055 Words   |  13 PagesResearch Paper March 23, 2016 William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. Shakespeare was assumedly educated at the King?s New School in Stratford with an ?emphasis on the Latin classics, including memorization, writing, and acting classic Latin plays,? writes an article entitled Shakespeare?s Life, found on Foldger Shakespeare Library. He most likely attended until around age fifteen. In late 1582, Shakespeare at age 18 married Anne HathawayRead MoreCompare the ways Shakespeare presents fear and doubt in Macbeth and Richard III?1222 Words   |  5 Pagesuncertainty are presented in Richard III and Macbeth Macbeth is a tragedy play written by William Shakespeare. The play is set in Scotland during the mid  11th century. But, the play was written in 1606 at a time where James I was on the throne. King James was a very superstitious man who believed in magic and witchcraft and these themes were presented in Macbeth to please the King. Also the political context is important as it was included in Macbeth with the ideas of excessive ambition. On theRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Life And Life3795 Words   |  16 PagesResearch Paper March 23, 2016 William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. Shakespeare was assumedly educated at the King?s New School in Stratford with an ?emphasis on the Latin classics, including memorization, writing, and acting classic Latin plays,? writes an article entitled Shakespeare?s Life, found on Foldger Shakespeare Library. He most likely attended until around age fifteen. In late 1582, Shakespeare at age 18 married Anne HathawayRead MoreImportance Of Shakespeare s Macbeth 1519 Words   |  7 Pages Importance of the Witches in Macbeth by William Shakespeare Throughout all of history, witches are known for practicing magic and creating prophecies to predict any future. In any scene involving witches, it is important to know their role in the play, whether they change the outcome of the play or simply influenced it, and the supernatural features the play comes along with in its time. In No Fear Shakespeare Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the play starts out with the three witchesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet, King Lear, And A Midsummer s Night Dream1037 Words   |  5 Pagesof Avon, commonly known as William Shakespeare is one of the best known playwrights in the (Video). A few of his most famous plays include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, and A Midsummer’s Night Dream (McArthur). Although he was popular during his time, Shakespeare’s influence continued to grow after his death and today he well known around the world. He added 2,000 words to the English dictionary and he is the 2nd most q uoted after the Bible (Video). Shakespeare is one of the most influentialRead MoreShakespeare s Macbeth - Macbeth2496 Words   |  10 Pages Macbeth Fact or Fiction Christopher Goncalves Sr. Marlene Mucha, S. J. J. British Literature February 10, 2016 Macbeth Fact or Fiction Thesis: In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare did not ?accurately portray Macbeth according to the historical background in the age of Jacobean times. I. Shakespeare A. Background II. Text of Macbeth III. Historical Inaccuracies A. Macbeth B. Lady Macbeth Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1821 Words   |  8 Pagesemotions we have when we watch a play. Plays have been through centuries a source of entertainment where people get attached to the characters and imagine them being reality. Theatre was the place where people could watch realistic situations and sympathize with the characters, or go into a fantasy world where the impossible is always possible. However, in the current days people do not watch plays that much and are usually satisfied with reading a written version of a play. This generation even lost interestRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1409 Words   |  6 PagesOctober 17th, I had the pleasure of going to see Macbeth performed at the Shakespeare Tavern. Along with its reputation for being â€Å"cursed,† Macbeth is also known as one of the crown jewels of William Shakespeare’s repertoire. In my opinion, the central concept of this particular retelling of the play was the murkin ess of character. Throughout the play, the many characters go through fierce temptation and strife, and none truly rise above moral contention. Also known to many as The Scottish Play, the classic