Focus on MacbethJohn Russell Brown First published in 1982. Macbeth exercises a strange influence over readers and theatre audiences: the words of the text offer no easy clue to meaning or significance and in dramatic structure the play is very different from other Shakespearean tragedies. Many kinds of study are needed in order to understand the tragedy of Macbeth and this book provides a wide range of studies that respect the individuality of the text and examine it from different viewpoints. Contents include: Themes and Structure; Characterization and Narrative, Visual Effects, Performance in the Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries; Historical and Political Background; Role of Witchcraft; Game Theory. Contributors include: John Russell Brown, Derek Russell Davis, Gareth Lloyd Evans, R A Foakes, Michael Goldman, Robin Grove, Peter Hall, Michael Hawkins, Brian Morris, D J Palmer, Marvin Rosenberg and Peter Stallybrass. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 21
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... Holinshed's account, 13 the Weird Sisters first appear after the conclusion of peace between the Scots and the Danes, when Macbeth and Banquo meet them. Shakespeare introduces them in the opening scene, so that they contribute to the ...
... Holinshed's account, 13 the Weird Sisters first appear after the conclusion of peace between the Scots and the Danes, when Macbeth and Banquo meet them. Shakespeare introduces them in the opening scene, so that they contribute to the ...
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... Holinshed's account is transformed, in which Duncan and Macbeth are roughly the same age, while Duncan, 'soft and gentle of nature', 17 is merely a rather weak and incompetent monarch. Shakespeare changes their relationship so as to ...
... Holinshed's account is transformed, in which Duncan and Macbeth are roughly the same age, while Duncan, 'soft and gentle of nature', 17 is merely a rather weak and incompetent monarch. Shakespeare changes their relationship so as to ...
Page 11
... Holinshed Macdonwald killed himself in his castle , and Macbeth , finding the dead body , and ' remitting no piece of his cruel nature ' , ' cut the head off and sent it as a present to Duncan . In the play the bleeding Captain ...
... Holinshed Macdonwald killed himself in his castle , and Macbeth , finding the dead body , and ' remitting no piece of his cruel nature ' , ' cut the head off and sent it as a present to Duncan . In the play the bleeding Captain ...
Page 12
... Holinshed , Macbeth's father , and so leaves us to suppose that Sinel too may have met a violent end . Within a short space Macbeth has his first soliloquy12 in the form of a long aside on the imperial theme ' ( Lii.129 ) which has ...
... Holinshed , Macbeth's father , and so leaves us to suppose that Sinel too may have met a violent end . Within a short space Macbeth has his first soliloquy12 in the form of a long aside on the imperial theme ' ( Lii.129 ) which has ...
Page 13
... Holinshed's account , " 13 the Weird Sisters first appear after the conclusion of peace between the Scots and the Danes , when Macbeth and Banquo meet them . Shakespeare introduces them in the opening scene , so that they contribute to ...
... Holinshed's account , " 13 the Weird Sisters first appear after the conclusion of peace between the Scots and the Danes , when Macbeth and Banquo meet them . Shakespeare introduces them in the opening scene , so that they contribute to ...
Contents
7 | |
The kingdom the power and the glory | 30 |
visual effects in Macbeth | 54 |
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the eighteenth | 73 |
194680 at StratforduponAvon | 87 |
Multiplying villainies of nature | 113 |
History politics and Macbeth | 155 |
Macbeth and witchcraft | 189 |
Hurt minds | 210 |
Directing Macbeth | 231 |
Afterword | 249 |
Index | 255 |
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Common terms and phrases
action actor ambiguity ambition appearance attempt audience Banquo becomes begins beliefs blood bring called Cawdor character comes course critics crown dagger death deed doubt drama Duncan effect Elizabethan England English evil experience expression face fact fear feel final further ghost given gives going hand head Holinshed horror human husband ideas imagination important interest issue James killing kind king Lady Macbeth later less lines living look Macduff Malcolm means mind moral movement murder nature never opening particular performance perhaps play political present production question reality relation role royal scene seems seen sense Shake Shakespeare significant society soliloquy speak speech stage success suggestion Thane theatre thing thou thought tragedy turn visual wife witchcraft witches woman women