Macbeth Background

When did Shakespeare write Macbeth? 1611
What is the main theme of Macbeth? excessive ambition will have terrible consequences
What two monarchs did Shakespeare wrote for? Queen Elizabeth and King James I
What was the plays like during King James I reign? darker and more cynical, reflecting the insecurites of the king and the people
What major event happened before the writing of Macbeth? Gunpowder plot of 1605, where a group of radical Catholics plotted to kill King James and failed
What type of tale is Macbeth? a cautionary tale, warning any other portenial regicide of the awful fate that will inevitable overtake them
patronage encouragement, support, privileged access and at times finacial assistnace
Who did William Shakespeare write the play Macbeth to please King James
Where is the play set? england
Who is King James of Englad supposedly a descendent of from the cast of Macbeth? Banquo
What book did Shapespeare read that gave him the idea for writing this tragedy? Hollinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland