In this essay I will be fully investigating and analysing the following; William Shakespeare’s biography information and historical significance; the development and era of Elizabethan theatre and how Shakespeare was influential on the period and a reflection on the elements of Macbeth that illustrate your research findings. Consequently, I will be deliberating them fully.
1.1 William Shakespeare’s biographical information and historical significance
Figure 1
Shakespeare’s full shot
1.1.1 Early life
Figure 2
Shakespeare’s childhood household
William Shakespeare was born on 23 April 1564, and he died on 23 April 1616 at Stratford-upon-Avon United Kingdom (Biography.com editors, 2017). He was an English poet, playwright, and actor. It has been proven that father was a successful local businessman and his mother was the daughter of a landowner (Biography.com editors, 2017). Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is also often called England’s national poet. Shakespeare wrote about 154 sonnets, 38 plays, as well as few other verses. Biography.com editors said: “Though no birth records exist, church records indicate that a William Shakespeare was baptized at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon on 26 April 1564. From this, it is believed he was born on or near 23 April 1564, and this is the date scholars acknowledge as William Shakespeare’s birthday (2017). Moreover, this is likely to be located around about 103 miles in the western of London. And also been said that he had five siblings and he was the third child of John Shakespeare, a leather merchant and his mother Mary Arden, a local landed heiress (Biography.com editors, 2017). Although, scant records exist of William’s childhood and virtually none regarding his education. Scholars have surmised that he most likely attended the King’s New School, in Stratford, which taught reading, writing and the classics. Being a public official’s child, William would have undoubtedly qualified for free tuition. But this uncertainty regarding his education has led some to raise questions about the authorship of his work and even about whether or not William Shakespeare ever existed” (2017, Biography Newsletter). Furthermore Shakespeare is known for writing the following well known plays which are: Hamlet: Macbeth: Othello: Romeo and Juliet: The tempest: and The Merchant of Venice.
1.1.2. Married life
Figure 3
Shakespeare’s family
In addition, William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway on 28 November 1582. He was 18 and Anne was 26. Their first child was a daughter they named Susanna who was born on 26 May 1583. Two years later on the 2nd of February 1585 they conceived twins, who were Hamnet and Judith. But the only son Hamnet later died of unknown causes at age 11. A&E Television Networks believes that “At 18 Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway (1556-1616), a woman eight years his senior, in a ceremony thought to have been hastily arranged due to her pregnancy. A daughter, Susanna, was born less than seven months later in May 1583. Twins Hamnet and Judith followed in February 1585. Susanna and Judith would live to old age, while Hamnet, Shakespeare’s only son, died at 11. As for William and Anne, it is believed that the couple lived apart for most of the year while the bard pursued his writing and theatre career in London” (History channel, 2017). However, after his marriage information about his life became very rare (My English page, n.d).
1.1.3. Career life
Figure 4
Shakespeare working
Moreover, Shakespeare career life began several years later which was after the birth of their third child which was about 1592, as he became an actor and a playwright. In fact, Alex Astorn in his book SHAKESPEARE’S LIFE/CAREER states that “somewhere after the birth of their child Shakespeare moved to London and leaving is family in Stratford Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called The Lord Chamberlain’s Men” (2016: 4). Thereafter, the company’s name changed from The Lord Chamberlain’s Men to The King’s Men. On the other hand, the My English Page authors confessed that “Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories and these works remain regarded as some of the best work produced in these genres” (My English Pages, n.d). However, it has been noted that he wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, which includes plays such as Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. But around his last phase, he then started writing mostly romances, and as he collaborated with other playwrights. Well in that case his plays are the mostly studied and performed all around the world.
1.1.4. Death
Figure 5
Shakespeare’s grave
William Shakespeare died three years later after he retired to Stratford around 1613. He died on his birthday, 23 April 1616 of an unknown cause at the age of 52. But, the Biography.com editors believes that the fact that he died on his birthday it’s all a myth because church records show he was interred at Trinity Church on the 25th April 1616 (2017). Even though, it has been said that he died within a month of signing his will, a document which he begins by describing himself as being in “perfect health” (My English pages, n.d). In addition, A&E Television Networks says that he left the bulk of his estate to his elder daughter Susanna. Furthermore, Shakespeare is believed to have influenced the English language more than any other writer in the history.
2 The development and era of Elizabethan Theatre and how Shakespeare was influential in the period.
Figure 6
The Elizabethan Theatre
The Elizabethan theatre is playhouse which is located in Shoreditch, just outside the London city in the northern border. Linda Alchin says that “The Elizabethan plays and theatres were as popular as the movies and cinemas of the early 20th century” (Elizabethan Theatre, 2012). The Elizabethan theatre was a growing business because people loved the theatre so much, people all around the country would came for the entertainment to watch the plays, and others came for the money, fame and looking for jobs in the famous Elizabethan theatre to became actors. Moreover, the Theatre’s history includes a number of acting companies such as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men which employed Shakespeare as actor and playwright (PlayShakespeare.com, 2005). Moreover, during those days women were not allowed to perform, young feminine boys would perform as women. Also, it has also been believed that the Theatre was constructed in 1576 by James Burbage in partnership with his brother-in-law John Brayne. Although, the Theatre opened in around the autumn of 1576, possibly as a venue for Leicester’s Men, the acting company of Robert Dudley (Playshakespeare.com, 2005). And, I believe that if you wanted to become an entrepreneur or a successful actor, the Elizabethan theatre was the breakthrough of your opportunities during those days.
Furthermore, The Elizabethan theatre was a playhouse where the plays were composed. Also, the Elizabethan theatre hired the acting companies for the playwrights to play their plays which include the Lord Chamberlain’s men company, which is where William Shakespeare was employed as an actor, and a playwright. Moreover, it has also been believed that the era is the most famous for theatre, as William Shakespeare and many others composed plays that broke free of England’s past style of theatre. Hence, the Elizabethan theatre gave Shakespeare a big opportunity to perform his plays in front of lot of people and send over the message to people, through his performances and plays as well, which he was able to communicate through his portrayal of a wide variety of characters (Emmanuel, 2010). But, during all that time of the plays at the Elizabethan theatre, the Church had lost some of the great power it had once held over Europe because people were spending time going to plays (Living Theatre, 2000: 174). Although, Shakespeare’s plays were enjoyed by great popularity with the public, it has been believed that most people did not consider them as literature then. Therefore, during this era it has been said that it was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (Western Civilization, 2014: 413). It has been said that Elizabeth I was a great supporter of art so she encouraged the society so that people like Shakespeare could be successful (Emily Rasmussen, n.d). For this reason I believe, Elizabeth was interested in theatre which made it popular because she was royalty so people liked what she liked. Just like today how we look up to celebrities and we copy what they do. As a result, that lot of people came to the theatre to watch Shakespeare’s plays, therefore with a large amount lot of audience, Shakespeare became successful.
3 Elements in Macbeth
3.1. Plot
Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare, it was most likely written in 1606, early in the reign of James I. Macbeth tells a story of a brave Scottish general (Macbeth) who receives a prophecy from a trio of sinister witches who convinces him that one day he will become King of Scotland. But, the witches never make Macbeth or Lady Macbeth do anything. As soon as Macbeth and his wife hear all about the witches prophecy they then act on their own to fulfil their deepest desires which leads him to kill King Duncan. Moreover, the Litcharts’s study guide believes that Macbeth as a good general by all accounts before the action of the play, as a good man, allows his ambition to overwhelm him and becomes a murdering, paranoid maniac (Litcharts, n.d). But, in the beginning of the play he firstly feels guilt and fear and soon becomes a king, he is forced to commit more and more murders to protect him from enmity and suspicion. Macbeth was driven by his wife to commit crime, but as Macbeth had doubts and knew they would be consequences for his filthy actions, his wife questioned his masculinity and tells him if only she were man she would commit crime and do all the bad deeds herself. By the end of the play she then becomes more affected by the guilt than Macbeth, and she commits suicide. On the other hand, Macbeth refuses to give up the throne, but he gets defeated by a great leader which is Macduff at the end of the play.
3.2. Characters
At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a respected general, a devoted husband, and a loyal subject of the king who has shown great loyalty to King Duncan. Although, we realize that his physical courage is joined by a consuming ambition and a tendency to self-doubt—the prediction that he will be king brings him joy, but it also creates inner turmoil, all that happened after the three witches prophecy. Furthermore, Kriajoe says that soon after Macbeth succumbs to ambition and encouraged by a prophecy and Lady Macbeth, he murders King Duncan to take his throne (enotes, 2007). For this reason, this betrayal of Macbeth throws him into guilt and fear, which prompts him to murder again and again to satisfy his paranoia and to make sure nobody gets suspicious about his murdering. I also believe that a fate plays a big role also. Fate comes in where the witches tell Macbeth about the throne, as he invests a great deal of trust in their prophecies and he believes them. In fact, Minter states that for “Elizabethan audiences, there would have been no doubt that the witches had the power to play moral havoc” (Minter, 2016). Alternatively, I also believe that is tragic hero not only because of the supernatural witches involved, but because he predicts his downfall but cannot control his ambition and his wife on the hand keeps pushing him forward.
On the other hand, Lady Macbeth being as woman is expected to be sweet and kind, but no Shakespeare portrayed this woman the other way round. As a forcefully-drawn female character, I would say more ambitious than her husband Macbeth. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth is the one who is been pushing Macbeth to do his bad deeds, at some point when Macbeth was scared to committing crime, she wishes that she was a man then she would do all the bad deeds. She even believes that if you are ambitious then it is a sign of courage and strength to realize your dreams even if you have to commit a crime to achieve your goal (Minter, 2016). Also, in the Macbeth 2015 DVD: you could see that as soon as she receives the letter from her fellow husband Macbeth about the detail of what had happened including the supernatural weird sisters, she already sees the opportunities and starts plotting the death of the king Duncan (Kurzel, 2015). And character her changes from being this more ruthless, stronger, ambitious woman with no guilt of her bad actions or deeds to this weak woman, as she becomes affected by her conscience more than Macbeth. She struggles to wash her bloody hands; she then commits suicide by the end of the movie.
Moreover, the three witches also referred as the weird sisters in the play, they play an important role not only as to influence Macbeth, but an important part in the development of the story. The reason for this is because Shakespeare begins the play with the witches to give us an impression that they’re the catalysts for everything that will be happening in the story (Schoolworkhelper, 2017). Moreover, as the play begins the three witches approach Macbeth with the prophecy that he will be a king one day. The witches also resemble fate in the play as they tell Macbeth about his fate, but uses his all power to make his fate come to pass as he doesn’t just let it happen naturally, but he and his wife act on their deepest desires by getting rid of whatever stands in the way. For this reason, he allowed his ambition to overwhelm him and he becomes a murderer, but the witches with their enticing thoughts never made him do anything. I also believe that if the three witches had not influenced Macbeth about his destiny, the play was going to be different because he had not have killed Duncan and many others.
3.3. Themes
The play may have several themes like: violence, death, ambitious, masculinity but the main one is the corruption power of unchecked ambition. Moreover, the destruction twisted when ambition goes unchecked by moral controls —finds it is most powerful expression in the play’s two main characters (Minter, 2016). At the beginning of the play after Macbeth receives the exciting prophecy from the witches, he already sends the letter to the wife telling her about everything that has happened, both Macbeth and his wife want to be great and powerful, and sacrifice their principles to achieve that goal which is to get rid of everything that stands in his way of his royalty. Furthermore, through the play we see Macbeth shows how naked ambition, freed from any sort of social conscience as he commits murder after murder as he is never satisfied because he has to cover his tracks and evidence of his the evil deeds. Hence, William Shakespeare on this play he us trying to tell or show us that power is great but it is an imbalance of nature, and once one decides to use violence to further one’s quest for power, it is difficult to stop (Schoolworkhelper, 2017).
3.4. Diction
According to Aristotle in his poetics, diction is a choice of words or pattern to convey the message, which he placed fourth in order of importance. Therefore, his definition of tragedy in the poetics is quite long and detailed so it in summary, it states that a tragedy is an imitation of action and life that must evoke pity and fear in the audience (Hilbrandt, 2017). So, it is without a doubt that Macbeth is a tragedy, Shakespeare for this play he uses rhymes as you can in the beginning of the play in the conversation between the three witches in scene 1, act 1 from line 1-5 (Shakespeare, 1606: 1-5). Moreover, according to Barnet she also believes that the speakers often reveal their character through their speeches (Classic Theatre, 1975: xvii).
3.5. Musicality
Music in a play or films it is used to is to help establish mood and deliver the story. Moreover, it also another way of telling a story non-verbally Shakespeare uses music to provoke pity and fear (Hilbrandt, 2012). You can see in the play Macbeth begins with “Thunder and lightning” which is a signs of disorder, and in act 2, scene 1 from 32 to 62 a clicking of a bell is a signal that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are preparing to murder King Duncan in, then after the murder is discovered the alarum is struck violently, making an appropriately “hideous” noise (Barnet, 1975: xvii).
3.6. Spectacles
Spectacles means to make things extravaganza in a play, according to Aristotle in the order his poetics he placed it at number six which is the last one. In addition, it has always been tradition that the playwright should always create spectacle by creating characters for the tragic incident that are close to one another like a mother and an son or best friends, so in Macbeth the incident occurs between a man and his King (Hilbrandt, 2012).
4 Conclusion
In conclusion, throughout this essay by discussing Shakespeare’s biography information and historical significance, I have realised that Shakespeare didn’t have it easy on his journey to the success of becoming a playwright, actor and a poet, hence he had to work hard to get where he was, and make some few sacrifices like leaving his family behind in Stratford as he went to look for a job and became a successful playwright. Moreover, by discussing the Elizabethan theatre I have also realised that things were different from now especially in England, as for the woman were not allowed to perform so they used young men as woman on the stage. Lastly, I also believe that Shakespeare managed to send out his message throughout his well-known play Macbeth, by showing or telling us how power can corrupt.