Macbeth

"I am in blood Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,

Returning were as tedious as go o'er . . . ."

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Read
  • as we begin the period of Shakespeare's full-fledged tragedies, it is imperative to read A. C. Bradley's chapter "The Substance of Shakespearean Tragedy," which may be found in
      - Bradley's Shakespearean Tragedy [RES: PR 2983 .B7]
      - Jay Halio's Approaches to Macbeth [RES: PR 2823 .H28]
      - Norman Rabkin, Approaches to Shakespeare [RES: PR 2976 .R3]
      - Paul Siegel, His Infinite Variety [RES: PR 2976 .S45]
  • read the brief critical commentary entitled "Imagery in Macbeth: Nature" (class handout) and be prepared to discuss imagery in Acts I and II of the play
  • in connection with this topic, read Cleanth Brooks' article "The Naked Babe and the Cloak of Manliness," which can be found in
      - Brooks' The Well Wrought Urn, Chapter 2 [RES PR 502 .B7] - Rabkin's Approaches to Shakespeare [RES PR 2976 .R3]
  • the background material entitled "Beliefs about Witches in the Seventeenth Century" (class handout) and the background material on Macbeth's performance history (class handout)

    Questions

    Here are even more study questions from Prof. J. M. Massi!

    Resources

    Further discussions of imagery in Macbeth include these:

    Important discussions of the underlying conflict in the play and how Shakespeare subtly manifests it include these:

    • Francis Fergusson, "Macbeth as the Imitation of an Action," in A. Harbage's Shakespeare: The Tragedies [RES: Personal Copy].

    • Thomas De Quincey, "On the Knocking at the Gate in Macbeth," in Paul Siegel's His Infinite Variety , pp. 322-28 [RES: PR 2976 .S45] ; also in Jay Halio's Approaches to Macbeth [PR 2823 .H28].

    • Glynne Wickham, "Hell-Castle and Its Door-Keeper," Shakespeare Survey 19 (1966), 68-74 [Ref: PR 2888 .C3].

    Additional books and articles in our library on Macbeth include these:
    • M. C. Bradbrook, "The Sources of Macbeth," Shakespeare Survey, 4 (1951), 35-48 [Ref: PR 2888 .C3].

    • G. I. Duthie, "Antithesis in 'Macbeth,'" Shakespeare Survey, 19 (1966), 25-33 [Ref: PR 2888 .C3].

    • George Roy Elliott, Dramatic Providence in Macbeth: . . . Shakespeare's Tragic Theme . . ." (Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1958) [PR 2823 .E4].

    • Helen Gardner, "A Reply to Cleanth Brooks," [see above] in Rabkin's Approaches to Shakespeare [RES: PR 2976 .R3]

    • Jay Halio's Approaches to Macbeth [essay collection] [RES: PR 2823 .H28]

    • R. B. Heilman, "The Criminal as Tragic Hero: Dramatic Methods," Shakespeare Survey, 19 (1966), 12-24 [Ref: PR 2888 .C3].

    • Holinshed, Raphael, "Macbeth," in Holinshed's Chronicle as Used in Shakespeare's Plays." [RES: PR 2955 .H7 N5]

    • E. E. Stoll, Source and Motive in Macbeth and Othello," in Dean's Shakespeare: Modern Essays in Criticism {PR 2976 .D4].

    • Ray Walker, The Time Is Free: A Study of Macbeth (London: Dakers, 1949) [PR 2823 .W3].

  • Brian Arkins, Heavy Seneca: His Influence on Shakespeare's Tragedies (University College Dublin, Ireland: CLASSICS IRELAND, 1995, Volume 2)

  • Michael Davidson, Facts about the historical Macbeth (submitted to Mediev-L by mdavidso@ABACUS.BATES.EDU, 31 March 1994)

    Links

  • Macbeth paintings from the Emory University collection

    Performances

    Papers

    If you are interested in pursuing Bradley's line of thought with regard to the play Macbeth in particular, you might read his essay on the play itself, entitled "Macbeth," in his book Shakespearean Tragedy [PR 2983 .B7].

    Another attempt to account for Macbeth's tragic motivation is that of Lily Bess Campbell in the chapter entitled "Macbeth: A Study in Fear" in her book Shakespeare's Tragic Heroes [PR 2983 .C3].