Macbeth: The Scottish Play

Course Overview

Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s great tragedies. A fabulous plot centred around a cryptic prophecy brings forth arguably some of Shakespeare’s best drama and verse. First performed in 1606, Macbeth is a dark, bloody play brimming with intrigue, plotting and the paranormal. Murder abounds and politicking is never far from the minds of the characters. It is a play that addresses human relationships with power, ambition, loyalty and fate. Studying this play enables students to better understand not only the play itself but also Shakespeare’s philosophy about central components of the human condition. In this course, students are guided through basic elements of the plot, the major themes of the play, its political and historical contexts, Shakespeare’s language and the ways in which Macbeth has been read through the ages. This series of lessons give students a deeper understanding of the play in order to inspire confidence in discussing it in exams. Beyond this, the course inspires a real appreciation of the brilliance of Shakespeare’s Scottish play.