1) The Psychological Deterioration of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
Examine how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s mental states deteriorate over the course of the play. What psychological factors contribute to their downfall? Use three secondary sources to explore their mental instability and descent into madness.
Possible historical connections to research:
- Mental Illness in the Renaissance: Research how conditions like guilt, paranoia, and hallucinations were understood in Shakespeare’s time. Were they seen as medical conditions, supernatural afflictions, or moral punishments?
- The Effects of Guilt and Trauma in Historical Leaders: Compare Macbeth’s paranoia and breakdown to historical figures who exhibited similar signs of mental deterioration due to power struggles, such as King Henry VIII or Ivan the Terrible.
- Shakespeare’s Other Tragic Figures and Mental Decline: Research how Shakespeare presents madness in other plays (e.g., Hamlet or King Lear) to see if there are recurring themes in how he portrays psychological decline.
2) Political Power and Tyranny in Macbeth
Examine how Shakespeare portrays political power and tyranny in Macbeth. What makes Macbeth a tyrant rather than a legitimate ruler? How does Shakespeare use the play to comment on leadership and the abuse of power? Support your argument with three secondary sources.
Possible historical connections to consider:
- The Gunpowder Plot and Shakespeare’s Audience: Since Macbeth was written in the aftermath of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot against King James I, how does the play reflect contemporary fears of political rebellion and tyrannical rule?
- Historical Tyrants and Usurpers: Compare Macbeth’s rise and fall to real-world tyrants like Richard III, Nero, or even figures like Joseph Stalin. What qualities make a ruler a tyrant rather than a legitimate king?
- Machiavelli’s The Prince (1532) and Ruthless Leadership: Research Machiavelli’s ideas about power, deception, and fear in leadership. Does Macbeth follow Machiavellian principles, or does his downfall show the limits of ruthless ambition?
3) Gender and Power in Macbeth
Examine the role of gender in Macbeth. How do Lady Macbeth and Macbeth challenge or reinforce traditional gender roles? What does the play suggest about power and masculinity? Incorporate at least three secondary sources to explore how Shakespeare presents gender and authority.
Possible historical connections to research:
- Elizabethan and Jacobean Gender Roles: Research how women were expected to behave in the 16th and 17th centuries and how Lady Macbeth’s defiance of these norms would have been shocking to audiences.
- Powerful Women in History: Compare Lady Macbeth to historical female rulers like Queen Elizabeth I, Catherine de’ Medici, or Cleopatra, who challenged gender expectations to wield power.
