!THE TRAGEDIE OF MACBETH (ca 1606)
Folio is sole authority. Underlying copy may have been the promptbook itself.
MACBETH is one of the cleanest and least problematic texts of the FOLIO.
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!!X AXIS (abscisses): 2530 lines
F establishes ACTS & SCENES.
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1.1: line 1
1.2: line 14
1.3: line 96
1.4: line 277
1.5: line 347
1.6: line 430
1.7: line 471
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2.1: line 568
2.2: line 646
2.3: line 741
2.4: line 923
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3.1: line 980
3.2: line 1150
3.3: line 1216
3.4: line 1253
3.5: line 1428
3.6: line 1470
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4.1: line 1526
4.2: line 1710
4.3: line 1812
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5.1: line 2092
5.2: line 2173
5.3: line 2213
5.4: line 2287
5.5: line 2318
5.6: line 2377
5.7: line 2394
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!!Y AXIS: ENTRANCES & EXITS
Entrances & exits of Characters
According to their order of appearance.
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• (2,13) reads "enters at line 2, exits at line 13".
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• (1237[rip 1245] 1252)
reads “enters at line 1237, dies on line 1245, corpse exits on line 1252”.
RIP at the end a character’s list indicates (or confirms) his/her decease.
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• After his death at line 1245, BANQUO reappears as a ghost and then as an apparition (concluding the “Show of eight Kings”). This sequence of magical entries is written thus: “Ghost (1299,1343) (1363,1384)” Apparition (1657,1671)”.
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• PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS are capitalized.
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THREE WITCHES
(2,13) (97,179) (1429,1469) (1527,1680)
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KING DUNCAN
(15,95) (278,346) (431,470) RIP
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MALCOLM (son and heir of Duncan)
(15,95) (278,346) (431,470) (858,922) (1813,2091) (2288,2317) (2379,2393) (2426,2434) (2479,2529)
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Donalbaine (son of Duncan)
(16,95) (279,346) (432,470) (858,922)
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LENNOX (Scottish Thane)
(16,95) (278,346) (432,470) (763,828) (851,906) (992,1032) (1254,1402) (1471,1525) (1684,1709) (2175,2212)
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A bleeding Captain
(17,65)
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ROSSE (Scottish Thane)
(66,95) (192,276) (296,346) (433,470) (851,906) (924,979) (993,1032) (1254,1402) (1711,1745) (1992,2091) (2479,2529)
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Angus (Scottish Thane)
(66,95) (192,276) (296,346) (433,470) (2175,2212) (2289,2317)
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MACBETH (Thane of Glamis)
(136,276) (296,341) (405,429) (474,567) (583,645) (657,740) (784,828) (851,906) (992,1149) (1161,1215) (1254,1427) (1576,1709) (2214,2284) (2394,2414) (2435,2476) (2477 rip) RIP
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BANQUO (Scottish Thane)
(136,276) (296,346) (432,470) (569,610) (844,906) (981,1027)
(1237[rip 1245] 1252) Ghost (1299,1343) (1363,1384) Apparition (1657,1671) RIP
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LADY MACBETH
(348,429) (444,470) (502,567) (647,716) (725,740) (836,894) (992,1032) (1151,1215) (1254,1427) (2111,2160) (2319,2376) RIP
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A messenger
(377,388)
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MACDUFF (Thane of Fife)
(432,470) (763,799) (815,906) (949,979) (1813,2091) (2288,2317) (2379,2393) (2415,2425) (2439,2476) (2477) (2504,2529)
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Fleance (Son of Banquo)
(569,610) (1237,1244)
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Servant of Macbeth
(583,612) (992,1037) (1164,1066) (1151,1156) (2225,2236)
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Old man
(924,979)
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•• THE TWO MURDERERS ••
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1st murderer
(1064,1149) (1217,1257) (1265,1292) (1802,1811)
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2nd murderer
(1064,1149) (1217,1257) (1802,1811)
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3rd murderer
(1217,1257)
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Hecat (spirit presiding over magic and divination)
(1430,1469) (1566,1680)
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Other Lord
(1471,1525)
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•• THE APPARITIONS ••
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1st apparition (1604,1611)
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2nd apparition (1616,1622)
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3rd apparition (1628,1637)
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Show of eight kings (1657,1671)
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Lady Macduff & her son
(1711,1811) RIP
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A messenger
(1784,1793)
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Doctor of King Edward’s Court
(1968,1975)
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Waiting gentlewoman of Lady Macbeth
(2093,2172)
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Doctor of Macbeth’s Court
(2093,2172) (2319,2376)
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Menteth & Cathness (two more Scottish Thanes)
(2174,2212) (2289,2317) (2479,2529)
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Seyton (a servant of Macbeth)
(2246,2284) (2319,2376)
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Siward (Earl of Northumberland)
(2288,2317) (2379,2393) (2426,2434) (2479,2529)
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Young Siward
(2289,2317) (2379,2393) (2400 [rip 2411] 2414) RIP
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A messenger
(2349,2376)
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NOTE: KING DUNCAN is probably assassinated in the vicinity of line 646
(“Scena Secunda” on FOLIO page 138).
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!!PLOTS & COLOURING
There are three groups.
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• Those who are FOR Macbeth:
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MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
LENNOX (until line 1709)
ROSSE (until line 1402)
The SERVANT OF MACBETH
The MURDERERS
SEYTON
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• Those who are AGAINST Macbeth:
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MALCOLM
LENNOX (from line 2175)
ROSSE (from line 1711)
ANGUS
MACDUFF
MENTETH & CATHNESS
SIWARD
YOUNG SIWARD
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• The Sorcerers:
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The THREE WITCHES
HECAT
The APPARITIONS
The SHOW OF EIGHT KINGS
The ghost of BANQUO (from line 1299 on)
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To this third and last group one might perhaps wish to add
THE DOCTOR OF KING EDWARD’COURT
Since his purpose is to tell Malcolm & Macduff of the miracles performed by King Edward (who apparently goes about curing scrofula). This probably indicates that Malcolm sides with those who practice “white magic” as opposed to Macbeth’s use of “black magic”.
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!!ACTION SEQUENCES
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Battle of Dunsinane: (2393,2478).
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!!METATHEATRE
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• APPARITIONS & SHOW OF EIGHT KINGS: (1604,1671)
