The+Structure+of+Macbeth+-+The+Five-Act+Structure

The word //structure// means the way in which the plot (the basic story) is organized, so the audience finds it satisfying – this lecture will be dealing with the elements in the plot and structure which the audience finds fascinating. Knowing the structure helps the audience to get a better understanding of the plot.
 * First… **

The play //Macbeth// by William Shakespeare is organized into 5 acts – the so-called Five-Act Structure. The plot is chronological and there aren’t flashbacks. Each act contains several scenes; an example is act three which contains six scenes. The play starts with a prologue scene given by the three witches who occasionally appear between major scenes to foreshadow or comment on events, e.g. act 1, scene 3 (the drums). The three witches start the play with a prophecy that Macbeth will become king and that Banquo’s children will become kings after Macbeth – the scene with the witches is like an initial incident. Furthermore, Shakespeare has some offstage actions in the plot, for example Duncan’s murder and Lady Macbeth’s death. The audience isn't involved in these two scenes.

**The Five-Act Structure ** //Macbeth // is organized into five acts:

**1. ****Act I: Exposition: ** The exposition is quite unclear since the characters are introduced throughout the first part of the play. The entire first act might be a very long exposition. //The Witches’ predictions//.

**2. ****Act II: Complication: **The main conflict becomes more and more complex. The rising action is when some of the prophecies are coming true and Lady Macbeth is trying to convince Macbeth to kill King Duncan. //The murder of Duncan//.

**3. ****Act III: Crisis: **The turning point in the action – point of no return. //The murder of Banquo//.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">4. ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Act IV: Resolution: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The dramatic elements become clearer – the two forces in conflict (good versus evil) grow stronger. All the events occurring after the murder where Macbeth tries to hide his crime and maintain his position as a king " <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> the falling action. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth goes insane. //The murder of Lady Macduff//.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">5. ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Act V: Dénouement/Disclosure: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The “untying of the knots” " <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Lady Macbeth dies and Macbeth is executed. Malcolm becomes a king. The dénouement contains the catastrophe and the emotional climax. //Retribution: Crime doesn’t pay//.



This structure is like the Hollywood Model, which is seen below:



<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">A poem – acted out in the seven letters of Macbeth’s name **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The poem is acted out in seven letters of Macbeth’s name: seven lines, seven events from the plot:

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 18pt;">M **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16pt;">eeting three Witches on the blasted heath **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 18pt;">A **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16pt;">mbition grew and poisoned brave Macbeth. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 18pt;">C **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16pt;">unning, his wife led him to stab the king, **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 18pt;">B **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16pt;">anquo was next. His Ghost spoiled everything. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 18pt;">E **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16pt;">vil now reigned as Macbeth killed all dead, **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 18pt;">T **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16pt;">yranny ended when Macduff saw red. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 18pt;">H **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16pt;">ope came with Malcolm, Macbeth lost his head.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Vocabulary **


 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Catastrophe: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Katastrofe: The final event of a tragedy, in which the protagonist dies (in //Macbeth//: Macbeth dies)
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Climax: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Klimaks/højdepunkt: The point at which the intensity of the emotions of the audience reach a peak
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Complication: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Forvikling
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Cunning: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Listig (some would say that Lady Macbeth is cunning)
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Dénouement: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Afsløring
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Exposition: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Redegørelse (The opening stage of a play)
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Offstage: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I kulissen (scenen “finder sted” i kulissen – publikum ser ikke den specifikke scene)
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Resolution: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Opløsning
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Retribution: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Gengældelse – “Crime doesn’t pay” (Macbeth is killed)