Videos
This is a series of videos that explore an alternate reading of Macbeth... as an interpretation I would suggest you're careful with it in the exams - the traditional understanding of the play is embedded quite deeply in the examiner's minds - but if you can get some interesting ideas from this, and then say "you could also argue that..." then this kind of material can absolutely push you into the Grade 9 territory.
Overview
This will give you a broad idea of what the argument is: that Macbeth wasn't ambitious for the throne, but that the play is actually a quite misogynistic warning against powerful women.
Was Macbeth Ambitious?
This focuses on the key question. Because if Macbeth wasn't ambitious for the throne, then why did he do it? And there's remarkably little evidence in the play that he was ambitious, and, in fact, most of the evidence points to the fact that he wasn't interested in the throne at all.
The Supernatural Women
If Macbeth wasn't driven by his own ambition, what did make him kill Duncan? Obviously it's because the witches were real witches and he was under the influence of a magic spell. Could this really be just another misogynistic historical drama??
The Ending
An ending is a very delicate time - as Frank Herbert almost said. And the ending of Macbeth wraps things up nicely. Not least explaining why Macduff had that very unusual super-power...
King James and Misogyny.pptxKing James
Haven't put this to video yet, but the slides are there... make of them what you will :-)