Macbeth Historical Context

This folder contains two powerpoints. One powerpoint covers how Shakespeare tried to please King James 1st by including ideas about witchcraft, and the divine right of kings in the play Macbeth to reassure James 1 after the Gunpowder Plot. There are lots of images of contemporary documents and portraits and the final task is for students to imagine that they are Shakespeare and to write a letter to his wife back home in Stratford-Upon-Avon, explaining his thought processes on why he chose to write Macbeth. The second powerpoint has ten multiple choice questions about witchcraft with answers, which can be used to spark discussion, followed by historical facts explaining the reasons for belief in witchcraft.