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Shakespeare's witches are prophets who hail Macbeth early in the play, and predict his ascent to kingship. Upon killing the king and gaining the throne of Scotland, Macbeth hears them ambiguously predict his eventual downfall. The witches, and their "filthy" trappings and supernatural activities, set an ominous tone for the play.
The Shakespearean fool is a recurring character type in the works of William Shakespeare. They are usually clever peasants or commoners who use their wits to outdo people of higher social standing. In this sense, they are similar to the real fools, and jesters of the time, but their characteristics are greatly heightened for theatrical effect. [1]
He felt the depiction of the supernatural was among Shakespeare's strengths, not weaknesses. He especially praised the poetry and wit of the fairies, and the quality of the verse involved. [30] His contemporary Francis Gentleman, an admirer of Shakespeare, was much less appreciative of this play. He felt that the poetry, the characterisation ...
In Shakespeare's day, Banquo was thought to be an ancestor of the Stuart King James I. [12] (In the 19th century it was established that Banquo is an unhistorical character; the Stuarts are actually descended from a Breton family which migrated to Scotland slightly later than Macbeth's time.) The Banquo portrayed in earlier sources is ...
Shakespeare's poetic genius was allied with a practical sense of the theatre. [17] Like all playwrights of the time, Shakespeare dramatised stories from sources such as Petrarch and Holinshed. [18] He reshaped each plot to create several centres of interest and show as many sides of a narrative to the audience as possible.
William Shakespeare's play Macbeth is said to be cursed, so actors avoid saying its name when in the theatre (the euphemism "The Scottish Play" is used instead). Actors also avoid even quoting the lines from Macbeth before performances, particularly the Witches ' incantations.
Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, is a character in William Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Based on the Puck of English mythology and the púca of Celtic mythology, [1] [2] Puck is a mischievous fairy, sprite, or jester. He is the first of the main fairy characters to appear, and he significantly influences events in the play.
Shakespeare also used groundlings widely in his plays. The use of groundlings "saved the drama from academic stiffness and preserved its essential bias towards entertainment in comedy". [24] Hamlet is an outstanding example of "groundlings" quickness and response. [24] Use of groundlings enhanced Shakespeare's work practically and artistically.