Macbeth: Post-Reading Activities Plot the Relationship When you are required to write about the play, Macbeth, one question or topic you can be fairly sure you will be presented with will involve an examination of the changing relationship between Macbeth and his wife. Consider the following questions for your exploration of the changing nature of their relationship; When is their relationship close? Who is in charge at the beginning? At what point in the play does this change? Signs the relationship is beginning to fall apart. How Macbeth reacts to his wife s death. My dearest partner in greatness Greatness is promised thee. O full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! My dearest love Bring forth menchildren only! For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck Till thou applaud the deed Thou marvell st at my words, but hold thee still, You make me strange Even to the disposition that I owe When now I think you can behold such sights and keep the natural ruby of your cheeks, When mine is blanched with fear She should have died hereafter, There would have been time for such a word. 1 P a g e
Yet I do fear thy nature: It is too full o the milk of humankindness The thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now? What will these hands never be clean? No more o that my lord, no more o that. What beast was t then That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man. O, these flaws and starts Impostors to true fear, would well become A woman s story at a winter s fire. Infirm of purpose! My hands are of your colour, but I shame To wear a heart so white. Say to the King I would attend his leisure For a few words Present your findings in any form you wish such as a concept / mind map, Prezi Presentation, animation, etc., 2 P a g e
King Duncan s Obituary Write a fitting obituary for King Duncan. Use the following areas to make notes on and which will be covered in your obituary; King Duncan s Achievements/ Actions Events leading up to Duncan s death How He Was Viewed By His Subjects How Duncan Will Be Remembered Events after his death Thoughts & Feelings of his people. 3 P a g e
Macbeth On Trial You ll need to imagine that you are part of the defence or prosecution team during an investigation of King Duncan s murder. Present your case to the court after collecting your evidence in the form of interviews, character profiles, witness statements, forensic evidence, and exhibits such as alleged murder weapons. Make use of diagrams, maps and crime scene photos. Don t forget to make full use of the text of Macbeth. Macbeth: The Bold & The Corruptible Write and perform your own script about any segment from the play. You can alter the characters, language, add scenes, use modern characters & settings, base it on popular TV soapies and series. Once Upon A Time... Rewrite some scenes, an act or the whole play in the form of a children s short story. Your audience would be primary school age children who are unfamiliar with the play. This will determine the kind of language you will need to use as well the content of your story. Pictures are going to play a significant role too. 4 P a g e
MACBETH ESSAY PLANNING WORKSHOP CHECKLIST Your planning for a possible essay might take a similar form to the student example shown here. Despite any imperfections, it is still a start and can be tweaked. 1. My topic is. Macbeth s tragedy is that he understands the evil nature of his actions, but proceeds with them anyway. Discuss. 2. The words I would underline are Tragedy Understands Discuss 3. The words can be defined as follows; Tragedy - an event in life that evokes feelings of sorrow or grief Understands - to know or be able to explain to yourself the nature of somebody or something, or the meaning or cause of something Discuss - to consider a particular topic in speaking or writing 4. I would paraphrase the topic by stating Macbeth s tragedy is that he is well aware of the evil nature of his actions but chooses to continue with them anyway despite the implied consequences to himself and others. 5. Brainstorming (a) Concept map, or (b). Six questions I would ask about the topic, along with the likely answers, are; Is it evident to the audience that Macbeth realises the mistakes he s making? 5 P a g e
Is Macbeth a weak minded person who can be easily persuaded? Does Macbeth stick to his instinct? Is it his ambition that makes him repeat his errors? What makes Macbeth regret his decisions after its too late? 7. Planning (a). My introduction will briefly cover the following; Main reasons for Macbeth carrying out the deed, even though he realises that it s unethical. Changing roles of Macbeth though out the play His true character at the beginning of the play. (b). Each main body paragraph will have; Paragraph 1; Topic sentence the reluctance of Macbeth to kill Duncan before being persuaded by Lady Macbeth. Evidence: He s here in double trust: first as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then, as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself Explanation - He basically expresses what he truly feels and reminds himself that he s not only Duncan s subject and host but also his relative and it s his duty to protect the man who has honoured him and not kill Duncan himself. But all these strong reasons for not committing the deed are just washed away by Lady Macbeth. Link one of the reasons for why Macbeth chooses to continue with his evil deeds Paragraph 2: Topic Sentence Macbeth regretting his actions Evidence: this is a sorry sight Explanation again Macbeth is seen regretting his actions and realizing the evil nature of his deed but however still fails to learn from them. 6 P a g e
Link after regretting Duncan s murder, Macbeth still doesn t learn a lesson and next plans to kill Banquo. Paragraph 3: Topic sentence Macbeth repeating the same mistakes all over again only this time he decides for himself and then regrets breaking the sixth commandment which says thou shalt not kill. Evidence - And, with thy bloody and invisible hand cancel, and tear to pieces that great bond which keeps me pale. Light thickens, and the crow makes wings to the rooky wood; Good things of day begin to droop and drowse, whiles night s black agents to their preys do rouse. Tho marvell st at my words; but hold thee still. Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill. Explanation - He is shown referring to various things that are related to evil spirits and witchcraft. This shows us his awareness about the evil nature of his actions. Deep down he also regrets whatever he s doing but his determination and his ambition to achieve his goal seems to be so strong that, Macbeth can cross all boundaries and break any number of commandments to reach it. Link clearly show s his weak mindedness and his inability to stick with the right thing but at the same time reveals his determination to achieve his goal. 8. I will conclude my essay by Recapping: The various times in the play where the audience is given the opportunity to recognize the good side of Macbeth. The side of Macbeth that always reminds him of the evil nature of his actions and makes him think twice before committing these sins. Proving that: Macbeth is well aware of the evil nature of his actions but this doesn t seem to affect his willpower to achieve what he wants. Linking back to the topic by: proving the above! 7 P a g e
Macbeth Essay Topics 1. How, and why does Shakespeare change the audience's perception of Macbeth in Act One? 2. "Macbeth: Hero or Villain?" Discuss 3. "From control to madness" How does Shakespeare present the character of Lady Macbeth? 4. Lady Macbeth is the real driving force behind the murder of Duncan. Discuss. 5. "How does Shakespeare present Macbeth's moral dilemma in Act 1?" 6. Macbeth s downfall can be attributed more to elements of the supernatural than to his own ambition. To what extent do you agree? 7. Macbeth s tragedy is that he understands the evil nature of his actions, but proceeds with them anyway. Discuss. 8. How does Macbeth s ambition lead him to his tragic demise? 9. Lady Macbeth has at first too much power and then too little power over her husband. Do you agree? 10. Macbeth shows that even the most ruthless dictator can also be full of selfdoubt and regret for his actions. Discuss. 8 P a g e