The Tragedy of Macbeth

By William Shakespeare

A major theme in Macbeth is the question of what forces are responsible

for the path of a human’s life. Are the events in our lives the product of a predetermined Fate or the result of the decisions we ourselves make? In other words, do we choose our path or is it already chosen for us?

For your journal, discuss your opinion on Fate (Determinism) Vs. Free Will. Start with a brief explanation of each Assert your opinion Provide evidence for your opinion Predict, based on your background knowledge (i.e. other plays and

poems you have read by Shakespeare), which force will prevail in Macbeth. Justify your response

Journal 1

Renaissance and Shakespeare

Background Assignment Read pages 282 – 299 Create a brochure on Shakespeare and

The Renaissance Theatre in which you present and illustrate key information from the text.

Your brochure should be legible, informative, colorful and error free (meaning check your spelling and grammar). Please use complete sentences and refrain from bullet points.

Do not simply regurgitate (copy) the main headings in the book. Read the information and create your own.

Think of it as a creative study guide – what is the most important information in the text? What facts will help you immerse yourself in Macbeth and help you understand the play better?

Standards-LA.A.2.4.1 – the student determines main

idea and identifies relevant details-LA.A1.4.2 – the student selects and uses

strategies to understand words and texts, and to make and confirm inferences from what is read

-LA.B.2.4.1-student writes text, notes, outlines, comments and observations that demonstrate comprehensions and synthesis of content and experiences from a variety of media

-LA.B.2.4.2- student organizes information using appropriate systems Objectives

SWBAT understand the development of drama in Britain, identify different types of plays, appreciate history and development of the Renaissance theater, and read and understand the description and diagram of the Globe Theater through close reading of the text and the creation of an historical brochure

1. Tragedy (n): A play, novel, or other narrative depicting

serious and important events, in which the main character comes to an unhappy end. The main character is usually dignified, courageous, and often high ranking.

2. Allusion (n): A reference to a statement, person, place, event, or thing that is known from literature, history, religion, mythology, politics, sports, science, or popular culture.

3. Paradox (n): an apparent contradiction that on closer inspection is actually true

4 Disdaining (v): Consider to be unworthy of one's consideration

5. Valor (n): Great courage in the face of danger, esp. in battle

6. Plight (n): a terrible situation 7. Rapt (v): enraptured or enthralled 8. Surmise (v): to guess at with little proof or evidence 9. Compunctious (adj): guilty or uneasy 10. Undaunted (adj): brave and fearless, not discouraged 11. Clamor (n) a loud prolonged noise

VocabularyDirections: For each word, write the word,

definition, part of speech, synonym, draw a picture to help you remember the definition and write a

complex sentence that demonstrates your understanding of the word.

What does it mean to be ambitious? Is being ambitious a good thing or a bad thing? Give examples to support your opinion What are you willing to do to get what you want?

Journal 2please note that if you do not respond to all questions and do not write a minimum of 100 words, you will

not receive full credit

Take the time to read the side notes in your text. They provide you with definitions of unfamiliar words, translations for archaic words, and explanations of allusions.

Read the play according to punctuation and not by lines. It will make more sense to you this way.

Don’t skip stage directions – they provide vital information as to what is happening, who is on the stage, who the character is speaking to, etc.

Pay attention to what the characters say about their surroundings and the setting. For example, in Act 1, scene 1, the witches refer to the weather, setting up the tone and mood of the play, and foreshadowing the conflict Macbeth feels as the play unfolds.

Read slowly, for comprehension, and translate as you go.

Strategies for Reading Shakespeare

Follow along in the text as we Listen to a podcast of the first two scenes Watch introduction and scene i,ii

Turn to your partner and discuss the following: In scene 1, why is the weather an important factor? When will the witches meet again? What do they mean by “Fair is foul and foul is fair”? Discuss the prevalence of violence in Macbeth's world. How many men has Macbeth killed in his life? How much guilt do you think he feels about the enemies he has slain? Is killing in the heat of battle or at a time of war the same as murder?

In other words, is Macbeth already a murderer? Discuss how a world at war can be evoked on a theater stage, or in a

film like This is Macbeth

Macbeth

Review the witches' scenes in Act One. Close-read

Macbeth and Banquo's reactions to the witches to learn about how supernatural beings fit into Macbeth's world. Are sightings like this common? Are the witches treated with fear? With reverence?

With disrespect? What is their purpose in this play? Do you think the witches stand to gain anything from

giving Macbeth and Banquo these prophecies?

The Witches

Another theme explored in Macbeth is gender roles and the

relationship between power, violence, and masculinity. Discuss your ideas about male and female roles in society and within

traditional relationships (i.e marriage) How do you feel about men or women who step outside of what is

considered to be a societal gender norm – such as women participating in predominantly male careers or activities or women who commit violent crimes?

A few more ideas to consider – women in the military; women in combatwomen who play professional sportsmen who are stay at home dadsmen who have careers in care giving such as nursingAlso discuss the idea that behind every successful man is a strong, ambitious woman who is helping him through his career.

Journal 3

Meter refers to the pattern of syllables in a line of poetry.

The most basic unit of measure in a poem is the syllable and the pattern of syllables in a line, from stressed to unstressed or vice versa. This is the meter. Syllables are paired two and three at a time, depending on the stresses in the sentence.

Two syllables together, or three if it’s a three-syllable construction, is known as a foot. So in a line of poetry the cow would be considered one foot. Because when you say the words, the is unstressed and cow is stressed, it can be represented as da DUM. An unstressed/stressed foot is known as an iamb. That’s where the term iambic comes from.

Understanding Iambic Pentameter

Pentameter is simply penta, which means 5, meters.

So a line of poetry written in pentameter has 5 feet, or 5 sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. In basic iambic pentameter, a line would have 5 feet of iambs, which is an unstressed and then a stressed syllable. For example:

If you would put the key inside the lock This line has 5 feet, so it’s written in pentameter. And

the stressing pattern is all iambs: if YOU | would PUT | the KEY | inSIDE | the LOCK da DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da DUM

Understanding Iambic Pentameter

weakSTRONGweakSTRONGweakSTRONG

weakSTRONGweakSTRONG “I AM…” I AM I AM I AM I AM I AM “ I a m a p i r a t e w i t h a w o o d e n l e

g . ” I AM a PI rate WITH a WOOD en LEG But soft: what light through yonder

window breaks?

Understanding Iambic Pentameter

1. Apparition (n): a ghostly figure 2. quench (v): to put out or extinguish 3. mockery (n): insulting or contemptuous (HATEFUL) action or speech 4. perjury (n): the voluntary violation of an oath or vow either by

swearing to what is untrue or by omission to do what has been promised under oath

5. Skimp (v): to have a smaller amount or portion 6. chaotic (adj): complete confusion 7. woeful (adj): full of sadness 8. renowned (adj): widely acclaimed and highly honored 9. Irony (n): a contrast between expectation and reality 10. Pun (n): a play on the multiple meanings of a word or on two words

that sound alike but have different meanings 11. Imagery (n): language that appeals to the senses, most often sight 12. Metaphor (n): figure of speech that makes a comparison between

two seemingly unlike things WITHOUT the use of like or as. 13. Theme (n): the central idea or insight of a work of literature

Macbeth Act 2 Vocabulary

In your opinion, what makes someone resort

to murder? What makes a person who is not necessarily

evil decide to commit evil acts? Do you think everyone is capable of such

actions under the right circumstances or are only certain individuals or personalities succeptible?

Journal 4

Directions: choose one of the following quotes and explain what you think it means. Do you agree or disagree? Why do you think that? Give an example of your opinion in action.

“Glory, built on selfish principles, is shame and guilt.”William Cowper

“Guilt is anger directed at ourselves - at what we did or did not do. Resentment is anger directed at others - at what they did or did not do.”Peter McWilliams

“Fear is the tax that conscience pays to guilt.”George Sewell

“Hard though it may be to accept, remember that guilt is sometimes a friendly internal voice reminding you that you're messing up.”Marge Kennedy For you further consideration:

How do you think guilt with impact Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? How does guilt effect you? Do you think guilt can change the way people behave or impact their decisions in

some way?

Journal 5: Guilt

BIOPOEMS: Who are these people anyway? Macbeth (i.e., manipulative, impressionable, ambitious, cynical, etc).

Craft a "bio-poem" for three of the following characters: Lady Macduff, Malcolm, Macduff, Macbeth, or Lady Macbeth

Line 1: Your character's name Line 2: Four traits that describe your character Line 3: Relative (parent, husband, child, etc) of ______ Line 4: Lover of ___, ___, and ___ (3 things or people) Line 5: Who feels ____, ___, and ____ (3 emotions) Line 6: Who needs ____, ____, and ____ (3 items) Line 7: Who fears _____, _____, and _____ (3 items) Line 8: Who gives _____, _____, and _____ (3 items) Line 9: Who would like to see _____, ____, and _____ (3 items) Line 10: Resident of _______ Line 11: Your character's name

Bio Poem Assignment

Emily Dickinson wrote: “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul – and sings the tune without the words – and never stops at all” while in contrast Nietzsche wrote “Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.”

For your journal – explain each quote and respond to the following:1. Which quote do you agree with and why? 2. Give an example of how you think “hope” functions in your life

and in the lives of others.3. Hope is a necessary human quality / emotion. What happens

when people lose hope. Provide an example.4. Do you think there is any hope for Macbeth and Lady

Macbeth? Explain.

Journal 7 - Hope

1. What do you notice is different about the language in Act 5, scene 1? Why would

Shakespeare do this? What is the intended effect?2. Why does the doctor call Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking a “perturbation of

nature”(unnatural)?Explain what theme this statement is supporting?3. What does her disturbed sleep represent?4. What is she acting out in her sleep?5. The doctor and the gentlewoman express pity for Lady Macbeth – why would

Shakespeare do this?6. What is your opinion of Macbeth – mad or valiant (scene 2, line 12-16)7. Is Macbeth a Tragic Hero or a villain? (scene 2, line 22-28)?8. Which prophecy is Macbeth forgetting or choosing to ignore?(scene 3, lines 1-10)9. What do Macbeth’s insulting remarks reveal about his character? (scene3, lines 14-17)10. The doctor does not help Lady Macbeth and does not satisfy Macbeth’s request to cure

her so what is the purpose for the doctor in the play?11. What does Macbeth mean when he says that Lady Macbeth “would have died

hereafter”?12. What does Macbeth’s speech say about his mindset and about his character? (Scene 5.,

lines 19-30)13. Why does Macbeth continue to believe he is safe because of the prophecies when most

of them have already been proven to be true?

Act 5 Questions