‘Macbeth’William Shakespeare

National 5 Unit

Act 1:1Language, character and theme

The play contains many opposites:

• The play’s themes explore many opposite: good vs. evil; loyalty versus treachery; natural versus unnatural.

• These contradictions serve to make the atmosphere of the play as confusing as possible.

• This is because the witches are out to deliberately confuse and mislead Macbeth.

• Macbeth himself is a contradictory character who constantly struggling between his good side and his bad side.

• Shakespeare immediately highlights these themes and character traits through the language techniques: ANTITHESIS and OXYMORON.

• Watch out for these techniques throughout the rest of the play.

Macbeth – Act 1.1 and 1.2

• Setting: Set in Scotland in 1040.

• The play opens with the Scottish King and Lords (Thanes) in battle.

• Macbeth is introduced as the titular and main character.

• As we read think about your first impressions of Macbeth.

Act 1.3 – The Witches

• In modern times science explains the reasons for natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and droughts.

• In Shakespeare’s time there was no such science so people invented all sorts of theories to explain why bad things happened.

• The belief in the existence of witches was one such theory.

• Before the rise of Christianity people strongly believed in witches.

• Once Christianity became established the work of the devil became associated with witches.

• It was thought witches were in league with the devil.

Witches – Historical context

• King James was on the throne at the time Macbeth was written.

• The King was fascinated by witches and even wrote a book about it

• So it is not surprising Shakespeare decided to feature the witches so strongly in his play.

• During James I reign he passed a law condemning anyone who practised witchcraft to death.

Act 1:1Witches – Historical context

People believed witches could:• Fly through the air• Predict the future • Vanish into thin air• Become your mortal enemy if you refused

them food• Make people mad• Control the weather.• Cast spells to ensure victory in battle and

keep people safe• Never be trusted because they were evil.• Use animals to carry out tasks for them.

Act 1.3

1. What does the witches’ proposed spell against the sailor tell us about how they might treat Macbeth?

2. How does Macbeth initially react to the witches’ prophecy? – Look at what Banquo says (lines 55-58)

3. What do the witches tell Banquo? What paradoxes do they use?

4. What other paradoxes have you noticed?5. Look at Macbeth’s aside starting on line

131. What is Macbeth thinking about? How does he feel about it? Quote to support your anwser.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

1. What impression are we given of Lady Macbeth in this scene?

2. What is the relationship like between the two? Explain your answer with evidence.

Act 1:5

1. What does Lady Macbeth tells us about Macbeth in her opening soliloquy?

2. What lines in Lady Macbeth’s second soliloquy tell us she has already decided they must kill King Duncan? (lines 38-53)

3. What does Lady Macbeth tell Macbeth to do at the end of the scene – quote to support your answer.

Act 1:6

1. Look at lines 1-10. What do the characters say about Macbeth’s castle?

2. What is there about the characters’ comments that reminds you of the witches’ line – “Fair is foul and foul is fair”?

3. How is dramatic irony used in this scene?

Act1:71. Look at Macbeth’s opening soliloquy. What are

his reasons for not wanting to kill Duncan?

2. What is his only reason for killing Duncan/ Quote to support your answer.

3. How does Lady Macbeth persuade Macbeth to carry out the murder.

4. What more do we learn about the character of Lady Macbeth in this scene? Give evidence to support your answer.

Act2:1

1. Look at the conversation between Macbeth and Banquo. If you were the director, would you make the conversation friendly or cold? Explain.

2. What does Macbeth’s vision of the dagger tell us? Use quotations to support your answer

Act 2:2

1. How does Macbeth feel after he has committed the murder?

2. List as many quotations as you can to support this.

Act 2, Scenes 3 and 4

1. In Act 2:3. How is pathetic fallacy used to symbolise Duncan’s death? Quote to support your answer.

2. How is the unnatural atmosphere conveyed through the dialogue of Ross and the Old Man in Act 2:4?

Act 3:1

1. Sum up Banquo’s opening soliloquy.

2. Why does Macbeth feel he needs to now kill Banquo?

3. What is the audience’s response to Macbeth and his actions in this scene?

4. Have your feelings about Macbeth changed since the start of the play? Explain your answer.

Antithesis

• Antithesis – Contrasting ideas in a balanced sentence.

• Those that I fight I do not hate;Those that I guard I do not love.

• My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.

Act 3:2

1. Look at Lady Macbeth’s language in lines 4-7 – how does her use of antithesis show her state of mind?

2. “O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!” What does Macbeth mean? How is this followed up at the end of the scene?

3. Why doesn’t Macbeth tell Lady Macbeth about his plan to have Banquo killed? How does this signify a change in their relationship?

Act 3:4

1. Why do you think Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost? What earlier event does this remind you of?

2. How do you think the ghost of Banquo should look?

3. What other supernatural events have occurred in the play so far?

4. Using quotations explain how Lady Macbeth tries to reason with her husband.

5. What has Macbeth decided by the end of this scene?

Act 4:1

1. List everything that the apparitions and witches show/tell Macbeth.

2. What is Macbeth’s response to this information?

3. Look at Macbeth’s closing speech. How does Macbeth resolve to act from now on?

Act 4:1

• Make a mind-map for Macbeth’s character. Here are some words to help you:

• Admirable Easily manipulated

• Courageous Cowardly • Practical Superstitious• Frightened Impulsive• Deceitful

Act 4:3

1. List the people who are now against Macbeth.

2. What does Ross say about life in Scotland now?

3. What impression are you given of Malcolm in this scene? Justify your answer with reference to the text.

Act 4:3

• Will Malcolm make a good king? Explain your answer.

Act 5, Scenes 3&5

1. How does Macbeth talk to his servant? What does this tell you about Macbeth?

2. What does Macbeth tell Seyton to do in Act 5, Scene 3 which reinforces his tyrannical nature? (line 35)

3. In Act 5, Scene 5, how does Macbeth respond to Lady Macbeth’s death? What does this tell you about his state of mind?

4. To what extent has Macbeth been a victim of

“equivocation” ( 5.5.43)

The Ending

• Consider the end of the play. Malcolm hails a new era in Scotland and suggests that all will be well. But this may not be the case.

• Read the Think About Section on page 214. If you were the director which option would you go for and why?

Macbeth – The End

1. What does Macbeth finally realise when he encounters Macduff?

2. What do we find out about Lady Macbeth’s death?

3. How does Macbeth relate to the time in which it was written? (Read pages 220-221)

4. How does Macbeth’s character change over the course of the play? What would you say is the turning point in Macbeth’s character change?

Macbeth: Timeline

Macbeth is seen as brave and honourable

Quotation/example

Critical Reading Paper

Choose a play where these is conflict between two characters in a family or in a group.

Show how the conflict occurs and then, by referring to appropriate techniques, explain how it affects the characters and the events of the play.

Critical Reading Paper

Choose a play where these is conflict between two characters in a family or in a group.

Show how the conflict occurs and then, by referring to appropriate techniques, explain how it affects the characters and the events of the play.

Macbeth

• Which characters are in a conflict?• Why are they in conflict with one

another?• What happens as a result of the

conflict?• How does the conflict affect the other

characters and the plot?

Critical Essay Marking

• You are assessed on the following:

• Understanding and knowledge of the text.

• Ability to analyse the text – not just retell the story.

• Relevance –How well you have answered the question.

• Language – Fluency, spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, structure.

Categories – Mark out of 20

• Category 1 – 18-20• Category 2 – 14-17• Category 3 – 10-13

• Category 4 – 5-9• Category 5 – 0-4