5. Imagery in Macbeth

• English
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)
• GCSE

Introduction

An interactive lesson on Imagery in Macbeth. Includes group work and a board game type activity.

Worksheets

Macbeth Imagery Extracts for Group Work.docx

Imagery in Macbeth

GCSE English Lit: Paper 1

• To understand how Shakespeare uses imagery to enhance themes and characters in Macbeth
• To analyse key examples of imagery and their significance in the play.
• To develop skills in identifying and interpreting imagery in literary texts.
• Use textual evidence to support interpretations of Shakespeare’s language.

Lesson Aims

What does 'imagery' mean in English Literature?

What does 'imagery' mean in English Literature?

What words do you think of when you see this image?

What does 'imagery' mean in English Literature?

What words do you think of when you see this image?

What words do you think of when you see this image?

What words do you think of when you see this image?

What words do you think of when you see this image?

What words do you think of when you see this image?

What words do you think of when you see this image?

What words do you think of when you see this image?

What words do you think of when you see this image?

Each group is going to focus on the imagery in their allocated extract

Group Activity

Group	Scene	Focus
1	A1 S5	Lady Macbeth’s “Come, thick night” speech ( darkness and evil )
2	A2 S1	Macbeth’s vision of the dagger (“Is this a dagger which I see before me?” – imagery of blood and hallucination )
3	A2 S2	Macbeth’s reaction after killing Duncan (“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” – blood and guilt )
4	A3 S2	Macbeth’s description of his mind as “full of scorpions” ( animal imagery representing internal torment)
5	A5 S1	Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking scene (“Out, damned spot!” – blood and guilt )

1. What imagery is used in this passage?                 
2. What themes or emotions does the imagery convey?                                                                          
3. How does the imagery reflect the characters’ thoughts or state of mind?                                       
4. How does this imagery contribute to the overall atmosphere of the play?

Group Activity

Group	Scene
1	A1 S5
2	A2 S1
3	A2 S2
4	A3 S2
5	A5 S1

Each group will have their own mind map to feedback to the rest of the class. You can upload quotations and move any bubble you want. You can use the annotation function too if you wish

Just let the group who worked on this passage contribute. You can delete names of other students if you have to.

Act 1 Scene 5

Group 1

Darkness and Evil

Imagery feedback

Let students use the pen function to combine the mind map function with arrows and any other annotations they want.

Act 2  Scene 1

Group 2

Blood and Hallucination

Imagery feedback

Let students use the pen function to combine the mind map function with arrows and any other annotations they want.

Act 2  Scene 2

Group 3

Blood and Guilt

Imagery feedback

Let students use the pen function to combine the mind map function with arrows and any other annotations they want.

Act 3  Scene 2

Group 4

Animal Imagery

Imagery feedback

Let students use the pen function to combine the mind map function with arrows and any other annotations they want.

Act 5  Scene 1

Group 5

Blood and Guilt

Imagery feedback

Let students use the pen function to combine the mind map function with arrows and any other annotations they want.

Questions on Act 1 Scene 5

What does Lady Macbeth hope will not happen during the murder?

1. A thunderstorm
2. Heaven peeping through the blanket of the dark
3. Macbeth changing his mind
4. The guards discovering them

What does Lady Macbeth want the thick night to hide?

1. The moon
2. The stars
3. The wound her keen knife makes
4. The king's arrival

What does Lady Macbeth ask the spirits to take from her?

1. Her power
2. Her milk for gall
3. Her beauty
4. Her riches

What does Lady Macbeth want to stop with thick blood?

1. Fear
2. Love
3. Joy
4. Remorse

What does Lady Macbeth ask the spirits to do?

1. Unsex her and fill her with direst cruelty
2. Grant her magical powers
3. Protect her from harm
4. Make her a queen

Questions on Act 2 Scene 1

What does Macbeth see before him?

1. A candle
2. A dagger
3. A mirror
4. A ghost

What does Macbeth feel about his words and actions?

1. Actions speak louder
2. Too hot breath gives
3. Too cold breath gives
4. Words are meaningless

What does Macbeth fear will reveal his actions?

1. The trees
2. The stones
3. The moonlight
4. The wind

What does Macbeth observe on the dagger's blade?

1. Rust stains
2. Engraved symbols
3. Reflective shine
4. Gouts of blood

What does Macbeth compare the dagger to?

1. A deadly weapon
2. A divine vision
3. A false creation
4. A magical talisman

Questions on Act 2 Scene 2

What does Lady Macbeth advise Macbeth to do in response to the knocking?

1. Ignore the knocking
2. Flee from the castle
3. Confront the intruders
4. Retire to their chamber

What does Lady Macbeth suggest will clear them of the deed?

1. A prayer for forgiveness
2. A confession to the authorities
3. A little water
4. A change of clothing

What does Macbeth mean by 'The multitudinous seas incarnadine'?

1. He feels the blood will taint the ocean
2. He desires the ocean to turn red
3. He wishes to cleanse his hands in the sea
4. He fears the sea's power

What is Lady Macbeth's response to Macbeth's fear of every noise appalling him?

1. She belittles his fear
2. She dismisses his concerns
3. She joins him in fear
4. She comforts him with soothing words

What does Macbeth ask about when he says 'Whence is that knocking?'

1. The source of the knocking
2. The reason for Lady Macbeth's absence
3. The meaning of the knocking
4. The time of the knocking

Questions on Act 3 Scene 2

What does Macbeth say makes strong themselves by ill?

1. Noble actions
2. Kind deeds
3. Good intentions
4. Things bad begun

What does Macbeth compare his mind to?

1. butterflies
2. scorpions
3. flowers
4. rainbows

What does Macbeth want night to do?

1. seel up the tender eye of pitiful day
2. bring forth the dawn
3. reveal the truth to all
4. brighten the day

What does Macbeth ask Lady Macbeth to be until she applauds the deed?

1. innocent of the knowledge
2. complicit in the act
3. aware of the plan
4. suspicious of the plot

What does Lady Macbeth suggest about nature's copy?

1. eternal
2. not eterne
3. transient
4. permanent

Questions on Act 5 Scene 1

What does Lady Macbeth say about the old man?

1. I never expected the old man to have so much blood
2. Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?
3. The old man had surprising amounts of blood
4. Who would have known the old man had so much blood

Where does Lady Macbeth mention the smell of blood?

1. The scent of blood lingers here
2. Here's the smell of the blood still
3. The smell of blood persists around us
4. Blood's odor remains in the air

What does Lady Macbeth say Hell is?

1. Hell is dark and dreadful
2. Hell is terrifying and deep
3. Hell is filled with shadows
4. Hell is murky

What does Lady Macbeth express about her fear?

1. Fear is for the weak
2. What need we fear who knows it
3. Why should we fear when we are in control
4. We shouldn't be afraid at all

What does Lady Macbeth ask about the smell?

1. Can I ever wash off this smell?
2. Are these hands stained forever?
3. Will these hands ne'er be clean?
4. Will the blood ever disappear?

START

FINISH

HEX GAME RULES - 

Use the spinner to advance across the board, 1, 2 or 3 hexagons. You may move in any direction.

You cannot pass through a PEEL hexagon. If you land on a PEEL space your group must make a PEEL point on imagery based on the whole group feedback. If the answer covers POINT, EVIDENCE, EXPLANATION, LINK TO TEXT then you get to advance one hexagon. If the next space is a PEEL space then repeat the process.

If you land on a '!' square you get to move an opponent's dagger, If this is a PEEL space they must answer this on their next turn before being able to spin the movement wheel.

HAVE FUN

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HEX FEEDBACK GAME

rules are in the ? hotspot.

You can modify the rules quite easily to suit your class!

Look out for other types of imagery in the play

Think about why Shakespeare uses the imagery he does.

Have you noticed any other examples of imagery even during this lesson?

 IMAGERY

What do you want to know more about?

Write down something new you've learned today.

What do you want to know more about?

What do you want to know more about from today's lesson?

How confident do you feel writing about Macbeth as a tragic hero?

How confident do you feel writing about Macbeth as a tragic hero?

😒🙁😐🙂😃