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4. Macbeth - Villain or victim?

 Macbeth: Villain or tragic hero?
GCSE English Lit: Paper 1
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Slide 1: Slide
EnglishUpper Secondary (Key Stage 4)Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)GCSE

This lesson contains 20 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.

time-iconLesson duration is: 60 min

Introduction

An interactive lesson on Macbeth - the character. Inviting students to consider whether he is a victim or a villain, and introduce the concept of 'tragic hero'.

Items in this lesson

 Macbeth: Villain or tragic hero?
GCSE English Lit: Paper 1

Slide 1 - Slide

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  • Analyse Macbeth’s character development throughout the play.
  • Understand the themes of ambition, power, and guilt as they relate to Macbeth.
  • Encourage critical thinking and collaborative learning through interactive activities.
  • Develop your ability to use textual evidence to support your interpretations.
Lesson Aims

Slide 2 - Slide

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Starter: Find an image of a character from books, movies or plays that you think is a 'tragic hero'
 Find an image of a character from books, movies or plays that you think is a 'tragic hero'
 STARTER

Slide 3 - Open question

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Based on the characters you submitted on the last slide, what are the key qualities that make a tragic hero?
Based on the characters you submitted on the last slide, what are the key qualities that make a tragic hero?

Slide 4 - Mind map

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In the next few activities we are going to use evidence from the play to consider if Macbeth is a tragic hero

Slide 5 - Slide

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Each group is going to make a character timeline - for each scene answer these questions:
Group
Scene
Key event for Macbeth
1
Act 1 Scene 3
Macbeth meets the witches and hears their prophecies
2
Act 2 Scene 1 
Macbeth visualises the dagger
3
Act 3 scene 1
Macbeth arranges the murder of Banquo
4
Act 5 scene 5
Death of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth's last stand
Group Activity
  1. Macbeth’s thoughts and emotions at that point in the play.
  2. His actions and motivations.
  3. How his character has changed from earlier scenes.

Slide 6 - Slide

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Group
Scene
1
Act 1 Scene 3
2
Act 2 Scene 1 
3
Act 3 scene 1
4
Act 5 scene 5
Group Activity
  1. Macbeth’s thoughts and emotions at that point in the play.
  2. His actions and motivations.
  3. How his character has changed from earlier scenes.
timer
10:00

Slide 7 - Slide

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A3 S1
A3 S4
A1 S3
A1 S1
Add your group's answers and drag them to the box
Macbeth Timeline

Slide 8 - Mind map

Get groups to add this feedback in turns otherwise it can be chaotic! You could get students to drag the items into the right box
What does this quote reveal about Macbeth’s character at that moment? How does the quote relate to the themes of ambition, power, or guilt?
"Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?" Identify what the quote reveals about Macbeth’s character at that moment.
How does the quote relate to the themes of ambition, power or guilt?

Slide 9 - Open question

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What does this quote reveal about Macbeth’s character at that moment? How does the quote relate to the themes of ambition, power, or guilt?
"I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er." What does this quote reveal about Macbeth’s character at that moment? How does the quote relate to the themes of ambition, power or guilt?

Slide 10 - Open question

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What does this quote reveal about Macbeth’s character at that moment? How does the quote relate to the themes of ambition, power, or guilt?
"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow..." What does this quote reveal about Macbeth’s character at that moment? How does the quote relate to the themes of ambition, power, or guilt?

Slide 11 - Open question

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Find more quotations that you think would be useful in shedding light on Macbeth's ambition, lust for power, or guilt
Based on the characters you submitted on the last slide, what are the key qualities that make a tragic hero?

Slide 12 - Mind map

These could be from just the scenes from the group work earlier or the whole play depending on ability level.

The class will be split into two.

One half will argue that Macbeth is a victim of fate, the other he is a villain responsible for his own downfall.

You have five minutes to prepare your argument
 

 DEBATE

Slide 13 - Slide

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Group 1:
 Macbeth is a victim of fate



Group 2:
a villain responsible for his own downfall.


 

timer
5:00
 DEBATE

Slide 14 - Slide

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Each group will now present their argument.




 DEBATE

Slide 15 - Slide

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Macbeth: Villain or Victim?

So is Macbeth a villain or victim?

VICTIM OF FATE
RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN DOWNFALL
BOTH

Slide 16 - Poll

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Based on your response to the poll, Write a PEEL sentence that explains how Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a villain, victim or both
timer
5:00

Based on your response to the poll, write a PEEL sentence that explains how Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a villain, victim or both


Slide 17 - Open question

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What do you want to know more about?

Write down something new you've learned today.


Slide 18 - Open question

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What do you want to know more about?

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


Slide 19 - Open question

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

How confident do you feel writing about Macbeth as a tragic hero?
😒🙁😐🙂😃

Slide 20 - Poll

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