4. Macbeth - Villain or victim?

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

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'.

 Macbeth: Villain or tragic hero?

GCSE English Lit: Paper 1

• 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

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

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?

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

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.

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.

A3 S1

A3 S4

A1 S3

A1 S1

Add your group's answers and drag them to the box

Macbeth Timeline

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?

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?

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?

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?

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

Group 1:

 Macbeth is a victim of fate

Group 2:

a villain responsible for his own downfall.

 

 DEBATE

Each group will now present their argument.

 DEBATE

Macbeth: Villain or Victim?

So is Macbeth a villain or victim?

VICTIM OF FATE

RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN DOWNFALL

BOTH

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

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

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?

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