Shakespeare - Macbeth 1

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 6

What do you remember from last week?

Objectives

After today's class you will have a better understanding of:

- how to read a Shakespeare play, in particular MacBeth;

- you will have read Act 1 and have watched some adaptations of some of the scenes;

- you will have an idea of which theme's there are within the play and how they are portrayed.

Strategies

page 1 - 6

Trouble understanding?

1. always read out loud or listen to a recording/adaptation

2. have a good look at the separate thoughts (use the punctuation) 

3. analyse: subject-verb-object + pronouns --> inversion might help here

4. is there an ellipsis, metaphor or an allusion

5. find out what unknow words mean - the notes in the hand-out might help

6. word jokes

--> read the modern 'translation' next to the original version

--> take notes, highlight words, translate

Macbeth - The scottish play

"The Scottish Play"

Macbeth

• History of the scottish kings
• Play "fit for a king"
• Blank verse (in iambic pentameter) - poetic language, no rhyme
• Theme 1: Fate and Free Will
• Theme 2: Various Types of Rulers
• Theme 3: Ambition as Evil
• Theme 4: Guilt and Fear as a Single Emotion

Things to keep track of during reading

• Themes (previous slide)
• The role of Lady Macbeth
• Symbols (blood, owls, martins, birds of prey, sleep, night, snakes and weather)
• Style of speaking/writing
• allusions, pun, comic relief, tragic hero

Macbeth: Act 1

Procedure

1. read the Modern English version 

2. then watch the fragment(s) from Acts I.3, I.5, I.7

3. finally, discuss what we have seen.

- aspects:

characters, themes, language

www.sparknotes.com

Act 1 scene 3

Macbeth meets the witches

What do we learn here about

- the Witches?

- MacBeth?

- Banquo?

- Themes related to them?

Act 1 scene 5: enter Lady MacBeth ...

Imagine you are a police profiler. 

1. What disturbing traits of character do you notice in Lady MacBeth that make her a likely killer?

2. What is her opinion of MacBeth? Is she right? Let's see.

"unsex me here,"

why does Lady MacBeth say this?

Who is more ambitious in Act  I scene 7?

Viewing question:

How does this character persuade the other to 'play along' and lose innocence?

persuasive technique

a. flattery

b. reassurance

c. putting someone down

d. emphasising determination

sometimes Lady Macbeth combines techniques!!

fragment

1. when you durst do it ...

2. I have given suck ...

3. but screw your courage to the sticking-place...

Theme: ambition

Can you explain why Lady MacBeth is more ambitious and evil than MacBeth at  this stage of the play?

Exit ticket!

Ik begrijp Act 1 van Macbeth nu...

1. Supergoed, cijfer 9
2. Best goed, cijfer 7
3. Niet helemaal, cijfer 5
4. Helemaal niet, cijfer 3