Kari Upham

"At about 2100 lines, Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy and among the briefest of his plays. Scholars generally agree that the drama was written around 1606 because various references in the play correspond to events which occurred in that year. Many also believe that it was composed for a performance before King James I, who had a deep interest in witchcraft. Quite possibly the play was one of the court entertainments offered to King Christian IV of Denmark during his visit to London in 1606. In addition, researchers suggest that Shakespeare may have written Macbeth to glorify King James’s ancestry by associating him, through the historical Banquo, to the first Scottish king, Kenneth MacAlpin. The principal literary source for Macbeth is Rapheal Holinshed’s Chronicle of England, Scotlande, and Irelande (1577). However, Shakespeare took great liberties with this source, adapting various historical events to increase the dramatic effect of his tragedy." (taken from Shakespeare for Students p235). I feel that it is important to provide students with a general background of the play and to note such sources. If they can understand what the time period was like, they can better relate it to their lives, and those of the characters. So I will supply them with information about history. I will also provide them with a critical definition of the term tragedy. Students will gain their own critical analysis of the play through extensive reading, writing, and reenactments. Considerable debate exists regarding the tragic context of Macbeth’s downfall. In drama, a tragedy traditionally recounts the significant events or actions in a protagonist’s life, which taken together, bring about the catastrophe. Classical rules of tragedy also require that the hero’s ruin evokes pity and fear into the audience. In this unit I hope to address all of these aspects. It is important to recognize the historical aspects and universal passions and themes of eleventh-century Scotland. Macbeth is one of the most gripping of Shakespeare’s tragedies. I will introduce the history of drama during Shakespeare’s time. I will help the students to relate it to their own lives through reenactments of scenes, having them put solioquies into their own words, and by having them write about certain aspects of the play and the film.

This unit is designed for a eleventh and twelfth grade English Literature course. In a class such as this, exposure to William Shakespeare is a must. For many students this might be their first exposure, so they be at a disadvantage compared to others that are familiar with common themes and language. I will conference with students and provide extra help when needed. I will make myself available to all.

- Students are generally interested in works of William Shakespeare.

- Students need a variety of exposure and activities in order to understand language.

- Students like drama.

- Students will feel a sense of accomplishment after reading Shakespeare.

- Students feel comfortable acting out scenes in front of classroom.

- Students understand text better if it is read out loud (and plays even better if they are

enacted).

- Students are capable of picking up on thematically aspects of the text.

- Students are capable of productive class discussion and sharing of ideas.

- Students will fulfill Minnesota’s High Standard of Arts Analysis and Interpretation.

Students will Interpret and evaluate a work of art in terms of specific criteria that

represent an informed opinion or response.

- Students will simultaneously fulfill Arts Performance/ Arts creation when they perform

or present an artistic presentation in theater for the rest of the class.

- Students will understand the play: The issues that are raised and characters that

are involved.

- Students will learn to share their opinions with the class.

- In class reading of the play.

- Character sketches.

- Background lecture on Shakespeare, concepts and terms.

- In class viewing of film.

- Comparison/Contrast paper of film and the play.

- Class participation in reenactment of scenes in front of the class.

- Peer evaluations on journals and other writing assignments.

- Discussion.

- Formulation of questions to be raised for discussion.

- Analysis of assigned scenes or characters.

- Peer evaluation.

- Journaling.

- Outside writing assignments

- In-class reading.

Resources (what students will need)

- Copy of Macbeth.

- Journal notebook.

- Handouts.

Objectives: 1. By having the students journal on their prior knowledge of Shakespeare I will know their background, and the students will learn what they already know about his work and his time.

2. They will learn the definition of the term tragedy. How Macbeth is termed as such.

3. By watching the film, students will gain an understanding of what theater was like during Shakespeare’s time. They will learn about Elizabethan structure, audience, and playwrights.

Methods:

1. Journal prior knowledge and exposure to Shakespeare. Plays they’ve read or films they have seen. What they hope to get out of this unit. Questions or preconceptions that they might have. (10 minutes)

2. Define tragedy. "In drama a tragedy recounts a casually related series of events in the life of a person of significance, culminating in a unhappy CATASTROPHE, the whole treated with dignity and seriousness. Shakespeare worked in the forms of REVENGE TRADGEDY, DOMESTIC TRADGEDY, and the CHRONICLE PLAY." (5 minutes)

*(definition taken from A Handbook to Literature .sixth ed. Holman and Harmon.

Macmillan. 1992)

3. Watch video: A Day at the Globe. (35 minutes)

Evaluation:

I will know students have met the objectives by sharing their previous experiences with the class. I will know that they have gained background information through discussions of the lecture and the film.

Objectives:

1. By my reading out loud, students will be able to hear the differences in language making it easier for them to become involved in the play. We will be able to clear up any questions that are raised.

2. After each scene I will hold a discussion to clear up problems or misconceptions.

3. These questions will help students in following along with the story line, but they will only needed at the beginning of the play when the students are unfamiliar.

Methods:

1. Teacher read out loud scenes 1-3 for class. (20 minutes)

2. A discussion of the scenes. (i.e, What do you think of Macbeth after reading Act I scene 2?). (25 minutes)

3. Journal about first reactions to the play. (5 minutes)

Scenes 1-2 recall, discussion questions.1- witches famous line 2- their plan to meet -whom? when? where?3- the appearance of the soldier 4- his news: identification of Macdonwald -- what he has been doing? what Macbeth did? 5- who attacked? 6- how Banquo and Macbeth reacted?7- news Ross gives from Fife: 8-what happened there? 9-what did the Thane of Cawdor do? 10-who is Sweno? 11-what does he want? 12- what they demand of him? 13- Kings reward to Macbeth. Scene 3 1- what the sailors wife did and what her punishment will be? 2- who enters? 3- why Banquo doesn’t think the witches are women 4- three greetings to Macbeth 5- who enters? 6- their news for Macbeth from the King 7- what Macbeth thinks is coming next? 8- Macbeth’s line about chance and their meaning?

Evaluation:

I will be able to assess their knowledge and comprehension through their journals and their demonstrating attentive listening to teacher- student responses and participation in class.

Objectives:

1. By asking for volunteers, hopefully students will begin to feel comfortable in reading out loud in front of class. I would also have students that are not as comfortable pick a reading assignment from the next day and rehearse that character’s lines for the next day.

2. Students will be able to choose a quote from the text that they have just read and relate it to their lives today.

1. Ask the volunteers to do the in-class reading of scenes 4 and 5.

2. Class discussion of scenes.

3. Have students write on one of the following:

Speaking of her husband, Lady Macbeth says:

What do you think she means by this? Is it not possible to be ambitious- and successful- without some kind of ‘illness’? (Act I, scene 5)

When he welcomes the King to his castle, Macbeth describes what he believes to be the duty of a loyal subject:

How would you describe the duty of a subject or citizen today?

(* taken from Oxford School Shakespeare- Macbeth. p96)

Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated on their participation in class. Those students that do not read out loud in class, or do not rehearse a part for the next day, will be expected to participate in discussion. I will know that they are meeting my objectives if they can successfully write on the given topics.

Read scenes 6 and 7. Ask them to write Macbeth’s soliloquy in their own words.

Handout of journal questions for students:

1. Why is it important that Macbeth should at first be presented to us as a brave and

honored soldier? How is he so presented?

2. In Scene iii, how did the witches’ greeting affect Macbeth? What is the importance of

Macbeth’s sudden promotion to be the thane of Cawdor?

3. The Elizabethan audience actually believed in witches; a modern audience does not.

What difference would this make in the reaction of the two groups to the witches’

prophecies?

4. Notice how Banquet’s speeches conquering the witches. Can weird sisters make

anything happen, or do they merely foresee the future? Are they put in the play as symbols

of certain thoughts and emotions? Are they evil, mischievous, or neutral? Explain your

answers in reference to the play.

5. In Scenes v-vii, how much evidence can you find that Macbeth is more frightened by

the plan to kill Duncan than Lady Macbeth is? That they have previously considered

doing so? Which of the two is the brains of the team? Analyze Macbeth’s argument with

himself at the beginning of Scene vii. What is he really afraid of? How does Lady

Macbeth manage to stiffen his courage? Are her arguments logical? Are they just? What

would Macbeth’s future relations with his wife have been had he not followed her lead in

their scheme?

Have students get into groups to discuss their journal worksheets. Turn them in for comments and evaluation. Watch Act I on film. Discussion of video, comparison contrast between actual text. Start a journal log of ideas on the film. Have students keep track of their observations to help them with their comparison contrast papers that will be due at the end of the unit. Allow them to write for a few minutes at the end of each viewing. Have the video assessable for students that are absent.

Conduct an in-class reading of Scenes 1 and 2. Discuss Macbeth’s famous soliloquy: what he sees? what it probably is? where it moves? why he sees it? what is it on? the two forces that seem to be at work now when "Nature seems dead" ? how he’s walking? what sound he hears? what does he thinks it means?

Questions for scene 2. 1-What has Lady Macbeth given to chambermen and herself and why for each 2-what she hears 3-why she couldn’t perform the act 4-who did it? 5-what Macbeth heard- what Macbeth heard a voice cry about sleep 6- why sleep might sound so good right now 7- what Lady Macbeth tells him he must do to his hands and to the daggers 8- why he refuses 9-where she goes 10- why will it be difficult for Macbeth, he thinks, to get his hands clean 11- what they hear- where they go- what they must do and why?

Small group discussion of soliloquies. Have students report back to the class. Read scene

3. Free write exercise; What are the thoughts that pass through Macbeth’s mind as he waits for his crime to be revealed? Write a ‘stream-of-consciousness’ account of the second part this scene. I will be sure to go over term ‘stream-of-consciousness’ with them before they begin. Work on this for the remainder of class.

Read Scene 4. In class writing assignment: Lady Macbeth has no one to talk to- perhaps she confides in her diary? Write the entry describing her husbands strange behavior, and her own attempts to ‘cover up’ at the banquet in this scene.

This day will be set aside for extra in-class time to work on journal entries and writing assignments. This will also provide students an opportunity to conference with me on any concerns or questions that they might have.

Handouts for Act II and III:

1. In the brief dialogue between Banquo and Macbeth at the beginning of the act, what do

you learn about the their regard for each other?

2. Analyze the "dagger speech". In how many different ways does Macbeth see the

dagger? What does the speech show of his mental state? Is he becoming mentally

stronger or weaker than he revealed himself in Act I?

3. How is the feeling of intense horror made impressive at the beginning of Scene ii? Do

the knocking and the actions of the porter increase or destroy this horror?

4. Why did Macbeth kill the grooms? Was it a wise move? What reasons did he give to

the others?

1. For what reason does Macbeth want Banquo murdered? What different reasons does

he give the murderers? Why?

2. In this act how have Macbeth and his wife exchanged places since the murder of

Duncan? Do scenes I and ii suggest that Macbeth has risen or fallen in a moral sense?

Give reasons for your answer.

3. Scene iv is considered the turning point of the play. Refer to the discussion of the plot.

and then explain how this scene may be considered a climax.

4. Why is Macbeth so upset by the escape of Fleance? What speeches of Macbeth seem

to call forth the appearance of Banquet’s ghost? What is ironic about his timing?

5. Considering all the circumstances of the two scenes, why does the illusion of the ghost

show a more serious state of nerves than that of the dagger in Act II?

6. In this act what hints are given of the gathering forces of opposition to Macbeth?

We will go over worksheets. Students will turn in their journals and previous writing assignments. We will watch Act II of the video. Freewrite about more comparison/contrast observations.

Week three will consist of pretty much the same manner. We will read out loud scenes of the play. We will conduct discussions based on the same, and go over Act III worksheet. This week they will begin to work on their character sketches. Each student will examine and write a character analyses. We will watch Act III of the film, comparison/ contrast etc..... A good writing assignment would be to have students replace Act 3, Scene with a new scene for the witches. Students will then be more involved in the play, and be more prepared for next week:

This week students will be more familiar with the story line and be more comfortable with the characters. We will continue to read the scenes out loud if preferred, or students can do the reading at home so that we have time for more classroom activities. For example, bring the witches to court, and have them tried by a jury. Give full TV coverage for the murder of Duncan- Don’t forget to interview the Porter and the old man. and to check the weather reports for that night. * (taken from Oxford. p97). Or we will just act out parts of the play. I will allow students to rehearse in small groups, and put selected scenes into their own words. These Drama exercises will contribute to a major part of the week. Journal-discussion questions would include:

1. Name all of the devices Shakespeare uses in creating a feeling of horror and

impending doom at the beginning of this act. What affects do the witches’ enchantments

have upon Macbeth’s morale? What is his final reaction to the witches? What further

moral degeneration does he show at the end of the scene?

2. In Scene iii, why does Malcolm misrepresent his own character to Macduff? What

events reveal the strong points in the characters of both of these men?

Week 5 - Act 5

This being the final week of the unit, we will take time to tie up loose ends. Comparison/ Contrast papers will be due the following week. Revisions of the journal activities and other writing assignments will also be turned in at the end of the week. We will have a review session on the fifth day, along with a viewing of Acts IV and V of the film.

The handout for the final Act V:

1. In Scene i, what words by Lady Macbeth show that she has been brooding over the past

crimes? Untangle the confused mixture of words to show which crime she dwells on

most frequently. What is the reason for this?

2. What lines foreshadow Lady Macbeth’s death? What do we learn later of her death?

3. In the series of short scenes trace the final mental state of Macbeth through significant

speeches. Where does he show false bravery, masking underlying fear? dependence on

the witch’s prophesies? sense of betrayal by the witches? realization of his misspent

life?

4. Do you feel pity for Macbeth at any of these points? Do you think he was any less

responsible for his acts because the witches’ prophecies tempted him?

5. Is the outcome of the plot satisfying to you? What note of hope ends the play?

The unit test will have to be in two parts. The first part being their in class presentations of a scene or soliloquy. The second being a final paper on one of the following suggested research topics: Witches and Witchcraft, Sleep, Scotland, Consorts, the sources used for Macbeth, or a characteristic of the Elizabethan Age. Otherwise students will be able to conference with me on a topic that they find interesting and relates to the play.

Assessment Package: Minnesota Grad Standards noted previously in Desired Outcomes.

For this unit I will assess my students using contract grading.

Your grade will be based on the following contract criteria:

D regular attendance and class participation

C all of the above,

journals and completed worksheets.

character sketch

B satisfactory completion of the work listed above,

stream-of-consciousness paper

diary writing assignment

soliloquy

A in class drama re-enactment of selected scene

research paper

-Macbeth. Republic, 1948.

Motion picture version of Shakespeare’s tragedy, featuring Orson Welles, Jeanette Nolan, Dan O’Herlihy, and Roddy McDowall. Directed by Orson Welles. Distributed by Republic Pictures Home Video. 111 minutes. or Macbeth. BBC, Time Life Television, 1976. Television adaptation. Also includes part of the series "The Shakespeare Plays." Features Eric Porter and Janet Suzman. Distributed by Time Life Video. 137 minutes.

-Oxford School Shakespeare. MACBETH. Oxford University Press. 1977.

-Lawlor, John. "Natural and Supernatural." In his The Tragic Sense in Shakespeare, pp.107-146. London: Chatto & Windus, 1966. Presents a broud discussion of Macbeth touching on subjects of free will, Shakespeare’s word play and imagery.

- Rackin, Phyllis. "Macbeth." In her, Shakespeare’s Tragedies, pp107-122. New York

Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1978. Offers a general discussion of Macbeth. Rackin’s book, which she states is "written for amateurs," includes photographs form numerous theatrical productions.

- Adventures in English Literature. Laureate ed. Bowman, Mary Rives ed. Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc. 1963.