Please go onto Stoll’s DP and download the PDF of “Macbeth - ACT I”

from the menu bar, go to: “Classroom Resources > Project 6A Reading: Macbeth”

Macbeth: The Plot

The play takes place in the early 1000’s in Scotland, during a battle between Scotland and Norway

The play revolves around a murder plot hatched by a Scottish military general, Macbeth, and his wife, Lady Macbeth

The Macbeths intend to kill the king of Scotland, Duncan, in order to fulfill a prophecy that states that Macbeth will become king

MACBETH:Driving Questions

What does the story of Macbeth teach us about political power and how it corrupts?

Who is ultimately responsible for the death of Duncan, and the demise of Macbeth? Why?

How does the timing and context of how information is shared influence the major events of the play?

Let’s Get Weird...This play is different from many other Shakespeare plays because it deals heavily with dark forces like witchcraft, sorcery, and magic

It can be considered as very unstable in pacing and setting; bad weather all over the place, lots of struggle between good and evil, lots of jumps in setting

ACT I: CHAOS!

The first act of the play is highly unstable.

The play is made of quick, short scenes, up until Act II

In everything from the words used to the structuring of the scenes, the play starts off in a state of near panic

Let’s look at form:

Act I: FormSeven scenes in an act - more than usual

The first four scenes start off with an interrogative (aka: a question sentence)

Lots of ideas that clash/work against each other; going back and forth between different ideas, concepts - this is called equivocation

EX: “When the battle’s lost and won” EX: “Fair is foul, foul is fair”

Act I, scene i: Chaos!

#1: Witches! (three was considered unlucky, too)

#2: Storms! (thunder, lightening, rain)

#3: WAR! (when the battle’s lost and won)

#4: Short, sharp dialogue

Act I, scene i: Witches!

The fact that the play starts with witches is a sign that this is going to be a strange play

Thinking back to what we learned about Elizabethan theater:

Witches = women = male actor

However! The witches were NOT played by boys! The witches were played by:

BEARDED MEN!

The Witches were portrayed by men with beards, NOT by boys,

adding an extra element of weirdness to the start of the

play

Act I, scenes 2-4:WAR, Witches & Rewards

Scene 2:The King (Duncan) and his court come across an injured soldier on the battlefield and then two Scottish thanes (ie: lords) who have an important update

Scene 3:The Witches return! And they have a strange, interesting message for Macbeth and his BFF, Banquo.

Scene 4:Duncan doles out new titles to his favorite dudes, rewarding them for a battle well won

Act I: scene 5The grand entrance of Lady Macbeth!

Immediately, Lady Macbeth would have been perceived as a powerful (ie: “scary”) woman

1) She makes statements (first scene that does NOT start with an interrogative)

2) She reads!

3) She talks to evil spirits

4) She is overtly sexual (you’ve been warned...)

Act I, scenes 5-7:Long Live The King

Scene 5:Lady Macbeth hears about the witches’ prophecy and gets very excited about Macbeth becoming King. She immediately tries to convince Macbeth that Duncan has got to go…

Scene 6:Duncan enters the castle and says “how nice”… proving how unexpecting he is of their plot!

Scene 7:During a dinner for the king, Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he can’t kill Duncan, so she insults his masculinity until he agrees… which he does. The official plan is hatched.

Act II: scene 1&2Scene i:

What does Macbeth see while waiting for Lady Macbeth’s cue? How does it affect him?

Scene ii:

Macbeth nearly botches the job - how?

Why does Lady Macbeth have to push Macbeth off at the end of the scene?

Act II: scene iii

Scene iii: The “Knock Knock” Scene

Why the big dramatic build*? Why doesn’t the porter just open the door?

Why does Lady Macbeth faint suddenly?

What do Malcolm and Donalbain decide to do? Why?

ACT II, SCENE 3: A SLIGHT PAUSE FOR HISTORY

Equivocators = Catholics; “…committed treason enough for God’s sake…”

Possibly a reference to the Gunpowder Plot of 1606

A group of Catholics tried to blow up parliament AND the king

Macbeth first produced: 1611

Act II: scene iii

Scene iii: The “Knock Knock” Scene

Why the big dramatic build? Why doesn’t the porter just open the door?

Why does Lady Macbeth faint suddenly?

What do Malcolm and Donalbain decide to do? Why?

Act II: scene iv

Scene iv: The Aftermath

What is going on around the castle after Duncan’s death? (How do we know the world is not right again?)

According to Macduff: Who does everybody think killed Duncan?

Where is Macbeth going? Why?

Act III: scene IScene i: Macbeth is king

How does Banquo feel about Macbeth being king?

How does Macbeth feel about his buddy Banquo?

Who are the two men Macbeth is talking to and what are they supposed to do?

Scene ii:

How have the tables turned between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?

Act III: scene iii & ivScene iii: The Murderers set upon Banquo and his son, Fleance.

Scene iv: A Fancy Dinner Party!

Whom is both absent and present at dinner?

How does Lady Macbeth tell Macbeth to snap out of it?

Where’s Macduff? Why does this matter?

How will Macbeth solve his problems?

Act III: scene v & viScene v (not in film): Meanwhile on the Heath...

Witches are visited by Hecate; lots of storms and spirits and curses; bad weather = bad things coming

Scene vi (later in film): On this episode of “The Real House-thanes of Scotland...”

Lennox gossips about: 1) Malcolm and Donalbain guilty? 2) Macduff meets Malcolm in England

KING MACBETH: DICTATOR IN THE MAKING

Militarism

Isolationism

Propaganda & Censorship

Paranoia and Demonization of Enemies

Controlled Transfer of Power

Act IV: scene i

Macbeth goes to meet the witches:

What are the three NEW prophecies that they give to Macbeth?

**Insert “Real House-thanes…” scene**

At the end of the scene, who does Macbeth say he wants to “surprise”?

Act IV: scene iMacbeth’a NEW prophecies!“Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth…”

1.“…Beware the Thane of Fife!”

2.“…Laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.”

3.“…Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill.”

At the end of the scene, who does Macbeth say he wants to “surprise”?

Act IV: scene iiLady Macduff and son:

Macduff is still away. Ross says that they have been proclaimed traitors, but says that Macduff is still a good man / knows what he’s doing.

L. Macduff is the complete opposite of L. Macbeth: shown as motherly, gentle, and teaches her son about justice

Murderers come in and slay Lady Macduff and her son... on stage!

Act IV: scene iii

Why does Macduff say that he came to visit Malcolm?

What kind of ruler does Malcolm say that he will be? Why?

How does Macduff react to the Thane of Ross’s news at the end of the scene?What does he swear to do?

Act IV: scene iiiMacduff confesses that he thinks Macbeth should be removed as king

Malcolm and Macduff bond: Malcolm learns he can trust Macduff after trying to trick Macduff

Ross enters - at first tells Macduff his family is fine, then tells Macduff that his whole family has been slain by Macbeth

Macduff swears that if he meets Macbeth, only one of them will walk away

ACT V

Act V: Back to CHAOS

11 scenes - yes, 11!

New characters, new scenery, and lots of onstage sword fights

The three prophecies are answered

No more witches - things are settled in the “real world”

Act V: scene i

Scene i: Lady Macbeth has gone mad

What crimes does she reference / express guilt for being apart of?

What is the doctor’s diagnosis? What is she suffering from?

Act V: scene i

Scene i: Lady Macbeth has gone mad

Lady Macbeth is reliving the night they Duncan was murdered

She also mentions the deaths of Banquo and Lady Macduff

Act V: scenes ii-ivScene ii: Thanes are mad!

How do they refer to Macbeth?

Scene iii: Macbeth. Double mad.

List three observations that Macbeth has begun to or will soon fall into madness.

Scene iv: Approaching the castle

What is Malcolm’s genius plan for getting his army to Macbeth’s castle?

Act V: scene vScene v: Macbeth learns of wife’s death

What is his reaction to her death?

What is he more concerned about at the end of the scene? Why?

Lady Macbeth dies an undignified death

Dies off-stage, without “last words”

Nobody takes note

Act V: scenes vi-ix

Scene vi: Malcolm/Macduff reach the castle

Scene vii: Macbeth fights young Siward

How does Macbeth feel after fighting the young soldier?

Scene viii: Macduff has entered the building

Scene ix: Siward and Malcolm - we’ve almost won!

Act V: scenes viii-xiScene x: The Main Event: Macbeth vs. Macduff

What does Macduff tell Macbeth that makes him not want to fight?

Scene xi: The End

Which character is paid high respect in this final scene of the play?

What’s our final impression of Macbeth?

Who gets “the last word”?

The EndMacduff was not born of woman (C-Section)

Young Siward: The Hero of the Everyman

Died on the battlefield defending the true king

Died honorably with his “hurts before”

Is honored by his father and his king to an appropriate degree; “He’s worth no more…”

Macbeth dies an even LESS dignified death

Tries not to fight

Dies off stage

Is killed before giving a final line!

Trumped by news of Lady Macbeth’s death

Malcolm is made king; gets the last word - all is right in the world - YAY!