Mr. Briggs ’ Classes
Wednesday-Thursday
October 24-25, 2012

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Through group discussion and individual practice, students will compare the character traits of Macbeth and Banquo.
• … correctly analyze and interpret dramatic tragedy .
• … continue to follow Macbeth ’ s journey of self-destruction.

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Re/Read Act Two in Macbeth .
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Complete the Graphic Organizer for Reading
Act 2.
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You’ll have a quiz on Friday for Act 2.

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Tomorrow (Friday) you will have a quiz on
Act II
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Assure you have read and fully understand
Act II – Reread and research as needed.

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Violence and bloodshed result when prescribed social order is tampered with.
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The qualities of good and evil, strength and weakness, are often combined in a single individual.
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Brave, honest, and noble persons can be seduced by power and ambition, and so turned into tyrants.
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Internal desires and fears can be more influential than exterior reality.

• drama based on human suffering
• five act play ending in the death of most of the major characters
• protagonist is portrayed vividly as a believable human being
• traits may include strength of character, intelligence and cleverness, foolish vanity, or treachery as in
Macbeth
• contains an element of hope that is disappointed disappointment paradox

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Most common example of dramatic tragedy
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Focus is on tragic hero (Macbeth) who contains two major flaws: hubris and hamartia
hubris : overbearing pride
hamartia : error in judgment, deficiency in knowledge, intellectual defect: greed ansd selfishness
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Macbeth fails to anticipate the full consequences of his actions – fatal miscalculation about reality

•May want to be king
•Has been a hero – may feel that deserves a reward and may have legitimate claim to the throne
•Wants to believe the witches ’ prophecies
•Seems humble, not as aggressive as Macbeth
• not in line for the throne
•Skeptical of the witches ’ prophecies
Both men are curious about the Witches

1. In Ii, where do the witches plan to meet again, and why?
2. What news about Macbeth does the bloodstained Sergeant bring to the king in scene
2?
3. What does the King determine to do for
Macbeth, and why?
4. What do the witches tell Macbeth and Banquo?

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Act Two scene 1
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Banquo and Fleance talking at midnight as they make their way to bed.
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M and B talk of the prophecies
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M imagines he sees a blood-covered dagger
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M then leaves to commit the murder off-scene

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Act 2 scene 2
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LM cannot commit the murder as Duncan reminds her of her father
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LM seem thrilled yet calm with the murder. But M is deeply troubled and dazed
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He hears a voice “ Macbeth has killed sleep ”
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By mistake, he takes the guards ’ daggers and LM places them beside the sleeping glooms. She smears their clothes with blood to aid in the deception.

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Shakespeare uses comedy to break up the tension
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Drunken Porter
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Everyone is awaken, announcement of
Duncan’s death
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Macbeth murders the guards

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Ross and an old man speak of strange and unnatural events
- falcon killed by owl
- King’s horses ate each other
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Macduff reveals Macbeth is being installed as new King
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Malcolm (England) and Donalbain (Ireland) are accused of murder