Macbeth
Act I Scene 1
1.
2.
3.
Describe the opening scene of the Orson Welles’ version of
Macbeth.
What are the connotations of the props used?
Describe the effect of the setting.
Now look carefully at the written scene.
4.
What is suggested by the first stage direction?
5.
When will the witches meet again?
Quote and explain the connotations.
6.
Macbeth is mentioned in the first scene. What does this
suggest to the audience?
7.
Look at the penultimate line. What do you think it means?
8.
Overall comment on the effect of this as an opening scene.
Remember to refer to the stage directions.
9.
What are your predictions for the play after this scene?
Note:
The weird sisters use equivocal language.
Equivocal language is deliberately obscure or ambivalent in
meaning. The witches’ words are open to interpretation.
Act I Scene 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
How does the Captain arrive on stage?
What battle has he been fighting?
What information does he report to King Duncan?
Pick out three quotations to demonstrate Macbeth’s bravery.
(Learn)
How do Macbeth and Banquo react to reinforcements?
Who assisted the enemy?
What is the King Duncan’s judgement at the end of the scene?
Macbeth has not yet appeared on stage. What does the
audience know about his character so far?
Evaluation of the playwright’s craft
What are the similarities and differences between the first two
scenes?
What impact is this likely to have on the audience?
Shakespeare’s plays were performed by actors with little time to
rehearse or gather props and scenery. What clues can you find for
this in the language?
Act I Scene 3
1. What is the purpose of the first 30 lines?
2. What do you notice about Macbeth’s language and how is this
significant?
3. How does Banquo describe the witches? Note the introduction
of humour. This works on more than one level – what do you know
about Renaissance actors?
4. How do the witches greet Macbeth?
What do their words mean?
5. Comment on Banquo’s reaction (lines 50-60) to the witches.
What does he notice about Macbeth? Use quotes to support your
answer.
6. Now note down the witches greeting to Banquo. What could
their words mean?
7. How does Banquo react to the predictions?
8. What does Macbeth say to the witches and what does this
reveal about his personality?
9. Two Thanes arrive with messages from King Duncan. What
news does Ross and Angus deliver?
10. Macbeth says “The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress
me in borrowed robes?”
What does he mean by this metaphor?
11. Find a quote to show that Macbeth is influenced by the
witches’ words.
12. Find a quote to show that Banquo responds differently to the
witches’ words.
13. “Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings.
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
shakes so my single state of man
That function is smothered in surmise,
And nothing is, but what is not.”
What could Macbeth mean and what are the connotations
of these words?
14. Find evidence to show Banquo’s concerns about Macbeth.
15. What is the significance of Macbeth’s aside:
“If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me
without my stir.”
What does this suggest about his character?
Task in groups
Match evidence with the character.
Contrast the characters of Macbeth and Banquo.
What is the message of the playwright?
What is Macbeth’s fatal flaw?
Is he responsible for the flaw?
Can he escape his destiny?
“My noble partner you
greet with present
grace, and great
prediction of noble
having and of royal
hope That he seems
rapt withal.”
Banquo is concerned
that Macbeth is
affected by the
witches’ strange
words.
“Your children shall
be kings”
Macbeth repeats the
witches’ words to
Banquo.
“You shall be king”
Banquo repeats the
witches’ prophecy
Banquo not affected
by the predictions.
Rational – therefore
highlighting
Macbeth’s flaw. His
judgement is impaired
by ambition.
Macbeth has no
children – no heir.
This is a concern for
the future.
Banquo is afraid of
the consequences
does he trust Macbeth?
(aside) “Glamis and
Thane of Cawdor!
The greatest is
behind.”
Macbeth reveals his
thoughts – the
prophecies are coming
true.
Macbeth’s ambition
takes shape. Will he
really be King of
Scotland?
“the instruments of
Darkness tell us
truths; Win us with
honest trifles, to
betray’s In deepest
consequence”
Banquo warns
Macbeth not to trust
the witches. They
trick you into belief
with inconsequential
deeds then betray
you.
Banquo’s rational
approach contrasts
with Macbeth’s
willingness to believe
the witches’
equivocal language.
(aside) “Present fears
When an ”(aside) “ is
used as a stage
direction it is a
construct to allow
Macbeth to reveal his
thoughts to the
audience without the
characters present on
stage hearing.
are less than horrible
imaginings. My
thought whose
murder yet is but
fantastical, shakes so
my single state of man
That function is
smothered in surmise,
And nothing is but
what is not.”
The word “murder”
appears in his
thoughts – why?
Will he have to kill
Duncan to become
King?
His language is
equivocal and
reminiscent of the
witches.
“If chance will have
me king, why chance
may crown me
without my stir”
Macbeth reasons that
if his future is guided
by fate then he does
not need to act.
The audience is left
to question – will
Macbeth’s ambition
drive him towards
murder or will he
trust in fate?
Aristotle’s Poetics
The ancient Greeks wrote plays and created a formula for the genre.
Aristotle wrote down the rules for Greek drama. The Rules for
Tragedy still exist but the Rules for Comedy were lost. Literary
critics often argue whether a play is a “Tragedy” according to the
rules in Aristotle’s Poetics.
The Greek Rules of Tragedy:
1. The hero must be from a high-ranking family. (The Greeks didn’t
write about poor people because they didn’t matter!)
2. The hero must be at the height of his success; the top of the
wheel of fortune.
(And yes, usually male, women were useful for breeding
purposes but otherwise hysterical – from the Greek for
womb.)
3. The hero has one fatal flaw – which will “quite literally” be the
death of him.
4. His downfall is unavoidable, tragic and fateful. It may well be
engineered by the gods.
5. There is a Greek Chorus who will remind the audience of the
important bits.
6. And everybody dies at the end.
7. The audience will follow the protagonist, vicariously suffering
his emotional journey and leaving the theatre cleansed of
emotion. This is called Catharsis.
Act I Scene 4
Malcolm reports on the execution of the Thane of Cawdor.
“frankly he confessed his treasons,
Implored your highness’ pardon, and set forth
A deep repentance”
This demonstrates that treachery against the King (an absolute
monarch in Shakespeare’s time – in England with God’s authority –
Divine Right) is wrong, and the Thane sees the error of his ways and
begs forgiveness, accepting his death as a fair judgement. He dies well
in contrast to Macbeth’s treacherous beginning as Thane of Cawdor.
“There’s no art
To find the mind’s construction in the face.
He was a gentleman on whom I built
An absolute trust.”
The King comments that it is difficult to read someone’s true
thoughts. This builds up the sense of irony after the suggestions in
the previous scene.
Directly after these words, Macbeth enters, again building tension
and preparing the audience for the possibility of more treason.
Duncan tells Macbeth he is very grateful.
Macbeth says he is paid by the act of loyalty to his king.
The King introduces imagery of a tree
“ I have begun to plant thee, and will labour
To make thee full of growing”
Introducing the idea of cultivating Macbeth’s loyalty
When Banquo is acknowledged he continues the metaphor:
“The harvest is your own”
The expectations of Macbeth and Banquo are raised; then King
Duncan announces next in line to the Throne. In Scotland the King
can name his successor. Will it be… Macbeth?
“”We will establish our estate upon
Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter
The Prince of Cumberland”
Macbeth was expecting to be named as Duncan’s successor after the
witches’ predictions. Duncan’s Court is revealed as a family unit
bound by natural ties of family and loyalty.
Macbeth’s response:
“The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires,
Let not light see my black and deep desires.”
Macbeth realises for his ambition to be achieved he must remove the
king and Malcolm.
He introduces “black” alluding to the dark side, evil, the witches.
He asks the stars to hide their light so that no one can see his evil
thoughts. Learn this quote.
The King has decided to stay at Macbeth’s castle in Inverness. This
would be an honour for Macbeth. Macbeth rides ahead to prepare
for the visit.
Act I Scene 5
This scene begins with Lady Macbeth reading a letter from Macbeth.
He explains the strange predictions of the witches followed by the
news of his promotion from Ross and Angus.
Her response – she is ambitious for her husband.
“Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be
What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature:
It is too full o’ the milk of human-kindness
To catch the nearest way.”
She wants the predictions to be fulfilled but is concerned that
Macbeth is too kind, too gentle to carry out the necessary murders –
“the nearest way”.
This is a good point to raise in an essay on Macbeth’s character. Is he
influenced by the witches or by his wife and does this suggest a
weakness?
REORDER THE LINES TO
TRANSLATE THE QUOTE:
“Hi thee hither
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear,
And chastise with the valour of my
tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden
round
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth
seem
To have thee crowned withal.”
All that stops you getting Duncan’s
crown
To have you already crowned.
Hurry home to me
That I may influence your thoughts
That your destiny and supernatural
forces are helping
And reprimand with my brave tongue
Write out Lady Macbeth’s words and the translation in the
correct order.
Lady Macbeth hears from a messenger that King Duncan is on his
way. Macbeth is ahead of the king but they must make preparations.
Look at lines 36-57. Create a poster illustrating the speech and
highlighting key themes - present to the class.
The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood;
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect and it. Come to my woman’s breasts
And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers,
Wherever, in your sightless substances,
You wait on nature’s mischief. Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark
To cry, “Hold, hold!”
Enter Macbeth
Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor!
Greater than both by the all-hail hereafter!
Thy letters have transported me beyond
This ignorant present, and I feel now
The future in the instant.
Coat of Arms - Cawdor
Coat of Arms Glamis
Lady Macbeth instructs Macbeth to Welcome King Duncan:
“look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under’t. He that’s coming
Must be provided for”
To pretend to be the perfect host but to betray him and murder him.
What is Macbeth’s response?
At this point in the play, what do you think of Lady Macbeth and how
far is she responsible for the plot to kill Duncan?
Act I Scene 6
Duncan and Banquo make polite conversation. Martlet builds nests in
churches – place of sanctuary.
Lady Macbeth welcomes King Duncan to her home. The calm before
the storm.
Act I scene 7
Work through Macbeth’s soliloquy. In this speech he works out
arguments for and against the murder of King Duncan.
Match a quote from the speech to the translation and put in the
correct order.
We but teach bloody instructions, What goes around comes around.
which, being taught, return to
plague the inventor. This even
handed justice commends the
ingedience of our poisoned
chalice to our own lips.
If the assassination could trammel If Macbeth kills the King and
up the consequence, and catch
with his surcease success – that
but this blow might be the be-all
and and the end-all!
If it were done when ’tis done,
then ‘twere well it were done
quickly.
Then, as his host, who should
against his murderer shut the
door, Not bear the knife myself.
becomes the new king, he will
achieve his desire.
We’d jump the life to come
If he commits murder he will not
go to heaven.
I have no spur to prick the sides
of my intent but only vaulting
ambition which o’erleaps itself
and falls on the other
Besides this Duncan hath bourne
his faculties so meek, hath been
so clear in his great office, that
his virtues will plead like angels,
trumpet-tongued against the deep
damnation of his taking off.
There is nothing but leaping
ambition that makes me want to
carry out the deed.
He’s here in double trust: First as
I am his Kinsman and his subject,
strong both against the deed;
He trusts me as a relative and as
his loyal subject.
If it must be done, do it quickly.
The host should not invite
someone in and then kill him, he
should be protecting him from
attack.
If Duncan is murdered, he has led
such a good life that the angels
will take him to heaven.
(Christians at the time believed
that you must confess your sins
before death or you would go to
hell. If you are murdered you
can’t confess your sins.)
In your opinion, is Macbeth prepared to kill the king at this point in
the play?
Lady Macbeth enters. What language technique is used to change
the atmosphere and what atmosphere is created?
How does Lady Macbeth attempt to persuade her husband?
Explain the images she uses in lines 36-45.
How does Macbeth respond to her?
Deconstruct the metaphor and explain how effective you find the
lines:
“I have given suck, and know
How tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me;
I would while it was smiling in my face
Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums
And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you
Have done to this.”
What signifies a change in Macbeth and why do you think this has
happened?
What is Lady Macbeth’s plan?
The act ends with the rhyming couplet:
“Away, and mock the time with fairest show:
False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”
What does he mean and of what does this remind you?
http://video.answers.com/alan-cumming-discusses-his-macbethadaptation-517415369