Writing an Introduction
English 11AP
Macbeth Essay
Purpose of an Introduction:
 1.
To get the reader's attention.
 2. To lead the reader into your paper
and to establish your thesis.
 3. To control your essay by moving
from a general discussion of the
subject to the specific thesis that your
paper will prove.
How do I begin?
 You
could begin with an attention
grabber. This information must be true
and verifiable, and it doesn't need to be
totally new to your readers. It could
simply be a pertinent fact that explicitly
illustrates the point you wish to make. If
you begin with a piece of startling
information, follow it with a sentence or
two of elaboration.
Example:

Insomnia kills. The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill
off Alaska, the Challenger space shuttle disaster
and the Chernobyl nuclear accident have all
been attributed to human errors in which sleepdeprivation played a role. It is no surprise,
then, that Shakespeare’s title character in
Macbeth makes rash and life-altering choices
after going too long without sleep. His guiltinduced insomnia caused his paranoia, his
murders of Banquo and the Macduff household,
and his violent rampage at the end of the play.
Lack of sleep was the cause of the tragedy in
Macbeth.
How do I begin?

You could begin with a quotation from the play
that reflects your thesis. Follow this quote with
a sentence or two of elaboration.
Example:

“By the pricking of my thumbs/something
wicked this way comes.” (IV, i, 44-45) In
Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the title character is
inherently evil, with few, if any, redeeming
qualities. The heartless murders of Duncan,
Banquo, the Macduff family and young
Siward, as well as the blasé response to the
death of Lady Macbeth reflect a heart
incapable of love and decency. Macbeth’s
own death is no tragedy; rather it is the
appropriate end for a tyrant who is pure evil.
How do I begin?

If you tread carefully, you can begin with an
anecdote. An anecdote is a story that illustrates
a point. Be sure your anecdote is short, to the
point, and relevant to your topic. This can be a
very effective opener for your essay, but use it
cautiously, as it could sound either hokey or
irrelevant.
Example:

A fortune-teller once told my friend Pam that
she would meet and marry a red-haired man.
Two days later she met the new custodian at
her school, who happened to be young,
handsome, and ginger. Believing fate to be at
play, she pursued the young man, bought him
gifts, broke him up with his long-time girlfriend,
and married him within six months. Much like in
Shakespeare’s Macbeth, it was the prediction
that spurred her to action. The character
Macbeth, like my friend Pam, fell prey to selffulfilling prophecy and was the author of his
own misfortune.
How do I begin?

Summary Information: A few sentences
explaining your topic in general terms can lead
the reader gently to your thesis. Each sentence
can become gradually more specific, until you
reach your thesis. This is called the “funneled”
form of introduction, and it is quite popular.
Example:

Shakespeare’s Macbeth was not a good King.
He gained his crown by killing the previous
King and then maintained it through
treacherous means.
He was paranoid,
uncaring, maniacal and cold, and perhaps
worst of all, he was stupid. Macbeth allowed
himself to be influenced by his heartless and
ambitious wife as well as three toothless old
hags with little to recommend them other
than a bag of rotting animal parts. Although
he had many faults, it was Macbeth’s
stupidity that led to the tragedy at the end of
the play.
How NOT to Begin!

“Webster’s Dictionary defines ‘guilt’ as: ‘a
feeling of responsibility or remorse for some
offense, crime, wrong, etc., whether real or
imagined.’”…EEK! English teachers see this all
the time, and it HURTS!

“In this essay I will…” Argh! That’s about as
subtle as a train wreck. The passive voice is
appropriate for formal, persuasive essays.
Elements of an Introduction
An introduction should include:
- A brief summary of the action of the play or a
description of the characters being discussed
- A hint as to the topics to be discussed in the
essay – this can be specific, or more general if
there are numerous topics being discussed
- A THESIS – What will you prove to your reader
in this essay?
DESPITE WHAT WE TOLD YOU IN GRADE
10, THE ORDER DOES NOT MATTER;
WRITE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.