‘Macbeth’
William Shakespeare
National 5 Unit
Act 1:1
Language, character and theme
The play contains many opposites:
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The play’s themes explore many opposite: good vs. evil; loyalty versus treachery;
natural versus unnatural.
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These contradictions serve to make the atmosphere of the play as confusing as
possible.
•
This is because the witches are out to deliberately confuse and mislead Macbeth.
•
Macbeth himself is a contradictory character who constantly struggling between
his good side and his bad side.
•
Shakespeare immediately highlights these themes and character traits through the
language techniques: ANTITHESIS and OXYMORON.
•
Watch out for these techniques throughout the rest of the play.
Macbeth – Act 1.1 and 1.2
• Setting: Set in Scotland in 1040.
• The play opens with the Scottish King and
Lords (Thanes) in battle.
• Macbeth is introduced as the titular and main
character.
• As we read think about your first impressions
of Macbeth.
Act 1.3 – The Witches
• In modern times science explains the reasons for natural
disasters like earthquakes, floods and droughts.
• In Shakespeare’s time there was no such science so
people invented all sorts of theories to explain why bad
things happened.
• The belief in the existence of witches was one such
theory.
• Before the rise of Christianity people strongly believed in
witches.
• Once Christianity became established the work of the
devil became associated with witches.
• It was thought witches were in league with the devil.
Witches – Historical context
• King James was on the throne at the time
Macbeth was written.
• The King was fascinated by witches and even
wrote a book about it
• So it is not surprising Shakespeare decided to
feature the witches so strongly in his play.
• During James I reign he passed a law
condemning anyone who practised witchcraft
to death.
Act 1:1
Witches – Historical context
People believed witches could:
• Fly through the air
• Predict the future
• Vanish into thin air
• Become your mortal enemy if you refused them food
• Make people mad
• Control the weather.
• Cast spells to ensure victory in battle and keep
people safe
• Never be trusted because they were evil.
• Use animals to carry out tasks for them.
Act 1.3
1. What does the witches’ proposed spell against the
sailor tell us about how they might treat Macbeth?
2. How does Macbeth initially react to the witches’
prophecy? – Look at what Banquo says (lines 5558)
3. What do the witches tell Banquo? What paradoxes
do they use?
4. What other paradoxes have you noticed?
5. Look at Macbeth’s aside starting on line 131. What
is Macbeth thinking about? How does he feel about
it? Quote to support your anwser.
Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth
1. What impression are we given of Lady
Macbeth in this scene?
2. What is the relationship like between the
two? Explain your answer with evidence.
Act 1:5
1. What does Lady Macbeth tells us about Macbeth in
her opening soliloquy?
2. What lines in Lady Macbeth’s second soliloquy tell
us she has already decided they must kill King
Duncan? (lines 38-53)
3. What does Lady Macbeth tell Macbeth to do at the
end of the scene – quote to support your answer.
Act 1:6
1. Look at lines 1-10. What do the characters
say about Macbeth’s castle?
2. What is there about the characters’
comments that reminds you of the witches’
line – “Fair is foul and foul is fair”?
3. How is dramatic irony used in this scene?
Act1:7
1. Look at Macbeth’s opening soliloquy. What are his
reasons for not wanting to kill Duncan?
2. What is his only reason for killing Duncan/ Quote to
support your answer.
3. How does Lady Macbeth persuade Macbeth to carry
out the murder.
4. What more do we learn about the character of Lady
Macbeth in this scene? Give evidence to support your
answer.
Act2:1
1. Look at the conversation between Macbeth
and Banquo. If you were the director, would
you make the conversation friendly or cold?
Explain.
2. What does Macbeth’s vision of the dagger
tell us? Use quotations to support your answer
Act 2:2
1. How does Macbeth feel after he has
committed the murder?
2. List as many quotations as you can to
support this.
Act 2, Scenes 3 and 4
1. In Act 2:3. How is pathetic fallacy used to
symbolise Duncan’s death? Quote to support
your answer.
2. How is the unnatural atmosphere conveyed
through the dialogue of Ross and the Old
Man in Act 2:4?
Act 3:1
1. Sum up Banquo’s opening soliloquy.
2. Why does Macbeth feel he needs to now kill
Banquo?
3. What is the audience’s response to Macbeth and
his actions in this scene?
4. Have your feelings about Macbeth changed since
the start of the play? Explain your answer.
Antithesis
• Antithesis – Contrasting ideas in a balanced
sentence.
• Those that I fight I do not hate;
Those that I guard I do not love.
• My fellow Americans, ask not what your
country can do for you; ask what you can do
for your country.
Act 3:2
1. Look at Lady Macbeth’s language in lines 4-7 –
how does her use of antithesis show her state of
mind?
2. “O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!” What
does Macbeth mean? How is this followed up at
the end of the scene?
3. Why doesn’t Macbeth tell Lady Macbeth about his
plan to have Banquo killed? How does this signify
a change in their relationship?
Act 3:4
1. Why do you think Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost?
What earlier event does this remind you of?
2. How do you think the ghost of Banquo should
look?
3. What other supernatural events have occurred in
the play so far?
4. Using quotations explain how Lady Macbeth tries
to reason with her husband.
5. What has Macbeth decided by the end of this
scene?
Act 4:1
1. List everything that the apparitions and
witches show/tell Macbeth.
2. What is Macbeth’s response to this
information?
3. Look at Macbeth’s closing speech. How does
Macbeth resolve to act from now on?
Act 4:1
• Make a mind-map for Macbeth’s character.
Here are some words to help you:
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Admirable
Courageous
Practical
Frightened
Deceitful
Easily manipulated
Cowardly
Superstitious
Impulsive
Act 4:3
1. List the people who are now against
Macbeth.
2. What does Ross say about life in Scotland
now?
3. What impression are you given of Malcolm
in this scene? Justify your answer with
reference to the text.
Act 4:3
• Will Malcolm make a good king? Explain
your answer.
Act 5, Scenes 3&5
1. How does Macbeth talk to his servant? What does this tell
you about Macbeth?
2. What does Macbeth tell Seyton to do in Act 5, Scene 3
which reinforces his tyrannical nature? (line 35)
3. In Act 5, Scene 5, how does Macbeth respond to Lady
Macbeth’s death? What does this tell you about his state of
mind?
4. To what extent has Macbeth been a victim of
“equivocation” ( 5.5.43)
The Ending
• Consider the end of the play. Malcolm hails a
new era in Scotland and suggests that all will
be well. But this may not be the case.
• Read the Think About Section on page 214. If
you were the director which option would
you go for and why?
Macbeth – The End
1. What does Macbeth finally realise when he
encounters Macduff?
2. What do we find out about Lady Macbeth’s
death?
3. How does Macbeth relate to the time in
which it was written? (Read pages 220-221)
4. How does Macbeth’s character change over
the course of the play? What would you say
is the turning point in Macbeth’s character
change?
Macbeth: Timeline
Macbeth is
seen as
brave and
honourable
Quotation/
example
Critical Reading Paper
Choose a play where these is conflict
between two characters in a family or in a
group.
Show how the conflict occurs and then, by
referring to appropriate techniques, explain
how it affects the characters and the events
of the play.
Critical Reading Paper
Choose a play where these is conflict
between two characters in a family or in a
group.
Show how the conflict occurs and then, by
referring to appropriate techniques, explain
how it affects the characters and the events
of the play.
Macbeth
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Which characters are in a conflict?
Why are they in conflict with one another?
What happens as a result of the conflict?
How does the conflict affect the other
characters and the plot?
Critical Essay Marking
• You are assessed on the following:
• Understanding and knowledge of the text.
• Ability to analyse the text – not just retell the
story.
• Relevance –How well you have answered the
question.
• Language – Fluency, spelling, punctuation,
paragraphing, structure.
Categories –
Mark out of 20
• Category 1 – 18-20
• Category 2 – 14-17
• Category 3 – 10-13
• Category 4 – 5-9
• Category 5 – 0-4