Context – Witchcraft and the King
King James 1
was terrified
of witches.
Passed a law
promising
death to all
witches.
Witches
 Blamed for all “bad”
things
 1560-1632 Hundreds of
thousands of woman
tortured and killed
 In 1589 in the tiny
German state of
Quedlinburg, 133
women were burned in
one day.
Gunpowder Plot
 On November 5, 1605
there was a conspiracy
to blow up the Houses
of Parliament.
 Roman Catholics,
including Guy Fawkes,
didn't like the antiCatholic laws that
James I (as a
Protestant) was
passing.
 When Christianity
became established,
the works of the
devil became
associated with
witches.
 People believed that
witches were the
Devil's helpers.
 Who was he?
 When did he live?  How did he become king? –
What was his reign like? He
was a seemingly fair and just
king that promoted
Christianity and imposed law
and order.
 How does this differ from
how Shakespeare portrayed
him? – Corrupted by
ambition – Murderous and
desperate tyrant who was
feared and hated as king.
 King of the Scots
 (1005 -1057)
 Killed King Duncan in a
battle in 1040
 Act 1 Scene 1  The play opens with the end
of a conversation between the
three witches on the moor
where they arrange their next
meeting.
Watch the following depictions of the
witches and note any similarities in
your jotter.
The Witches – From our discussion of the video
and from reading Act 1 Scene 1,what do we learn
about the witches.
Think about:
 Where they meet?
 What they do?
 How they speak?
 What they say?
Find a rhyming couplet which shows that the witches can control
the weather.
 “When shall we three meet again? In lightning,
thunder or in rain”
 Find a quotation to show that they fully intend to
cause mischief to Macbeth–
“Upon the heath there to meet with Macbeth”
The witches are the embodiment of evil in the
play and are entirely malevolent.
What does this opening scene tell you about the
kind of play that is to follow? (That is, what is
going to be one of the main themes of the play?)
 Establishes one of the main themes of appearance vs
reality
“Fair is foul and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and
filthy air”
In Macbeth everything is confused, topsy turvy and
nothing is as it seems.
Also establishes the mood of the play – dark and
sinister.
Starter – How many synonyms can
you think of for each of the
following.
Evil
Battle
Brave
Ghost
Think
Act 1 Scene 2
 We learn about Macbeth and
Banquo’s successes in a tough
and bloody battle and
Macbeth is rewarded with the
treacherous Thane of
Cawdor’s title.
Act 1 Scene 2
 Why is this scene placed at the start of the play?
Establishes the character of Macbeth –
“For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name ”
“ Till he unseam’d him from the nave to th’ chaps and
fix’d his head upon our battlements”
“Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel which
smok’d with bloody execution.”
“Like valour’s minion carv’d out his passage.”
 Find a quotation that tells us that one of the
prophecies that the witches will make in the next
scene is true.
“Go pronounce his present death, And with his former
title greet Macbeth”.
Act 1 Scene 3
 The witches display their
power and malice by creating
a storm for a ship’s captain as
they wait for Macbeth and
Banquo. When they arrive
Macbeth and Banquo are told
three prophecies of their
future.
Scene 3
Give evidence that the witches enjoy interfering in the lives of others.
Describe how a) Macbeth and b) Banquo react to the witches’
predictions. (Quote)
“Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear that which sounds so fair”
“Are ye fantastical, or that indeed which outwardly ye show?”
3What does this tell us about the differences in their character?
4. Read Macbeth’s aside that begins “Two truths are told” Explain
Macbeth’s thoughts at this point and identify the idea that horrifies
him (Quote)
1.
2.
Macbeth is thinking about becoming king and weighing up the
consequences of the predictions. The fact that he is entertaining
the idea of murdering the king horrifies him.
“Whose horrid image…function is smothered in surmise” (p9 line
135)
Act 1 Scene 4
 Duncan greets Macbeth and
Banquo and gives thanks for
their bravery and loyalty.
Duncan announces that his
son will eventually succeed
him as king.
Act 1 Scene 4 - While you are listening to the
scene consider appearance vs reality.
Of whom does Duncan say: “There’s no art to find the mind’s
construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built
an absolute trust.”?
Macbeth is someone on whom Duncan is building an
absolute trust.
2. What is the dramatic irony here?
The audience know that Macbeth is considering killing Duncan
and his Son whereas Duncan expresses how Macbeth is noble
and loyal to him.
3.. How does this highlight the theme of appearance vs. reality? To
the king Macbeth appears to be loyal and trustworthy but he is
harbouring secret darker desires to murder the king.
1.
Act 1 Scene 5
 Lady Macbeth reads the letter
from her husband detailing
the Witches’ prophecies and
news of his new title of
“Thane of Cawdor” and they
speak of their plans.
Scene 5
What does the letter and its content tell the audience
about the relationship between Lady Macbeth and
Macbeth?
2. What does Lady Macbeth fear will hinder her
husbands progress and limit his ambition? (Quote)
3. What do we learn about Lady Macbeth when she
says: “Hie thee hither that I may pour my spirits in
thine ear”
4. The lines beginning “The raven himself is hoarse” in
Act 1 Sc 5 are often used to condemn Lady Macbeth.
Referring closely to the text, describe the image
created of her here.
1.
 “Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex
me here and fill me from the crown to the toe topfull
of direst cruelty” Lady Macbeth is summoning evil
spirits to take everything from her that makes her a
woman (qualities such as compassion, kindness and
gentleness) to be able to carry out the murder without
remorse.
 “Come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for
gall you murdering ministers” – she wants them to
replace her breast milk (symbol of nurture/life giving)
with gall (bitter an utterly repulsive substance.
Starter
 Reduce the scene we have just read (Act 1 Scene 5) to
only 5 words. (You will have to skim read this again)
Act 1 Scene 6
 Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s
castle and is greeted warmly
by Lady Macbeth.
Act 1 Scene 7
 Macbeth thinks about the
possibility of murdering the
king and decides against it.
Lady Macbeth is horrified by
this; she insults him and he
changes his mind.
Act 1 Scene 7
 Look at Macbeth’s soliloquy at the beginning of the scene.
 Act 1 Scene 7 – workshop to kill the king
1. Write down all of the reasons why he should NOT kill
Duncan.
2. Quote the lines which tell us Macbeth’s sole reason for
murdering Duncan. (answers on the next slide)
“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only
vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on
th’other”
 After his soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 7 Macbeth decides “We
will proceed no further in this business.” Watch the
workshop Act 1 Scene 7 – persuading Macbeth
 Act 1 Scene 7
3. Reread the scene and write a paragraph quoting from the
text, describing how Lady Macbeth changes his mind.
 Duncan trusts Macbeth as both a friend and a loyal subject.




Macbeth is also the host and Duncan a guest at his castle
where he feels comfortable.
Duncan is a good, just and fair king; therefore the people of
Scotland would be devastated and there would be an
overall
He fears there would be consequences in this life (He fears
someone will repeat the act towards him) although willing
to face punishment in the afterlife.
He doesn’t think that it would end with the murder of
Duncan. (Foreshadowing events to come)
Duncan would be peacefully sleeping and it would be an
act of cowardice.
 Lady Macbeth says that Macbeth has the desire to be king and to murder Duncan
but that he lack the conviction and courage necessary to carry out the act;
questioning his courage.
“Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire?”
 Lady Macbeth mocks/questions his manhood
“When you dur’st do it then you were a man. And to be more than what you were, you
would be so much more the man”
Lady Macbeth is implying that if he doesn’t murder Duncan then he isn’t a real man.
She also says that she will think he is much more of a man if he does kill Duncan to
become king.
 Lady Macbeth expresses how angry she is and how much of a sin she thinks
Macbeth is committing by reneging on his promise by citing their dead baby and
saying that if she had promised to kill the baby she would do so in an extremely
brutal manner while he was feeding from her breast.
“I would while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless
gums and dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this.”
Macbeth
Act One, Scene Seven – Gender Roles
By the end of the lesson…
 You will understand more about:




The character of Lady Macbeth
The character of Macbeth
The relationship between the two characters.
The extent to which each character fulfils traditional views of
men and women.
Success Criteria.
 You will be able to answer the following exit question,
providing evidence for your answer.
(Quotations/paraphrasing)
To what extent do you think that Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth could be described as fulfilling conventional
gender roles?
Activity One
 With your partner, write down as many traditional
female or male qualities as you can.
 Your teacher will tell you which to do.
 You have 2 minutes.
Activity Two
 With your partner, join with another pair.
 Tell each other your ideas, then agree on the most
important of these female qualities.
Firstly, watch this.
 BBC - Learning Zone Class Clips - Macbeth: Act 1
Scene 7 (pt 1/2) - English Video
BBC - Learning Zone Class Clips - Macbeth: Act 1 Scene
7 (pt 2/2) - English Video
 Consider the scene we have just watched and the
whole of Act 1. work with your group and take notes on
how each of the two characters fulfil/do not fulfil
conventional gender roles. (You could use a Mind Map
if you wish)
Mini Critical Essay - Answer the following
question in detail giving evidence to support your ideas.
To be handed in on Wednesday 5th (No more than 2 A4 sides)
To what extent do you think that Macbeth or Lady
Macbeth could be described as fulfilling
conventional gender roles? Your essay should be
structured in this way:
1. Brief Introduction
2. How the character conforms to conventional gender
roles
3. How the character doesn’t conform to conventional
gender roles
4. Brief Conclusion – (you should include your opinion
here)