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William Shakespeare
Novel Guide
Teacher’s Discovery®
Note
The text used to prepare this novel guide was published by Dover Thrift Editions, an imprint of Dover Publications, Inc., 1993.
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Published by:
Teacher’s Discovery®
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Author: Amy Kathryn Craven
Cover Design: Ryan Craig
Original Cover Illustration: Brian Bowman
Page Design: Julie A. Yonker
Illustrations: Colleen M. Madden
Editor: Esther J. Moreau
Publication Coordinator and Managing Editor: Sara E. Baker
Publication Manager: Kristin Barbus
Additional Contributors: Anthony Ambrogio, Melissa Simpson, Emily R.
Jennings, C. Riley Auge`, Leah Ryan, Rick Vess, Elisabeth Khan, and
WriterServices.net
© 2005. Teacher’s Discovery® Publications.
These materials are protected by copyright law. For each purchased copy of this
work, a limited license is granted to allow reproduction [of activity pages and
masters] to one teacher for use with that teacher’s class(es).
SKU: TS1349E
ISBN: 0-7560-0457-8
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Table of Contents
Instructions
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
How to Use This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Before We Start
Lesson Plan Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Book Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Character and Term List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Vocabulary Definition List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Pre-Reading Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Novel Road Map to Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Overall Grading Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Target on Text
Act I, Scenes I–VII
Teaching Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Act II, Scenes I–IV
Teaching Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Act III, Scenes I–VI
Teaching Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Act IV, Scenes I–III
Teaching Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Act V, Scenes I–VIII
Teaching Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Reflect on Reading
Lesson Plan Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Activities/Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Pre-Reading Question Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Final Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Publication Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
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Amy Kathryn Craven graduated summa cum
laude and Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA with a
B.A. in English. After obtaining her teaching
credential, she returned to her high school
alma mater in Southern California where
she taught freshman and sophomore English
at levels ranging from mainstream special
education to honors. She received her M.A.
in Education after completing research on
the use of close reading to enhance students’
critical thinking skills. Currently, she works
as a freelance writer and editor while raising
a family.
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Instructions... Just for YOU!
Overview
Novel guides help you navigate through great literature. This teacher-created guide frees
up your day, giving you more time to motivate your students to appreciate Macbeth.
This guide increases your students’ understanding of literary techniques, such as
characterization, theme, symbolism, plot, and more. Creative, innovative, and fun activities
improve reading comprehension and strengthen critical thinking skills. Student sections
include journal writing, research skills, expository writing techniques, and pre-reading
questions. Each act has key questions to be used as your students’ novel road map to
success. Teacher sections contain background information, act summaries, discussion
questions, writing topics, a grading rubric, and a final test.
How to Use This Guide
Follow this basic sequence of steps to ensure the smoothest course through the play:
1. Prepare your students to read by working through the Before We Start handouts.
a. Read through the background information to familiarize yourself with the play.
b. Print and hand out the Character and Term List, Synopsis, Vocabulary
Definition List, Novel Road Map to Success, and Overall Grading Rubric to
your students before they start reading.
c. Have your students complete the pre-reading questions to provide a firm
foundation for entering the text.
2. Target on Text contains everything you need as the students read. We have divided
the activities into five sections of roughly the same length. This provides the
necessary stopping places for review as students work their way through the text.
a. Read through the act summaries, target objectives, and lesson plan details
located on the Teaching Essentials page at the start of each section.
b. Print and hand out the activities provided in each section to your students as
they read though the play.
c. Hold a class discussion at the end of each section to review what your students
just read.
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3. Reflect on Reading contains activities for students to complete after reading the play.
In this section, the students synthesize their learning.
a. Hold a final class discussion with the 20 discussion questions.
b. Assign the activities.
c. Return to the pre-reading questions for an interesting debate on whether or not
students’ original ideas and assumptions have changed.
d. Administer the final test.
4. For your convenience, a disk is provided which includes:
a. all reproducibles
b. bonus handouts that supplement the handouts in the book
c. specially designed exercises for struggling readers
b. the entire Novel Guide
Timeline
The entire unit lasts six weeks. Below are suggested time frames (based on a
50-minute class period) for each stage of your study. The lesson plan details
located on the Before We Start, Reflect on Reading, and Teaching Essentials pages
list approximate completion times for each activity.
1. Before We Start: two class periods
2. Target on Text: four class periods per act
3. Reflect on Reading: six class periods
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Before We Start
T
his section contains preparatory information and
activities for both you and your students. You receive
background information on the play. Students get a
character and term list, synopsis, vocabulary definition list,
pre-reading questions, novel road map to success, and overall
grading rubric.
LESSON PLAN DETAILS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Character and Term List—hand out for student reference
Synopsis—hand out and discuss in class (20 minutes)
Vocabulary Definition List—hand out for student reference
Pre-Reading Questions—hand out and have students complete in class
(20 minutes)
5. Novel Road Map to Success—hand out for students to complete as they
read
6. Overall Grading Rubric—hand out and discuss (20 minutes)
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Background... Just for YOU!
Author Biography
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon, England, in April 1564. His
father was a glove maker. His father was prosperous when Shakespeare was born but
later fell upon hard times. He was prosecuted for his involvement with the black market
sale of wool.
Little is known about Shakespeare’s early life before his arrival on the London literary
scene. He was married to Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, and they had three
children: Susanna, the eldest, and the twins Judith and Hamnet. His son Hamnet died in
1596, at the age of 11, about three years before Shakespeare wrote a play called Hamlet.
In 1598, he appeared at the top of the list of actors for a production of a play by Ben
Johnson. Ultimately, Shakespeare was known as an actor, a playwright, and as a founder
of a theatre company. There is some dispute among scholars, however, as to whether the
actor William Shakespeare and the writer William Shakespeare were one and the same.
Some claim that they were two different people.
Like many of Shakespeare’s plays, Macbeth is based loosely on historical events, in this
case the reign of King Macbeth I of Scotland. Actors consider the play to be unlucky, and
theatre artists generally refer to it as “The Scottish Play” because they believe that to utter
the name “Macbeth” aloud inside the theater will doom the production.
Source: http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/biography/192/William_Shakespeare
Book Summary
Background
Macbeth is synonymous with intensity and madness. Its mixture of ambition, evil, and guilt
proves to be almost toxic. In fact, tales of terrible events shadow the play so closely that
superstitious actors dubbed it “The Scottish Play,” fearing to utter its name lest tragedy
befall them. Prophecy, violence, and blood seep through the play, making it one of the
most brutal of Shakespeare’s works.
Based largely on accounts in Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and
Ireland, the story combines many historical facts, such as the 11th-century kingships
of Duncan and Macbeth, into a tale of regicide (murder of a king), corruption, and
consequences that reveal the darkness of man’s soul. Scholars date the play in 1606, after
Shakespeare’s famous tragedies Hamlet and Othello. Strong evidence suggests it was written
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to pay homage to James I, Shakespeare’s most prominent patron. Shakespeare’s focus on
the Scottish figures of Macbeth and Banquo recognized James’ Scottish heritage—he was
King James VI of Scotland before ascending to the throne of England in 1603—and
appealed to James’ family’s assertion that they were descendants of Banquo. The picture of
good kings versus vicious tyrants also pleased James I as he attempted to define himself as a
benevolent monarch who ruled through the Divine Right of Kings.
While Shakespeare’s language presents obstacles to some readers, taking the play line by
line helps students discover it isn’t so difficult after all. In addition, the play itself is fairly
short (though some critics attribute that to the fact that parts may be lost) and actionpacked, which makes it accessible to students. Trying to solve the witches’ riddles and
predict the next step ensures rapt attention, and applying the play’s lessons to life today
makes it relevant to students’ lives.
Novel Setting
The play is set in Scotland with a brief foray into England. The action occurs in several
locations: the Scottish countryside where military operations unfold, the king’s palace
at Forres, heaths and caverns that the witches inhabit, Macbeth’s castle at Inverness,
Macduff’s castle at Fife, and finally the palace at Dunsinane. According to Holinshed,
Duncan and Macbeth reigned during the years 1034–1057, making this the likely time
period of the play. The main characters are part of the Scottish nobility, the elite classes.
The male protagonists are also part of the king’s military and are rewarded or punished
according to their loyalty and their battlefield success. Ideas of honor, lineage, and position
are key elements in the story.
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Before We Start
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Character and Term List
Below is a list of the major characters and terms.
Characters
Duncan:
Duncan is the King of Scotland when the play opens. He symbolizes
benevolent rule and trusted authority; he rewards men who do well and
punishes traitors.
Malcolm:
Malcolm is Duncan’s older son and heir to the throne. He demonstrates
cowardice initially but is able to overcome his fears and act valiantly in
the end.
Donalbain:
Donalbain is Duncan’s younger son who plays a minor role in the play.
Macbeth:
Macbeth is a general in King Duncan’s army and the thane of Glamis
(and Cawdor). In Scotland a thane is a feudal lord or baron. Although he
acts admirably in the beginning, ambition and greed reveal the dark side
of his character. His tyrannical behavior reflects the dangers of a corrupt
leader.
Banquo:
Banquo is a general in King Duncan’s army whose morality wins out
over his ambition; thus, he acts as a foil of sorts to Macbeth. He is told
that his sons will become kings.
Macduff:
Macduff is a Scottish nobleman who ends up working against Macbeth.
He suffers personal tragedy at Macbeth’s hand and seeks revenge.
Lennox:
Lennox is a Scottish nobleman who becomes involved in the political
intrigue.
Ross:
Ross is another Scottish nobleman who becomes involved in the
political intrigue.
Fleance:
Fleance is Banquo’s son, who according to the witches’ prophecy is in
line to ascend the Scottish throne, but who is unaccounted for at the
end of the play.
Siward:
Siward is the Earl of Northumberland and general of the English army
that invades Scotland in an attempt to unseat Macbeth from power.
Lady Macbeth:
Lady Macbeth is Macbeth’s wife and the catalyst behind much of his
behavior. She wants the throne for him and urges him to commit
criminal acts. Her conscience eventually troubles her to such an extent
that madness descends.
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Character and Term List
Before We Start
Handout 1, continued
Lady Macduff:
Lady Macduff is Macduff’s wife who suffers at Macbeth’s hand. She
appears briefly along with her young children.
Hecate:
Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft. The three witches appeal to her as
they utter prophecies for Macbeth.
Three Witches: They are the old women who live on the fringes of Macbeth’s world and
whose charms and foretellings bring Macbeth to a terrible end.
Terms
Characters:
Characters are the names of all the people who appear in the play, listed
at the very beginning, often under the title Dramatis personae (a Latin
phrase which means “people of the play”). After their initial
identification, you will find the name of each character, capitalized (and
often abbreviated), before he or she speaks.
Acts:
Acts are the divisions of the plot or action into sections and indicated
with Roman numerals.
Scenes:
Scenes are subdivisions within acts. The beginning of each scene
describes the physical appearance of the stage for this section,
suggesting the real surroundings for the historical time and action
of the play and usually printed in italics.
Stage
directions:
These are the directions given in brackets or parentheses to a character
before his or her speech. They are unspoken but important for
understanding characters and their behavior at the time.
Costumes:
Costumes are the clothing for the actors that helps us to identify the
individual characters, usually telling us when and where they lived. For
example, if we were to actually stage a performance of Macbeth, we
could indicate the setting of Scotland by modeling costumes on
characters out of historical paintings. We could also differentiate the
servants and masters through their clothing.
Lighting:
Lighting is the use of artificial lights and spotlights to suggest time of
day or night, as well as to highlight certain areas of the stage and certain
key characters in a particular scene.
Shakespeare’s actors only got their lines as the play
was in progress. They found out who else was playing
the day of the performance.
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Before We Start
Handout 2
Name
Date
Hour
Synopsis
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1606) is a five-act play based on the historical Macbeth
who lived in Scotland in the 11th century. Many of the facts come from a 16th-century
book called Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland by Raphael Holinshed. Macbeth
stands out as the shortest (perhaps because parts have been lost) and most violent of
Shakespeare’s tragedies, shrouded in superstition, prophecy, and darkness. Stories about
terrible accidents surrounding productions of Macbeth lead some actors to shy away from
the play; others refer to it only as “The Scottish Play,” believing they’ll have bad luck if
they say its true name.
Macbeth is a general in King Duncan’s army and the thane of Glamis; he is a trustworthy
and loyal subject in the beginning, but he lets his ambition and greed overcome him
following a prediction that he will become king. Rather than allowing the prophecy to
unfold, Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, use criminal means to force events. They
lose all sense of morality and are fixated on maintaining their new status. Notions of power
and corruption as well as consequences and
guilt are evident throughout the story. The
play depicts an excellent king and a tyrannical
king, clearly demonstrating the necessity of a
benevolent ruler.
When you read Macbeth, you are stepping into
two old worlds: Shakespeare’s 17th-century
England and Macbeth’s 11th-century Scotland.
While the language of Shakespeare’s day may
sound awkward at first, reading slowly and
carefully will help you understand the meaning.
The use of iambic pentameter (meter in
poetry of an unrhymed line with five “feet”
or accents) will start to feel familiar as
you read the words aloud. Macbeth’s
world of rightful kings and political
plots, ancient beliefs and unchanging
morals will draw you in with intrigue
and mystery. Enjoy!
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Before We Start
Handout 3
Name
Date
Hour
Vocabulary Definition List
The following list provides definitions for some of the more difficult words in the text.
Act I, Scene I
hurlyburly:
heath:
Act I, Scene II
plight:
broil:
commotion, noise, disturbance
a large area of land covered with
wild grasses and low shrubs
curbing:
disbursed:
a terrible situation
a noisy argument or
confrontation
considering something
as inferior
repeated or increased
in effort
holding back or restraining
paid out or given out
Act I, Scene III
bark:
attire:
rapt:
corporal:
venture:
supernatural:
surmise:
a small ship powered by oars or sails
clothing
enraptured or enthralled
having to do with the body
a hazardous expedition
things that work beyond the natural world
to guess at with little proof
Act I, Scene IV
liege:
one who is owed allegiance by another (for example, a king)
Act I, Scene V
impedes:
compunctious:
gall:
stops the progress
guilty, uneasy, or conscience-stricken
bitter liquid, like bile
Act I, Scene VI
conduct:
guide or direct along a path
disdaining:
redoubled:
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Vocabulary Definition List
Before We Start
Handout 3, continued
Act I, Scene VII
afeard:
undaunted:
clamour:
afraid
brave and fearless, not discouraged
loud and prolonged noise
Act II, Scene I
husbandry:
largess:
grant:
palpable:
knell:
conserving resources
large, generous gifts of money or possessions
give or bestow
able to be touched or handled
tolling of a bell
Act II, Scene II
confounds:
balm:
gild:
multitudinous:
incarnadine:
confuses or frustrates
soothing ointment or oil used for healing
to cover in blood, in this context; normally, to apply gold paint
a large number, too many to count
turn deep red
Act II, Scene III
Beelzebub:
lamentings:
sacrilegious:
renown:
undivulged:
Satan or the Devil
expressions of mourning, wailings
irreverent or against religious beliefs
fame or good reputation
not told or revealed
Act II, Scene IV
predominance:
benison:
the state of having the highest authority or power
blessing
Act III, Scene I
posterity:
oracles:
parricide:
barren:
buffets:
avouch:
all the descendants of an individual
unclear statements given by a god-like person
murdering one’s own father
empty, without children
hits or strikes
confirm the truth of something
Act III, Scene II
malice:
jovial:
evil intent
happy and lighthearted
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Vocabulary Definition List
Before We Start
Handout 3, continued
Act III, Scene III
treachery:
intentional betrayal
Act III, Scene IV
mirth:
anon:
imposters:
maws:
kite:
infirmity:
enrages:
laughter, happiness
at once, immediately
people who use false identities
jaws or stomach of a vicious animal
bird from the hawk family that preys on many creatures
sickness or medical condition
greatly angers or upsets
Act III, Scene V
contriver:
one who plots or devises plans
Act III, Scene VI
pious:
accursed:
extremely holy
put under a curse
Act IV, Scene I
conjure:
potent:
vanquish’d:
bodements:
pernicious:
exploits:
to call, request or implore
powerful, authoritative
conquered, overcome, or destroyed
prophecies or predictions
deadly or extremely harmful
acts or deeds
Act IV, Scene II
diminutive:
judicious:
disgrace:
prattler:
abide:
laudable:
small or tiny
wise, having good judgment
shame or deep embarrassment
one who talks idly or without purpose
stay in a certain place
worthy of praise
Act IV, Scene III
resounds:
appease:
sundry:
avarice:
sounds loudly throughout a place
calm or pacify
various or many different things
greed
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Vocabulary Definition List
Before We Start
Handout 3, continued
interdiction:
demerits:
command or order
faults or censures
Act V, Scene I
perturbation:
discharge:
agitation or deep uneasiness
empty or release
Act V, Scene II
gentry:
fortifies:
people in the upper classes
makes strong, reinforces
Act V, Scene III
fain:
minister:
pristine:
rather or prefer
care for another person’s needs
perfect, unblemished
Act V, Scene IV
industrious:
hard working, diligent
Act V, Scene V
siege:
tarrying:
military operation to surround a place in hopes of capturing it
staying, waiting, or lingering
Act V, Scene VI
harbingers:
things that tell what is to happen in the future
Act V, Scene VII
abhorred:
despised and hated
Act V, Scene VIII
usurper:
snares:
fiend:
one who takes another’s place illegally
trappings, entanglements
possessed person or an evil spirit
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Before We Start
Handout 4
Name
Date
Hour
Pre-Reading Questions
Pre-reading questions help you explore your views in order to uncover important themes
in the play.
Directions: Write down your response to each of the questions below. Keep this handout.
You will need it after you finish reading the play.
1. What do you expect to like and to dislike about reading Macbeth?
2. Do you believe in fate (everything has been decided in advance and nothing you do will
change it) or in free will (your actions alone determine your future)? Explain.
3. How important is a good leader to the well-being of a society?
4. Is it possible to have too much ambition? If so, how? If not, why not?
5. Do you believe that people are always rewarded for the good they do and punished for
the bad? Explain.
William Shakespeare was popular with King
James I who acceded the throne after Elizabeth I.
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Before We Start
Handout 5
Name
Date
Hour
Novel Road Map to Success
These questions help you stay on track with the plot as well as build your reading
comprehension.
Directions: Answer these questions on a separate piece of paper as you read.
Act I, Scene I
1. What is the setting of the opening scene?
2. What are the three witches discussing?
Act I, Scene II
1. Why does Duncan believe the soldier can provide them with news?
2. How did Macdonwald behave in battle?
3. When the Norwegians began a new attack, what did Macbeth and Banquo do?
4. What news does the thane of Ross bring?
5. How does Duncan respond to the news of Cawdor’s behavior?
Act I, Scene III
1. How do the three witches greet Macbeth?
2. What do the three witches prophesy concerning Banquo?
3. What is Banquo’s reaction to the three witches?
4. What does Banquo mean when he says, “What, can the devil speak true?”
5. What is Macbeth’s impression of the three witches after learning he has been named
thane of Cawdor?
Act I, Scene IV
1. What is Macbeth’s attitude toward Duncan when the scene opens?
2. Duncan names his elder son as the Prince of Cumberland. Why is this a problem for
Macbeth?
Act I, Scene V
1. How does Lady Macbeth react to her husband’s letter?
2. What does Lady Macbeth say will happen to Duncan when she learns that he is
coming to Inverness?
3. Why does Lady Macbeth tell her husband to leave all of the plans to her?
Act I, Scene VI
1. Who greets Duncan at Inverness?
Act I, Scene VII
1. What does Macbeth mean when he says Duncan is “here in double trust”?
2. Why does Macbeth tell Lady Macbeth that they will not follow through with their
plans?
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Novel Road Map to Success
Before We Start
Handout 5, continued
3. How does Lady Macbeth taunt Macbeth into action?
4. What is the actual plan?
Act II, Scene I
1. What do we learn from the discussion between Banquo and Fleance?
2. What does Banquo tell us that Duncan gave to Lady Macbeth?
3. What emotions does Macbeth display during the soliloquy that begins, “Is this a
dagger which I see before me?”
Act II, Scene II
1. How does Lady Macbeth get the plot started?
2. Why doesn’t Lady Macbeth simply kill Duncan while she is in the room?
3. After Macbeth kills Duncan, Lady Macbeth says, “These deeds must not be thought /
After these ways; so, it will make us mad.” What does this suggest about the rest of
the play?
4. What does Macbeth do wrong, and how does Lady Macbeth fix it?
5. What are they hurrying to do as the scene comes to an end?
6. How does Macbeth feel in the last lines?
Act II, Scene III
1. Why does Macduff arrive at Inverness early in the morning?
2. How does Macbeth greet Macduff?
3. What does Lennox say about the night that just passed?
4. How does Macduff react to finding Duncan murdered?
5. What does Macbeth say in response to Malcolm’s question, “O, by whom?”
6. What do Malcolm and Donalbain decide to do after learning of their father’s murder?
Act II, Scene IV
1. What strange events do Ross and the old man discuss?
2. What do Macduff and Ross think about Malcolm’s and Donalbain’s escape?
3. Why will Macbeth become the king?
Act III, Scene I
1. Where does this scene take place?
2. What is Banquo’s opinion of what has happened?
3. What do Banquo and Macbeth discuss?
4. What does Macbeth mean when he says, “To be thus is nothing; / But to be safely
thus”?
5. Why is Macbeth upset over the witches’ prophecy about Banquo?
6. How does Macbeth convince the murderers to kill Banquo?
Act III, Scene II
1. What does Lady Macbeth tell her husband?
2. What does Lady Macbeth know about the plot to kill Banquo?
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Novel Road Map to Success
Before We Start
Handout 5, continued
Act III, Scene III
1. What happens when the murderers attack Banquo and Fleance?
2. Why do they say the “best half” got away?
Act III, Scene IV
1. How does the scene begin?
2. How does Macbeth react when he sees the first murderer in the doorway?
3. Who enters and takes Macbeth’s seat?
4. What is Macbeth’s initial reaction to spotting Banquo’s ghost?
5. How does Lady Macbeth explain Macbeth’s confusing statements?
6. What does Lady Macbeth say to Macbeth?
7. Why does everyone leave the party?
8. What does Macbeth plan to do the next day?
Act III, Scene V
1. What does Hecate tell the three witches?
Act III, Scene VI
1. What does Lennox tell us about Macduff?
2. What does the lord tell Lennox?
Act IV, Scene I
1. What are the witches doing when this scene opens?
2. What is the refrain or chorus of their song?
3. How does Macbeth greet the witches?
4. What is the first apparition and what does it prophesy?
5. What is the second apparition and what does it prophesy?
6. What is the third apparition and what does it prophesy?
7. What is the last apparition?
8. How does Macbeth plan to protect himself from Macduff’s threat?
Act IV, Scene II
1. How does Lady Macduff react when Ross tells her that Macduff has gone to England?
2. Why does Lady Macduff tell her son that his father is dead?
3. What happens at the end of the scene?
Act IV, Scene III
1. How does Macduff feel about Scotland at the beginning of the scene?
2. How does Macduff characterize Macbeth?
3. How does Malcolm characterize himself initially in this scene?
4. Macduff tries to persuade Malcolm that he is fit to rule, but eventually Macduff says
what?
5. What does Malcolm say after Macduff’s outburst?
6. What has Old Siward done?
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Macbeth
Novel Road Map to Success
Before We Start
Handout 5, continued
7.
8.
9.
10.
What do we learn about the king of England?
How does Ross describe Scotland to Macduff?
What is Macduff’s reaction to the murder of his wife and children?
How does Malcolm respond to the news?
Act V, Scene I
1. According to the waiting-gentlewoman, what has Lady Macbeth been doing?
2. When Lady Macbeth first enters the scene, what is she saying and doing?
3. What does the gentlewoman say about trading places with Lady Macbeth?
4. What does the doctor do for Lady Macbeth?
Act V, Scene II
1. What do the noblemen propose to do?
2. What is Macbeth doing in preparation for the attack?
Act V, Scene III
1. How does Macbeth reassure himself in the beginning of the scene?
2. What does Seyton tell Macbeth?
3. What does the doctor tell Macbeth about
Lady Macbeth’s condition?
4. When Macbeth tells the doctor to cure her,
how does the doctor respond?
Act V, Scene IV
1. What does Malcolm command the soldiers
to do with the trees in Birnam Wood?
Act V, Scene V
1. What does Macbeth say about the possibility
of the army attempting to besiege the castle?
2. Why do the women cry out?
3. What is Macbeth’s response to Lady
Macbeth’s death?
Act V, Scene VI
1. What happens in this scene?
Act V, Scene VII
1. What happens between Young Siward
and Macbeth?
Act V, Scene VIII
1. Why is Macduff able to kill Macbeth?
2. How does the play end?
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Correctly uses common
language rules in
assignments with some
higher-level examples.
Correctly uses higherlevel language rules in
assignments.
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20%
25%
25%
30%
Misuses common
language rules in
assignments.
Chooses only one or two
ways to complete
assignments, including
spoken, written, and
visual language.
Does not understand
common language
rules in assignments.
Repeatedly uses the
same medium:
spoken, written, or
visual language.
Understands one or two May understand one
literary devices and how or two literary
they are used in the play. devices, but cannot
describe how they are
used in the play.
Date
Class Discussion
Group Projects
Individual Assignments/Projects/Activities
Final Test
Demonstrates little or
no understanding of
the characters or plot.
Weak
50%–59%
Understands one or two Uncertain of the
themes; may concentrate play’s themes.
on these ideas while
excluding all others.
Frequently confuses the
characters or
misinterprets the plot.
Needs Improvement
60%–69%
Before We Start
Handout 6
Correctly uses common
language rules in
assignments.
Performs well with spoken, Attempts assignments in
written, and visual language. a variety of ways,
including spoken,
written, and visual
language.
Excels in spoken,
written, and visual
language.
Shows some
understanding of most
literary devices and how
they are used in the
play.
Displays some
understanding of most
of the play’s themes and
touches on them, at
least briefly, in activities
and writing assignments.
Shows an understanding of
literary devices and how
they are used in the play;
attempts to apply this
knowledge to other
assignments.
Displays a good
understanding of all of the
play’s themes, mentioning
them in activities and
writing assignments.
Displays a strong
understanding of all the
play’s themes, discussing
them easily and using
them in activities and
writing assignments.
Demonstrates a basic
understanding of the
characters and plot with
minor, but more
frequent, errors.
Shows an understanding
of literary devices by
clearly explaining their
use in the play and by
applying this knowledge
to other assignments.
Demonstrates a generally
accurate understanding of
the characters and plot with
minor errors.
Competent
70%–79%
10:57 AM
Demonstrates an
accurate understanding
of the characters and
plot, almost completely
error free.
Good
80%–89%
8/19/06
Excellent
90%–100%
Overall Grading Rubric
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Macbeth
Name
Hour
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Macbeth
Target on Text
N
ow it’s time to start reading. Target on Text contains
an act-by-act progression of activities to enhance your
students’ understanding and enjoyment of Macbeth.
This guide divides the play into five sections of roughly the same
length. Each section has individual act summaries, target
objectives, and a variety of activities to highlight key story and
literary elements.
While some of the activities are designed to be done individually,
working with peers provides students with the opportunity to
practice cooperation and creates richer results as the students
build on one another’s ideas.
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Macbeth
Teaching Essentials... Just for YOU!
Act I, Scenes I–VII
Act I Summary
The play opens with three witches in a desert place. They are discussing when they will
meet again and agree that they will meet Macbeth on the heath after the battle has ended.
The scene shifts to a military camp near the palace at Forres. The king, Duncan, is there
with his sons and some noblemen. An injured solider arrives to relay news of the battle
against the Norwegian forces. Valiant Macbeth and Banquo have routed the enemy and
achieved victory despite the rebellious attack of Macdonwald. Ross then explains that the
thane of Cawdor turned traitor. Duncan pronounces death for Cawdor and gives the title
to Macbeth.
The witches are on the heath, recounting their various adventures since they last parted.
Banquo and Macbeth happen upon them and hear the following prophecies: Macbeth will
be thane of Cawdor and become king while Banquo will father a line of kings. Initially, the
men dismiss the predictions, but when Ross and Angus meet them and inform Macbeth
that he has been named thane of Cawdor, Macbeth ponders the possibility that the witches
spoke the truth.
Back at the palace, the king learns that Cawdor has been executed after confessing to his
crimes. Banquo and Macbeth arrive, declaring their loyalty to the king. Duncan names his
son Malcolm to be his heir, and Macbeth realizes this is an impediment to him becoming
king. Macbeth leaves to tell his wife that the king will be dining with them at Inverness
that night.
Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband explaining the strange events that have
transpired. She knows that she must act as a man and push Macbeth toward the kingship,
toward greatness, because he is too kind and humane to do it on his own. When Macbeth
arrives with the news that Duncan is joining them for dinner, she declares firmly that
Duncan will not see tomorrow. She tells Macbeth to leave the plans in her hands.
Duncan and the noblemen arrive at Inverness. Lady Macbeth greets them and plays the
perfect hostess.
Macbeth’s conscience begins to trouble him, and he decides not to murder Duncan. His
wife, however, calls him a coward and taunts him for his weakness. Eventually, Macbeth
agrees to complete the plan, which involves drugging Duncan’s chamberlains, using their
daggers to kill Duncan, and then smearing the chamberlains with blood to make them
appear guilty.
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Macbeth
Target Objectives
At the end of this section, students are able to:
• discern the facts of the play thus far
• identify imagery and explain its function
• explain the thane system
• describe/visualize the play’s major settings
• use new vocabulary words correctly
• use the text to support their ideas
LESSON PLAN DETAILS
ACT I
Act I, Scene II
✦ 1. Imagery—hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes)
Act I, Scene III
1. Research on Scotland’s Thanes—hand out and have students complete at home
(3 hours)
Act I, Scene VII
✦ 1. Setting—hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes)
Act I
1. Comprehension Check: True or False—hand out and have students complete in
class (15 minutes)
2. Vocabulary Matching Exercise—hand out and have students complete in class
(15 minutes)
Discussion Questions: Act I (1 class period)
✦ = Corresponding remedial activity located on the disk
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Act I, Scene II
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Imagery
Imagery is language that stirs up one or all five of the senses: seeing, hearing, tasting,
smelling, touching. When the servant reports to Duncan, he uses words that paint many
pictures to give the king (and the audience) a better understanding of the fight. This activity
helps you understand how the battle transpired as well as how imagery enhances writing.
Directions: Reread the servant’s speeches in Act I, Scene II. Take note of any images he
uses. (Hint: Look for metaphors and similes.) Then complete the charts below.
List three images below:
Example: As two spent swimmers, that do cling together / And choke their art
1.
2.
3.
Explain each of the images:
Example: Two people who are exhausted and holding onto each other for support, and thus are not
seeming to perform well.
1.
2.
3.
What does each image add to the servant’s tale?
Example: It shows the soldiers’ weariness, helps you visualize their weakness, and shows that you can’t
determine the outcome of their match.
1.
2.
3.
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Act I, Scene III
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Research on Scotland’s Thanes
Group Activity
Research is one way to provide context for a novel or play. In the case of Macbeth,
understanding the thane system improves your comprehension of the story. Learning new
information and presenting it allows you to exercise your research skills, teaches you more
about an historical concept, and provides oral presentation practice.
Directions: Follow the steps below.
1. Together with a partner, research the thane system in Scotland during the 11th century.
Use encyclopedias, history books, reference works, or the Internet. (Reminder: When
using the Internet, choose official web sites such as those sponsored by national
organizations [.org] or educational institutions [.edu] to gather reliable information.
You want to be sure your sources are credible.) Use the box below to write your notes.
2. Individually, prepare a two-minute talk to present to a family member or guardian
tonight on what you learned in your research. Use the box below to write your notes.
3. In addition to turning in your research notes, write a paragraph on how it felt to give
your speech and how your audience responded. Your parent/guardian must sign below
to acknowledge your successful completion of the project.
Parent/guardian signature:
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Act I, Scene VII
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Setting
Setting helps determine time, place, and tone in literature. Macbeth takes place largely in
Scotland, with a brief trip to England. In the first act, the action occurs in a variety of
locations. In this activity you step into the director’s shoes and determine how you would
bring each location to life.
Directions: Complete the chart below before answering the question at the bottom of the
page.
Setting
Describe how you would stage this setting.
For example: backdrop, lighting, props, etc.
Scene I. A desert place.
Scene II. A camp near Forres.
Scene III. A heath.
Scene IV. Forres. The palace.
Scenes V–VII Inverness.
Macbeth’s Castle.
Reflection
In your opinion, what is the effect of multiple scene changes in the first act?
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Act I
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Comprehension Check: True or False
Act I has many characters and a lot of action. This activity will clarify what happens in the
story and ensure that you understand the key events.
Directions: Mark the following statements as true or false.
1. Macdonwald fought bravely for Scotland.
T or F
2. Ross tells Duncan that the thane of Cawdor is a traitor.
T or F
3. The three witches tell Banquo that he will be king after Macbeth.
T or F
4. Banquo believes that the witches are trying to help him.
T or F
5. Macbeth shows loyalty to the king by riding with him to Inverness.
T or F
6. Lady Macbeth thinks Macbeth is too cowardly to take the
throne by force.
T or F
7. Macbeth tells his wife he will take care of the murder plan details.
T or F
8. Lady Macbeth escorts Duncan into the castle.
T or F
9. Lady Macbeth says their plan will succeed if they have courage.
T or F
10. Macbeth is unsure what he wants to do at the end of Act I.
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Act I
Handout 2
Name
Date
Hour
Vocabulary Matching Exercise
Review your vocabulary words from Act I before beginning this assignment. Working with
new vocabulary words increases your comprehension and prepares you to use them in your
speech and writing.
Directions: Match ten of the vocabulary words from Act I to the correct definitions below.
After completing the activity, use three words in your own sentences at the bottom of the
page.
plight
corporal
disdaining
supernatural
curbing
impedes
disbursed
conduct
attire
undaunted
1. Something that stops progress.
__________________
2. This describes a terrible situation or predicament.
__________________
3. It was paid out or given out.
__________________
4. Things that work beyond the natural world.
__________________
5. One who is brave and fearless, not discouraged.
__________________
6. To guide or direct along the path.
__________________
7. Considering something as inferior.
__________________
8. This describes holding back or restraining.
__________________
9. This means having to do with the body.
__________________
10. The clothing a person wears.
__________________
First Sentence:
Second Sentence:
Third Sentence:
Shakespeare, one of literature’s greatest
figures, never went to college.
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Macbeth
Discussion Questions: Act I
Directions: Use the following questions to review what’s happened in Act I. Use these
questions to generate discussion about the author’s ideas and technique.
Act I, Scene I
1. What tone do the three witches set in the beginning of the play?
Example: There is a feeling of evil, an ominous tone.
Act I, Scene II
1. What is your initial opinion of Macbeth?
Example: He is a brave warrior who is dedicated to King Duncan and Scotland.
2. What do you think of Duncan’s decision to execute Cawdor and give his title to
Macbeth?
Example: It is not only just but also necessary to maintaining law and order in Scotland.
Act I, Scene III
1. How does Shakespeare want the audience to view the witches?
Example: They are full of mischief and they are servants of wickedness.
2. How do Banquo and Macbeth react to the witches’ prophecies?
Example: Banquo is doubtful and incredulous. Macbeth is tantalized by the idea, especially once
he learns he has become thane of Cawdor.
Act I, Scene IV
1. What is the purpose of telling us that the former thane of Cawdor admitted his
treachery and died nobly?
Example: It shows one character who does wrong but repents his evil.
2. How would you describe Macbeth’s attitude at the end of this scene?
Example: He is obsessed with his new desire to become king.
Act I, Scene V
1. What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, “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!”?
Example: She wants the masculine quality of cruelty to fill her mind and heart, not the
feminine traits of kindness and love.
Act I, Scene VI
1. What is Lady Macbeth thinking and feeling as she leads Duncan into the castle?
Example: She is anxious and trying to remain calm to ensure the success of their plan.
Act I, Scene VII
1. How do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth each react to the proposed murder plot?
Example: Macbeth vacillates; he is uncertain and disposed toward loyalty to the king. Lady
Macbeth is determined; she has no qualms and believes she must convince her husband to
commit the murder.
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Teaching Essentials... Just for YOU!
Act II, Scenes I-IV
Act II Summary
The scene opens at Inverness, Macbeth’s castle. Banquo and his son, Fleance, are awake
late at night when they happen upon Macbeth. Banquo mentions that he dreamt of the
three witches, and Macbeth responds that he hasn’t given them much thought but would
like to discuss the event in detail at a later time. After Banquo retires to bed, Macbeth
begins the famous dagger soliloquy wherein he imagines a bloody dagger in the air and
ponders his evil plan.
Lady Macbeth has prepared the scene for Macbeth’s murderous arrival; in fact, she asserts
that she would have killed Duncan herself except that he resembled her father as he slept.
Soon, Macbeth enters saying the deed is done. He mentions that the chamberlains awoke
briefly but said their prayers and went back to sleep. Macbeth was unable to utter “amen”
with them. Lady Macbeth becomes angry when she notices that Macbeth brought the
daggers with him. He is too afraid to return them so Lady Macbeth does it herself, calling
him a coward for his weakness. There is a strange knocking that frightens Macbeth. Lady
Macbeth escorts him to bed to maintain the appearance of innocence.
Macduff and Lennox arrive at Inverness. Macbeth greets them and, in response to their
query, says the king has not yet risen. While Macduff goes to the king’s room, Lennox
mentions that the preceding night was unnatural and disturbing. Macbeth agrees, and then
Macduff returns with the news that Duncan has been murdered. Slowly the castle
inhabitants join the crowd, learn the dreadful news, and add to the lamentations. Macbeth,
who left with Lennox after Macduff’s announcement, returns and says that he has killed the
murderous chamberlains in his fury. Lady Macbeth faints and is carried out. The noblemen
agree to meet in the hall and discuss the next steps. Privately, Malcolm and Donalbain
decide to flee the country, believing that the murderer will seek them next.
Outside the castle, Ross and an old man discuss the strange events that have occurred, such
as a falcon killed by an owl and the king’s horses eating one another. Macduff emerges to
say that the noblemen have decided to name Macbeth king, believing that Malcolm’s and
Donalbain’s disappearance signals their guilt. Macduff plans to return home to Fife while
Ross heads to Scone to see the coronation.
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Macbeth
Target Objectives
At the end of this section, students are able to:
• analyze a key symbol
• discuss the climax and how it arises
• demonstrate an understanding of the major characters’ personalities
• utilize foreshadowing to make predictions about the play
• defend their beliefs during class discussions
• use new vocabulary words correctly
• use the text to support their ideas
• write from another point of view
LESSON PLAN DETAILS
ACT II
Act II, Scene I
1. Symbolism—hand out and have students complete in class (15 minutes)
Act II, Scene II
✦ 1. Plot—hand out and have students complete in class (25 minutes)
Act II, Scene III
✦ 1. Character Analysis—hand out and have students complete in class (25 minutes)
Act II, Scene IV
✦ 1. Foreshadowing—hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes)
Act II
1. Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle—hand out and have students complete at home
(45 minutes); exchange papers and have students complete in class (30 minutes)
2. Another Point of View—hand out and have students complete in class (25 minutes)
Discussion Questions: Act II (1 class period)
✦ = Corresponding remedial activity located on the disk
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Act II, Scene I
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Symbolism
Group Activity
A symbol is an object or action that stands for something else. In Act II, Scene I,
Macbeth gives the famous “Is this a dagger which I see before me?” soliloquy. The
dagger represents important themes and ideas in the play. This exercise helps you
discover the characteristics of the symbol and allows you to make predictions about
the outcome of the play.
Directions: Reread Macbeth’s soliloquy (the last speech of Act II,
Scene I). Then, find a partner and complete the following sections.
List five ideas or concepts that the dagger represents.
Example: evil intentions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Describe at least two other situations where daggers (knives, swords, etc.)
have been used in the play before this point.
1.
2.
Predict how daggers will be used in the rest of the play. Will they play a large role or not?
Will their meaning change? How important do you think this particular symbol will be?
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Act II, Scene II
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Plot
Plot is the series of events that makes up the story. The rising action is simply the
progression of events and conflicts that make the story more interesting. The climax of the
story is the place where everything that has been brewing reaches its boiling point; this is
the point of no return. The falling action consists of the events that occur as necessary
consequences to the climax. Finally, the conclusion is how the story ties up at the end. The
climax happens relatively early in Macbeth. This activity helps you understand how it comes
to pass and asks you to predict what will happen as a result of it.
Directions: Complete the chart below in preparation for a class discussion.
Rising Action
List three events that lead up to the climax:
1.
2.
3.
Climax
Macbeth murders Duncan.
Falling Action
Predict three events that will result from Duncan’s murder.
1.
2.
3.
Conclusion
Explain how you think the play will end.
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Act II, Scene III
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Character Analysis
Characterization is the method used by a writer to develop how the character looks, acts,
and thinks. Now that you have met the main characters, you can return to the text to gain
a better understanding of their personalities. This activity teaches you more about the
characters and reinforces your understanding of them while showing you the benefits of
reading passages multiple times.
Directions: For each character listed below, choose one quotation (it may be more than
one line) that summarizes who this person is. Use all scenes up through Act II, Scene III.
There are many quotations to pick from, so the question isn’t finding one but rather
deciding which character traits you think are the most important.
Macbeth:
Lady Macbeth:
Banquo:
Macduff:
Duncan:
The three witches:
Malcolm:
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Act II, Scene IV
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a technique authors use to drop hints about future events in a play.
Shakespeare often uses unnatural events in the natural world to alert the audience to evil
deeds about to occur. This activity requires a second look at a short passage to improve
your comprehension of it and to demonstrate the use of foreshadowing.
Directions: Reread the conversation between Ross and the old man at the beginning of
Act II, Scene IV. Then answer the following questions.
1. What has the weather been like?
2. What happened with the falcon and the owl?
3. What happened with Duncan’s horses?
4. Why do you think these events suggested evil deeds to Shakespeare’s audience?
5. Describe an instance of foreshadowing you have read in another book or seen in a
movie.
There are only two authentic
portraits of William Shakespeare.
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Act II
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle
Challenge your peers with a creative crossword puzzle. You’ll get a lot of practice with the
definitions as you design your puzzle and complete a classmate’s puzzle. Soon you’ll be able
to use these words easily in your speaking and writing.
Directions: Choose 11 of the 17 vocabulary words in Act II. Lay out the words in crossword
fashion on a separate sheet of paper. Then, transfer the crossword into the layout below and
number the appropriate boxes (the first box of each vocabulary word), across and down.
Shade in the unused boxes in your new crossword puzzle below. Lastly, write clues for the
words under the appropriate column at the bottom of the page (Across or Down). Now,
exchange papers, and complete your partner’s crossword puzzle.
Macbeth Crossword Puzzle
Across
Down
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Macbeth
Act II
Handout 2
Name
Date
Hour
Another Point of View
Now that you have seen Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in action, it’s time to evaluate their
behavior. Imagine you are the mother or father of either character. How would you react
to learning the truth about your son’s or daughter’s behavior? What would you say to him
or her if you had the chance? This activity improves your understanding of a character and
interjects your own beliefs and viewpoints.
Directions: Write a letter to either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth, assuming the role of
his/her parent. You may write in modern English or be adventurous and try your hand at
Elizabethan prose.
Dear _______________,
Love,
_________________
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Discussion Questions: Act II
Directions: Use the following questions to review what’s happened in Act II. Use these
questions to generate discussion about the author’s ideas and techniques.
Act II, Scene I
1. Why does Shakespeare add the detail about Duncan giving Lady Macbeth a diamond?
Example: It reminds the audience that Duncan is a truly good man.
2. What does Macbeth’s soliloquy about the dagger add to the play?
Example: It gives insight into Macbeth’s mental state. The hallucination suggests he is not in his
right mind.
Act II, Scene II
1. How would you divide the guilt for Duncan’s murder between Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth?
Example: They are equally responsible because Macbeth would never have followed through
without his wife’s prodding, but Macbeth is still responsible for his own actions.
2. Lady Macbeth tells her husband, “These deeds must not be thought / After these ways;
so, it will make us mad.” How might this be an instance of foreshadowing?
Example: Macbeth has already been hallucinating so this is another hint that Macbeth might be
insane by the end of the play.
3. How do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth act, respectively, after Duncan’s murder?
Example: Macbeth is in shock, unable to act and focused only on his guilt. Lady Macbeth
continues to think clearly, returning the daggers to the crime scene and berating Macbeth for his
weakness.
Act II, Scene III
1. What is the function of the porter in the play as a whole?
Example: He adds a bit of humor to an otherwise dark tale.
2. How would you describe Macbeth’s demeanor as he converses with Lennox and
Macduff before the murder is discovered?
Example: He seems to have regained control. He seems calm and coherent.
3. What does Macbeth mean when he says, “Had I but died an hour before this chance, /
I had lived a blessed time”?
Example: One meaning is that he is mourning Duncan’s death, saying this tragedy has ruined
his life. The second, underlying meaning is that if he hadn’t killed Duncan, he would still be
living a blessed life rather than a life of guilt and condemnation.
4. What do you think of Malcolm’s and Donalbain’s desire to escape?
Example: It is a natural reaction, although it doesn’t seem like the one a king or ruler should
have.
Act II, Scene IV
1. How do the unnatural occurrences in the weather and among the animals make you
feel as a reader?
Example: It seems creepy. It’s the Shakespearean equivalent of scary music in a horror movie.
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Act III, Scenes I-VI
Act III Summary
Banquo muses over the recent happenings, realizing that the three witches have spoken
true, although he suspects Macbeth of committing evil deeds to gain the throne. Macbeth
and Lady Macbeth, now king and queen, enter and invite Banquo to their feast that
evening. Banquo accepts, tells Macbeth he plans to go riding in the afternoon, and then
departs. Macbeth thinks to himself that Banquo is a threat to his reign and worries that
his murder of Duncan might do him no good but only aid Banquo’s sons. Macbeth meets
with two murderers whom he reminds of wrongs Banquo has done to them. They plot to
murder Banquo and Fleance.
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth discuss their personal agitations. They fear future threats.
Macbeth assures his wife that he has a plan to deal with Banquo, but he does not disclose
the details. He entreats her to be kind to Banquo at the feast.
A third murderer joins the men who spoke with Macbeth. They attack Banquo and
Fleance in the dark. Banquo dies, but Fleance escapes.
The feast begins. The murderers speak to Macbeth in the doorway and relay the news of
Banquo’s death and Fleance’s escape. Macbeth returns to the party to find Banquo’s ghost
sitting in the king’s chair. The guests cannot see the ghost; therefore, when Macbeth yells
and argues with him, people begin to wonder. Lady Macbeth attempts to explain Macbeth’s
behavior by saying it is a strange illness he has had since childhood. Eventually, Macbeth
becomes so upset that Lady Macbeth excuses the guests. In a private discussion, Lady
Macbeth chastises Macbeth for his behavior. He answers that he intends to eliminate all
threats to his kingship; he has committed so much evil that he has no intention of stopping
now. Macbeth plans to visit the three witches the next day to learn more.
Hecate meets with the three witches and admonishes them for creating trouble for
Macbeth. Afterwards, however, she agrees to join in the mischief.
Lennox and another lord discuss the recent events. They believe Macbeth has become a
tyrant and hope that Malcolm, with help from England, will be able to regain the throne.
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Macbeth
Target Objectives:
At the end of this section, students are able to:
• complete a literary analysis focusing on tone
• engage in close reading exercises regarding Macbeth’s madness
• evaluate the importance of a character
• demonstrate an understanding of factual events
• defend their beliefs during class discussions
• use new vocabulary words correctly
• use the text to support their ideas
LESSON PLAN DETAILS
ACT III
Act III, Scene I
1. Literary Analysis: Tone—hand out and have students complete in class (30 minutes)
Act III, Scene IV
✦ 1. Close Reading: Macbeth’s Madness—hand out and have students complete in class
(30 minutes)
Act III, Scene V
1. Character Analysis: Hecate—hand out and have students complete in class
(40 minutes)
Act III
1. Comprehension Check: Quote Quiz—hand out and have students complete in class
(15 minutes)
2. Vocabulary: Dictionary and Thesaurus Work—hand out and have students
complete at home (30 minutes)
Discussion Questions: Act III (1 class period)
✦ = Corresponding remedial activity located on the disk
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Macbeth
Act III, Scene I
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Literary Analysis: Tone
Tone is the feeling or emotion that a passage conveys. Authors use many techniques to
achieve a specific tone. Some methods include diction, figurative language, and details.
This activity helps you identify the tone of Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act III, Scene I.
Directions: Reread the passage that begins “To be thus is nothing” and ends with “And
champion me to the utterance.” Then, complete the chart below in preparation for a class
discussion.
Write all words and phrases from this soliloquy that stand out to you.
Use one word to summarize Macbeth’s tone or attitude in this passage.
In 1609, many of Shakespeare’s sonnets
were published without his permission.
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Act III, Scene IV
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Close Reading: Macbeth’s Madness
Close reading is the process of re-examining a short passage and asking critical questions
about it. In this case, you will consider several phrases spoken by Lady Macbeth as she
attempts to explain Macbeth’s strange behavior during the feast. This activity increases
your understanding of a character and an event while teaching you how to use the text to
build your opinions.
Directions: Reread Lady Macbeth’s lines beginning with “Sit, worthy friends” and ending
with “You look but on a stool.” Then, complete the student answer section.
Phrase
1. “regard him not”
Critical Question
Student Answers
What is Lady Macbeth’s
Example: She easily dismisses him,
attitude toward her husband? which suggests an odd power relationship.
2. “Are you a man?”
Explain whether or not
you think Lady Macbeth
is speaking aloud or
privately to Macbeth.
3. “painting of your fear” What is Lady Macbeth’s
opinion of Macbeth’s fear?
4. “the air-drawn dagger What do you think
which, you said, led
Lady Macbeth
you to Duncan”
means here?
5. “would well become / How is Lady Macbeth
A woman’s story”
trying to shame Macbeth?
6. “Shame itself!”
What is the effect of
calling the king and his
behavior “Shame itself”?
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Macbeth
Act III, Scene V
Handout 1
Name
Date
Character Analysis: Hecate
Group Activity
Characterization is the method used
by a writer to develop how the
character looks, acts, and thinks. The
audience first meets Hecate in Act III,
Scene V, when she meets the three
witches on a heath. Her speech is
rather long for a minor character.
This activity helps you decipher what
Hecate is saying so that you can
determine how important her role is
to the play.
Directions: Together with a partner,
rewrite Hecate’s speech in modern
English. Use appropriate slang and
colloquialisms.
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Macbeth
Act III
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Comprehension Check: Quote Quiz
This activity asks you to demonstrate your understanding of Act III by responding to two
important quotations.
Directions: For each quotation below, explain who said it, what it means, and why it is
important to the play.
1. “Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
As the weird women promised, and I fear
Thou play’dst most foully for’t.”
2. “Thou canst not say I did it: never shake
Thy gory locks at me.”
Shakespeare’s vocabulary, as culled from
his works, numbers upward of 17,000 words
(quadruple that of an average, well-educated
conversationalist in the language).
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Act III
Handout 2
Name
Date
Hour
Vocabulary: Dictionary and Thesaurus Work
Group Activity
Using the dictionary and thesaurus lets you add to your vocabulary power by reinforcing
definitions and teaching you other words with similar meanings. This activity helps you
understand the meanings of new words, and provides practice using a dictionary and a
thesaurus (either in hardcover or on the Internet).
Directions: Together with a partner, complete the chart below. Write the dictionary
definition as well as two synonyms.
Vocabulary Word
Dictionary Definition
Posterity
Barren
Malice
Jovial
Treachery
Mirth
Imposters
Infirmity
Pious
Accursed
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Macbeth
Discussion Questions: Act III
Directions: Use the following questions to review what’s happened in Act III. Use these
questions to generate discussion about the author’s ideas and techniques.
Act III, Scene I
1. How would you describe Banquo’s personality based on the opening speech in this scene?
Example: He is suspicious and perhaps a little jealous or maybe hopeful that he too will benefit
from the witches’ prophecies.
2. Why does Macbeth tell Banquo he wishes to speak with him but must postpone it due to
Banquo’s plan to go riding?
Example: He may be keeping up appearances to prevent Banquo’s suspicion.
3. Why is Macbeth angered by the idea of a “barren sceptre”?
Example: He wants his children to prosper as a result of his having committed this heinous crime.
He wants the legacy of fathering a line of kings for himself, not for Banquo.
4. What do you think of Macbeth when he arranges Banquo’s murder?
Example: He is manic, desperate to maintain the crown, and has lost all sense of morality and
righteousness.
Act III, Scene II
1. Explain whether or not Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s actions here match stereotypical
gender roles.
Example: Yes, they do, unlike in earlier scenes. Macbeth is being the traditional masculine warrior,
plotting a strategy and keeping it secret from the naïve, innocent woman. Lady Macbeth is
nurturing her husband, trying to calm and soothe him.
Act III, Scene III
1. Why does Shakespeare allow Fleance to escape?
Example: It fits with the witches’ prophecies that Banquo’s son will become king.
Act III, Scene IV
1. What does it add to have the murderer interrupt Macbeth’s feast with news of Banquo’s
death?
Example: It reminds the audience that Macbeth attained the crown through treachery. The
juxtaposition is also a visible reminder of the opposing thoughts—enjoying the throne and
committing evil deeds to secure the throne— that are in Macbeth’s mind.
2. How do you feel when Banquo’s ghost enters the scene?
Example: It seems like Macbeth is starting to pay for his crimes, like someone is finally catching on
to him.
Act III, Scene V
1. Why does Shakespeare add Hecate at this point?
Example: Introducing the witches’ superior demonstrates the structure and order of the
supernatural realm and adds to its authenticity.
Act III, Scene VI
1. What is the purpose of this scene?
Example: It moves the plot forward and shows the audience how other characters view the recent
events.
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Teaching Essentials... Just for YOU!
Act IV, Scenes I–III
Act IV Summary
Macbeth meets the three witches in a cave. He demands reassurance from them. In
response, they create hideous apparitions that speak additional prophecies that comfort
Macbeth. An armed head tells Macbeth to beware Macduff; a bloody child tells Macbeth
that none of woman born can harm him; and a child wearing a crown and holding a tree
tells him he has nothing to fear until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. A fourth
apparition, a line of kings followed by Banquo’s ghost, arises but the witches disappear
before explaining the meaning. Then, Lennox arrives and tells Macbeth that Macduff has
gone to England. Macbeth plans to attack Macduff’s castle and murder his family in
retaliation for Macduff’s treason.
Ross tells Lady Macduff that her husband has gone to England. She believes he has
abandoned her. Ross urges her to trust Macduff and then leaves. Murderers enter the
castle, kill her son, and then kill Lady Macduff off stage.
In England, Malcolm and Macduff discuss Scotland’s plight. In order to test Macduff’s
loyalty, Malcolm begins to list his own vices, suggesting that perhaps Macbeth, murderer
that he is, is better fit to rule Scotland. Macduff, in despair, mourns for Scotland’s future
and agrees that Malcolm is not fit to be king. Malcolm now believes that Macduff truly
has Scotland’s best interests at heart. Ross enters and begs Malcolm to return to Scotland
and fight for the throne. Malcolm agrees, saying that the English have given him 10,000
soldiers. Ross then tells Macduff that his wife and children have been murdered at
Macbeth’s hand. Filled with grief and rage, Macduff vows to kill Macbeth.
Target Objectives:
At this end of the section, students are able to:
• act creatively to personalize their understanding of a scene
• demonstrate their comprehension of themes in the text
• determine their ethical position on particular issues
• display their timed writing skills
• use new vocabulary words correctly
• use the text to support their ideas
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LESSON PLAN DETAILS
ACT IV
Act IV, Scene I
1. Role Play—hand out and have students complete in class (1 class period)
Act IV, Scene III
✦ 1. Theme: Loyalty—hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes)
✦ 2. Ethics: Eye for an Eye—hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes)
Act IV
1. Expository Writing—hand out and have students complete in class (1 class period)
2. Vocabulary Usage—hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes)
Discussion Questions: Act IV (1 class period)
✦ = Corresponding remedial activity located on the disk
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Act IV, Scene I
Handout 1
Name
Date
Role Play
Group Activity
Role-playing is a creative way to explore specific scenes
in a story. It helps you to empathize with the
characters and the situations. Act IV, Scene I,
opens with the three witches brewing a potion
of sorts. Now you can step into their shoes and
create your own spell. Brave souls are welcome
to perform their chant for the class. This activity
lets you play with words and consider why
Shakespeare wrote this scene the way he did.
Directions: Get into groups of three students,
and write your own potion-brewing chant. First,
you’ll need to decide what you are trying to
conjure so that you add the correct items to your
infusion. Then, get creative with the ingredients.
Write your poem in the box below.
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Act IV, Scene III
Handout I
Name
Date
Hour
Theme: Loyalty
A theme is a general concept or idea, such as love, justice, or sorrow. One way to help you
think of themes is to complete the following sentence: “This is a play about ___________.”
Loyalty is one theme that we see throughout Macbeth. This activity helps you find
examples of this theme in action and apply that theme in a broader context.
Directions: Complete the charts below.
Find three examples of loyalty in the play up through Act IV, Scene III.
1.
2.
3.
Explain whether or not you believe loyalty is an important element in a good government.
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Act IV, Scene III
Handout 2
Name
Date
Hour
Ethics: Eye for an Eye
Ethics are the values or beliefs by which we live and make decisions every day. Generally,
we consider revenge or vigilante justice to be unethical; however, we believe in justice and
protecting one’s family. When Macduff vows to kill Macbeth in retribution for the murder
of Macduff’s wife and children, then, there is an ethical question at stake: Is Macduff
justified in taking Macbeth’s life? This activity asks you to examine this question in another
light in order to improve your appreciation of the play.
Directions: Complete the exercise below to work through your own ethical position
regarding the idea of revenge versus justice.
1. Describe an instance where an individual took revenge or pursued vigilante justice in
current events, in a movie, in literature (not Macbeth), or in history. Give as much
background information or context as possible.
2. Explain whether or not you believe this person’s behavior was justified.
Although certain grammatical treatises were
published in Shakespeare’s day, organized
grammar texts would not appear until the 1700s.
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Act IV
Handout I
Name
Date
Hour
Expository Writing
Expository writing helps you synthesize what you
have learned regarding a character, theme, or literary
device. In this activity you get to display your writing
skills while demonstrating your insightful analysis of
the play.
Directions: On a separate piece of paper,
respond to one of the three topics below in a
well-organized essay. This is a timed exercise
wherein you must complete your paper in one
class period; therefore, rough draft quality is
expected.
1. Lord Acton, a British historian at the turn of the
20th century, said, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power
corrupts absolutely.” Using evidence from Macbeth, evaluate the
truth of this statement. You may entirely agree, partially agree and partially disagree, or
entirely disagree.
2. Discuss the use of the supernatural in Macbeth. How is it used? Is it overused? It is
necessary? What does it add to the play?
3. Who is responsible for Duncan’s death? Choose one character who bears the most
culpability, and build your case using textual evidence.
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Act IV
Handout 2
Name
Date
Hour
Vocabulary Usage
Here is an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of vocabulary words from Act IV.
This activity gives you a better understanding of these vocabulary words and also
demonstrates correct and incorrect usage.
Directions: The following sentences are based on ten vocabulary words from Act IV. Read
each statement carefully. Decide if the word is used correctly. Then circle Y for yes or N
for no.
True or False
1. The potent smell was hardly noticeable.
Y or N
2. This year’s pernicious flu caused many deaths.
Y or N
3. His heroic exploits saved many lives.
Y or N
4. The diminutive woman couldn’t reach the top shelf.
Y or N
5. George always made bad decisions; he was judicious.
Y or N
6. The actress felt disgrace when she won the Oscar.
Y or N
7. A prattler tells many lies.
Y or N
8. Giving money to charity is laudable.
Y or N
9. She tried to appease the screaming child with a new toy.
Y or N
10. Avarice is an admirable quality to have.
Y or N
Shakespeare dabbled in property development.
At age 18, he bought the second most
prestigious property in all of Stratford, The New
Place, and later he doubled his investment on
some land he bought near Stratford.
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Discussion Questions: Act IV
Directions: Use the following questions to review what’s happened in Act IV. Use these
questions to generate discussion about the author’s ideas and techniques.
Act IV, Scene I
1. How are the ingredients in the witches’ brew supposed to make the audience feel?
Example: The ingredients are creepy and disgusting, and the audience transfers those feelings
onto the witches themselves.
2. What do you think about Hecate when she admires the witches’ potion?
Example: She seems more evil than the witches because she approves of their behavior. She
encourages their mischievous deeds.
3. Why do you think two of the apparitions are children?
Example: Children usually represent innocence, so maybe they are reminders of how far
Macbeth has gone in the opposite direction.
4. Why is Macbeth upset that Macduff has gone to England?
Example: It is a sure sign that Macduff sides with Malcolm against Macbeth.
Act IV, Scene II
1. How do you feel about Macbeth when Lady Macduff and her son are killed?
Example: He is on a killing rampage. He is utterly contemptuous.
Act IV, Scene III
1. How would you set the stage to signal the shift to England?
Example: It should be lighter, brighter, and peaceful in contrast to the darkness and turmoil of
Scotland.
2. Why would Malcolm distrust Macduff on his arrival in England?
Example: Malcolm’s last interaction with Macduff or any Scottish nobles was when his father
was murdered; he trusts no one; he has no idea where Macduff’s loyalties lie.
3. Explain whether or not you agree with Macduff’s statement: “Not in the legions / Of
horrid hell can come a devil more damn’d / In evils to top Macbeth.”
Example: Macbeth has become pure evil, killing right and left, so it’s an accurate description.
It is more poignant because the audience knows that Macbeth has had Macduff’s family killed
even though Macduff himself is unaware.
4. What do you think of Malcolm’s strategy to determine Macduff’s loyalty?
Example: It is successful in that Malcolm is able to discern Macduff’s true feelings for Scotland
and against Macbeth, so it is a wise maneuver.
5. How would you describe Macduff’s personality based on his reaction to the news of
his family’s murder?
Example: He is a devoted husband and father who loves his family deeply.
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Act V, Scenes I–VIII
Act V Summary
A doctor and a waiting-gentlewoman discuss Lady Macbeth’s madness. She sleep walks,
rubbing her hands as though they will not come clean, and speaks things that they do not
understand. The guilt of her deeds has clearly driven her insane.
Malcolm and his English soldiers arrive in Scotland. They are marching toward Birnam
Wood, where they will rendezvous with the Scottish soldiers. Macbeth is preparing the
castle for war.
Inside the castle Macbeth keeps abreast of the advancing army’s movements. He dresses in
his armor even though they are still far off. The doctor reports to Macbeth regarding Lady
Macbeth’s illness, and Macbeth orders the doctor to find a cure for her.
Malcolm’s forces arrive at Birnam Wood. He orders each man to cut down a tree limb and
carry it before him to disguise the army’s true size.
Back in the castle Macbeth’s actions suggest a hint of madness on his part as well. Women’s
loud cries attend the death of Lady Macbeth. He hears the news with grief and shock; he
reminds himself that life is brief. A servant arrives to tell him that Birnam Wood is moving
toward Dunsinane. Macbeth intends to fight to the death.
The armies drop their boughs and prepare to attack the castle.
In the battle, Macbeth fights blindly, killing anyone in his path, including Young Siward,
son of the English army’s leader, Old Siward. Macduff moves pointedly through the chaos,
seeking Macbeth.
Macbeth and Macduff confront one another. Macbeth feels secure, knowing that none of
woman born will harm him. But Macduff tells Macbeth that he was cut from his mother’s
womb, not born naturally. They exit the stage fighting. Malcolm, Old Siward, Ross and
other noblemen enter the scene. Macduff returns holding Macbeth’s head. Malcolm will be
crowned king.
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Target Objectives:
At the end of this section, students are able to:
• discuss the play’s themes with classmates
• analyze a character’s behavior
• demonstrate their understanding of the plot sequence
• use new vocabulary words correctly
• use the text to support their ideas
LESSON PLAN DETAILS
ACT V
Act V, Scene III
1. Themes—hand out and have students complete in class (30 minutes)
Act V, Scene V
1. Journal: Stop the Play—hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes)
Act V, Scene VIII
✦ 1. Plot Chart—hand out and have students complete in class (30 minutes)
Act V
1. Vocabulary: Write Your Own Sentences—hand out and have students complete in
class (40 minutes)
✦ 2. Drawing Comparisons—hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes)
3. Interview With the Author—hand out and have students complete in class
(1 class period)
Discussion Questions: Act V (1 class period)
✦ = Corresponding remedial activity located on the disk
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Act V, Scene III
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Themes
Group Activity
A theme is a general concept or idea, such as love, justice, or sorrow. One way to help you
think of themes is to complete the following sentence: “This is a play about ___________.”
Now that your study of Macbeth is almost complete, you can determine the major themes
of the play. This activity gets you thinking about the broader ideas the author wants you to
discuss. Working as a class and with a partner helps you increase the number of ideas you
have because you are working off of one another. Supporting your ideas with a partner
provides practice in cooperation as well as gathering evidence.
Directions: As a class, brainstorm all potential themes in Macbeth, and write them on the
board. Then you and a partner will be assigned one theme to support in more depth and
present to the class.
Possible Themes
Write down all of the themes you think of as a class:
Evidence of a Theme
Your teacher will assign you one theme from the box above. With a partner, go back to the
text and look for characters and events that demonstrate the theme.
1. I am finding evidence for the theme of ________________________________________ .
2. Here are two examples of this theme in the play (be sure to include Act and Scene
numbers):
A.
B.
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Act V, Scene V
Handout 1
Name
Date
Journal: Stop the Play
Writing a journal entry as a character helps you empathize with that
person while demonstrating your understanding of him or
her. At the end of Act V, Scene V, Macbeth
is tired of fighting and wishes for an end to it all.
Nevertheless, he intends to continue the battle. This
activity asks you to pause at this moment in time to
reflect on Macbeth’s character and determine how he
arrived at this terrible place in his life.
Directions: Imagine that Macbeth could stop all of the
action and freeze the soldiers in their places. In the space
below, write a journal entry that reflects what his thoughts
would be at this time. What is on his mind? How does he
feel about his past behavior? Does he have regrets?
Stay true to everything you have learned about
Macbeth as a character.
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Act V, Scene VIII
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Plot Chart
Plot is the series of events that makes up the story. The rising action is simply the
progression of events and conflicts that makes the story more interesting. The climax of
the story is the place where everything that has been brewing reaches its boiling point; this
is the point of no return. The falling action consists of the events that occur as necessary
consequences to the climax. Finally, the conclusion is how the story ties up at the end. This
activity helps you review key events and understand how all of the action works together to
form a coherent story.
Directions: Make a poster that illustrates the entire plot. A basic plot diagram is shown
below. Explain and label important events from the play. Be as creative as you wish in
designing and decorating your poster. For example, use quotations to explain plot points,
or use pictures (magazines, clip art, hand drawings) with a brief explanation. Make your
poster eye-catching.
Climax
Rising Action
Falling Action
Conclusion
Shakespeare and his wife had three
children, including daughter Susanna
and twins Hamnet and Judith. Susanna
received most of the Bard’s fortune
when he died in 1616, at age 52.
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Act V
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Vocabulary: Write Your Own Sentences
New vocabulary words are only useful if you know how to use them correctly. This activity
helps you use new words in the correct context and demonstrate what you have learned.
Directions: Below you will find ten vocabulary words from Act V. For each word, write a
sentence that conveys its meaning.
1. Perturbation:
2. Fortifies:
3. Minister:
4. Pristine:
5. Industrious:
6. Siege:
7. Tarrying:
8. Abhorred:
9. Usurper:
10. Fiend:
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Act V
Handout 2
Name
Date
Hour
Drawing Comparisons
Comparing a character’s behavior over time helps you identify key developments in his or
her personality. In Act V, Macbeth engages in his final battle. Examining his actions here
as compared to his actions in Act I reveals the changes he has undergone. This activity
provides greater insight into Macbeth’s character.
Directions: Use the chart below to record three examples of Macbeth’s behavior from
Act I and three examples from Act V. Then, complete the reflection assignment at the
bottom of the page.
Macbeth in Act I
Macbeth in Act V
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Reflection
1. How has Macbeth changed over the course of the play?
2. What do you think is responsible for these changes?
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Act V
Handout 3
Name
Date
Hour
Interview With the Author
Group Activity
The end of a reading experience can leave you feeling sad, satisfied, or curious. This
activity gives you an opportunity to interact with the writer, William Shakespeare! Be as
creative, humorous, or serious as you like, but you must ask some fundamental questions
regarding Macbeth that only Shakespeare could answer.
Directions: Write ten questions regarding the novel that you would like to ask William
Shakespeare. Use a separate piece of paper to do this assignment. After you write your
questions, exchange papers with another student who will answer the questions.
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Discussion Questions: Act V
Directions: Use the following questions to review what’s happened in Act V. Use these
questions to generate discussion about the author’s ideas and techniques.
Act V, Scene I
1. What do you think Lady Macbeth is writing on the paper that the waitinggentlewoman describes?
Example: It may be random words associated with the thoughts in her head such as blood,
Duncan, guilt, etc.
2. Why do you think the doctor says, “I think, but dare not speak” at the end of the scene?
Example: He thinks she is guilty of a horrible crime but would not want to falsely accuse her for
fear of Macbeth’s wrath.
Act V, Scene II
1. Why doesn’t Donalbain join Malcolm in the fight for Scotland?
Example: He is cowardly and doesn’t want to risk his life so that his brother, not he, can have
the throne.
Act V, Scene III
1. Why does Macbeth insist on wearing his armor?
Example: He is afraid and is reaching at straws for mental security.
2. What does the doctor mean when he tells Macbeth that the diseased mind must heal
itself?
Example: There is nothing physically wrong with Lady Macbeth; instead, she must solve the
problem of what is troubling her.
Act V, Scene IV
1. Explain whether or not you think carrying the tree limbs is a good disguise for the
soldiers.
Example: Yes, it is because it has the element of surprise and it is unique.
Act V, Scene V
1. Explain whether or not you agree with Macbeth that life “is a tale / Told by an idiot,
full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.”
Example: I disagree that life has no meaning. Every person’s actions affect history.
Act V, Scene VI
1. As a director, how would you add suspense to this short scene?
Example: Military music, especially beating drums, would add suspense.
Act V, Scene VII
1. What is the tone of this scene?
Example: Chaos is indicated by the confusion, bloodshed, and violence.
Act V, Scene VIII
1. Malcolm describes Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as “this dead butcher and his fiend-like
queen” respectively. Write your own one line summation of them.
Example: Macbeth is a wasteland of morality and Lady Macbeth is a conniving instigator.
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Reflect on Reading
T
he following activities require students to work with the play as a whole.
This includes discussion questions, activities, a pre-reading question
review, and a final test.
LESSON PLAN DETAILS
Discussion Questions (2 class periods)
1. Macbeth in Short:—hand out and have students complete in class (1 class period)
2. Character Symbols—hand out and have students complete in class (1 class period)
3. Pre-Reading Question Review—hand out and have students complete in class
(1 class period)
Final Test—hand out and have students complete in class (1 class period)
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Reflect on Reading
Discussion Questions
Directions: Use the following questions to review what’s happened in the play and to
discuss ideas and themes.
1. Why does Macbeth become obsessed with the idea of becoming king?
Example: He wouldn’t have thought about it before, but once it seems possible, it dominates his
thoughts.
2. When does Macbeth pass the point of no return, from being a loyal soldier to a
murderous traitor?
Example: When Lady Macbeth taunts him, saying he isn’t a man because he doesn’t want to
kill Duncan, Macbeth crosses the threshold into darkness.
3. Why do the witches speak in riddles?
Example: It adds to the mystery, the uncertainty, of who they are and what they represent.
4. Consider the various settings where Macbeth meets the witches. What do they add to
the play? Why are these settings necessary? For example, why don’t the witches
appear to Macbeth in his castle?
Example: The settings are isolated and forsaken, much like Macbeth becomes. The witches
must remain on the outskirts of society because the natural and supernatural worlds are
separate.
5. If you were staging a modern production of Macbeth, what costumes would the
witches wear?
Example: Something connected with technology, space-age suits perhaps, with lots of wireless
capabilities so that it seems they are getting their prophecies from a greater force.
6. Why does Shakespeare include two scenes where Macbeth is hallucinating (the dagger
soliloquy and his encounter with Banquo’s ghost)?
Example: It reveals how distraught his mind is.
7. Explain whether or not you agree with Lady Macbeth’s statements that associate
cruelty with men and kindness with women.
Example: Everyone has the ability to exhibit cruelty or kindness. The choices we make are
what matters.
8. Why does Shakespeare make Lady Macbeth the instigator?
Example: It allows him to explore gender issues and suggest that men and women often work
in tandem, whether it’s for good or evil.
9. Why does Lady Macduff assume that her husband leaves Scotland due to fear and not
wisdom?
Example: The terrible happenings set everyone on edge. Without an explanation from her
husband, she lets fear rule her thoughts and assumes they rule his.
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Discussion Questions
Reflect on Reading, continued
10. Lady Macbeth is clearly insane at the end of the play. Explain whether or not you
believe Macbeth is insane.
Example: Macbeth is aware of everything that is happening around him and is choosing his
actions deliberately. He is not insane; he is just evil.
11. How would you summarize Macbeth to a friend using just one or two sentences?
Example: It’s the story of a man whose desire for power completely destroys him and many
people around him.
12. What point is Shakespeare making about the importance of a good king?
Example: When an evil man gains control, the entire country is at risk of destruction.
13. If Shakespeare wrote Macbeth as a tribute to King James I, what message might
Shakespeare be sending James?
Example: The play is clearly a warning against unbridled ambition; it’s a reminder of sorts
that one man cannot rule unchecked.
14. How much 11th-century Scottish history do you need to know to appreciate Macbeth?
Example: The themes are perfectly clear without knowing any history. Knowing some of the
history helps Fyou with nuances, but it isn’t necessary.
15. Why do you think odd weather patterns and strange animal behavior were standard
signs that foreshadowed evil?
Example: People in Shakespeare’s time understood nature less than we do today; therefore,
extraordinary events were more frightening.
16. Macbeth is considered a violent play even though most of the killings occur offstage.
How would you rate the level of violence in the play?
Example: Whether or not the actual killings take place in front of the audience is irrelevant;
the sheer number of deaths (and the fact that Macbeth uses murder to solve all of his problems)
makes it a highly violent play.
17. The witches’ prophecies set Macbeth’s evil deeds in motion. Is there a modern
equivalent in our world?
Example: The dark side of human nature—greed, corruption, selfishness—still exists and may
be drawn out by other human beings intent on destruction.
18. How important is an individual’s conscience?
Example: It is crucial to maintaining order in society because each person chooses how to act
every day.
19. How can people ensure they have trustworthy leaders?
Example: A government must have safeguards around its top position so that the person who
leads is checked and balanced by many other people.
20. What is the value in studying Macbeth?
Example: It is valuable as a character study to show how greed and ambition ruin lives. It is
also valuable as a nation or society study to demonstrate the importance of good leaders.
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Reflect on Reading
Handout 1
Name
Date
Hour
Macbeth in Short
Group Activity
Shakespeare uses wonderful language, vivid
imagery, and theatrical devices to turn the
story of Macbeth into a memorable play.
This activity, however, asks you to
distill the
major events into an incredibly
shortened rendition of the play.
Re-examining the text and
writing the truly important
information in your own
words will help you master
the material.
Directions: Form a group of three members. Together, make a list of the key events from
Macbeth, and then devise a creative method to relate them. For example, you may write a
poem or draw a poster; it’s up to you. Your project will be graded on how well you separate
important from non-important events and how well you portray them to the audience.
The best projects get all of the information across in the shortest time span (whether that
is time spent reading, time spent viewing and understanding a poster, etc.)
Notes:
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Reflect on Reading
Handout 2
Name
Date
Hour
Character Symbols
A symbol is an object or action that stands for something else. After completing your study
of Macbeth, you understand the main characters well. You are familiar with their behavior
and their thoughts. In this activity you depict one character’s qualities in a symbolic way to
reveal your best interpretation of him or her.
Directions: Choose one character from the play. List all of that person’s character traits.
Then, think of a symbol (an object or action) that corresponds to the dominant trait(s).
Prepare a brief (one minute) explanation of how or why the symbol matches the character.
Present your symbol to the class (so bring the object itself or some representation of it,
such as a picture) and justify your decision.
Notes:
Actors are notoriously superstitious.
Macbeth is considered unlucky in some
acting circles, and some actors object
to the word “Macbeth” being mentioned.
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Reflect on Reading
Handout 3
Name
Date
Hour
Pre-Reading Question Review
Take out the pre-reading questions that you filled out before you read Macbeth.
Determine if the play has changed your beliefs.
Directions: Complete the chart below in preparation for a discussion with your classmates.
Pre-Reading Discussion
Question
Answers Before
Reading
1. What do you expect to like and
to dislike about reading
Macbeth?
2. Do you believe in fate or in free
will? Explain.
3. How important is a good leader
to the well-being of a society?
4. Is it possible to have too much
ambition? If so, how? If not,
why not?
5. Do you believe that people are
always rewarded for the good
they do and punished for the
bad? Explain.
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Reading
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Name
Date
Hour
Final Test
The following test assesses your knowledge and understanding of Macbeth.
Directions: Read all the directions and questions carefully.
Multiple Choice
Directions: Circle the letter of the correct answer. (1 pt. each)
1. The play opens with
a) a storm.
b) three witches.
c) a battle.
d) both a and b.
2. Macbeth successfully fights against
a) Cawdor.
b) Banquo.
c) Macdonwald.
d) Macduff.
3. Lady Macbeth wants her husband to
a) kill the chamberlains.
b) kill Banquo.
c) kill Duncan.
d) kill Fleance.
4. When Macbeth sees an imaginary dagger he is
a) tired.
c) drunk.
b) hallucinating.
d) drugged.
5. After Macduff discovers Duncan has been murdered, Lady Macbeth
a) cries.
c) screams.
b) hides.
d) faints.
6. Donalbain flees to
a) Ireland.
b) Wales.
c) Germany.
d) England.
7. Macbeth says he is disappointed that Banquo is going riding before the feast because
a) he wants to kill him.
c) he needs help with a military strategy.
b) he wants Banquo’s advice.
d) he needs the horses.
8. Fleance is able to escape because
a) the light goes out.
b) his father wants him to.
c) he kills his attacker.
d) he is agile.
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Final Test
Final Test, continued
9. During the feast, Macbeth’s chair is occupied by
a) Macbeth.
c) Duncan’s ghost.
b) Banquo’s ghost.
d) Macdonwald.
10. The three witches have the blessing of
a) Hades.
b) Macbeth.
c) Hecate.
d) Hippocrates.
11. The witches explain each apparition except for the
a) first.
c) third.
b) second.
d) fourth.
12. Malcolm assures himself of Macduff’s loyalty by
a) administering an oath.
c) demanding a blood promise.
b) telling lies about himself.
d) promising Macduff titles and lands.
13. Malcolm instructs the soldiers to cut down tree limbs to
a) hide their faces.
c) disguise the army’s true size.
b) protect them.
d) build a bonfire.
14. Lady Macbeth dies from
a) a self-inflicted stab wound.
b) a crazed mind.
c) a heart attack.
d) it isn’t clear.
15. After Macbeth’s death, the new king will be
a) Siward.
c) Ross.
b) Malcolm.
d) Macduff.
Matching
Directions: Choose the letter that fits the description. Make sure that you use each letter
just once and that you have no letters left over. (1 pt. each)
1. _____ An object or action that stands for something else.
a. Macbeth
2. _____ A Scottish nobleman.
b. theme
3. _____ Macbeth has too much of this.
c. Malcolm
4. _____ Discovers Duncan has been murdered.
d. heath
5. _____ Fights valiantly with Macbeth in Act I.
e. Lady Macbeth
6. _____ Receives the title Prince of Cumberland.
f. climax
7. _____ Macbeth dies here.
g. Scotland
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Final Test
Final Test, continued
8. _____ Killed for supposedly murdering Duncan.
h. Macduff
9. _____ General concept or idea in a story.
i. symbol
10. _____ Thane of Cawdor.
j. England
11. _____ A place where Macbeth meets the witches.
k. Banquo
12. _____ Point of no return in the story.
l. thane
13. _____ Siward is from this country.
m. Dunsinane
14. _____ Macbeth is king of this country.
n. chamberlains
15. _____ The doctor cannot heal this person.
o. ambition
Event Sequencing
Directions: Order the following events chronologically from 1 to 10. (1pt. each)
_______a.
Macduff kills Macbeth.
_______b. Banquo learns that his sons will be kings.
_______c.
Lady Macbeth walks in her sleep, trying to clean her hands.
_______d. Malcolm flees to England.
_______e.
Macbeth meets the three witches alone.
_______ f.
Macbeth kills Duncan.
_______g. Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill.
_______h. Macbeth orders the death of Macduff’s family.
_______ i.
Lady Macbeth reads Macbeth’s letter.
_______ j.
An old man tells Ross that an owl killed a falcon.
Short Answer
Directions: Write your answer to each question on a separate piece of paper. Use complete
sentences. (4 pts. each)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What does Banquo tell Macbeth about the witches’ prophecies?
How does Lady Macbeth respond to Macbeth’s letter?
Where does Macbeth kill Duncan?
How does Macbeth become the next king?
Why does Macbeth have Banquo murdered?
What does Lady Macbeth tell the dinner guests when Macbeth is speaking to an
empty chair?
7. What does the apparition of the bloody child mean according to the three witches?
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Final Test
Final Test, continued
8. When Ross tells Lady Macduff that her husband has gone to England, how does he
characterize Macduff’s actions?
9. How does Macbeth respond when his servant tells him that Birnam Wood is moving
toward Dunsinane Hill?
10. How does Macduff kill Macbeth?
Essay Questions
Directions: Choose one of the three essay questions listed below. The length needs to be
approximately 350 words. Make sure your response is well-organized and grammatically
correct. Use a separate piece of paper. (20 pts.)
1. Discuss the role of the supernatural in Macbeth.
2. Explain three factors that contribute to Macbeth’s ultimate destruction.
3. Explain two ways to apply the lessons of Macbeth to real life in Shakespeare’s time, in
our time, or in both.
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Answer Key
This section provides answers to activities and the test in the order in which they appear in
the guide.
Novel Road Map to Success
Before We Start
Handout 5
Act I, Scene I
1. A barren place. Thunder and lightning.
2. Their next meeting, which will be with Macbeth on the heath.
Act I, Scene II
1. He is bloodied (injured), so he has been in the battle and knows what has happened.
2. He was a rebel, a traitor, an enemy.
3. They fought valiantly; they were not afraid.
4. Although the thane of Cawdor turned traitor, the Scottish forces were able to win the battle.
5. He condemns him to death and gives his title to Macbeth.
Act I, Scene III
1. As thane of Glamis, thane of Cawdor, and as king.
2. His children will be kings although he will not.
3. He thinks that he and Macbeth are hallucinating, perhaps from eating something poisonous.
4. The witches are considered part of the demonic world; he is shocked that such evil ones can
predict the truth.
5. He is confused and cannot tell if they are good or evil. For the moment, however, he is willing
to leave the future to chance and take a “whatever will be, will be” attitude.
Act I, Scene IV
1. He is loyal and devoted. He considers himself duty bound to serve the king.
2. As Prince of Cumberland, Duncan’s eldest son Malcolm will succeed to the throne. If
Macbeth hopes to be king, he must get rid of Malcolm or find some way to be named
Prince of Cumberland himself.
Act I, Scene V
1. She fears he is too soft and that he lacks the necessary ambition to become king.
2. He will die after entering her castle.
3. She thinks his face will give away their plans; he is an open book to those who are coming.
She does not think he is capable of plotting the king’s murder and carrying it out.
Act I, Scene VI
1. Lady Macbeth greets him and takes him to see Macbeth.
Act I, Scene VII
1. Duncan should feel safe at Inverness because Macbeth is a loyal servant and also because the
rules of hospitality require that a host keep his guests secure, not plan their deaths.
2. Duncan has honored Macbeth, and everyone is praising him. He says they should just enjoy
this moment for now.
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3. She tells him he isn’t a man if he fails to follow through with the plan.
4. When Duncan is asleep, they will get his chamberlains drunk, use the chamberlains’ daggers
to kill Duncan, and then coat the chamberlains in blood to make it appear as though they
were the murderers.
Act II, Scene I
1. It is late and pitch black; they cannot see the moon or the stars.
2. A large diamond as a gift to his hostess.
3. He seems anxious and fearful, possibly hallucinating. He is doubting himself. He feels a
connection with witchcraft. Then, he gains some resolve to follow through with the plan.
Act II, Scene II
1. She drugs the chamberlains and places their daggers where Macbeth will find them easily.
2. The sleeping Duncan reminds her of her father, and she is unable to do it.
3. The killing occurs very early in the play, and thoughts of it will affect the rest of the scenes.
Lady Macbeth suggests someone will go crazy.
4. Macbeth takes the murder weapons (the daggers) from Duncan’s room. He is too frightened
to return there. Lady Macbeth takes them back to the scene of the crime.
5. They hear knocking, and they want to appear as if they’ve been sound asleep all night, so they
are getting into their nightclothes.
6. He feels guilty and remorseful. He wants to undo what he has just done.
Act II, Scene III
1. The king had asked him to come at that time.
2. Politely, graciously, calmly.
3. He says it was an eerie night, filled with wailings and omens of death.
4. He is crazed with grief. He shouts for his fellow noblemen. He is distraught, devastated.
5. He says Duncan’s own chamberlains killed him. Macbeth also says that in his fury and grief he
killed the chamberlains.
6. They flee from Scotland, fearing that whoever killed their father will also want to kill them.
Malcolm chooses to go to England; Donalbain will go to Ireland.
Act II, Scene IV
1. The old man saw a falcon killed by a hawk, and Ross saw Duncan’s horses turn against one
another and eat one another. The abnormal events in nature are supposed to reflect the
abnormal events occurring among people.
2. They must have been behind the plot to kill Duncan; their guilt made them flee.
3. With the natural heirs gone and presumably guilty, the thanes will choose the most honored
man among them, Macbeth.
Act III, Scene I
1. Forres, at the king’s palace.
2. He thinks Macbeth did something evil to attain the throne.
3. Banquo will be going for a ride in the afternoon with his son, Fleance. Macbeth tells him to
be sure he returns in time to attend their celebratory feast.
4. Being king is not enough if his position is threatened. He wants to feel secure in his reign.
5. If Macbeth’s son will not inherit the throne, then he committed murder for someone else to
prosper.
6. He appeals to their manhood and twists the truth so that they believe Banquo is their enemy.
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Act III, Scene II
1. She says he should enjoy the dinner that evening and be pleased with his new status.
2. Nothing. Macbeth has chosen not to tell her.
Act III, Scene III
1. They kill Banquo, but Fleance escapes.
2. The true threat to Macbeth is from Banquo’s son, but he managed to get away. The only
thing that killing Banquo does is prevent him from fathering any more sons.
Act III, Scene IV
1. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are hosting a dinner party. They seem to be calm and in control.
2. He speaks to him and is glad to hear that Banquo is dead. He is upset that Fleance escaped.
3. Banquo’s ghost enters and takes Macbeth’s seat.
4. He asks his guests which of them is responsible for this.
5. She says it is a condition he has had since childhood, and it will pass quickly.
6. She suggests to him that he is remembering tales of days past. She reminds him that his guests
are waiting.
7. After the ghost enters and exits several times, Lady Macbeth tells them that Macbeth is
overwrought and should be left alone.
8. He will visit the witches to find out what the future holds for him.
Act III, Scene V
1. They were not supposed to meddle with Macbeth by making prophecies, especially without
involving her. She says that Macbeth will come to them tomorrow and she will join them.
Act III, Scene VI
1. He says that Macduff lives in disgrace.
2. He informs him that Malcolm sent for Macduff and that Macduff went to England to help
Malcolm regain the throne.
Act IV, Scene I
1. They seem to be preparing a potion.
2. “Double, double toil and trouble; / Fire burn and cauldron bubble.”
3. He asks them how they are, calls them “secret, black, and midnight hags,” and asks them what
they are doing.
4. It’s an armed head, meaning a head wearing a helmet, and it tells Macbeth that Macduff is a
danger to him.
5. It’s a bloody child, and it says no one born of a woman can harm Macbeth.
6. It’s a child wearing a crown and holding a tree, and it says that Macbeth will not be defeated
until Great Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill.
7. It’s a line of eight kings followed by Banquo’s ghost.
8. He plans to have Macduff’s home attacked and his wife and children killed.
Act IV, Scene II
1. She believes it was foolish and that he has left his family, his land, and his titles unprotected.
2. By going to England, Macduff has acted like a traitor and all traitors must be hanged.
3. Macduff’s son is murdered, and Lady Macduff runs off stage pursued by murderers.
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Act IV, Scene III
1. He is mourning for all of the terrible deeds that are being committed there.
2. Macduff says Macbeth is the worst of the demons in hell.
3. Even though Macbeth is terrible, Malcolm suggests that he himself has such terrible character
flaws that he ought not to rule Scotland. He doesn’t believe he has any of the virtues a good
king must have.
4. He cries “O Scotland, Scotland,” and agrees that Malcolm isn’t fit to rule and possibly not fit
to live.
5. He explains that he was lying about his supposed vices to test Macduff’s resolve and loyalty.
6. He has gathered an army of 10,000 warriors to join with Malcolm in an attempt to reclaim
Scotland.
7. He has the power to heal people of illnesses.
8. He says it is in a terrible state, more a grave than a motherland.
9. He is grief-stricken. He keeps repeating the news, asking over and over again if they’ve all
been killed.
10. He tells Macduff to be a man and to use revenge against Macbeth to cure his grief.
Act V, Scene I
1. She rises, dresses, writes on a paper, and returns to bed. She appears to be awake, but she
doesn’t seem to realize what she is doing.
2. She makes the motions of washing her hands and says, “Yet here’s a spot,” and “Out, damned
spot!” as though she cannot get her hands clean.
3. She says she wouldn’t want to be queen if it meant having a disturbed heart like Lady
Macbeth has.
4. Nothing. He says her illness is beyond his powers to heal.
Act V, Scene II
1. They plan to march to Birnam Wood to meet Malcolm, Macduff, Siward, and the English
army.
2. He is fortifying Dunsinane. Some say he acts like a madman.
Act V, Scene III
1. He reminds himself of the apparitions’ prophecies that he cannot be harmed by anyone born
of a woman and he’ll be safe until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane.
2. He confirms the reports of the large English army advancing on Dunsinane.
3. He says she isn’t sick so much as her mind is troubled, and it prevents her from sleeping.
4. He says that only the patient can cure her troubled mind.
Act V, Scene IV
1. He orders them to each cut down a tree limb so the army can disguise its massive size.
Act V, Scene V
1. He finds the idea amusing and says they have sufficient provisions to outlast any siege.
2. Lady Macbeth has died.
3. He says she should have died at a later date so he would have time to deal with it, and then he
soliloquizes about the brevity of life.
Act V, Scene VI
1. The army arrives at the castle, drops its camouflage branches, and prepares to attack.
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Act V, Scene VII
1. Macbeth kills him.
Act V, Scene VIII
1. He was “from his mother’s womb/ Untimely ripp’d,” meaning he was born by caesarean
section, and, therefore, not of “woman born.”
2. Malcolm is going to be crowned king at Scone.
Check for Comprehension: True or False
Act I
Handout 1
1. F
2. T
3. F
4. F
5. F
6. T
7. F
8. T
9. T
10. F
5. undaunted
6. conduct
7. disdaining
8. curbing
9. corporal
10. attire
Vocabulary Matching Exercise
Act I
Handout 2
1. impedes
2. plight
3. disbursed
4. supernatural
Comprehension Check: Quote Quiz
Act III
Handout 1
1. Banquo says it. He recognizes that Macbeth now has everything the three witches promised
him. He’s the thane of Glamis, thane of Cawdor, and king. But Banquo suspects that Macbeth
gained the throne through treachery and deceit. This is important because it shows that
Macbeth’s crime has not gone unnoticed. It suggests that Macbeth may have to pay for his evil
deeds.
2. Macbeth says it. When he sees Banquo’s ghost sitting in his chair at the feast, he feels
reproached. It probably has two meanings. One, that Macbeth did not kill Banquo himself,
so he is not technically guilty. Two, that Banquo cannot “shake his locks” or turn his head
because he is dead and can never move again. This is important because it shows a
consequence to one of Macbeth’s actions. It also hints at Macbeth’s guilty conscience.
Vocabulary: Dictionary and Thesaurus Work
Act III
Handout 2
Possible answers include:
Posterity - Definition: all the descendants of an individual. Two synonyms: offspring, child.
Barren - Definition: empty, without children. Two synonyms: childless, sterile.
Malice - Definition: evil intent. Two synonyms: immorality, cruelty.
Jovial - Definition: happy and lighthearted. Two synonyms: jolly, content.
Treachery - Definition: intentional betrayal. Two synonyms: disloyalty, treason.
Mirth - Definition: laughter, happiness. Two synonyms: humor, cheerfulness.
Imposters - Definition: people who use false identities. Two synonyms: fakers, poseurs.
Infirmity - Definition: sickness or medical condition. Two synonyms: illness, weakness.
Pious - Definition: extremely holy. Two synonyms: spiritual, religious.
Accursed - Definition: put under a curse. Two synonyms: damned, blighted.
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Vocabulary Usage
Act IV
Handout 2
1. N
2. Y
3. Y
4. Y
5. N
6. N
7. N
8. Y
9. Y
10. N
Final Test
Reflect on Reading
Handout 2
Multiple Choice
1. D
3. C
2. C
4. B
5. D
6. A
7. B
8. A
9. B
10. C
11. D
12. B
13. C
14. D
15. B
Matching
1. i
2. l
5. k
6. c
7. m
8. n
9. b
10. a
11. d
12. f
13. j
14. g
15. e
3. o
4. h
Sequencing
a. 10
b. 1
c. 8
d. 4
e. 6
f. 3
g. 9
h. 7
i. 2
j. 5
Short Answer
1. The witches may be trying to harm him (“And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The
instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s / In deepest
consequence.”)
2. She is eager for him to become king, and she fears he is too cowardly to claim the throne
himself.
3. He kills him as he sleeps in Macbeth’s own castle at Inverness.
4. After Duncan’s death, the Scottish nobles gather together and agree that Macbeth should be
the next king in light of Malcolm’s and Donalbain’s departures.
5. Macbeth wants to feel secure in his position as king and sees Banquo (or at least his sons) as a
threat to him.
6. She explains that this is a problem he has had since childhood and that it will pass quickly, but
she tells them not to ask questions as they will anger him.
7. The three witches tell Macbeth that none of woman born can harm him.
8. He says he may have gone out of wisdom and that she should trust her husband’s decision.
9. He is resigned to the fact that he will lose the battle, but he plans to die fighting.
10. He cuts off his head.
Essay Questions
1. The witches use the powers of darkness, spells, and enchantments apart from the natural world
to wreak havoc in Macbeth’s life. The apparitions appear to bring messages from beyond. In
addition, the use of storms, thunder, and lightning to presage terrible events is a common
story-telling device. Also, the strange animal behavior, such as the owl killing the falcon and
the king’s horses eating one another, is a method of foreshadowing evil happenings.
2. One factor is the witches’ prophecies; their use of falsehood cloaked in truth’s robes precipitates
most of Macbeth’s behavior. Another factor is Lady Macbeth; she encourages Macbeth to kill
Duncan—in fact, it is her idea—and she taunts him every time he tries to back out of the plan.
A third factor, obviously, is Macbeth himself because he is ultimately responsible for his actions;
he murders Duncan and then undertakes subsequent murders on his own, without Lady
Macbeth’s suggestions. A fourth factor could be the desire for revenge on both Malcolm’s and
Macduff’s part, as their military response to Macbeth’s tyranny directly leads to his death.
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3. Lessons in Shakespeare’s time may include a reminder to King James I regarding the necessity
of being a good king, the suggestion that evil rulers can destroy the entire country, the idea
that cruel monarchs can be disposed of, and notions of accepting well-timed aid from other
countries. Similar lessons apply in our time. For example, our country should heed the lessons
Shakespeare showed James I regarding who is in power and how he or she gets there. There
are also individual lessons such as the power of ambition to destroy our moral compass, the way
that one bad decision can cause complete ruin, and the importance of listening to sound advice
rather than biased opinions.
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