English 10 - Larsen
Name:
Macbeth Notebook—Act 4
For Each Scene:
Summary: Use the large box at the top of each page for a summary of the main events in the
scene. Use both words and pictures in your summary (like a cartoon strip or picture book).
The summaries of each scene in your book will be the most helpful tool—though you can access
SparkNotes or CliffNotes if you’d prefer. For full credit, make sure your summary includes
each main action/ event in the scene. (1 point each scene)
Performance Notes: Jot down at least two notes about the way the scene was performed:
choices or changes the actors or director made from Shakespeare’s original play; interesting
details you noticed; interpretations you agreed or disagreed with; favorite moments; ideas
about how you would have staged the scene, etc. Please include notes for each version of the
scene that we watch. (1 points each scene)
Theme Notes: List any specific lines or passages that relate to one of the themes of the play
(appearance and reality, ambition, loyalty and betrayal, masculinity, fortune). List the line
number(s) and a very brief description of what the line(s) tell us about the theme. For full
credit, include at least two passages for each scene…though, obviously, the more passages you
can list, the more helpful your notes will be when you sit down to write your paper. (2 points
each scene)
Motif Notes: List any specific lines or passages that relate to one of the motifs of the play
(blood, sleep, supernatural, darkness). List the line number(s) and a very brief description of
what the line(s) tell us about the motif. For full credit, include at least two passages for each
scene…though, obviously, the more passages you can list, the more helpful your notes will be
when you sit down to write your paper. (2 points each scene)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For the Selected Scenes You Need to Read: (scenes 1 and 3)
Comprehension: Answer the questions as correctly as possible. (1 point each scene)
Translate a Passage: Macbeth was written over four hundred years ago and the English language
has changed a lot. Your task is to translate Shakespeare’s poetic language into modern-day prose.
Translate each line of the selected speech, keeping Shakespeare’s original meaning and tone but
putting the lines into your own words. This is very much an exercise in close reading so pay
attention to detail! (3 points each scene)
Identify the Quote: You will be given an important quote from the scene. You need to (a) identify
the speaker, (b) identify to whom he or she is speaking, (c) explain what is happening in the play
when the words are spoken, and (d) explain why this is such an important line—what does it tell us
that we really need to know? Why would Larsen choose it as an important quote? (2 points each
scene)
Going Deeper: Directions will vary for each scene. Whatever the task, you want to demonstrate
deep thinking and attention to detail. When in doubt, go into more detail and explanation in your
answer. (5 points each scene)
(3 scenes in the act x 6 pts ea.= 18 pts) + (2 scenes to read x 11 pts ea.= 22 pts) = 40 pts
Act 4, Scene 1
Performance Notes:
Theme Notes (appearance and reality,
Motif Notes (blood, sleep, supernatural,
ambition, loyalty and betrayal, masculinity,
fortune):
darkness):
Act 4, Scene 1
Comprehension: (Choose the best answer)
The apparitions appear because:
A. Macbeth requests to hear from them as opposed to the witches
B. Macbeth, like his wife had done earlier, requested that the evil darkness counsel him
C. Hecate intervenes and forces Macbeth to see his future
D. Banquo’s ghost demands that Macbeth learn of the bitter future
Which of the following is NOT one of the prophesies made by an apparition?
A. Macbeth shouldn’t worry about any man who seems powerful because no one who is born
from a woman can hurt him
B. Macbeth should be cautious of Lady Macbeth since she and the witches are working against
him
C. Macbeth shouldn’t worry about plots against him since he won’t be defeated until the forest
of Birnam comes to Dunsinane Hill
D. Macbeth should be cautious when it comes to Macduff
The original three apparitions are followed by:
A. The witches’ sudden departure into nothing but air
legacy
C. Macbeth threatening to kill the witches and Hecate
dead
B. an image suggesting Banquo’s
D. a final apparition of Macbeth
Translate a Passage:
Macbeth (aside):
Time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits.
The flighty purpose never is o’ertook
Unless the deed go with it. From this moment
The very firstlings of my heart shall be
The firstlings of my hand. And even now,
To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done:
The castle of Macduff I will surprise,
Seize upon Fife, give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;
This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool.
But no more sights!
(4.1.164-176)
Identify the Quote: “And yet the eighth appears who bears a glass/ Which shows me many more,
and some I see/ That twofold balls and treble scepters carry./ Horrible sight! Now I see ‘tis true,/
For the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon me/ And points at them for his.” (4.1.134-139)
ABCD-
Going Deeper in Act 4, Scene 1:
Fill in the following chart in as much detail as possible. Some of the answers will come directly
from the text, some will require informed predictions and creativity.
Apparition 1
Apparition 2
Apparition 3
Final Vision
Describe the
vision.
What does the
vision say to
Macbeth?
How does
Macbeth initially
react to the
vision?
What positive
encouragement
does Macbeth
find in the
vision?
How could the
vision be
deceptive for
Macbeth?
How does Macbeth feel after his second meeting with the witches? What things might reassure him,
and what things might trouble him?
Did the witches succeed in lulling him into a sense of security? If so, is the security real or is it a
false sense of security?
Act 4, Scene 2
Performance Notes:
Theme Notes (appearance and reality,
Motif Notes (blood, sleep, supernatural,
ambition, loyalty and betrayal, masculinity,
fortune):
darkness):
Act 4, Scene 3
Performance Notes:
Theme Notes (appearance and reality,
Motif Notes (blood, sleep, supernatural,
ambition, loyalty and betrayal, masculinity,
fortune):
darkness):
Act 4, Scene 3, Lines 1-159
Comprehension:
Briefly explain Macduff's description to Malcolm of the state of affairs in Scotland. What does the
audience know which makes Macduff's account even more painful?
Why is Malcolm suspicious of Macduff? Does he know as much as the audience does about Macbeth
and Macduff being enemies?
Translate a Passage:
Malcolm
I think our country sinks beneath the yoke.
It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash
Is added to her wounds. I think withal
There would be hands uplifted in my right;
And here from gracious England have I offer
Of goodly thousands. But, for all this,
When I shall tread upon the tyrant’s head
Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor country
Shall have more vices than it had before,
More suffer, and more sundry ways than ever,
By him that shall succeed.
Macduff
What should he be?
Malcolm
It is myself I mean, in whom I know
All the particulars of vice so grafted
That, when they shall be opened, black Macbeth
Will seem as pure as snow, and the poor state
Esteem him as a lamb, being compared
With my confineless harms.
(4.3.49-66)
Identify the Quote: “A most miraculous work in this good king,…strangely visited people…he
cures…; and, ‘tis spoken…he leaves the healing benediction.…He hath a heavenly gift of prophecy,
And sundry blessings hang about his throne That speak him full of grace.” (4.3.169-181)
ABCD-
Going Deeper in Act 4, Scene 3:
We see two images of Malcolm in this scene—the public description and the private truth.
Since Malcolm is going to become a key figure in the story, and one of the main motifs of the play is
the difference between appearance and reality, it’s important to really look at how and why
Malcolm creates and then refutes the image of himself that he does in this scene.
Draw two public media pages (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Tumblr or something similar) for
Malcolm. One should portray Malcolm as he presents himself to Macduff at the beginning of the
scene, one should portray him as he actually is behind the lies. Feel free to make the second page
an update of the first page (or you can make two completely separate pages).
Each page should include specific information from the text about how Malcolm feels, what
he does, etc. and the second page should also indicate why he has decided to change his image of
himself. Why can he be honest towards the end of the scene? In addition, be creative. What
would Malcolm’s interests be? Who would his friends be? What kinds of pictures would he post or
like? Would he play any games? What opinions about Scotland or Macbeth or the death of his father
would he be discussing?
Feel free to do this activity on separate pieces of paper since there isn’t enough room here.
You may chose to draw what the online pages would look like by hand, or you can design the pages
on a computer and print them out. Just make sure that you remember to staple them to this
packet.