Thesis Statements
For your Macbeth Control Essay
Your introductory paragraph
Make sure to identify the work/playwright
somewhere in the first paragraph:
William Shakespeare
The Tragedy of Macbeth (notice it’s italicized)
Sentence 1: General statement about control
Sentence 2: Tie control to Macbeth.
Sentence 3: Thesis statement
You have three body paragraphs
• First Body Paragraph: Of the three choices, which
is most/least to blame for Macbeth’s downfall?
• Second Body Paragraph: Discuss how, when the
shift occurred (murder of Duncan) in Act III, what
also contributed to Macbeth’s fate
• Last Body Paragraph: Discuss which choice MOST
contributes to whether Macbeth had control of
his own fate or whether someone/something else
did
Your Thesis Must Be Arguable
Use grammatical constructions
• Although Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are to
blame for initial heinous murder of Duncan,
the three Weird Sisters are the primary cause
for Macbeth’s ruin.
Another one…
• Unscrupulously taking control of Scotland,
Macbeth can blame nothing other than his
own selfish desire to be king for his downfall,
thus negating the influence of both Lady
Macbeth and the three witches as possible
objects of blame.
Use a subordinating conjunction to
make a subordinate clause…
EXAMPLES OF SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS:
Although, Until, In order that, Since, So that, Even though,
During, When, While, etc.
Also consider these strategies for varying your sentence
structure (to make your essay more entertaining for your
reader):
• Or use an –ing phrase
– Screaming crazily at the thin air, Macbeth vows to kill Macduff.
– Solitarily plotting the death of Banquo, Macbeth defines his
decent into evil.
– Taking his warrior power back from Lady Macbeth, Macbeth
decides to kill Banquo and Fleance.
TODAY
• Write your introduction
• Write two or three body paragraphs
• Write a conclusion
• SAVE TODAY’S WORK AS
Firstnamelastname Macbeth Control Essay
ex. JohnSmith Macbeth Control Essay
and e-mail your work to me at
debbie.rager@douglas.k12.ga.us