MACBETH
· a modern English version of William
Shakespeare’s tragedy by Juan Luis Granato
and Susana Anselmi
· Classroom activities for advanced learners
by José Luis Morales
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to our new concept, innovative Activity Packs and Teacher’s Notes
written by experienced Uruguayan actor, teacher and writer José Luis Morales.
The Company Educational drama was founded in 2009 to bring learners of
English closer to dramatic art and the exciting characters and stories that
British and American writers have contributed to our world. Since then, we
have presented between three and four plays a year for Primary and Secondary
learners of English from Schools and Language Institutes throughout Uruguay
reaching an astonishing 15000 young learners from about 100 schools each year.
As part of our commitment to assisting teachers in creating a path to the
performance with minimum class preparation, we are happy to provide
an Activity Pack for each new play in repertoire. Each photocopiable pack
comprises twelve free-standing Student Pages S1-S12, with corresponding
Teacher’s Notes pages T1-T12 complete with answer key as well as three
Appendix pages A1-A3 with song lyrics and is accompanied by downloadable
sound archives for the songs. If you have downloaded this pack for free from
http://the company.com.uy it means your school has booked for students to
attend a specific performance. You should aim to do any or all of the first ten
activities before the performance and the last two after the performance. Nº
previous knowledge of the play is needed, as the activities are self-explanatory.
The ‘Uncovering the story’ feature allows both Teacher and Students to discover
the themes of the play without giving away what happens in the end. All
the activities are designed to raise your students’ interest in the stories, the
characters, the themes, concepts and values found within each story as they
listen to, speak, sing, read and write in English at their level or slightly above it.
I
We believe that the arts, and especially drama, can play a uniquely rich role in
teaching and learning a foreign or second language for many reasons. Firstly
because it is beneficial for learners to build a sense of anticipation before
they see a play and a sense of accomplishment after they have seen it. There
is much to be gained by the healthy build-up of excitement leading up to the
performance and the subsequent pride in having been able to enjoy a play
in English. Secondly because it places language and learning in context and,
thus, presents teachers and learners with a variety of tasks that are realistic
and full of potential. Moreover, these tasks encourage students to understand
and use the language in your curriculum but also other language that does not
traditionally find its place in textbooks. We are one with teachers, parents,
school administrators and educational policy makers who aspire to raise the bar
in education by enriching the conceptual, procedural, attitudinal and linguistic
repertoire of children, teenagers and young adults. We hope you and your
students enjoy this experience and wish you a great academic year.
In 2017 The Company Educations Drama proudly presents: ‘Pocahontas’ (for
very Young Lower Primary learners), ‘Tutankhamen’ (for Young Upper Primary
learners), ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ adapted from Oscar Wilde’s only novel
(for Secondary Learners) and ‘Macbeth’ William Shakespeare’s great play of
ambition, murder and the supernatural (for Upper Secondary and Young Adult
learners).
MACBETH
2
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Before the performance 1: Introducing ‘Macbeth’
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· A production poster shows the main character, a
young man named Macbeth with his hands in the act of
placing a crown on his head. The item on its left shows
the cast of characters and where the scene is set.
· LANGUAGE OPPORTUNITIES:
· (Lady Macbeth) must be (Macbeth’s wife).
· (Banquo) must die as his ghost is also in the cast of
characters.
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· attire, deceitful, deed, haggard, hideous, kinsman,
loyal, parricide, rush ahead of oneself, Thane
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES
· People can influence other people; they can have a
good or a bad – often called ‘pernicious’ – influence
(like Lady Macbeth has on her husband). What kind
of influence do you exert on others around you?
How can you tell what kind of influence someone
has over you?
T1
WARM-UP
Hand out activity S1. Have the students look at the
poster on it and ask: ‘Who’s the main character in this
play?’ (Macbeth) How can you know for sure? (The play
bears his name), How many other main characters are
there in the play? (Judging from the cast of characters 10)
Ask: ‘What’s your first impression?’ ‘Is this comedy or
drama?’ ‘Why?‘
(It must be drama; there are witches, apparitions, a ghost,
kings and queens, someone is murdered as there are two
murderers in the cast)
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
1: Write the names: King Duncan, Malcolm, Macbeth,
Lady Macbeth, Banquo, the Weird Sisters, in a line on
the board. Leave some space below the names for later
writings. Read the instructions for 1. Explain the students
will have to read the quotes and decide which of the
characters on the board is being referred to. Do the first
quote with the whole class.
ANSWER KEY:
A It refers to a heroic soldier or general. It might be
Banquo or Mabeth.
B It may refer to the three witches, judging by the
description.
C She may refer to her husband, Macbeth.
D Someone he is putting up in his castle, someone he is
a subject to, someone in “great office”. It must be King
Duncan who’s staying at Macbeth’s castle.
MACBETH
E Someone whose death can be considered a “great
deed”, someone who has security officers at his door. It
must be King Duncan, who is her guest at the castle for
the night.
F Two brothers who have purportedly murdered their
own father (parricide). It must be the dead King’s sons,
Malcolm and his brother.
2: Draw a cloud immediately below and write in the
following words and phrases: army captain, young,
victorious, generous and well-loved, cruel, kind-hearted,
brave, fearless, ambitious, loyal, a traitor, deceitful,
nobleman, powerful, virtuous, cousins. Check that
students know the meaning and use of these words
and have them match the words to the characters by
writing them below each name in their notebook. Make
it clear that there are no right or wrong answers yet.
These are only predictions. Check with the whole class.
Elicit sentences like this: ‘(Lady Macbeth) must be a very
3
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Before the performance 1: Introducing ‘Macbeth’
ambitious woman.’
Elicit how must, may/might and can’t are used to make
predictions in English. Get the students into pairs and
have them debate which words probably describe whom
by referring back to the quotes in activity 1.
Possible answers: Macbeth: army captain, nobleman,
brave, young, victorious, fearless, a traitor, Duncan’s
cousin. Lady Macbeth: cruel, deceitful, ambitious, young.
Banquo: Duncan’s and Macbeth’s cousin, brave, army
captain, nobleman, victorious, young. Duncan: generous,
well loved, kind hearted, powerful, virtuous. The Weird
Sisters: thin, haggard, bearded.
T1
CONTINUED
Portfolio: At this point your students can decide
whether they want to make a print portfolio or a digital
portfolio. The print portfolio will be a folder where they
will keep student pages S1-S12 as they complete them.
The digital portfolio could be the same but in digital
form, for which students simply scan student pages
with a cell phone application such as Camscanner they
can easily download for free, and then place these pdf
documents in a folder in their computers.
Have the students make further predictions about the
characters and how they are related.
FOLLOW-UP
Draw the outline of a male head on the board and have
students write words or phrases jutting out from it. Ask
them to use the predictions they have made as well
as these prompts: name, age, looks, character, social
standing and relationship to other characters. This
should be a fairly quick task. If allowed at your school,
have students take pictures of their work on the board
with their cell phone. If not, they can copy it onto a
sheet of paper.
MACBETH
4
TEACHER’S GUIDE
T2
Before the performance 2: Who said what?
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· Macbeth is a victorious army Captain. On his return
from the front, he and his best friend Banquo run
into three witches who predict he will become
Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland,
while Banquo’s descendants shall be kings. King
Duncan welcomes the victorious captains with great
pomp and rewards Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, with
the title of Thane of Cawdor and the former traitor’s
land. The former Thane of Cawdor had betrayed
the King and and been executed for treason shortly
before. Macbeth sees the first prediction come true
and writes to his wife. Lady Macbeth manipulates
her husband into murdering King Duncan in order to
become King and Queen of Scotland.
· SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
Reading for gist. Sequencing events.
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· betray, bleed, blood, daggers, deceive, enfold, good
will, guilt, guilty, hither, prophetic, Hail!, hereafter,
host(ess), (be/become) settled
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· Lady Macbeth advices: ‘Look like the innocent
flower, but be the serpent that hides under it.’ This
character trait is called deceit or falsehood. What is
the opposite? (honesty and truthfulness).
WARM-UP
Have the students tell you what they think they know
about the play and the characters in it from the activities
they did on page S1. Encourage them to the words and
phrases from 1: Macbeth must be a brave army captain.
Lady Macbeth is a deceitful woman.
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
1: Have students look at activity 1 on page S2 and identify
the people speaking. (Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Duncan,
the three witches). Explain the students will have to
read the quotes and decide who said what by circling
the correct character outline. Do number one with the
whole class and then get the students into pairs and have
them do the rest. Check with the whole class.
Write any relevant vocabulary on the board and have
the students guess the meaning of the words/phrases
from context. Establish the correct meaning and use in
that context.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS:
A Macbeth
B Duncan
C Lady Macbeth
D Lady Macbeth
E Macbeth
F Duncan
G The three witches
2: Explain to the students that these are the characters
actual words in the play. Get them into pairs and have
them order the speeches chronologically as far as
possible. They will be guessing, of course, but with some
MACBETH
degree of certainty. They will be able to check if their
guesses were right later.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS:
A6 · B4 · C5 · D7 · E3 · F1 · G2
FOLLOW-UP
Draw the outline of a female head on the board and have
students write words or phrases jutting out from it. Ask
them to use the predictions they have made as well as
these prompts: name, age, looks, character, social standing
and relationship to other characters. This should be a
fairly quick task. If allowed at your school, have students
take pictures of their work on the board with their cell
phone. If not, they can copy it onto a sheet of paper.
Encourage students to place their work in their print or
digital portfolio.
5
TEACHER’S GUIDE
T3
Before the performance 3: A plot overview
· LESSON AIMS ·
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· As he returns victorious from war, Macbeth – Thane
of Glamis, meets three witches who predict that he
will become Thane of Cawdor and eventually King
of Scotland. Macbeth tells his wife of the Witches’
predictions and she encourages him to murder King
Duncan as he will be their guest at the castle that
evening. Macbeth murders Duncan. Fearing for their
own life, Duncan’s sons, Malcom and Donalbain, leave
Scotland and become prime suspects of parricide. As
he is Duncan’s cousin, Macbeth becomes king.
Macbeth fears Banquo suspects him of murdering
the king so he hires two assassins to dispose of him.
Macbeth pays a second visit to the witches who
give him more predictions. He thinks he is invincible
now. In England, Duncan’s elder son Malcolm and his
friend Macduff plan to invade Scotland and reclaim
the throne. Enraged, Macbeth has Macduff’s wife
and children killed. Macduff swears revenge. Lady
Macbeth is tortured by guilt and commits suicide.
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· We could interpret that Shakespeare believes that
advancement and success in life through deceit,
betrayal and murder is not only morally wrong, but
it also usually ends in disaster. In an ideal world,
how does one advance and succeed in life? (Perhaps
by a mix of chance and personal merit). · Different
cultures have different customs and values. In the
past people did not understand or care about
this. In a globalized world we need to learn to
understand and respect other people’s customs and
culture. Develop a short conversation with your
students in L1 to contextualize this issue especially
for the youngest children so they can grasp the
core concept (people are different and we ought to
respect these differences).
WARM-UP
Have the students briefly share their impressions of the
story so far. Play Thumbs up or down. Explain you will say
a few statements about the story and the students will
have to give you thumbs down if they disagree with you
or thumbs up if they agree with you.
1 Macbeth is an army captain and a nobleman. T
· SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
· Reading for gist. Reading for detail.
2 Duncan King of Scotland does not have a rightful heir. F
(He does. His son Malcolm)
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· deceit, enraged, prime suspects, reclaim, throne.
3 Lady Macbeth exerts a powerful influence over her
husband. T
4 There are two witches. F (three)
5 Macbeth and Banquo are fighting against the
MACBETH
6
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Before the performance 3: A plot overview
T3
CONTINUED
Norwegians. T
6 King Duncan is murdered. T
7 Macbeth is a loyal subject to the King. F (he murders
the King)
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
1: Have the students check their answers to 1 and 2 on
page S2.
2: Have the students skim the text on page S3 to find out
whether the story has a happy ending or a tragic ending
(It probably has a tragic ending because many people
die violent deaths, including one of the main characters
Lady Macbeth, who commits suicide. We do not know
what happens to Macbeth in the end, though. This has
been left out of this lesson on purpose.)
3: Take a moment to discuss the concepts and values for
the lesson (see Lesson Aims above)
FOLLOW-UP
Write down the possible endings below and invite
volunteers to discuss whether it is a likely ending or not
and why/why not.
Macbeth murders Duncan’s son Malcolm and remains King.
Malcolm returns, kills Macbeth and becomes King.
Encourage the students to place the worksheet in their
print or digital portfolio.
Go over statements 1 to 6 and then have the students
read the text and write T for True or F for False
individually. Get the students into pairs and have them
check their answers. Check the answers with the whole
class.
ANSWER KEY:
1 T (wins the war)
2 F (only twice)
3T
4 F (Banquo does)
5 T (Banquo, Lady Macduff and her two children)
6 F (She is tortured by guilt.)
MACBETH
7
TEACHER’S GUIDE
T4
Before the performance 4: Breaking news
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· See summary of the events surrounding King
Duncan’s murder in the news item on page S4.
· SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
· Reading for context and detail.
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· betrayal, breaking news, crown(ed), front, (his) late
Majesty’s, hold some in (great) regard, spokeskerson,
stabbed, (first) in succession, treason
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
“In general, the crown of Scotland was passed along
as follows: Kings to King’s Brother to King’s Nephew
(son of 1st King), unless a King personally chose his
successor, which was the case in this play. This rule
was used to prevent babies and children coming
to the throne. Since Scotland was a warring nation,
their Kings often died very young. When the rule
was an accepted law, the Scots also believed in
“the worthiest Kinsmen.” This allowed clan chiefs
to choose their King. To be worthy of this title, you
would have to be the strongest man in the land
and have to possess the largest number of warriors.
One final way of attaining the throne was by simply
murdering the existing King. In Scotland, this route to
kingship was based upon the belief of “might is right.”
In Shakespeare’s play, Duncan announces he will leave
his kingdom to his eldest son Malcolm. It is easy to
understand why Malcolm and his younger brother
Donalbain escape immediately following their
father’s death. Clearly they would be an obstacle
to Macbeth and their lives would be in danger. In
the absence of the King’s rightful successor, now
suspected of parricide, the mightiest/worthiest
family member, that is Macbeth, became King.
WARM-UP
Have the students look at the picture on page S4 and
describe what they see. (A young man and a woman are
broadcasting news on television. The news is sad. The
King of Scotland has been assassinated as can be seen
from the screen behind them.)
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
1: Have the students skim the text and say what it is (a
news flash or breaking news) read the script for a news
flash and check their predictions.
Explain they will have to fill in the blanks with the words
from the box. Go over each word to clarify meaning and
use. Get the students into pairs and have them do de
activity. Check with the whole class.
ANSWER KEY:
1 murdered,
2 Thane,
3 stabbed,
4 victorious,
5 host,
6 executed
7 afterwards
FOLLOW-UP
Take this opportunity to briefly discuss the concepts
and values in the Lesson aims above. If your class shows
interest you may encourage them to do research online
into how succession to the Crown worked in England in
Shakespeare’s time and/or nowadays.
Encourage students to place page S4 in their print
portfolio or the digital page and the recording in their
digital portfolio.
2: Get the students to change pairs. Have them rehearse
the news flash as you circulate correcting pronunciation
and intonation where appropriate. If this is allowed in
your school, students use their cell phones to record
short videos of each other reading the news. You
may want to create a temporary whastsapp group for
everyone to share their videos.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/english/macbeth/
background/revision/2 · Retrieved 15/03/2017
MACBETH
8
TEACHER’S GUIDE
T5
Before the performance 5: Quote - Unquote
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· Macbeth, a consummate Scottish warrior, is not
naturally inclined to commit evil acts but he is
manipulated by his ambitious wife into murdering the
King. Both husband and wife are consumed by passion
and, encouraged by the witches’ predictions, decide to
take their chances and murder their way to the throne.
Although it is clear that the couple are childless, we
learn from Lady Macbeth’s speech that she has given
birth before ‘I know what it is like to suckle a baby’.
What happened to that baby is a mystery. Obsessed
with protecting himself and his wife, Macbeth has his
best friend Banquo and Macduff’s wife and children
murdered. Lady Macbeth becomes an accessory to
these murders and is eventually so ridden with guilt
that she kills herself.
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· accessory, (boneless) gums, consummate, desire,
devoted, greedy, hesitant, pluck, ridden with guilt,
ruthless, sleepwalk, smash, soft spoken, suckle a baby,
sworn, treacherous, worthy
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· Explain that a quote is someone’s actual words, either
written or said, and that when we quote we place the
text between quotation marks; or ‘quote’ for open
quotation marks, ‘unquote’ for close quotation marks.
This informs the readers that those are someone else’s
actual words. If one did not do this, one would be
appropriating someone else’s ideas and words.
WARM-UP
Briefly discuss the concept of ‘quote’ as expressed in the
Lesson Aims above.
Explain that a quote is someone’s actual words, either
written or said, and that when we quote we place the
text between quotation marks; or ‘quote’ for open
quotation marks, ‘unquote’ for close quotation marks.
Ask if anyone can actually quote anything, that is say
the exact words as written or said by someone else.
Encourage students to quote freely. Ask how they can
be sure they quoted correctly (by consulting a reliable
source, i.e. a published article or book, a University or
other academic or professional organization that is well
known for its expertise in the particular subject.) Discuss
the issue of academic honesty and how one is expected
to quote one’s sources when referring to, paraphrasing
other people’s work in a paper, presentation or project.
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
1: Read the instructions on page S5 out loud. Check
that everyone understands what they need to do.
Focus on the word box and have the students guess the
meaning of these words and phrases. Help students
word their definitions and teach the right meaning and
use of each word/phrase. Focus on the Venn diagram
and explain what each circle will contain Macbeth’s
circle will contain those qualities that are only his, Lady
Macbeth’s circle will contain only those qualities that
are hers, the intersection of the two circles will contain
those features that are common to both characters. Get
the students into pairs and have them complete the
diagram in 15 minutes. Circulate round the class assisting
those that need support. Check with the whole class.
Encourage students to go back to the various quotes
they have read so far to support for their choices.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS:
Macbeth: not naturally inclined to commit evil acts
(“Yet, I do fear your nature; it is too full of the milk of
human kindness to catch the shortest way” says Lady
Macbeth), brave, a consummate warrior, hesitant, afraid
things will go wrong,
Both: ambitious, devoted, ruthless, greedy for power,
passionate, accessory to murder, childless, false,
treacherous, violent.
Lady Macbeth: a sleepwalker, disturbed, cruel,
determined, ridden with guilt, persuasive
FOLLOW-UP
If your students have internet access in class, have pairs
Google “Macbeth quotes” and find one they like that
tells them something interesting about the character or
the story. Circulate round the class assisting those who
need support. Have students share each other’s quotes
with at least another pair.
Encourage the students to place the worksheet in their
portfolio.
MACBETH
9
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Before the performance 6: What else do you want to know?
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· Summary of events on pp S1 to S5. See possible
answers below.
· LANGUAGE AND SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
· Reconstructing sentences, Speaking Fluency
· VOCABULARY:
· Pages S1 to S5 Recycled
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· The diagram used in this lesson is one of many
graphic organisers students can use to organize their
thoughts in relation to a text or topic. Other useful
categorizations are: a) Fact bs Opinion, b) Before and
After a specific event, c) Pros and Cons (of a specific
measure or event), d) Venn diagrams like the one on
page S
T6
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
1 Get students into pairs and have them read the
instructions for activity 1 on page S6. Draw the students’
attention to the box with phrases and explain they will
have to use those phrases to complete the diagram
below. They need to write full sentences for the things
they already know about the play.
Check instructions and have students complete the part
of the diagram for facts. While they do this, draw the
diagram on the board and prepare to complete it later.
Check with the whole class. Accept different versions as
there are many possible answers. Complete your diagram
on the board with the students’ sentences.
Have students go back to their pairs and complete the
part of the diagram for what they want to know. Most
likely they will have to write questions. Check with the
whole class. Keep a brisk pace as the main aim of this
lesson is to establish what is known so far and what
students imagine will follow.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS:
What I know
Macbeth won the war against Norway.
Duncan was well loved by his people.
Macbeth/Banquo is a brave soldier.
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are madly in love with
each other.
The Macbeths are ambitious and greedy for power.
Lady Macbeth exerts a bad influence over her husband.
Lady Macbeth persuades her husband to commit murder.
Macbeth murders Duncan.
Lady Macbeth kills herself/ is tortured by guilt.
Duncan’s sons leave Scotland for fear their life may be
in danger/are believed to have killed their father.
The three witches offer Macbeth and Banquo three
predictions.
MACBETH
Macbeth has Banquo murdered.
Macduff swears revenge because Macbeth murders his
wife and children
.
What I want to know
Does Macbeth fail in the end?
How does Lady Macbeth kill herself?
Does Macbeth die in the end?
How does he die?
Who will become the next King of Scotland?
What other predictions will the witches offer?
FOLLOW-UP
Have the students write a tentative sentence about
what they have learnt from the play so far. Have them
write it into the third circle in the diagram. Remind
the students that they will complete this part of the
diagram after the performance.
Encourage the students to place the worksheet in their
portfolio.
10
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Before the performance 7: Ambition, guilt and gender stereotypes
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· No new events revealed in this lesson.
· SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
· Reading for gist.
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· Three main themes within the play are considered
here: ambition, violence and guilt.
T7
WARM-UP
Introduce the concepts and values for this lesson. Write
the following on the board and have the students try to
unscramble the letters to discover three words for themes
in the novel and the play. Set a 1-minute time limit and ask
students to raise their hand to call out the words.
t i g u l
o i n b i
t m a
g e n d e r
t s o y s e i p r e t e
ANSWER KEY:
1 guilt
2 ambition
3 gender stereotypes
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
Go over the quotes to clarify the meaning and use of
any new difficult language and make sure the students
understand what they mean. This will be language for
recognition only. Explain the students have to match
these quotes to the three themes in the play. Do number
one with the whole class (It relates to theme A). Get the
students into pairs and have them match the rest of the
quotes. Circulate round the class giving support to those
who need it.
Check answers with the whole class.
ANSWER KEY:
1A
2B
3B
4A
5A
6C
7B
8C
FOLLOW-UP
Take a moment to discuss the concept of gender
stereotypes with your students. What are ‘gender
stereotypes’?
A man might say women don’t make good soldiers, while
a woman might say men do nothing but watch sports.
Such expressions represent gender stereotypes, which
are over-generalizations about the characteristics of an
entire group based on gender. While women could not
join the military in Western nations until the latter half
of the 20th century, in recent times they have served
as capably as men. By the same token, while many men
may watch sports, not all men don’t necessarily do so.
Gender stereotypes can have negative connotations, like
those above. Encourage your students to identify other
examples of overgeneralizations based on gender. (‘Men
don’t cry.’, ‘Women are better care-givers than men.’,
‘Men are better providers than women.’, etc.
Encourage the students to place the worksheet in their
portfolio.
MACBETH
11
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Before the performance 8: Duncan’s murder scene
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· Focus on Duncan’s murder scene. Lady Macbeth drugs
the guards’ drinks so that Macbeth can enter the King’s
chamber and stab him to death. Macbeth leaves the
chamber in shock and fails to leave the daggers with
the guards. Lady Macbeth grabs the daggers from her
husbands’ hands, smears the guards with the King’s
blood and leaves the daggers in the chamber. They go
back to their apartments to wash their hands hoping
the guards will be blamed for the murder.
· SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
· Writing a scene in a film. Using Present Simple to
narrate a sequence of events.
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· apartments, chamber, crew, smear
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ Means ‘You will not commit
murder.’ This is one of the Lord’s Ten Commandments.
This refers to unlawful killing or murder. This is the
most obvious crime the Macbeths have committed,
but there are many more transgressions in this act.
Macbeth himself says: ‘The king is here in double
trust; first, as I am his kinsman and his subject, so
I should always protect him. Second, as his host, I
should against his murder shut the door, not bear the
knife myself.’ What price do they pay for their sins?
(guilt, dishonour, madness, death)
T8
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
Have the students look at the picture and describe
what’s happening in one sentence. Then get the students
into pairs and go over the instructions. Check that
everyone understands what to do. Check the students
understand the phrases from the box and have them use
them to write the scene overview:
POSSIBLE ANSWER:
In this scene Macbeth carries out Duncan’s murder.
Lady Macbeth has drugged the servants’ drinks so they
are sound asleep when Macbeth enters their master’s
chamber. Macbeth stabs Duncan to death with the
servants’ daggers and leaves the chamber in a state of
shock. He is covered in blood. Lady Macbeth is waiting
outside the chamber and is furious that he has brought
the daggers with him. She takes the daggers and smears
the servants with blood so it will seem they are guilty.
She then orders her husband to wash his hands and they
go back to their apartments and wait till morning for the
crime to be discovered.
2: Briefly discuss the concepts and values as expressed in
the Lesson Aims above.
Encourage the students to place the worksheet and their
picture stories in their portfolio.
FOLLOW-UP
1: Get the students into groups of three: the film director,
Macbeth, Lady Macbeth. Explain they will build the
scene with a series of four pictures. With help from the
director, the students set up four moments in the scene
and, if this is allowed at your school, take pictures of
each moment with their cell phones. The students share
their ‘picture story’ with the class, either by uploading
them onto the school platform (if that is available) or via
a class whatsapp group.
MACBETH
12
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Before the performance 9: Macbeth: Guess who?
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· See page S8
· SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
· Speaking. Guessing from given information. Playing
a game.
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· Pages S1- S8 recycled.
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· Fair play versus fowl play. All of Macbeth is about
fowl play and its consequences. Fair play in sports,
for example, requires that athletes do not take illegal
performance enhancement drugs. Many athletes do,
however. Some lose their titles and medals if they
are found out. Discuss famous cases like American
cyclist Lance Armstrong, who lost his titles and his
sponsors when it was discovered that he had been on
various drugs throughout his career.
T9
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
1: Go over the rules of the game, check that the students
have understood the instructions and particularly the
fact that they can only ask Yes/No questions Get the
students into pairs and have them play. Circulate round
the class helping out with pronunciation and wording of
questions.
2: Briefly discuss the concepts and values for the lesson.
FOLLOW-UP
Encourage the students to place the worksheet and a
print of the photo in their portfolio.
MACBETH
13
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Before the performance 10: Macbeth visits the Witches a second time
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· Macbeth visits the witches a second time and
receives two predictions given by the witches masters.
Firstly, he will not be defeated by anyone born of a
woman and secondly, he will not be defeated until
Birnham forest comes to Dunsinane Hill. He interprets
these two predictions as good omens. After all, he
mistakenly thinks, everyone is born of a woman and
forests can’t uproot themselves and move.
· SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
· Reading. Speaking. Dramatization.
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· armoured helmet, beware Macduff!, bold, defeated,
fate, harm, másters, omens, resolute
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· The acting profession and how to pursue it in your
country. How far is this seen as a desirable career in
your society? What is the general view of any other
careers in the arts in your society? Has that changed
over the years? Should it? How so?
T10
WARM-UP
Briefly discuss the concepts and values as expressed in
the Lesson Aims above. What is the students’ attitude
to the acting profession? Have they ever considered
becoming professional actors? Who are the actors they
admire? What films or plays do they admire them for?
What would they need to do to pursue a career in acting
in their own country?
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
1: Read the scene out loud while the students follow in
their worksheets.
Ask:
· Who is in the scene? (The three witches, two
apparitions and Macbeth)
· How is Macbeth feeling? (Concerned, anxious and, by
the end, reassured.)
· What is Macbeth concerned about? (He fears he will
eventually be called to justice for his crimes and he will
cease to be King.)
· What do the apparitions say? (He should fear Macduff. He
should not fear any man who is not born of a woman. He
will not suffer until Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane Hill.)
· Why is Macbeth relieved at the end of the scene?
(Because he interprets the prophecies as good omens.
He will be defeated only by a man not born of a woman
(which he considers impossible!). A forest can’t uproot
itself and transport itself to another place!
Teach the words the students don’t know.
2: Get the students into groups of four and have them
choose roles and read the scene through to warm up
and get their tongue around words. Tell them to use a
neutral tone, just to become familiar with the text and
the situation.
MACBETH
Then have the students do the scene again but this
time allowing themselves to feel and reflect what the
characters are feeling.
2: Have volunteers come to the front of the class to do a
dramatized reading of the scene.
FOLLOW-UP
1: Briefly discuss the concepts and values as expressed in
the Lesson Aims above.
2: A theme song for this production. You may want to
share a link to the song that will play at the start of the
performance https://www.google.com/search?q=hello
+darkness+my+old+friend+disturbed&ie=utf-8&oe=utf8&client=firefox-b. This is a recent version of a classic: The Sound
of Silence, written by Paul Simon • Copyright © Universal Music
Publishing Group
3: Record the scene (all the parts) with the correct
pronunciation and intonation on your cell phone and
share the recording to the group. Have the students
listen for pronunciation and intonation and practice
listening and repeating after the recording.
14
TEACHER’S GUIDE
After the performance 11: What actually happened?
· LESSON AIMS ·
· UNCOVERING THE STORY SO FAR:
· Summary of the whole play as described by the
events in S11.
· SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
· Reading for detail. Speaking. Dramatizing
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· S1 to S10 recycled
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· The main concept discussed in this lesson is the
one in the hidden message: ‘Blood will have blood.’
These are Macbeth’s words right after he sees
Banquo’s ghost sitting at the table. He takes the
ghost’s appearance to mean that the dead will have
their revenge. Shakespeare’s contemporaries believed
in the supernatural. Shakespeare’s audiences would
have taken ghosts and witches very seriously. What
about present day audiences?
T11
WARM-UP
This is the first class after the students have seen
the play and there’s bound to be lots of excitement.
Welcome the students by asking them how they felt
about the play in general. Elicit opinions in the L2 and
feed necessary words or phrases as the students try to
word their comments. Concentrate on the message and
delay correction. Keep this part brief.
WORKING WITH THE PAGE
1: Tell the students that you are going to try to
reconstruct an overview of the whole play. Draw their
attention to the list of events and read each one aloud
to clarify meaning and teach new words. Get the
students into pairs, read the instructions, check that
the students have understood what to do and have
them number the events in chronological sequence.
Circulate round the class giving support to those who
need it and challenging the faster students. Check with
the whole class.
A:9 · B:11 · C:3 · D:5 · E:4 · F:12 · G:7 · H:8 · I:1 · J:10 · K:2 · L:6
2: Read the instructions for 2 and have the students look
for the hidden message as quickly as possible. Check
with the whole class.
FOLLOW-UP
1: Get the students into pairs and explain the rules for a
variation on the popular game ‘Charades’. Go round the
class whispering one of the letters A to L for each event
in the story. They are not to reveal their letter.
Explain each pair will have to briefly mime the event
corresponding to their letter for the class to guess which
one it is. They have one minute per pair to do so.
2: Have the students record an overview of the story by
reciting the events in 1 in the correct chronological order.
They may share the overview of the story with the group.
ANSWER KEY:
‘Blood will have blood.’ or ‘The dead will have their revenge.’ Encourage the students to place the worksheet in their
portfolio.
3: Briefly unpack the phrase and elicit the concept from
the students: violent crimes are punished with more
violence. Those who kill, will also be killed.
(See Concepts and Values in the Lesson Aims above)
MACBETH
15
TEACHER’S GUIDE
After the performance 12: Reacting to the play
· LESSON AIMS ·
· SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES:
· Writing a tweet, a Facebook post and a blog post.
· VOCABULARY (SEE GLOSSARY PP A1-3):
· S1 – S10 recycled.
· CONCEPTS AND VALUES:
· The main theme in Macbeth that unchecked ambition
makes men lose their heads and leads them to disaster.
T12
WARM-UP
This is a writing workshop and much of the lesson will be
spent writing in silence.
1: Read the instructions for this activity out loud and
ask how many characters they can write. Elicit positive
words and phrases that the students can use and teach
others from the new vocabulary list above. Have the
students write their tweets and then share them. They
can actually tweet after the class.
2: Do the same for the Facebook post.
3: Read the instructions out loud, check that the students
understand what to do. Elicit a few words and phrases for
each item on the list and write them on the board. Then
have the students write their blog posts. Circulate round
the class giving support to those who need it.
FOLLOW-UP
Encourage the students to place the worksheet in
their portfolio and to think of ways to make a digital
portfolio or PowerPoint presentation so that they
4: Go over the main theme in Macbeth as expressed in
can share it with their classmates and family. Make
the Language Aims above. Encourage students to go back the present digital activity pack available to the
to pages S1 to S 10 and identify some of the quotes that students (downloadable pages S1 to S12 from www.
best encapsulate the message of this production of the
thecompanyeducationaldrama.com.uy ) either by
play. Encourage students to find parallels in real life or
emailing it to them or having them download it from
fictional characters that are known to them (e.g. Game of the cloud. Have them plan their digital portfolio/
Thrones, House of Cards, etc)
PowerPoint for ‘We go to the Theatre - Grand Exhibit’ in
pairs, in class. Have them complete it at home and share
it with you before they make it public.
MACBETH
16
STUDENT’S PACK
S1
Before the performance 1: Introducing ‘Macbeth’
MACBETH
by William Shakespeare
Persons Represented:
· Duncan, King of Scotland
· Malcolm, his Sons
· Donalbain
· Macbeth,
· Banquo, Generals of the King’s Army.
· Macduff,
· Lennox, Noblemen of Scotland.
· Ross,
· Fleance, Son to Banquo
· Fleance’s son
· Seyton, an Officer attending on Macbeth.
· Lady Macbeth,
· Lady Macduff,
· Gentlewoman attending on Lady Macbeth,
· Three witches,
· A Captain, a Messenger, a Porter,
a Doctor, a Soldier,
· a Servant, two Murderers,
· The Ghost of Banquo and
two other apparitions.
1
2
MACBETH
Scene:
At the end of Act IV in England;
through the rest of the play, in Scotland;
and chiefly at Macbeth’s Castle.
18
Before the performance 1: Introducing ‘Macbeth’
1: Which of the characters in 2 might these refer to?
Read, guess and write the names.
A: Captain talking to Duncan, King of Scotland
“For some
time, you could not tell who
would win…The villainous rebel Macdonwald
was supported by foot soldiers and horsemen from the
Western Isles, and Lady Fortune was with him, smiling cruelly
at his enemies as if she were his whore. But all’s too weak, for
brave ______________, disdaining Lady Fortune, chopped
his way through to Macdonwald and split him from his
navel to his jawbone and stuck his head on
our castle walls.”
__________________________________________
B: Banquo to Macbeth
“What creatures are these, so dried up and
wild in their attire, that look not like the inhabitants of the
Earth, and yet are on it? – Live you? May you answer questions?
You seem to understand me, for each at once a hideous finger has
laid upon her skinny lips. You should be women, and yet your
beards forbid me to interpret that you are so.”
__________________________________________
S1
CONTINUED
C: Lady Macbeth after reading a letter from her husband
“Thane of Glamis and Cawdor you
are, and shall be what you were promised. Yet, I do
fear your nature; it is too full of the milk of human kindness
to catch the shortest way: you wish to be powerful and do not lack
ambition, but you do lack the mean illness that these things call for;
you would not play false, and yet you desire what wrongly
belongs to you. You want the wrong deed to be
done for you.”
__________________________________________
D: Macbeth speaking to himself
“__________ is here in double trust:
first, as I am his kinsman and his subject, so I should
always protect him. Second, as his host, I should against
his murder shut the door, not bear the knife myself. Besides,
__________ has been so humble, so free of corruption in his great
office that his virtuous legacy will speak for him when he dies…
My only motivation is ambition, which makes people
rush ahead of themselves toward
disaster.”
__________________________________________
MACBETH
19
Before the performance 1: Introducing ‘Macbeth’
S1
CONTINUED
E: Lady Macbeth to Macbeth
“We fail? Bring your courage
up and we’ll not fail. When _____is
asleep, I shall get his servants so drunk they
will seem dead to the world. Then, what cannot
you and I perform upon the unguarded _____?
And his drunken officers shall bear the guilt
of our great deed.”
__________________________________________
F: Macbeth to Banquo
“We hear our bloody
cousins are hidden in England
and Ireland, not confessing their
cruel parricide, filling their hearers
with strange inventions.”
__________________________________________
MACBETH
20
Before the performance 2: Who said what?
S2
Macbeth: Getting to know the characters
1: Read and guess. Who said what? Circle the right character. Then check.
MACBETH
21
S2
Before the performance 2: Who said what?
“I am settled
and will bend up every muscle
in my body to commit this crime. Away, and
pretend to be a friendly hostess. A false face must
hide what a false heart does know.”
A
Your face, my lord, is as a book where men may
read strange matters. To deceive them, bear welcome in your eye, your
hand, your tongue. Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent that
hides under it. The king that is coming must be taken care of; so put tonight’s
great business into my hands, which shall give only unlimited power and
authority to all our days and nights to come.
C
Welcome hither!
I have begun to plant the seeds of your career
by naming you Thane of Cawdor and I will labor to make them
grow. (To Banquo) Noble Banquo, you deserve no less than Macbeth.
Let me enfold you and give you the benefit of my love
and good will.
B
“Coward! Give
me the daggers. The sleeping and the
dead are but as pictures. Only the eye of childhood
fears a painted devil. If Duncan bleeds, I’ll paint the
servants’ faces with his blood, for it must seem
they are guilty.”
D
MACBETH
22
S2
Before the performance 2: Who said what?
CONTINUED
“Stay, you imperfect speakers. Tell me more! By
my father’s death I know I am thane of Glamis. But how of Cawdor? The
thane of Cawdor lives, a prosperous gentleman. And for me to be king, stands
not possible, no more possible than to be Cawdor. Say where you learned these
strange things, or why upon this open field you stop our way with such
prophetic greeting. Speak, I command.”
“Hail to
thee, thane of Glamis!”
“Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!”
“All hail, Macbeth, that shall be king
hereafter!
G
E
F
2: Read 1 again, guess the chronological order of the
quotes and number them 1-7 as in the example.
1
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
Answer key
1: A Macbeth B Duncan C Lady Macbeth D Lady Macbeth E Macbeth F Duncan G The three witches
2: A6 B4 C5 D7 E3 F1 G2
“No more
that thane of Cawdor
shall betray me. Go announce his
immediate death and with his former
title greet Macbeth.”
MACBETH
23
S3
3: A plot overview
1: Look, read and check your answers to 1 and 2 from page S2. Then read and write T for True or F for False below.
As he returns victorious from
war, Macbeth – Thane of Glamis,
meets three witches who predict
that he will become Thane of
Cawdor and eventually King of
Scotland.
Macbeth
fears Banquo
suspects him of
murdering the
king so he hires
two assassins to
dispose of him.
Lady Macbeth is
tortured by guilt
and commits
suicide.
Macbeth murders Duncan. Fearing for
their own life, Duncan’s sons, Malcom
and Donalbain, leave Scotland and
become prime suspects of parricide.
As he is Duncan’s cousin, Macbeth
becomes king.
Macbeth tells his
wife of the Witches’
predictions and she
encourages him to
murder King Duncan
as he will be their
guest at the castle
that evening.
Macbeth pays a second visit
to the witches who give him
more predictions. He thinks
he is invincible now.
MACBETH
In England, Duncan’s elder son Malcolm and his
friend Macduff plan to invade Scotland and reclaim
the throne. Enraged, Macbeth has Macduff’s wife
and children killed. Macduff swears revenge.
24
S3
3: A plot overview
CONTINUED
1: Macbeth is a victorious warrior.
2: Macbeth meets the witches three times.
3: The people suspect Duncan’s sons of
murdering their father.
4: No one suspects Macbeth has murdered
the King.
5: Macbeth has four more people killed.
6: Lady Macbeth doesn’t feel any remorse.
MACBETH
25
Before the performance 4: Breaking news
1: Fill in the blanks in the script for a news flash with eight
words from the box
victorious · then · executed · tragic
hostess · murder · stabbed · Thane
afterwards · loyal · host
S4
Good morning and this is (your name) __________ with very sad
breaking news. His Royal Highness, King Duncan of Scotland was
__________ (1) in his sleep while staying at his cousin Macbeth’s
Castle at Dunsinane Hill, last night. The King was found dead
in his bed by his loyal subject Macduff, __________ (2) of Fife
early this morning. He is believed to have been __________ (3)
to death by his security guards who, in turn, died at the hands
of Macbeth shortly afterwards. A spokesperson for the Scottish
Royal family informed the media that His Royal Highness had
met his __________ (4) Generals Macbeth and Banquo at the
front shortly after their victory over the Norwegian invader. His
Majesty held his __________ (5), noble Macbeth, in great regard
and had made him Thane of Cawdor, following the scandalous
betrayal of the previous Thane of Cawdor who was __________
(6) for treason earlier this week. The late King’s sons, Malcolm,
Prince of Cumberland and Donalbain, are said to have left the
country shortly __________ (7) and are wanted for questioning
by the authorities. His late Majesty’s funeral will take place at
Scone later today. This is a most __________ (8) loss for the
people of Scotland. Macbeth, Thane of Glamis and Cawdor, third
in succession to the throne, will be crowned King of Scotland later
today. Long live the King!
2: Work in pairs. Go over each other’s scripts and
then record each other reading the news. Share your
recordings with your teacher and the class.
MACBETH
26
Before the performance 5: Quote - Unquote
S5
1: Read what characters say and complete the diagram below with all the phrases from the box.
not naturally inclined to commit evil acts · a sleepwalker · devoted · brave · ruthless
ambitious · greedy for power · a consummate warrior · violent · false · treacherous
disturbed · cruel · passionate · a murderer · hesitant · afraid things will go wrong
persuasive · obsessed · soft spoken · accessory to murder · childless · ridden with guilt
A: A Captain to Duncan about Macbeth: “… brave Macbeth, disdaining Lady
Fortune, chopped his way through to Macdonwald and split him open
from his navel to his jawbone and struck his head on our castle walls.”
B: Duncan to his son about Macbeth: “Valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!”
C: Lady Macbeth about her husband: “Thane of Glamis and Cawdor you
are, and shall be what you were promised. Yet, I do fear your nature; it is
too full of the milk of human kindness to catch the shortest way: you wish
to be powerful and do not lack ambition, but you do lack the mean illness
that these things call for; you would not play false, and yet you desire what
wrongly belongs to you. You want the wrong deed to be done for you.”
D: Lady Macbeth to Macbeth: “Your face, my lord, is as a book where men
may read strange matters. To deceive them, bear welcome in your eye,
your hand, your tongue. Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent
that hides under it.”
E: Lady Macbeth to Macbeth: “I have suckled a baby and know how tender
it is to love the baby at my breast. Yet, I would, while it was smiling in my
face, pluck my nipple from his boneless gums and smash his brains out, had
I sworn to do it as you have done.”
F: Lady Macbeth to Macbeth: “Coward! Give me the daggers…I’ll paint the
servants’ faces with his blood, for it must seem they are guilty.”
G: Malcolm to Macduff about Macbeth: “I admit him bloody, avaricious,
false, violent, malicious and guilty of every sin that has a name.”
H: Lady Macbeth’s Gentlewoman to the Doctor: “Since Macbeth went to
war, I have seen her rise from her bed, put on her nightgown, unlock her
closet, take out some paper, fold it, write on it, seal it, and then return to
bed. Yet all this while in a most deep sleep.”
I: Lady Macbeth as she sleepwalks: “Here’s the smell of blood still. All the
perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, Oh, Oh! “
MACBETH
27
Before the performance 5: Quote - Unquote
Macbeth
S5
CONTINUED
Lady Macbeth
MACBETH
28
S6
Before the performance 6: What else do you want to know?
1: Use the phrases in the box to complete circles 1 and 2
in the diagram below.
won the war against Norway
was well loved by his people
a brave soldier
madly in love
ambitious and greedy for power
exerts a bad influence over
persuades her husband to murder
murders Duncan
kills herself
is tortured by guilt
leave Scotland for fear their life may be in danger
believed to have killed their father
predictions
has them murdered
swears revenge
1: What I know
2: What I want
to know
3: What I learned
MACBETH
29
7: Ambition, guilt and gender stereotypes
1: Match the themes to the quotes. Write the correct
letter next to each quote.
S7
4: Macbeth to Lady Macbeth: “May you only give birth to
male children, for your fearless spirit should create nothing
that is not masculine.”
Themes:
A · Gender: masculine and feminine stereotypes.
B · Unchecked ambition can make people do things they
will regret.
C · Guilt.
Quotes:
1: Lady Macbeth: “Come you spirits that assist on mortal
thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the
toe full of deadly cruelty. ... Come to my female breasts and
turn my mother’s milk into poisonous acid,...”
5: Malcolm to Macduff, who has heard the news that his wife
and children have been murdered: “Fight it like a man.”
Macduff: “I shall do so. But I must also feel it as a man.”
6: Lady Macbeth to Macbeth: “Why do you keep alone
with only your sad thoughts to keep you company? Those
thoughts should have died when you killed the men you
think of. Things without remedy should not be given a
second thought. What’s done is done.”
7: Macbeth: “Bad deeds force you to commit more bad deeds.”
2: Macbeth’s soliloquy: “By committing violent crimes, we
only teach bloody instructions, and they shall return to
plague us, the instructors.”
3: Macbeth’s soliloquy: “I cannot encourage myself to action.
My only motivation is ambition, which makes people rush
ahead of themselves towards disaster.”
8: Macbeth to Lady Macbeth after murdering Duncan:
“Methought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more! Macbeth
does murder sleep.” innocent sleep that soothes away all
our worries. Sleep that relieves the weary labourer and heals
our hurt minds. Sleep, the main course in life’s feast, and the
most nourishing.”
MACBETH
30
7: Ambition, guilt and gender stereotypes
S7
CONTINUED
2: In pairs, think of the films and series you normally
watch. Think of at least two that deal with any of the
themes in 1.
______________________________________________________
3: Write a few sentences describing one of the films/
series you identified in 2 to explain how it relates to one
of the themes A, B or C.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
MACBETH
31
S8
8: Duncan’s murder scene
1: Look at the picture of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth right
after Duncan’s murder. Imagine you are a film director
writing for your actors and crew. Describe who is in the
scene, how they are feeling, what they want, and what
happens moment by moment from beginning to end of
the scene. Use phrases from the box:.
· a cold, dark night
· has drugged the servants’ drinks
· waits outside the chamber until the murder
is committed
· leaves the King’s chamber
· stabs the King to death
· the servants’ daggers
· in a state of shock
· is furious that he has brought the daggers
· takes the daggers and smears
the servants with blood
· orders her husband to wash his hands
· they go back to their apartments
· wait till morning for the crime to be discovered
MACBETH
32
S8
8: Duncan’s murder scene
CONTINUED
MACBETH
33
Before the performance 9: Macbeth: Guess who?
S9
Play this game in pairs. Fold your worksheet down the middle. Choose three of the six characters at the top of your
page and draw a circle around each. Do not show this to your partner. The object of the game is to guess which
three characters your partner chose by asking a maximum of 20 yes/ no questions. Cross out one question mark
every time you ask a question to keep count. Take turns to ask, answer and guess. Circle the characters you think
your partner chose below the blood trail. Choose an extra mystery character each. Ask and answer until you have
guessed who it is.
Cross out one for each question you ask:
MACBETH
34
S9
CONTINUED
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MACBETH
35
10: Macbeth visits the Witches a second time
1: In groups of four read the scene below and prepare to do a
dramatized reading.
MACBETH- I command you, in the name of whatever dark powers you
serve, answer me to what I ask you.
FIRST WITCH- Speak.
SECOND WITCH- Demand.
THIRD WITCH- We´ll answer.
FIRST WITCH- Would you rather hear these things from our mouths or
from our masters´?
MACBETH- Call them. Let me see them.
(Thunder. The FIRST APPARITION appears, looking like a head with an
armoured helmet)
MACBETH- Tell me, you, unknown power-
S10
MACBETH- You have guessed my fear all right. But one word
more.
FIRST WITCH- He will not be commanded by you. Here´s
another more potent than the first.
(Thunder. A SECOND APPARITION; a bloody child)
SECOND APPARITION- Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
MACBETH- Had I three ears, I´d listen with all three.
SECOND APPARITION- Be bloody, bold and resolute. Laugh at
the power of other men, for none of woman born shall harm
Macbeth. (Descends)
MACBETH- Then, live Macduff! What need I fear of you? But
yet, I´ll guarantee my own fate by having you killed, Macduff.
Then, I will conquer my own fear and sleep in spite of thunder.
(Thunder. A THIRD APPARITION: a child crowned, with a tree in
his hand)
FIRST WITCH- He knows your thoughts. Hear his speech but speak not.
MACBETH- What is this spirit that rises like the son of a king
and wears a crown on his young head?
FIRST APPARITION- Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff.
Dismiss me. Enough! (Descends)
ALL- Listen but speak not to it.
MACBETH
36
10: Macbeth visits the Witches a second time
S10
CONTINUED
THIRD APPARITION- Be brave like the lion and proud. Take no
care about who hates you, who resents you and who conspires
against you. Macbeth shall never be defeated until Birnam Wood
marches to fight you at Dunsinane Hill. (Descends)
MACBETH- This will never be. Who can command the forest and
make the trees put their roots out of the earth? These were sweet
omens! Good!
2: What do you think happens next?
MACBETH
37
S11
After the performance 11: What actually happened?
1: Number the events from the play to show the correct
sequence. Number 1 has been done for you.
A: Macbeth becomes more and more
disturbed because he sees Banquo’s ghost
and receives more predictions from the
witches.
G: Now that Macbeth is king he knows the
second prediction from the witches has
come true, but he starts to fear the third
prediction (that Banquo’s descendants will
also be kings).
B: Lady Macbeth cannot stop thinking
about Duncan, becomes mad and commits
suicide.
C: Banquo is amused by the prophecies
but Macbeth is excited, especially
because, right after their meeting with the
witches, one of the prophecies becomes
true; Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor
by King Duncan.
D: Macbeth is talked into murdering
Duncan by his wife and stabs him to death.
E: Lady Macbeth receives letter from her
husband and is very excited about the
prophecy. A messenger tells Lady Macbeth
that King Duncan is on his way to their
castle. She makes decides to murder him.
F: A large army marches on Macbeth’s
castle and Macbeth is killed by Macduff.
H: Macbeth therefore decides to kill
Banquo and his son, but the plan goes
wrong - Banquo is killed but his son
escapes.
1
I: Three witches plan a meeting with the
Scottish warrior Macbeth, who at that
moment is fighting a Norwegian invader.
J: He starts to become ruthless and kills
the family of Macduff, an important lord.
Macbeth still thinks he is safe but one by
one the witches’ prophecies come true,
K: Returning home from battle, Macbeth
and his friend Banquo run into the witches
who give them three predictions: that
Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor
and King of Scotland, and that Banquo’s
descendants will become kings.
L: No-one knows for sure who murdered
the King and no-one feels safe, but
Macbeth is crowned king.
MACBETH
38
After the performance 11: What actually happened?
S11
CONTINUED
2: Write in the bold letters from the statements in 1 in
the order they appear above. What’s the secret message?
B_ _ _ _ _ I _ _ h _ _ _ _ _ _ _ d .
MACBETH
39
S12
12: Reacting to the play
1: Write what you would tweet if you liked the play.
2: You are posting a photo you took after the
performance on Facebook. You didn’t enjoy the play.
Write what you would post with the photo.
MACBETH
40
S12
12: Reacting to the play
CONTINUED
3: You are a blogger. Write a positive review of the play for your blog. Be sure to comment on the items below.
· Title, author of the play.
· What it is about (the main themes in it). What happens.
· What you thought of the performances, the lighting, the set design and the wardrobe design, the production as a whole.
· What you learned from the play.
· Recommend the play to your followers.
MACBETH
41
APPENDIX: GLOSSARY
MACBETH
42
A1
GLOSSARY
PAGE S1
PAGE S2
PAGE S3
attire = clothes, garments
betray = to be false and unfaithful to sb
deceit = dishonest behaviour
deceitful = false
bleed = to loose blood
enraged = made to feel very angry
deed = act, action, accomplishment
blood = red body fluid
prime suspects = people believed to most likely be
guilty of committing a crime
haggard = skinny and pale
daggers = knife used in battle
hideous = ugly
deceive = be false, lie to sb
kinsman = relative (archaic)
enfold = embrace
loyal = true, on one’s side
good will = kindness, friendship
parricide = murdering your own father
guilt = culpability, remorse
rush ahead of oneself = do or say something sooner
than one should
guilty = to blame for something, remorseful
reclaim = to regain possession of
throne = the position of king or queen
hither = here (archaic)
Thane = a title of nobility in Medieval times, someone
who holds land given by the King (archaic)
prophetic = telling of the future
Hail! = a cry of greeting (archaic)
hereafter = from this moment on
host(ess) = man/woman who entertains guests
(be/become) settled = calm down
MACBETH
43
A2
GLOSSARY
PAGE S4
PAGE S5
PAGE S6
betrayal = the act of hurting sb who trusts you
accessory = someone knowingly assisting someone
in a crime
(S1 – S5 recycled)
breaking news = very recent
(boneless) gums = tissue surrounding the teeth
PAGE S7
crown(ed) = receive the title and power of a King
or Queen
consummate = very good at something
gender = feminine or masculine
front = where an army is fighting
devoted = characterized by loyalty and devotion
heals = cures
His late Majesty’s = now deceased
greedy = overambitious
methought = (archaic) I thought
hold some in (great) regard = to think very highly
of someone
hesitant = slow to act on something (out of fear
or indecision)
to plague = to worry or distress
spokeskerson = someone speaking as someone else’s
representative
pluck = pull out
soliloquy = monologue
soothes = relieves or alleviates
ridden with guilt = oppressed by guilt
stabbed = wounded by a sharp pointed weapon
stereotype = an (often unfair) generalization
ruthless = having no pity, merciless
(first) in succession = the right of a person or line
to succeed
sleepwalk = to walk while asleep
treason = the betrayal of trust
smash = to break with violence
weary = tired
soft spoken = quiet, not loud
suckle = to give milk from the breast
sworn = past participle of swear
treacherous = likely to betray trust
worthy = honourable, deserving
MACBETH
44
A3
GLOSSARY
PAGE S8
PAGE S10
PAGE S11
apartments = in a castle or palace, private rooms
armoured helmet = a hard hat worn to protect your
head in battle in medieval times
(S1 to S10 recycled)
beware Macduff! = be careful with Macduff
PAGE S12
bold = not afraid of danger
(S1 to S10 recycled)
chamber = room (archaic)
crew = team of professionals
smear = to make something dirty by rubbing it with
something else
defeated = having lost to your opponent
fate = destiny
PAGE S9
harm = to do mental or physical damage or injury
(S1 – S8 recycled)
masters = sb who has control or power over others
omens = a sign or warning that sth will happen
resolute = very determined
MACBETH
45
MACBETH
46