Activity Pack to accompany Wee Stories production of
Retold by Andy Cannon
Supported by
Foundation for Sport & the Arts
Contents
Introduction
Story Synopsis and background information
More about the Play
Themes and Discussion ideas
Theatre in Shakespeare’s Time
More about the History
Games and Activities
Masks
Word games
Castles
Bibliography & useful websites
Mask template
Acknowledgements
Pack prepared by Dani Rae
Additional material and editing by Wee Stories
Special Thanks to Historic Scotland
Introduction
Is this A Dagger? The Story of Macbeth is made up of two stories: a play by
William Shakespeare and the history of the real Scottish King Macbeth. To
help you find your way through the show, here are plot summaries for each
and the story as Andy Cannon tells it.
Shakespeare’s Macbeth ~ Story Synopsis:
Macbeth meets three witches who tell him that he will become King. Hearing
this Lady Macbeth encourages him to murder King Duncan after he
pronounces Macbeth Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth seeks out the witches who
tell him that he will not be killed by any man born of woman and until Birnam
Wood moves to Dunsinane palace. Macduff, born by caesarean, takes an army
to invade Macbeth’s castle with boughs cut from Birnam wood and thus
Macbeth is defeated.
More about the play
Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in 1605 and it is believed that the first
performance of it was in 1606.
There is a superstition amongst actors that the play is cursed and it is
sometimes called ‘the Scottish play’ so that they do not have to speak its
name and risk bad luck.
Reasons behind the superstition range from a fear that the ‘magic’ invoked by
the witches in the script would actually but a spell on the actors to the more
prosaic reason that because it was a popular play and it used to be put on at
the end of a theatre’s season to try and make up losses, it meant that the
money made would go to pay for the theatre and not the actors.
Another reason could be the involvement of the play in the Astor Place Riots
in New York in May 1849 when over 30 people were killed.
Characters in the play
Male: Twenty-nine
Duncan, King of Scotland
Malcolm, Son of Duncan
Donalbain, Son of Duncan
Macbeth, General of King’s Army
Banquo, General of King’s Army
MacDuff, Scottish Nobleman
Lennox, Scottish Nobleman
Ross, Scottish Nobleman
Mentieth, Scottish Nobleman
Angus, Scottish Nobleman
Caithness, Scottish Nobleman
Fleance, Son of Banquo
Siward, Earl of Northumberland (General of English forces)
Young Siward, His Son
Seyton, Officer in attendance of Macbeth
Boy, Son of MacDuff
English Doctor
Scottish Doctor
A Sergeant
A Porter
An Old Man
Female: Nine
Messenger
Lady Macbeth
Attendants
Lady MacDuff
1st Murderer
Gentlewoman, Attending on
2nd Murderer
Lady Macbeth
3rd Murderer
Hecate
Lords
Three Witches
Soldiers
Servants
Themes & Discussion Ideas
There are many themes in the play to be explored: they can be developed in
discussion groups, writing projects or by gathering pictures. Some of the
themes are highlighted below with ideas for starting points. You may also
wish to compare how the themes affect the story, or the differences and/or
similarities between themes in the play and the history.
Curricular Connections: these themes in the story are particularly relevant for
discussing citizenship themes.
1. Ambition
Which characters in the play are ambitious? What are their ambitions?
Can you explain how this affects their actions?
Would Macbeth have killed Duncan if he hadn’t been ambitious?
2. Monarchy
The ‘crown’ or who is king is passed on in various ways – what are some of the
ways it is passed on in the play and what other ways can you think of?
Would Macbeth have killed Duncan if he hadn’t wanted to be king?
3. Superstition
Can you find examples of superstition and how it affects the action of the
play?
Would Macbeth have killed Duncan if he hadn’t been superstitious ?
Theatre in Shakespeare’s time
Shakespeare was part of a group of actors called the Lord Chamberlain’s men
and all the plays had to be approved by Queen Elizabeth’s Master of Revels.
It was a hard life to be and actor or playwrights in those days because kings
and queens could decide whether the theatre should be open or not. They
could even say that theatre was illegal!
The theatre that Shakespeare worked in most was called the Globe theatre
and there is a copy of it in London today. The building was almost a circle and
would have a three story gallery where the audience who were not working
class would sit. In the middle was an open pit where the standing audience
would be, this was where the stage was too. It would stick out into the
audience in what is called an apron.
Lady Macbeth would have been played by a boy when Macbeth was first
performed because women were not allowed on the stage, but has today
become one of the most popular female Shakespearean parts. The boys had to
wear dresses and make-up to make them look like a woman. If a woman
wanted to go on stage then people would be nasty to them and make fun of
them.
· Activity
In two groups present a debate whether Macbeth or Lady Macbeth is
responsible for the death of Duncan.
More about the Historical Story
Mac Bethad mac Findleoch (The ‘real’ Macbeth)
Shakespeare’s play was based on a real Scottish king who lived from 1005 to
1057. His name was Macbeth but in the old Scots language of that time called
him Mac Bethad mac Findleoch. The records that mark his history call him by
lots of different names:
Mac Bethad mac Findleoch
Mac Bethad mac Findlaich
MacBeathadh
Machbet filius Finlach
Macbet filio Finlac
Macbeoden
Mealbaeade
Maelbaethe
Magbjothr
There is a game to play using these names later in the pack.
Gruoch
Lady Macbeth is based on a real queen whose name was Gruoch, her great
uncle was Malcolm III.
Gruoch was married to someone else before Macbeth; she was married to his
cousin Gillacomgain who, some records say, had killed Macbeth’s father when
he was a child.
Gruoch had a child with Gillacomgain called Lulach, some version of the
history say Macbeth adopted the boy and made him his heir.
Macbeth’s life – Timeline
1005 – Born
1020 – Gillacomgain kills his Father, Findlaech mac Ruadri
1031 – kills Gillacomgain and becomes Mormaer or Moray
1032 – Marries Gruoch
1050 – Pilgrimage to Rome
1054 – Malcolm attacks from Birnam Wood
1057 – Dies
Macbeth’s downfall
In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth meets his downfall at the end battle: in the
historical account he dies three years after this battle. Shakespeare altered
this for added dramatic effect.
When Macbeth became king, the sons of Duncan ran away to England. A few
years later one of the sons, Malcolm, gathered an army from parts of England
and some parts of Scotland who did not like Macbeth very much, and
attacked.
In the play, Malcolm attacks by trying to trick Macbeth using camouflage from
the trees of nearby Birnam Wood. This piece of battle strategy actually
happened and the battle is called ‘The Battle of the Seven Sleepers’. The
battle managed to split Scotland in two because although Macbeth retreated
north he was still King, despite the crowning of the victorious Malcolm.
Three years after this Malcolm decided to attack Macbeth again and the
chronicles are divided on the result, with two rumours over what took place.
One says that Macbeth escaped again and threw himself from a cliff near his
old castle. The other says that Malcolm killed Macbeth exactly 17 years to the
day after Macbeth had killed Duncan.
Witches
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth there are three witches who tell him what is going
to happen. Shakespeare may have added these for dramatic effect too but it
probably came from when he was researching the history of the real Macbeth.
Witches come from Norse and Celtic mythology but in Scotland this kind of
superstition didn’t really make its mark on the popular conscience until the
seventeenth century. This was just when Shakespeare was writing, and he
was quick to incorporate popular thought into his work to keep the audience
amused.
A man called Wyntoun, who lived around 1375, believed in witches and
witchcraft, he was the man who wrote many of the records that talk about
Macbeth’s life and so Shakespeare probably got the idea from him whilst doing
his research into the life of Macbeth.
Castles
Is this a Dagger? Is touring performances to a few of the castles in Scotland.
You may want to explore a local castle, or find out about Scottish castles in
general. In appendix 1 are sheets with summaries of the histories of the
castles where the show will be performed.
Mask work
How to make your own Marble mask
You will need:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
A large tray with deep sides with 1-2cm of cold water inside
Different coloured marbling paint or ink
Card
A pencil
Garden stick
sticky tape
What to do:
1. Add some drops of different coloured ink to the water
2. Using the blunt end of the pencil move the ink around the water to
make patterns
3.
Gently place the card into the tray by rolling it down onto
the surface of the water
4. Make sure the card is completely flat but do not let it go under water
5. Carefully lift the card from the far end and roll it back
6. Leave the card on some newspaper to dry
7. Once dry turn the card upside down and using the template draw round
it to create your mask shape, don’t forget the eyes!
8. Cut out the mask and eyes carefully
9. Attach the stick to the bottom of the mask securely with the sticky
tape
Drama games to play with the masks
In pairs, one person wears the eye mask and the other the full face mask.
One at a time try to express emotion to each other (for example
fear/love/despair), and notice how difficult this becomes when you cannot use
all of your face. Compare how differently each person comes across, notice
how the mouth conveys emotion and when the whole face is covered, how the
body expresses this instead of the mouth and eyebrows.
Recipes with language
This game uses the text of witches verses to explore understanding of the
words, practice vocal rhythm and develop concentration skills. Split into
groups of 4 or more and give each group one of these phrases:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Thrice the brindled cat hath mew’d
Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined
Round about the caldron go; in the poisoned entrails throw
Fillet of a fenny snake, in the caldron boil and bake
Each group can be given a stick or a ball to pass between them in a circle. As
it is passed round, the group speak the line one word each at a time.
The aim is to try and find a rhythmic flow to the line. How each earlier word is
inflected will affect how the next is spoken.
It should become an exercise of listening and so the language will start to
make sense.
Try changing direction and speed to play further.
Scribbles and Whispers
History is often a mixture of written and spoken records. What is recorded is
influenced or biased by people’s allegiances, or their point of view (for
example whether they like a person, or whether they want that group of
people to succeed) or simply their knowledge or skills (for example whether
they could write, or if they knew the people involved).
To illustrate how confusing this can be, play this game based on ‘Chinese
Whispers’. The group sits in two lines facing each other: one line are scribes
and everyone in this line has a piece of paper and a pencil, the other line are
whisperers, and don’t have anything for writing. Start the game by showing
one person a piece of paper with a complicated name on it (see below). That
person sees the name for 30 seconds, and then has to whisper it to the person
sitting opposite. The second person has to write down what they think it is,
and show it to the person next along the line, and so on until the end.
Compare the spelling and the sound of the original and the final result. You
could also record the whispers at each stage to hear how it changes. (Q: what
would happen if instead of a different person writing and whispering each
time, it was printed, then handed on or recorded listened to?)
Wild Cards – ways to vary the game
Hand out a card with the following instructions to one or more of the players:
For Scribes
1. You deliberately make spelling mistakes to confuse your whisperer.
2. You are lazy and have terrible writing!
3. Your pencil breaks halfway through the word.
For Whisperers
1. You are eating a very chewy toffee.
2. You don’t like the look of your scribe – deliberately mislead them by making
a mistake when you whisper.
3. You have a sore throat.
Ideas for words/names to start with: the various ways of writing
Macbeth.
Mac Bethad mac Findleoch
MacBeathadh
Macbet filio Finlac
Mealbaeade
Magbjothr
Mac Bethad mac Findlaich
Machbet filius Finlach
Macbeoden
Maelbaethe
Bibliography and Source Materials
Macbeth William Shakespeare from The Complete Works of William
Shakespeare (Hertfordshire: Wordworth Editions Limited, 1996).
Othello William Shakespeare from The Complete Works of William
Shakespeare (Hertfordshire: Wordworth Editions Limited, 1996).
Sources:
Macbeth William Shakespeare from The Complete Works of William
Shakespeare (Hertfordshire: Wordworth Editions Limited, 1996).
Aitchison Nick, Macbeth - Man and Myth (Gloucester: Sutton Publishing
Limited, 1999).
Worthen W.B, The Harcourt Anthology of Drama: Brief Edition (Florida:
Harcourt Inc, 2002).
www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/inde.php?title=Macbeth
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/inde.php?title=Macbeth_of_Scotland
www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Castles
Craigmillar Castle
Craigmillar Castle is in Edinburgh near to the new Royal Infirmary. When it was first built
in 1400 it was just a tower house but it got bigger and bigger until May 1544 when the
English captured it and put more buildings in one of the courtyards. There are rumours
that a plot was concocted in this castle to murder Mary Queen of Scots’ husband. The
different people who owned the castle kept adding to it until it wasn’t fashionable anymore
and then they just abandoned it. The family moved into a high society house in Edinburgh
and Craigmillar became overgrown and started to fall apart. From the top of the tower you
can see Arthur’s seat, Edinburgh Castle, the Forth Estuary and the Pentland Hills.
Aberdour Castle
Aberdour Castle also started off as a tower house but is more than 200years older than
Craigmillar. This tower house is the oldest one left in Scotland even though some of the
castle was knocked down in 1890 so a railway could be built. One owner of this castle was
tried and killed for his part in the murder of Mary Queen of Scots’ husband. The castle was
not having a good run of luck when in 1680 it caught fire and instead of rebuilding it, the
family moved into the neighbouring Aberdour house. Since then though it has been used
as barracks and even a school.
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle like Edinburgh castle sits on top of an old volcano so it can see and be
seen for miles around. It has had a violent history being attacked over 16 times with 4
major battles near its walls. Just a bit bigger than Craigmillar and Aberdour it was a place
where Kings and Queens have been crowned and Christened. More than that though there
have been Kings and Queens who have died and one who like Macbeth killed someone
within its walls.
Urquhart Castle
Urquhart Castle is the furthest North of the 4 castles situated looking over Loch Ness.
Historians think that there might have been a Fort where the castle is since the year 597.
They know there has been a castle there since 1230 though and that the English fought
and won it in 1303. Macbeth probably knew this castle very well as it is on the route to his
home region of Moray. Scottish clans fought over it a lot and in 1640 around the time of
the Jacobites a lot of it was blown up but because there is a strong tower that can be
reached by the water it could hold out longer than other castles.
Linlithgow Palace
Linlithgow Palace was built before 1200 and was a royal manor house before Edward I
invaded and made it a base and a garrison. Edward used it as a base during the battle of
Bannockburn but a man called William Bunnock smuggled eight men into the castle
hidden in a cart load of hay and they took the castle by surprise and won it back.