Starter quiz
- What is a protagonist?
- an ongoing disagreement or argument
- a central idea that the writer intends the audience to engage deeply with
- the leading character or one of the major characters in a narrative ✓
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- How does Macbeth react to the witches' prophecies?
- They spark an interest in him; could he be the king? ✓
- He doesn't think they are real - they are a figment of his imagination.
- He is jealous of Banquo because he wants his own sons to be kings.
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- Order these events.
- 1⇔The three witches plan to meet Macbeth on the heath.
- 2⇔The witches meet Macbeth and Banquo on the heath.
- 3⇔The witches predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then the king.
- 4⇔Macbeth is told he has been made Thane of Cawdor.
- What is a theme?
- a central idea that the writer intends the audience to engage deeply with ✓
- the leading character or one of the major characters in a narrative
- a conclusion drawn from information and evidence in a text
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- What does Macbeth do before he rides home with King Duncan?
- He returns to see the witches on the heath and he asks them to leave him alone.
- He writes to his wife 'Lady Macbeth' to tell her about the witches' prophecies. ✓
- He does nothing and he tries to forget about the witches.
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- Match each character trait of Macbeth to the correct piece of evidence from the play.
- determined⇔always thinking of how he can get what he desires ✓
- guilty⇔he tries to stop himself having evil thoughts ✓
- brave⇔not afraid of the witches ✓
Exit quiz
- Macbeth has gone back to his home in Inverness. Who is staying with him and Lady Macbeth?
- the three witches
- Duncan and his men ✓
- Banquo and his sons
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- Act I, Scene vii starts with a soliloquy from Macbeth. What is a soliloquy?
- a feeling of excitement or nervousness
- stage directions that tell the actors what to do
- a speech in a play where the character speaks to himself or herself ✓
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- Why does Macbeth have an internal conflict?
- He can't decide whether to kill King Duncan or not. ✓
- He can't decide whether to tell Lady Macbeth about the witches' predictions.
- He can't decide whether to tell Duncan what the witches told him and Banquo.
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- How would you describe Lady Macbeth?
- kind
- ruthless ✓
- manipulative ✓
- gentle
- motherly
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- What reasons are there for Macbeth not to kill Duncan?
- He wants to be loyal. ✓
- He wants to please Lady Macbeth.
- He is ambitious.
- He has just been made Thane of Cawdor by King Duncan. ✓
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- How does the end of Act I leave the audience in suspense?
- They have just seen Duncan being killed!
- They don't know what will happen next. Will Macbeth kill Duncan, or won't he? ✓
- They are scared of the witches.
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- A play script is the written form of a play.
- Audiences can draw inferences and make conclusions about a character based on their words, expressions and actions.
- Vocabulary can be generated to precisely describe a scene for the reader.
- Shakespearean characters often experience internal conflict.
- Macbeth's decision making is influenced by his wife and his desire for power.
Common misconception
Pupils might find the concept of 'manipulation' difficult to understand.
You could provide pupils with a context that they might understand, for example, imagine a friend doesn't want to take someone else's packed lunch, but you want them to. How could you manipulate them? What could you say to convince them?
Keywords
Soliloquy - a speech in a play where the character speaks to himself or herself
Internal conflict - a struggle within a person's mind over a problem or question
Suspense - the feeling of excitement or nervousness that you have when you are waiting for something to happen
Manipulate - to control something or someone to your advantage, often unfairly or dishonestly
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