Starter quiz
- What have the witches prophesised?
- Banquo will be king
- Macbeth will be king ✓
- Macbeth's sons will be kings
- Banquo's sons will be kings ✓
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- Which of these events happen after Banquo and Macbeth meet the witches on the heath?
- Macbeth writes a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth. ✓
- Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor. ✓
- Banquo writes a letter to Duncan and warns him about the witches.
- Macbeth rides home with Duncan and his men. ✓
- Banquo is revealed as a traitor.
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- How does Lady Macbeth react when Macbeth returns home?
- She encourages him to kill Duncan so he can become the king. ✓
- She is horrified that Macbeth is thinking of killing the king.
- She thinks Macbeth imagined the witches and should ignore their prophecies.
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- Which of the following are reasons why Macbeth feels he should kill Duncan?
- He must be a good host and look after Duncan.
- He is ambitious and wants to become king himself. ✓
- He would please his wife, Lady Macbeth. ✓
- He does not want to be known as a traitor.
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- Which of the following are reasons why Macbeth feels he should not kill Duncan?
- He wants to impress Lady Macbeth.
- He is hosting Duncan and he feels he should be protecting him from murderers. ✓
- He wants everyone to think he is ruthless.
- Duncan has been good to Macbeth and he has made him Thane of Cawdor. ✓
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- How does Act I end?
- The murder has been planned, but it has not been carried out. ✓
- Macbeth has killed Duncan.
- Macbeth has decided he cannot kill Duncan.
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Exit quiz
- Which definition matches which keyword?
- monologue⇔a long speech by one actor in a play or film ✓
- soliloquy⇔an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself ✓
- protagonist⇔a main character who might say a soliloquy in a play ✓
- Soliloquies are written from which perspective?
- first person perspective (I / we) ✓
- second person perspective (you)
- third person perspective (he / she / they)
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- Why are soliloquies useful for the audience?
- they tell them what the stage directions are
- they tell them when the act will end
- they tell them how the characters are feeling at certain points in the play ✓
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- What is true of blank verse?
- it always rhymes
- it is written in iambic pentameter ✓
- it does not rhyme ✓
- is should only be sung
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- Iambic pentameter follows which rules?
- each line has 15 words
- each line has 20 syllables
- each line has 10 or 11 syllables ✓
- 5 of the syllables are unstressed and 5 of the syllables are stressed ✓
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- The word 'soliloquy' comes from the Latin words 'solus' and 'loqui'. What does 'solus' mean?
- loud
- alone ✓
- internal
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- A soliloquy is a type of monologue that occurs when a character voices their thoughts and feelings aloud.
- Playwrights include soliloquies to give the audience an insight into characters' feelings.
- In Shakespeare's plays, high status characters' soliloquies follow iambic pentameter structure.
- Soliloquies are written in the first person.
- Other characters are silent during the speaker's soliloquy.
Common misconception
Pupils will find this lesson difficult if they do not have a secure understanding of what a syllable is.
Ahead of the lesson, ask pupils to show you how many syllables there are in three different words (using their hands to 'clap the syllables') so you can assess if there are any pupils who need support prior to the lesson.
Keywords
Soliloquy - an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play
Monologue - a long speech by one actor in a play or film
Blank verse - unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter
Iambic pentamenter - a style of writing poems in lines of ten syllables with emphasis on the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth syllable
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