Starter quiz
- What are Macbeth's greatest character flaws in 'Macbeth'?
- He is incredibly ambitious. ✓
- He is too trusting of others.
- He is a coward.
- He is susceptible to manipulation. ✓
- He has a desire to harm others. ✓
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- A character who is a construct, designed to highlight contrasting qualities in another character, is called a ______.
- 'foil' ✓
- Which of the following characters is not a foil to Macbeth in 'Macbeth'?
- King Duncan
- Lady Macbeth ✓
- Banquo
- Macduff
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- Starting with the first, put the following events into the chronological order they appear in 'Macbeth'.
- 1⇔Macbeth hears the witches' prophecies.
- 2⇔Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband.
- 3⇔Duncan is murdered.
- 4⇔Banquo is murdered and his ghost appears at the banquet.
- 5⇔After the witches' second prophecies, Macbeth has Macduff's family murdered.
- 6⇔Lady Macbeth kills herself.
- 7⇔Macbeth dies in a battle with Macduff.
- What is the definition of hamartia?
- Hamartia is a fatal flaw. ✓
- Hamartia is a desire to commit terrible crimes.
- Hamartia is excessive pride.
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- Which of the sentences below is correctly using the term hubris?
- Macbeth's hubris is his desire to please his wife.
- By allowing himself to be manipulated, Macbeth is showing his hubris.
- In believing he cannot be defeated, Macbeth shows hubris. ✓
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Exit quiz
- Arguably, Macbeth's ______ is the insecurities he feels regarding his lack of patrilineal line in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.
- 'hamartia' ✓
- Macbeth's hubris, ______ and susceptibility to external pressure are, arguably, all a result of his insecurities in 'Macbeth'.
- 'bloodlust' ✓
- Select the criteria below which you would expect to see in a response with deeper analysis.
- You have a nuanced understanding of how the text is used as a construct. ✓
- You use an evaluative thesis to 'hang' your argument on. ✓
- You show a general understanding of plot, character and theme.
- You understand the conventional interpretations of the text.
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- In Act 4, Sc3 of 'Macbeth', Macduff shows his grief. Why does this make him a foil to Macbeth?
- It highlights how Macbeth is a coward.
- It highlights how Macbeth's rejects emotion in favour hyper-masculinity. ✓
- It highlights how Macbeth is not a real man.
- It highlights how a true men balance emotion and courage, which Macbeth lacks. ✓
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- In Shakespeare's 'Macbeth', it can be argued that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are victims of the society they live in. Which answers below which best justify this argument?
- In a patriarchal society, they are punished for rejecting gender norms. ✓
- They are judged more harshly because it was stricter in Jacobean times.
- There was greater emphasis placed on the importance of patrilineal lines. ✓
- They do not act as a man and woman should in those days.
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- Pick the response that uses keywords with the greatest success. Arguably, Macbeth's hamartia is his crippling insecurities surrounding his lack of patrilineal line as...
- it allows him to be manipulated by both his wife and the witches.
- it causes bloodlust and creates his ambitious nature.
- it drives him to use bloodlust and hubris as a façade to hide his true feelings. ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Arguably, Macbeth's presentation as a brave warrior is a façade for his own insecurities.
- Macbeth's insecurities are a result of a patriarchal society.
- Arguably, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are victims of the society that they live in.
- Macbeth's hamartia could be the insecurities he feels regarding his lack of patrilineal line
- Macbeth's hubris, his bloodlust and his susceptability to manipulation are all parts of his hamartia.
Common misconception
Macduff acts as a foil to Macbeth solely because he is noble and courageous.
Ask pupils if Macbeth had dealt with his grief/devastation like Macduff would there have been different outcomes?
Keywords
Offspring - your children can be referred to as your offspring
Hamartia - a hamartia is a character’s fatal flaw.
Hubris - hubris means excessive pride
Bloodlust - bloodlust is an uncontrollable desire to kill or harm others
Façade - a façade is a deceptive outer appearance
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