Starter quiz
- A key attribute of a Machiavellian villain is their ability to control others. What means does Lady Macbeth use to control Macbeth in 'Macbeth'?
- kills their children
- works with the witches
- goads him into killing Duncan ✓
- questions his loyalty to her ✓
- accuses him of being a drunkard
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- Why might some argue that, in 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth is a Machiavellian villain?
- She is dominant in Act 1.
- She is duplicitous. ✓
- She seeks power for Macbeth.
- She helps eliminate Ducan. ✓
- She regrets her part in the regicide.
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- A ______ is an argument, a powerful idea that you state at the beginning of an essay and prove throughout your essay.
- 'thesis' ✓
- Match the parts of the single paragraph outline to their function.
- thesis⇔outline your overarching argument for the whole essay ✓
- topic sentence⇔outline the main argument of your paragraph ✓
- summary sentence⇔summarise your argument; focus on the writer's intentions ✓
- supporting detail⇔evidence from the text that supports your topic sentence ✓
- In 1.5 of 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth advises Macbeth to "look like the innocent flower, But be the ______ under't'".
- 'serpent' ✓
- Which of these statements, taken from essays about 'Macbeth', best embeds a quotation?
- Lady Macbeth rejects her humanity. For example, "fill me...Of direst cruelty".
- Lady Macbeth rejects her humanity "fill me...Of direst cruelty".
- Lady Macbeth rejects her humanity asking to be filled with "direst cruelty". ✓
- The quotation fill me with "direst cruelty" shows Lady Macbeth rejects humanity.
- Lady Macbeth wants to be "cruelty".
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Exit quiz
- Writers use methods in their work to convey their messages. You should explore these methods in essays. Which of the following count as a writer's methods?
- the form they chose for their work ✓
- the structural decisions they made ✓
- the directorial decisions made
- the language they chose ✓
- the characterisation in the text ✓
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- Imagine an essay question which asks you to explore Lady Macbeth as a Machiavellian villain in 'Macbeth'. What would serve as the most relevant context for this essay?
- Ideas about expectations of women in Jacobean England. ✓
- Ideas about expectations of women in Machiavelli's Italy.
- Ideas about the supernatural in Jacobean England.
- Ideas about James I marriage.
- Ideas about the language Shakespeare uses in the play.
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- Which of the statements, taken from essays about 'Macbeth', best embeds a quotation?
- Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth. For example, "Art thou afeard?".
- Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth, asking "Art thou afeard?". ✓
- Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth: "Art thou afeard?".
- Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth "Art thou afeard?".
- The quotation "Art thou afeard?" proves Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth.
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- Which of the statements, taken from essays about 'Macbeth', do not successfully embed a quotation?
- The witches create a dangerous world in which "fair is foul".
- Shakespeare signals Macbeth's "noble" reputation in Act 1.
- Shakespeare signals Macbeth's violence for example when he "unseam'd" a traitor. ✓
- Macbeth asks the witches to stay. The quote "Tell me more" shows his interest. ✓
- Banquo describes Macbeth as "rap't" signalling he is entranced by the witches.
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- When writing an analytical essay, what should an introduction include?
- analysis of language
- a general statement about the text ✓
- a thesis statement ✓
- a statement about the focus of the question ✓
- a summary of the plot of the text
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- When writing an analytical essay, what should a conclusion include?
- a summary of the plot of the text
- analysis of language
- an additional thesis
- a focus on writer's purpose ✓
- specific response to your introduction's thesis ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- An introduction can start with a general statement about the text
- This can be followed by a more specific statement about the focus of the question, and finally your thesis
- A conclusion can move from a specific statement about the text to a more general statement at its continued relevance
- Analysis of writer’s methods and/or context helps develop a paragraph
Common misconception
Analysis can only include a language focus, especially single word analysis.
You should analyse a range of writer's methods; this analysis should support your thesis or topic sentence.
Keywords
Machiavellian - Machiavellian is an adjective. It describes someone who gets what they want in cunning, ruthless and immoral ways.
Thesis - A thesis is an argument, a powerful idea that you state at the beginning of an essay and prove throughout your essay.
Embedded quotation - An embedded quotation puts a quotation inside your own sentence. For example: Lady Macbeth wants to be filled with ‘direst cruelty’.
Methods - Methods are techniques a writer uses. These encompass everything: language, form, structure and characterisation.
Context - Context concerns the circumstances in which a text was written; context helps us to understand the writer’s intentions further.
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