Starter quiz
- What happens to Macbeth in Act 5 of 'Macbeth'?
- He retreats from battle to find the witches.
- He kills Lady Macbeth.
- He kills Macduff who the witches told him to "beware" of.
- He is killed by Macduff. ✓
- He yields the crown to Malcolm, Duncan's son.
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- In 'Macbeth', why would Lady Macbeth be considered an unconventional woman both in 11th century Scotland, when the play is set, and Jacobean England, when the play was first performed?
- She is silent and obedient.
- She rejects her femininity. ✓
- She is a witch.
- She disrupts the status quo. ✓
- She dominates Macbeth. ✓
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- In Act 1, Scene 7 of 'Macbeth', what does Macbeth decide at the end of his soliloquy?
- That he will visit the witches again.
- That he will kill King Duncan.
- That he will ask Lady Macbeth's advice about killing Duncan.
- That he will not kill King Duncan. ✓
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- In Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth', the witches give Macbeth and Banquo their prophecies. How do we know Macbeth is immediately interested in what they have to say?
- He writes a letter to Lady Macbeth telling her what he has been told. ✓
- Banquo describes him as "rap't" - spellbound by them. ✓
- He follows them back to their cave to hear more.
- He is sad when the witches vanish. ✓
- He begins having asides showing his desire for the crown. ✓
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- In Act 1, Scene 2 of 'Macbeth', the Sergeant describes Macbeth's actions in the battle. What are some of the ways Macbeth shows his abilities as a loyal warrior?
- He killed a traitor to Duncan. ✓
- He wrote to Lady Macbeth about his prowess on the battlefield.
- He invited Duncan to his castle after the battle.
- He sticks the traitor's head on Duncan's battlements for all to see. ✓
- He kills the Thane of Cawdor.
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- At the end of his soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 7 of 'Macbeth', Macbeth gives a definitive reason he won't commit the regicide: "I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ______."
- 'ambition' ✓
Exit quiz
- What are the correct definitions of the word hamartia?
- a character's hubris
- a character's excessive ambition
- a character's downfall
- a character's weakness that leads to their downfall ✓
- a character's fatal flaw ✓
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- Some argue that in 'Macbeth', Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a shared hamartia. What is it?
- excessive hubris
- excessive ambition ✓
- unconventionality
- their downfalls
- their love for each other
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- Which of the following moments from 'Macbeth' could be examples of Lady Macbeth's excessive ambition?
- Her immediate plotting after hearing about the prophecies. ✓
- Her sleepwalking and talking in Act 5, Scene 1.
- Her welcoming Duncan to her castle in Act 1.
- Her asking "spirits" to prevent her from feeling guilt after the regicide. ✓
- Her emasculation of Macbeth in 1.7 so he commits regicide. ✓
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- Which of the following moments from 'Macbeth' could be examples of Macbeth's hubris?
- His desire to fight at the end of the play despite his Thanes deserting him. ✓
- His desire to prove himself to Lady Macbeth following her emasculation of him. ✓
- Putting the head of a man he has killed on a wall for all to see. ✓
- His fears about Banquo's children.
- His interest and trust in the prophecies. ✓
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- A student argued, 'Lady Macbeth is to blame for Macbeth's downfall.' What would serve as valid evidence to support this argument?
- She dies at the end of the play.
- She emasculates Macbeth, goading him into regicide. ✓
- She is his "dearest partner of greatness".
- She arranges Banquo's murder without telling him.
- She dominates in Act 1, forcing him into decisions he doesn't want to make. ✓
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- In Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth', which quotations best shows Macbeth's ambitious nature?
- "your children shall be kings"
- [Aside] "Glamis, and thane of Cawdor! the greatest is behind." ✓
- "[Macbeth] seems rap't' withal" ✓
- "Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more" ✓
- "art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it"
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Hamartia is a fatal flaw
- You could argue that the hamartia of both Lady Macbeth and her husband is that they are overly ambitious
- Some will argue that Lady Macbeth's manipulation led to Macbeth's downfall
- Hubris means excessive pride or self-confidence
- Some will argue that Macbeth's hubris leads to his own downfall
Common misconception
Hamartia is a synonym for excessive ambition.
Consider if students have read any other tragedies. Ask them to consider Othello's hamartia, for example.
Keywords
Downfall - A character's downfall is when they lose their power or status.
Hamartia - A character’s hamartia is their fatal flaw: a weakness or fault in their personality that leads to their downfall.
Excess - If you have an excess of something, you have more than is necessary.
Hubris - To have hubris means to have excessive pride or self-confidence.
Unconventional - If you are unconventional, you do not follow accepted norms or standards.
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