Starter quiz
- In 'Macbeth', what was the name of the king who Macbeth and his wife plotted the murder of?
- 'Duncan' ✓
- In 'Macbeth', how many times does Macbeth hear prophecies from the witches?
- one
- two ✓
- three
-
- Which of the following characters does not die in 'Macbeth'?
- King Duncan
- Banquo
- Macduff ✓
- Macbeth
- Lady Macbeth
-
- Place the following events in the order they occur in 'Macbeth'.
- 1⇔Macbeth and Banquo hear the witches' prophecies.
- 2⇔Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot the murder of Duncan.
- 3⇔Duncan is murdered by Macbeth.
- 4⇔Macbeth orders murderers to kill Banquo and his son.
- 5⇔Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost.
- 6⇔Macbeth hears more prophecies from the witches.
- 7⇔Macbeth is killed during battle by Macduff.
- Which word means Lady Macbeth made Macbeth feel like less of a man?
- emancipation
- emasculation ✓
- manipulation
-
- Which adjective, starting with M, means scheming and cunning? It can be used to describe Lady Macbeth. The word is derived from the name of an Italian philosopher.
- 'Machiavellian' ✓
Exit quiz
- Place Freytag's structure in the order you would expect them to appear in a drama.
- 1⇔exposition
- 2⇔rising action
- 3⇔climax
- 4⇔falling action
- 5⇔denouement
- Which of the following words means "the turning point of the play"?
- climax ✓
- denouement
- exposition
-
- Match Freytag's structure to the definitition
- exposition⇔sets the scene ✓
- rising action⇔complications arise ✓
- falling action⇔unknown plot details are wrapped up ✓
- denouement⇔the unravelling or final outcome of the drama ✓
- Which word means fatal flaw?
- 'Hamartia' ✓
- Macbeth's murder of King Duncan is arguably an example of ...
- catharsis
- peripeteia ✓
- denouement
-
- Which events in the play are examples of Macbeth displaying the characteristic of anagnorisis?
- Macbeth regretting killing King Duncan ✓
- Macbeth hallucinates seeing Banquo's ghost - a symbol of his guilt ✓
- Macbeth is intrigued by the witches prophecies
- Macbeth revisits the witches to hear more prophecies
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Shakespeare’s tragedies often focus on the fall of noblemen
- Shakespearean tragic heroes such as Macbeth, often fall victim to external pressures
- Some audiences may feel catharsis by Macbeth’s downfall
- Tragedies tend to stress the consequences of disobeying the accepted order of things
- Freytag's pyramid is a useful tool in discussing the structure of Macbeth
Common misconception
There is only one plot point that fits to each part of Freytag's structure.
When discussing climax, ask pupils if any other events in the play could be considered the climax.
Keywords
Hamartia - Hamartia is a fatal flaw a character holds.
Anagnorisis - Anagnorisis is when a character notices the true nature of their own circumstances.
Peripeteia - Peripeteia is part of a play when there are a sudden change in circumstances.
Hierarchy - A hierarchy is a system in which people or things are put at various levels or ranks according to their importance.
Catharsis - Catharsis is the process of releasing strong emotions in a way that helps you to understand those emotions.
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