Problems with blogger/Important reminder

If you cannot read the following post, it's because the website is having problems. I was just trying to remind you about the inclass essay on Tuesday and Wednesday depending on your block. Below is an example of an outline I created to give you an idea of what I am expecting. Sorry about the technical difficulties.

Important Reminder

Hello Everyone!

Welcome back, I hope you've all had a restful spring break. Just wanted to remind you all that the Macbeth in class essay will be tomorrow for block A, and on Wednesday for block G. Take a look about two posts back and you will find the list of questions in case you lost your handout. We will be working on outlines in class on Monday(A) and Tuesday (G) so if you are away, you need to do that work on your own and come to class prepared to write the essay.

To give you an idea of what your outline might look like, here is an example.

If you choose to write about Lady Macbeth, you might make an outline like this one:

First, you need an argument/thesis for your introduction:
You might want to say that Lady Macbeth begins as a strong, cunning character, but underneath she is actually weak and unable to withstand the guilt of her own evil actions, which brings about her downfall.

Then, you need three points to prove your argument:

1) Prove that Lady Macbeth is strong
-she plots a murder
-she convinces her husband to murder the King
-then chose a couple of quotes ("look like the flower but be the serpent under it", the one about dashing a babies brains out etc...any one will do)

2) Show lady M's break down
-she can't kill Duncan
-she's not involved in planning the other murders
-she becomes shaky and jumpy after Duncan's murder
quotes: "he looked too much like my father as he slept" etc.

3) Lady macbeth loses control
--she hallucinates
--she sleepwalks]
--she kills herself
quotes: "Out damned spot!"/ when she mumbles about the murders/ she always carries a light/ when the doctor says "Aye but their sense is shut"

Conclusion: Restate and summarize

So this is an example of how to organize your essay. You may chose any topic. Good luck.

The final Act

Act five is a brief act of 8 scenes, which switch back and forth between the castle, where Macbeth is constantly receiving reports that the English army is coming, and the forest, where the army led by Siward, Malcolm, and Macduff are planning their attack.

Scene 1 shows us Lady Macbeth for the final time. She is distraught, hallucinating, and sleepwalking. This is a big change from the first Lady Macbeth we see. She mutters in her sleep about the murders her husband has committed, and her lady and doctor overhear her.

Then, we discover that Malcolm and his army are approaching. They fufill one of the witches apparitions when Malcolm tells them to cut down the branches from the trees of Birnam wood to cover themselves as they approach the castle. This will camouflage their numbers, but will also make it look like the forest is moving to Dunsinane Hill.


Macbeth does not know this yet, but he is still feeling confident and repeating the two apparitions to himself--first, that he will not be harmed by anyone born of a woman, and second, that he cannot be vanquished until the forest of Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane hill. These two things are making him feel very confident and self-assured. He is acting very rashly because of it, and says he wants his armour--he would go and fight everyone himself he is so confident and angry. Until, that is, a messenger tells him that he has seen the forest coming towards them. This makes Macbeth falter, and he is not as assured as he once was. However, he still clings to the idea that everyman is born of a woman, so no man can harm him.

In the meantime, Lady M kills herself. Macbeth does not have time to grieve for her, but gives his famous speach about how life drags on (Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow) and how life is just a brief story like an actor who struts on a stage and then leaves.

The English forces now arrive and drop their camouflage. Malcolm orders Siward and young Siward to do the first attack. Macbeth meets young Siward in combat, and, still confident that he will win, kills young Siward, stating that he was born of a woman, and therefore, must die.

Now, Macduff, who at this point is clearly Macbeth's nemesis, searches for his one-on-one combat. Macbeth has now ruined many father son relationships through his killing spree. Macbeth does not want to fight Macduff, however, because he says he has already too much of his family's blood on his soul. But, Macduff meets him in battle, and at first, Macbeth is winning. But, he makes the mistake of saying that he can not be beat by anyone born of woman. This is when Macduff reveals that he was "untimely ripped from his mother's womb"--meaning, that he was cut out, (what we would now call a c-section). Thus, he was not technically born of a woman in the traditional way. Macbeth now does not want to fight, but Macduff will not let him give up. So, Macbeth dies in as honourable a way as he can--he feels guilty for what he has done, and knows that he should not have trusted the witches, who told him half-truths, and made him feel over confident. He rushes into death fighting, and is killed and beheaded by Macduff.

Now, it is left to Malcolm to return the world to the status quo. He must make everything right again. He is the rightful king, and begins his rule by making the Thanes Earls; then, inviting home all the people who were exiled, and finally, by inviting them to see him crowned at Scone.

Old Siward also learns of his son's death, but is comforted by the fact that his son's wounds were on the front, meaning that he died facing his enemy, not running away from the battle.

So, the play ends with much blood shed, but with the idea that Scotland has been cleansed of its disease, of its sickness, and the darkness has now left with the death of Macbeth.

Homework: Hand in 4 assignments
Also, remember that we are writing an in class essay after spring break!
Bring your ideas to the first class back as we will be spending that class making outlines.

Macbeth Essay topics

Macbeth In-class Essay topics: To be answered in class on Tuesday, March 27th (block A), or Wednesday March 28th (Block G).

Choose one of the following questions to answer. You may use your books as well as your post-its. Be sure to organize your answer into several paragraphs, use quotations to back up your argument, and construct a clear thesis in your opening paragraph.

Total: 20 marks


1) Who is the most to blame for the bloodshed in Macbeth—Macbeth, or Lady Macbeth? How much blame can be placed on the “instruments of darkness”?

2) Write an essay on one of the themes present in Macbeth. You may wish, in your discussion, to make reference to more than one theme, or to compare two themes. (Themes may include: appearance vs. reality, darkness, greed, ambition, power, etc.)

3) Write about one character in Macbeth. (Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, Duncan, Banquo etc.)

4) What qualities of a good leader/king does the play Macbeth explore? Compare the various Kings with which we are presented throughout the play. Can any of their qualities be applied to what it means to be a good leader today? Or a bad leader?


You should create an outline for this essay prior to the class to help you organize your thoughts ahead of time, but do not attempt to write it and memorize it—your essay will be much better if you write it in class. We will work on the outline together in class after spring break.

Act four, scene 2 and 3

Act four continues with Lady Macduff, Ross and her son, discussing the fleeing of their father, Macduff to England. Lady Macduff thinks he is a coward and doesn't love them, or he would have stayed to protect them. Ross reassures her, stating that things can only get better from where they are now, and then leaves. However, we know that things will get worse, as a messenger arrives bearing the bad news that murderers are on their way to the castle. Lady Macduff doesn't know what to do, as she has done nothing wrong. However, she is too late, as a murderer enters and kills her son, and then she is chased off the stage and killed as well.

Next, we switch venues and move to England, where Macduff has arrived to try and convince Malcolm to round up an army to take back the throne from the tyrant Macbeth. First, though, he has to pass Malcolm's test to prove that he is indeed one of the good guys. Malcolm tests Macduff by making up a list of vices, such as lust and greed, to which Macduff responds politely, still convinced that Malcolm would make a better king. However, Malcolm finally convinces Macduff that he would be worse than Macbeth and would ruin the unity of the country. Finally, Macduff reacts and says that all hope is lost if this is true, and that Malcolm is not at all like his noble parents and doesn't deserve to be king. Malcolm now reveals that he made all the vices up and has actually never been with a woman. He says he now knows that Macduff wants a true, good king, and that he already has Old Siward and 10 000 men to go with him to Scotland. But, just when all looks good, Ross enters and tells Macduff that his family has been murdered. Macduff is shocked, but Malcolm encourages him to harness his anger and turn it into revenge. Macbeth and Macduff are now enemies and Macduff wants to fight him one on one. The scene ends with the decision to go to Macbeth and kill him.

Blog # 4 and Assignments

Announcement: As mentioned in class, the fourth blog will be optional, as I will only be counting your best 2 out of 3 blog posts on your final report card. So, if you are happy with your grade on blog # 2 and # 3 then you can relax and just work on your Macbeth assignments! If you have not completed blog # 2 or 3 then I would suggest that you post on this fourth blog, as you will avoid losing late marks. The fourth blog post will be due by Sunday March 11th, if you choose to do it.

Questions:

1) Discuss the various apparitions and visions Macbeth sees in Act IV, scene 1. How do you interpret these? Why do the witches want to make Macbeth feel safe?

2) In a tragedy, the tragic hero causes suffering through his actions. Discuss the suffering Macbeth has caused by the end of Act IV. Do we still have sympathy for him as a tragic hero?


REMINDER: Assignments are due no late than March 16th during TAP, or in class time on Friday for Block G. I will be marking these assignments to give back after spring break, so there will be no accepting assignments after that point, unless you see me prior to ask for an extension.

Act four, scene 1

This is the cauldron scene. As you will recall, Macbeth had decided to go and meet the witches to demand more answers. The witches show him 3 apparitions which give him three messages.
The first apparition tells him to beware of Macduff. However, the second apparition tells him that no one born of a woman may harm him. Thus, Macbeth sees this apparition as cancelling out the second. He feels confident that Macduff cannot harm him; however, as his ambition and desire to have no worry or fear overcome him, he decides to have Macduff killed anyway, just to be sure. The next apparition is even stranger; Macbeth is told that he will not be vanquished until the great Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane hill. In other words, Macbeth feels he is completely safe, as it is impossible for a forest to walk to the castle.

However, Macbeth insists on having one more question answered: will Banquo's son ever reign? The witches tell him yes, they will, and Macbeth sees a vision of a line of kings that stretches on for a very long time. He is extremely angry at this vision and curses the witches. He then finds out that Macduff has fled and determines to go and have his family and household murdered anyway. At this point, Macbeth's ambition and evil acts have completely overcome him--he ignores how wicked an act it would be because he wants to ensure that no one can harm him. He is causing much suffering and soon the forces of good will be rallying against him.

Double Double Toil and Trouble

Next class we will be looking into the famous Double Double toil and trouble scene. Many of our ideas about witches having cauldrons come from this scene...

Act III, scenes 2-6

In this Act, we begin to see circumstances turn against Macbeth. The fourth scene of this Act is considered to be the turning point in the play.

In scene two, Macbeth reveals his plans to kill Banquo. He fears Banquo and he plans his murder without letting Lady M know any of the details. He tells her to "be innocent of the knowledge" so that she can simply applaud his work once it is completed. Lady Macbeth feels that they have lost everything and gained nothing. They are not happy with the outcome of their plans thus far, as they are in such a place of fear and nervousness because of the evil they committed. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth though, that he must look happy for the guests at the banquet that evening. Macbeth agrees. The scene ends with him anticipating eveing so that the deed can be done. He says that there is more evil to come.

In scene three, three murderers attack Fleance and Banquo. Banquo is killed and dies telling his son to flee and have revenge for him. So, he will not see whether his son ever becomes King.

In scene four, their is a banquet with Macbeth and his lords. This scene shows his defeats; he discovers that Fleance has escaped and then each time he says Banquo's name, a ghost of Banquo appears. He is also seen as weakened and crazy in front of his guests. Lady Macbeth tells the lords that Macbeth has had fits since he was a child, so the lords should just ignore his behaviour. But, since he continues to see the ghost and begins to yell at it, the lords eventually leave the feast. Lady Macbeth tells him to get a grip on himself, as he is imagining the stuff of old wives tales, and there is no ghost there. Macbeth can't believe she can act so normal, and speaks of blood, saying he fears he also will be killed. He concludes the scene by deciding to go and see the witches again, to have answers to his questions.

Scene five is the Hecate scene, which may not have been written by Shakespeare. The queen of the witches is angry with the three sisters for not having included her in their meeting with Macbeth. She tells that that Macbeth is just using them for his own gain. They decide to go and see Macbeth the next day before noon, where they will fill him with a false sense of security and confidence in order to bring about his fall.

Scene six presents to us a Lord and Lennox, speaking sarcastically about all that has happened. They believe that Macbeth is responsible for the deaths of Banquo and Duncan, and that were Duncan's sons and Fleance here, they too would be dead. They speak of Macduff's plan to go and see Malcolm and to round up Northumberland and Siward to attack Macbeth and end his tyranical rein.

Blog #3

Announcement: As I am still marking the second blog post, as well as some very late first posts, I have decided that this week's post will be due on Wednesday, rather than on Sunday as usual. This will also give us time to finish reading Act III. So, please have your third post in by Wednesday February 27th.

Here are your questions:

1)Discuss Macbeth's change in character in this act. You may wish to compare the behaviour of Lady Macbeth to Macbeth, especially in scene 4.

2) Discuss the defeats Macbeth suffers in this Act. What do other characters think of him now?

Act III, scene i

Here it is, in point form:

1) Banquo suspects that Macbeth was Duncan's murderer, and muses that perhaps the witches' prophecy will come true for him too.

2) Macbeth and Lady M tell Banquo that he will be their guest this evening. Macbeth complains that Malcolm and Donalbain are in England and Ireland spreading rumours. Macbeth asks Banquo to return for the banquet, and asks whether Fleance will be riding with him.

3) Macbeth then reveals his secret intent to have Banquo and his son Fleance murdered. He is angry that he has committed murder, sold his soul to the devil, in order for Banquo's descendents, not his own, to have the throne. He is also uneasy that Banquo may suspect him.

4) He hires two murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance on their way in, as he cannot do it himself without bringing disapproval on himself.

Horses eating each other and chimneys...Act II, scene IV

In this scene, Ross and an old man discuss the strange events that have immediately followed Duncan's death. They say the weather has been strange, chimneys have blown over, Duncan's horses ate each other, and that symbolically, an owl killed a falcon. (Parallels Macbeth's murder of Duncan). Macduff appears and Ross questions him about the King's murder. Macduff says it is believed the grooms killed the king, acting for someone else. Since the king's sons have fled, everyone is suspicious that they may have done it. Macduff also reports that Macbeth is to be the new king and that Duncan's body had been taken to the burial place of his ancestors. Macduff says he will not attend Macbeth's coronation at Scone. He is worried that things will be worse off now that Macbeth will be king, and decides to return home to Fife.

Homework: be sure to finish your first assignment and begin your second one this week! Also, finish scene four questions.

Blog questions (#2)

Here are your questions for the second blog post, which is due by Sunday morning. As we have no school on Friday, you get an extra day to work on it, so should have it completed in time. The same rules apply: around 100 words or more, include citations in your argument, and reference to the text. Also, be sure to have a clear topic sentence, and a strong final sentence to conclude your paragraph. Finally, there were many typos in the first blog posts, so be sure to proof read. Please DO NOT include your name here--only your student number. Thank you,
Any questions can be directed to smcmeek@uvic.ca

Questions:

1) Do you think Lady Macbeth is beginning to break down? Are there any signs of weakness in Act II that would make you think this? (Hint: there are at least 3 examples that could be seen as signs of weakness).

2) Discuss the images of darkness in the play. Why was it appropriate that Duncan was murdered at night?

3) Discuss Banquo's character. What type of a person is he? Why would Shakespeare have protrayed him in this way? Use lines of Banquo's speeches to support your answer.

Act II, scene 3

This scene can be divided into four main parts:

1) The comic relief from the porter, who is drunk. Ironically, he pretends to be guarding the gate of hell.

2) The arrival at the castle, and the greeting by Macbeth of Macduff. Macduff tells of the strange lamentings and bizarre weather (chimneys blown down, etc.). Macbeth seems much more calm and sure of himself--he speaks in understatements. First, he says, when asked if the King is stirring "Not yet" and then he says in response to the strange occurences of the previous evening "Twas a rough night."

3) Then, we get the castle's reaction to the murder. Everyone is horrified--even Lady M puts on a good show, crying and fainting when Macbeth begins to go a little overboard in his exclamations and sorrow over the death of Duncan. At first, Macbeth's speech sounds sincere, but then he elaborates a little too much. He also admits to having killed the two chamberlains outside of Duncan's room, stating that when he saw the King, he needed to seek revenge on the person who did this to him. This was clearly due to the fact that Macbeth was worried that the chamberlains might tell everyone that he was the one who did it. However, just in the nick of time, Lady M faints and draws attention away from her husband.

4) Malcolm and Donalbain now take the stage to show us their reaction to the death. They fear for their lives, as they believe that the closer they are in blood relation to the King, the more likely they will also be murdered. They also say that it is easy to put on a false sorrow, and so choose not to consort with the rest of the characters. They flee to separate countries--Ireland and England, believing they will have a better chance if separated.

The Murder scene: Act II, scene i, ii

Word of the day: Hyperbole--a deliberate exaggeration.
Homework: Scene 1 and 2 questions. Also, choose and begin your first assignment this week.

Scene one:

It is after midnight and Banquo cannot sleep. He is awake with his son Fleance, and says he fears to go to bed because his sleep will be troubled. Macbeth enters, and Banquo hears the noise and calls to his son for his sword. When he sees that it is only Macbeth, he relaxes. This is ironic as his first instinct was actually the correct one. Another ironic line is the one in which Banquo tells Macbeth that he has a diamond from Duncan to give to Lady Macbeth as she is such a good hostess. Banquo confides in Macbeth that he can't stop dreaming about the witches, but Macbeth lies and claims to have not thought of them at all. He implies that if Banquo should be loyal to him, then he will be greatly rewarded. Banquo, noble as usual, says that he will only do this if he doesn't have to do any dishonourable deeds. Macbeth then hallucinates and sees a dagger in the air, with its handle pointed toward him, covered in blood. It leads him on to the murder, and he hopes that the stones beneath his feet will not hear the sounds his footsteps make. At the end of his soliloquy, Macbeth is very sure of himself. He is taking Lady Macbeth's advice in a way, when he says that he should stop thinking and talking to himself, and just go and do it, because the more he thinks about it, the more likely he is to change his mind.

Scene two:
In Scene two, we have Lady Macbeth waiting to hear from Macbeth what has happened. She hears a noise and jumps, and then worries that Macbeth has not succeeded. We find out that she could not commit the murder herself because Duncan looked too much like her father as he slept. These two things are her first signs of weakness, and foreshadow her future breakdown. When Macbeth returns, he says that he has done the deed, but is very jumpy and nervous. We see the clear difference in their reactions to the murder. Macbeth regrets what he has done as he shows his bloody hands and speaks of not being able to sleep ever again because of what he has done. he even refuses to go back and smear the gurads faces with blood to make them look guilty, and Lady Macbeth has to do it herself. Despite her momentary weakness, she takes chanrge of the situation, ordering Macbeth around, telling him to wash his hands. She tells him not to think about it too much, or he will go mad. Then, she rushes off to make the chamberlains look guilty herself. We also see the contrast between the two of them, because MAcbeth uses a hyperbole in a very powerful line, where he claims that were he to try and wash his hands clean, he would turn the entire ocean red because what he has done is so horrible that it cannot be cleansed from him; he is apart from God now--he can't even say Amen. Lady Macbeth on the other hand, says that a little bit of water will clear them of what they have done. It is easy, she says. The scene ends with the sounds of knocking, and Macbeth wishing that the knocking were loud enough to wake Duncan.

Duncan's last words...Act I, scene VI, and VII

In scene 6, we see one of the few daylight scenes in the play. Duncan (ironically) expresses how fair the day is and how much he likes the look of the castle and its surroundings. He also calls Lady Macbeth an honoured hostess. The audience sees the irony of thses things, because we know that the Macbeths are plotting a foul murder and that Duncan has really arrived at the place of his death.

In scene 7, we see Macbeth's first true soliloquy as he talks himself out of the murder of Duncan. He lists several reasons, including the fact that he is worried he may eventually suffer the same fate as Duncan, as murder only causes more murder. He admits though that he is driven by ambition, and that this is his tragic flaw. He decides not to kill Duncan, however, because Duncan is his kingsman. Other reasons include that he is the host, and the host should protect their guests from murder, and finally, that it seems Duncan has been a good king, so he doesn't deserve to die. In the end, though, Lady Macbeth convinces him to do the deed anyway, stating that she would do anything for him if she had promised him something--even if it meant killing her own child (how gruesome). We see that Macbeth does have a conscience, but that Lady Macbeth reminds him of his ambition, and he decides to go ahead with her plan, which involves drugging the chamberlains, and then blaming the murder on them.

In this scene, we must decide whether we feel Macbeth has made these decisions and that what occurs is of his own choosing, or, do we on the other hand, feel that Lady Macbeth is responsible for the bloodshed that occurs? Or, perhaps still is the idea that the witches are responsible, although they have not appeared for several scenes.

Paragraph Assignment

Hello everyone
As promised, here are your choices for the first blog post. Please choose one of the following questions, to be answered in paragraph form (around 100-150 words). Your answer should include at least one quote from Act I of the play. This answer is due by Sunday February 11th at noon and is out of 5 marks. Please feel free to post any questions you may have about this assignment or others as well.

Read the questions and when you are ready to answer, click on the comments button. Remember to hit "anonymous" so that you don't need to enter a password. Then, type your answer, and include your name or student number as well as the block. Then, hit publish at the bottom of the screen. If you are having difficulty, don't hesitate to email me at: smcmeek@uvic.ca

Questions:

1) Why is it important that Macbeth should at first be presented to us as a brave and honoured soldier? Why does he need to be so well praised and spoken of in the first act of the play? Cite some examples of the praise and benefits bestowed upon him. (Hint: Think of what I said about the tragic hero).

2) Lady Macbeth is often characterized as a fourth witch. Using lines and images from Act I, support this statement.

3) The witches open the scene by stating that "fair is foul and foul is fair". They introduce the idea of the world being upside down. Thus, the theme of appearance vs. reality is highly important. Show how this theme is present in act one, using citations, which may include lines showing two-faced characters, deception, or dramatic irony.

Act I, scene IV and V

The homework for today's class was to finish the scene questions for Act one, scene four and five. Also, remember that the first blog post is due on Sunday, Feb 11th.

Word of the day: Dramatic Irony--we know something the character doesn't

Here is a summary for scene four and five:

Scene IV
This scene shows us Duncan's major flaw, his weakness. He says "There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face". In other words, he takes everything at face value. He has an inability to judge character. For example, the Thane of Cawdor betrayed him, and now he has chosen a new Thane of Cawdor who he thinks is faithful, but is really thinking about murdering him.

Then, we have the big love fest, as I like to call it. Macbeth's character is being heightened for us; we see that he is a hero in the king's mind. He is being built up in the initial scenes of the play, so that his tragic fall is that much more shocking.

The first major problem that arises in this scene is when Duncan announces that his son will be the next king. He names Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland. Note that this was not done in Scotland at the time--King's were elected. So, Duncan is so well respected that he is allowed to break tradition and pass the Kingship to his son. Duncan also announces that he will be coming to Macbeth's castle, Inverness, for a visit.

What is Macbeth's reaction? He is angry, and reveals this in his aside. He now has two people in his way of becoming King. The scene ends and he leaves to go home to be ready for the King. The irony is that we know Macbeth's true intentions upon leaving to be ready for the king.

Scene 5

This scene begins with Lady Macbeth reading a letter from Macbeth announcing what has happened with the witches. Lady Macbeth, in a soliloquy, reveals her true nature. She believes that her husband is too soft--too "full of the milk of human kindness". He has ambition, but not enough cruelty. So, Lady Macbeth asks to be unsexed--she wants to forget her womanly self in favour of manly cruelty. She thinks she cannot be both womanly and dark enough to commit the crime she is thinking of. She is much more confident and decided than Macbeth. When she learns that Duncan is coming for one night, she immediately decides what she will do. Lady Macbeth tells her husband to not let his face give everything away--he is like an open book. She tells him to look innocent. She says Macbeth will be King, and she tells him to leave everything to her, as Duncan will not live to see the next sunrise.

In this scene, Lady Macbeth almost reminds us of the witches--she longs to be unnatural like they are.

Fair is foul and foul is fair: Act I, scene i, ii, and iii

In our first class for Macbeth, we covered scenes 1, 2 and almost all of scene 3.

The word of the day was: Aside--a short speech meant only for the audience to hear but made while other characters are on stage.

Here is a summary of the major points in the first 3 scenes:

Act One, scene one:
What is the distinction between the 3 witches: One speaks of the present, the second of the past, and the third of the future.

The witches set a foreboding, mysterious tone in the opening of the play. We ge the sense that they are up to no good. They are planning something for Macbeth, but we don't know what yet. During this initial meeting, the witches conclude that they will go to see Macbeth.

The scene ends with a rhyming couplet: "Fair is foul, and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air." This concludes the scene on a climactic note. The witches final lines also signal that the things are not what they seem. Things that seem good are really evil, and things that seem bad may actually be good. This is an important theme in the play: appearance vs. reality. We will see that the characters are often pretending to be good, while really hiding evil intentions.

Scene two:
The purpose of this scene is to:
1) provide a historical background (Scotland is at war with Norway, there were 3 battles, but King Duncan's men were victorious)
2)show Macbeth at his best; he is praised by the Sargeant for his valiant combat
3) to show Duncan's generosity and gratitude for Macbeth--he awards Macbeth with the title the Thane of Cawdor
4) provides a suspenseful pause before the witches go to see Macbeth

At this point, we see Macbeth as a brave, good, warrior, loyal to the king and rewarded for his efforts.

Scene three:
Here, the witches appear to Macbeth and Banquo and announce a prophecy to Macbeth.
They say he was the Thane of Glamis, he is already the Thane of Cawdor (which we know but Macbeth has not yet found out that the Thane of Cawdor is a traitor) and then say that he will be King.

Macbeth is mesmerized; Banquo says this is a good thing, and asks for predictions about his own future. The witches tell him that he will get Kings but be none himself. In other words, he will father a line of Kings. (Banquo was the ancestor of James I, the king at the time Shakespeare wrote this play).

Then, Ross arrives and once again Macbeth is praised for his combat. He is also told that he is the new thane of Cawdor, so the instant of disbelief at the witches predictions would be shattered. He is now thinking more seriously about the predictions. Banquo warns him that what seems to be too good to be true, usually is. But, the idea of murder has already crossed Macbeth's mind. He knows that the third prediction is the best one but also the hardest to come true. He recognizes that in order to become king, Duncan would have to be killed. The fact that this evil plan has flitted in and out of his mind horrifies Macbeth, and he is very distressed. At the end of the scene, he thus comes to the conclusion that he will leave everything up to chance. He is unsure of whether he needs to make a move to help the third prediction along, but hopes that maybe he won't need to do anything, it will just happen on its own.

The homework for today was to complete the questions for scene 1,2 and question 1 for scene 3. Also, don't forget your post-its. The first blog posting is due Sunday, february 11th. If you were away today, don't forget to pick up an outline, as well as the scene questions for act I.

Fair is foul and foul is fair

How to interpret the witches in Macbeth?







What do you think of the witches in Macbeth? They are a fascinating part of this play. How do you see them dressed? What kind of witches are they? What connotations does the word witch bring?





Here are some images that come to mind when we think of witches. How would you imagine the witches in Macbeth? Are they young or old? We have a much different view of the witches today than the Elizabethans would have had. We already carry with us the images of the Wicked Witch of the West, and of so many others from various movies, even Disney. How does this affect your view of the weird sisters?

Day One: Macbeth Background

Last class, I made four main points about Macbeth as an introduction. The homework for next class is to bring post-its and read the first short scene of the play.

1) Macbeth is Shakespeare's shortest play, and is a very popular trajedy.
Universal appeal--contemporary morality play--it warns us of the dangers of becoming involved with evil.

2) Language: Nobles speak in blank verse (imabic pentameter)
Peasants and servants speak in prose.

3) James I had a big influence on Macbeth as the play was written for him. Shakespeare mentions things in the play to please James I and doesn't mention the things that might have angered him. 5 of the virtuous characters in the play are related to James I.

4) Witchcraft: the audience would have believed in heaven and hell, in evil spirits, and in witchcraft. They would have likely seen witches hanged or burned at the stake at that time.

Macbeth assignments

Here is a list of assignments for Macbeth. Please note that this is a brief summary, and that more detailed explanations will follow in class.

Please choose 4 of the following assignments, to be handed in at the end of Act IV
You must choose at least one from numbers 1,2,3 and 4.

1) Paraphrasing activity: Words Ancient and Modern (handout from me)

2) Write a 2 page summary of one of the Macbeth articles (see me for a copy)

3) Write a paragraph (including citations) about
a) the blood imagery in Macbeth or
b) the light and dark imagery in Macbeth

4) Write a short newspaper article (200-300 words) reporting on one of the events in Macbeth (Duncan's murder, the murder of Banquo, etc.)

5) Cast the actors for a movie version of Macbeth, then create a sociogram relating the characters. For example, Angelina Jolie as Lady Macbeth, or Marge Simpson as a witch. Include pictures of the actors/TV characters and show how each character is connected. This is best presented on a poster.

6) Make a list of 8-10 figures of speech/literary devices used in Macbeth. Please include the quote and the name of the device, along with 1-2 sentences of your own analysis.

7) Design a set for one scene of Macbeth. This may be drawn or built--whichever you decide. Include the audience, curtains, stage, props, etc.

8) Write a poem based on Lady Macbeth (minimum 10 lines)

9) memorize a short speech or soliloquay and perform it for the class, or tape record it for me including background music and sound effects.

10) create a costume for one character in the play. Include the actual costume or a visual representation with labels. Then, write 4-5 sentences explaining your choice of colours, style, etc. For example, if you chose to dress Lady Macbeth in pants, you would perhaps explain this by writing that she longs to leave behind her womanliness etc..

Welcome to our Macbeth Blog!

Hello everyone

I have started this blog as a way to help you better understand the play we are about to begin--Shakespeare's Macbeth. Throughout the unit, we will use this blog for discussions. You will be asked to post once a week, in response to a specific discussion question. In addition, I will be posting summaries of each scene as we read through the play. Feel free to explore this blog--I will be adding links to useful websites as well as anything else I find of interest.

If you have missed a class, please check the blog, as you will find notes on the scenes you missed, and will be able to catch up quite easily.

I hope you enjoy this blog and feel free to post comments in response to any posts, as well as any questions you may have about assignments, homework, or the play in general.

Thank you and I am looking forward to beginning this play with you!