Macbeth as Part of a Thematic Unit*
Because of the complexity of plot, theme, and characterization in Shakespeare's Macbeth, as well as the use of Elizabethan language, many students have difficulty reading and understanding the play. To help students understand the adult motivation of Shakespeare's characters, Macbeth can be taught as part of a thematic unit. If the themes of Shakespeare's Macbeth are explored in less complex literature, particularly modern literature with young adult characters, students will be able to relate Shakespeare's exploration of human nature to their own lives. For example, the play may be studied in a unit dealing with themes such as " the corruption of power," "blind ambition," "things are not what they seem," or "superstition and its effects on human behavior." A unit dealing with one of these can be studied in social studies or history as well as literature.
While students are reading and discussing the themes in less complex literature, the literary techniques used by Shakespeare can be introduced. For example, foreshadowing is a common technique used by authors of fiction. Students can be taught to recognized similes, metaphors, alliteration, symbol, and irony as they are used in young adult and /or less complex adult literature.
Books to use in thematic units are suggested in the bibliography at the end of this study guide.
Shakespeare's plays were written to be performed and enjoyed by his audience, in fact most were not published until seven years after his death. By the time Macbeth first appeared on stage, most of Shakespeare's audience was familiar with the story. To give modern day students the same advantage, it is important to acquaint them with the plot, themes, characters, and literary devices employed by Shakespeare.
There are numerous ways to acquaint students with Macbeth:
The Plot
(1) Tell the story to the class.* If you are a good storyteller you can use your technique to bring Macbeth to life.
(2) View a movie or video-tape of Macbeth.* Many movie and video-tape versions are available. Orson Welles played Macbeth in 1948; The Corporation for Public Broadcasting produced Macbeth as part of Shakespeare series in 1983; Roman Polanski filmed a graphic ("R" rated) version. After the students have been introduced to plot outline of the play, they can become the audience as modern actors portray the characters of Macbeth on the screen. It will be helpful to students if the film or video tape is topped at strategic points, perhaps at the end of each act, and the plot line is outlined on chart paper for reference during the reading of the play.
(3) Since Shakespeare's Macbeth is frequently produced, perhaps because of its universal appeal and short length (it is the shortest of the Shakespeare's plays), it may be possible to see a live production of the play.* However, prior to taking students to a performance of Macbeth, the story should be introduced to them.
(4) If you are not a storyteller and do not have access to media or live version of the play, use the synopsis of the play as a "bare bones" outline of the plot and related the story to the students.* For example, you might introduce the play as follows, "Macbeth is the story of a man, Macbeth, whose ambition runs wild. To become King he first kills the current king, Duncan. Then he kills the king's guards in an attempt to pin the murder on them. He then plots to murder a nobleman, Banquo, and his son, Fleance, because three witches have predicted that Banquo's off-spring will become king. After Banquo is slain, Macbeth thinks he sees Banquo's ghost at a banquet. Later he has the wife and children of a general, Macduff, slain after the three witches warn him to beware Macduff. Before the play ends, Macbeth kills Siward, a supporter of Macduff, in battle. Finally, in the last act, Macbeth battles Macduff who slays him and displays Macbeth's "cursed head" for all to see. This is the story of how one murder begets another and how one man's ambitions plague a nation." It is the rare teenager who is not attracted to the gory details of the plot of Shakespeare's Macbeth.
(5) Investigate the story of Macbeth as related by Holinshed in his Chronicles.% The story of the historic Macbeth can be outlined on chart paper for comparisons with the plot of Shakespeare's play. Make predictions about why Shakespeare changed the story. Then, discuss the role of King James in the theatrical life of Shakespeare.
(6) If students are unaware of the organization and dramatic techniques of Shakespearean drama, introduce them before students read the play.* Discuss: five acts divided into scenes, rising action, climax at the beginning of the third act, falling action, soliloquy asides, blank verse, stage direction...
Theme
(1) After introducing the plot of Macbeth, discuss the themes of the play.* The four themes of most interest to students are: things are not what they seem, blind ambition, power corrupts, and superstition affects human behavior. Explore the themes with questions. For example, "Though Shakespeare's Macbeth is about 11th century Scotland, its themes of ambition run wild and the corruption of power can be seen in modern history. Can you think of examples?" List examples on the chalkboard and discuss.
Or, "One of the themes of Macbeth is 'things are not what they seem.' Can you relate an incident from your life when you thought something (or someone) was one way, but it (he/she) turned out to be another?"
(2) (a) Search through newspapers and magazines to find examples of the themes in today's world;* (b) search through history textbooks to find examples of the themes in recent history;+ (c) examine TV Guide for television shows that relate to the themes;+ (d) discuss current movies related to the themes;+ (e) discuss song lyrics related to the themes.+
(3) Read modern novels dealing with the themes.* For example, "the corruption of power" is dealt with in such novels as Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War#% and William Golding's Lord of the Flies#%. Discuss how power corrupted the antagonists of these novels. Or, read a modern novel on the theme "things are not what they seem," for example, Killing Mr. Griffin+# by Lois Duncan, and discuss how the character of Mark seems outwardly normal, but when carefully observed his psychotic behavior is evident. Or, read a novel which explores how superstition affects human behavior. Good choices are Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond+#, which also deals with witchcraft, or Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn #%. Discuss each of these novels in relationship to the theme. Assign different novels to individual students, perhaps with small groups of students assigned to the same novel.* Groups or individuals examine the theme in the novel and present a creative portrayal of the theme to the class. For example, students reading The Chocolate War might show dramatically how Archie was corrupted by power.
(4) Read a nonfiction account of political ambition such as John Dean's Blind Ambitions: The White House Years or a fictional account such as Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men. Compare the modern, overly ambitious politicians in Dean's and Warren's books with Shakespeare's Macbeth.
(5) After discussing themes of Macbeth related directly to students' lives, examine the themes of classic tragedy%: the tragic flaw of ambition, the role of fate, the inevitable nature of tragedy, the isolation of the tragic hero.
Characters
Shakespeare's audience was familiar with the history of Macbeth; modern students are not. Therefore, it is important to introduce students to the names and relationships of the characters prior to reading the play. List the characters on the chalkboard or chart paper and discuss the role each character will play.*
Macbeth - Scottish general ambitious enough to commit regicide to become king
Lady Macbeth - His wife; ambitious; later remorseful
Banquo - General, murdered by hired killers
Fleance - Banquo's son
Duncan - King of Scotland
Malcolm - Eldest son of Duncan, Prince of Cumberland
Donalbain - Youngest son of Duncan
Macduff - General, dedicated to the good of Scotland
Ross - Cousin to Macduff
Lennox - Nobleman, loyal to Duncan
Seyton - Lieutenant to Macbeth
Siward - English Earl, supporter of Malcolm
Young Siward - Bravely faces Macbeth though he is killed in battle
Three Witches - Predict Macbeth's ambitions will soon come true; later predict his downfall
Literary Devices
Shakespeare used literary devices he knew his Renaissance audience would appreciate. To help modern students do the same, locate and discuss the following:
(1) Allusions#% - Shakespeare used both mythological and Biblical allusions. For example, the sergeant compares a bloody scene of death on the battlefield to Golgotha which is the place of Christ's death in the New Testament (I,ii.).
One of the mythological allusions is Macduff's comparing the dead Duncan to a Gorgon of Greek mythology which could turn a person to stone because of the terror evoked (II,iii).
(2) Figurative Language#% - Shakespeare's mastery of language is exemplified through his use of imagery such as similes, metaphors, personification, alliteration, and symbols. To help students understand these, discuss the word pictures Shakespeare paints. Because Shakespeare's pictures are so vivid, students might be able to illustrate them with drawings or collages.
Similes:
(Flower imagery)
Look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under it. (I,v)
(Disguise)
Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men
May read strange matters. (I,v)
Metaphors:
(Planting imagery)
I have begun to plant thee, and will labor
To make thee full of growing. (I,iv)
(Clothing imagery)
Why do you dress me
In borrowed robes? (I,iii)
Personification:
If chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir (I,iii)
Was the hope drunk
Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since? (I,vii)
Alliteration:
But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in
To saucy doubts and fears. (III, iv)
Symbol:
Before reading the play, related symbols to the plot, characters, and themes of Macbeth. For example, the presence of birds is one aspect of nature which symbolizes the theme of superstitions/omens. When Duncan and Banquo note that Macbeth's castle enjoys the good omen of nesting martlets, the audience already realizes the danger Duncan will be facing if he spends the night at Inverness (I,v). Therefore, the "fair" omen is to become "foul." Discuss how this symbol is employed by Shakespeare to advance the theme and plot of Macbeth.
Others you might choose to locate and discuss are: water/washing ("A little water clears us of this deed," II,ii), blood ("Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? II,ii), weather ("Hover through the fog and filthy air," I,i) clothing ("borrowed robes" worn by the Thane of Cawdor, (I,iii), sleep ("Not so sick, my lord, as she is troubled with thick-coming fancies that keep her from her rest," V,iii).
(3) Foreshadowing* - Macbeth provides an excellent opportunity for teaching or reinforcing the literary device of foreshadowing. The witches set the tone in Act I, scene 1 with a storm and predictions that Macbeth's life will become so confused he will find it difficult to differentiate between right and wrong (fair and foul), and their later predictions foreshadow a downfall the audience is aware of long before Macbeth is willing to accept their implications. Students can learn how foreshadowing is used through probing questions. For example: (a) The play opens with thunder and lightning as three witches enter. What does this tell about the mood of the play? Is this play going to be a tragedy or a comedy? (b) What do the witches mean when they say, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" (I,i)? What does this tell you about what is likely to go on during the play? (c) If you were going to stage this scene, what would your set look like?
(4) Dramatic Irony#% - Shakespeare's audience enjoyed being informed of events before the characters were aware of the implications. The example given above of Macbeth's lack of awareness of his new title, Thane of Cawdor, is a good illustration. Another is Duncan commenting on the pleasantness of Macbeth's castle while the audience knows the Macbeths have just planned his murder to take place there that very night (I,vi.).
The most powerful examples of dramatic irony include Macbeth's acceptance of the apparitions' seeming assurances that no man "of woman born shall harm Macbeth" and that he is safe until Birnam Woods move. Macbeth continues to feel confident of his safety even though the audience, through dramatic irony, has seen the equivocations of the witches long before Macbeth realizes them.
Students find irony a difficult concept to understand. To help them understand how Shakespeare employs this device, have them say one simple sentence to express different feelings. For example: "What a beautiful day?" The students can say this as if it is a beautiful day or as if the day is rainy and cold. Or, they can say it as if they have been asked to the prom by the football hero or as if the prom queen has just rejected an invitation for a date. This shows students how the meaning of a simple sentence changes depending on its context. Shakespeare uses this device to show irony.
Search for irony in television programs, magazines, novels, or the conversation of others. List the irony found in these sources. Discuss with the class.
Now, search Macbeth for examples of dramatic irony. Read the scene where Lady Macbeth plans Duncan's murder (I,v) and the next scene during which Macbeth and Lady Macbeth welcome Duncan to their castle (I,vi.). How do Lady Macbeth's comments show irony? What does she really mean?
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