MacbethAct I Scene 1

1. Describe the opening scene of the Orson Welles’ version of Macbeth.

2. What are the connotations of the props used? 3. Describe the effect of the setting.

Now look carefully at the written scene. 4. What is suggested by the first stage direction?5. When will the witches meet again?

Quote and explain the connotations.6. Macbeth is mentioned in the first scene. What does this

suggest to the audience?7. Look at the penultimate line. What do you think it means?8. Overall comment on the effect of this as an opening scene.

Remember to refer to the stage directions.9. What are your predictions for the play after this scene?

Note:The weird sisters use equivocal language.Equivocal language is deliberately obscure or ambivalent in meaning. The witches’ words are open to interpretation.

Act I Scene 2

1. How does the Captain arrive on stage?2. What battle has he been fighting?3. What information does he report to King Duncan?4. Pick out three quotations to demonstrate Macbeth’s

bravery. (Learn)5. How do Macbeth and Banquo react to reinforcements?6. Who assisted the enemy?7. What is the King Duncan’s judgement at the end of the

scene?8. Macbeth has not yet appeared on stage. What does the

audience know about his character so far?

Evaluation of the playwright’s craft

What are the similarities and differences between the first two scenes?What impact is this likely to have on the audience?

Shakespeare’s plays were performed by actors with little time to rehearse or gather props and scenery. What clues can you find for this in the language?Act I Scene 3

1. What is the purpose of the first 30 lines?

2. What do you notice about Macbeth’s language and how is this significant?

3. How does Banquo describe the witches? Note the introduction of humour. This works on more than one level – what do you know about Renaissance actors?

4. How do the witches greet Macbeth?What do their words mean?

5. Comment on Banquo’s reaction (lines 50-60) to the witches. What does he notice about Macbeth? Use quotes to support your answer.

6. Now note down the witches greeting to Banquo. What could their words mean?

7. How does Banquo react to the predictions?

8. What does Macbeth say to the witches and what does this reveal about his personality?

9. Two Thanes arrive with messages from King Duncan. What news does Ross and Angus deliver?

10. Macbeth says “The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?”What does he mean by this metaphor?

11. Find a quote to show that Macbeth is influenced by the witches’ words.

12. Find a quote to show that Banquo responds differently to the witches’ words.

13. “Present fearsAre less than horrible imaginings.My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of manThat function is smothered in surmise,And nothing is, but what is not.” What could Macbeth mean and what are the connotations of these words?

14. Find evidence to show Banquo’s concerns about Macbeth.15. What is the significance of Macbeth’s aside:

“If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir.”What does this suggest about his character?

Task in groupsMatch evidence with the character.

Contrast the characters of Macbeth and Banquo. What is the message of the playwright?What is Macbeth’s fatal flaw?Is he responsible for the flaw?Can he escape his destiny?

“My noble partner you greet with present grace, and great prediction of noble having and of royal hope That he seems rapt withal.”

Banquo is concerned that Macbeth is affected by the witches’ strange words.

Banquo not affected by the predictions. Rational – therefore highlighting Macbeth’s flaw. His judgement is impaired by ambition.

“Your children shall be kings”

Macbeth repeats the witches’ words to Banquo.

Macbeth has no children – no heir. This is a concern for the future.

“You shall be king” Banquo repeats the witches’ prophecy

Banquo is afraid of the consequences does he trust -Macbeth?

(aside) “Glamis and Thane of Cawdor! The greatest is behind.”

Macbeth reveals his thoughts – the prophecies are coming true.

Macbeth’s ambition takes shape. Will he really be King of Scotland?

“the instruments of Darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence”

Banquo warns Macbeth not to trust the witches. They trick you into belief with inconsequential deeds then betray you.

Banquo’s rational approach contrasts with Macbeth’s willingness to believe the witches’ equivocal language.

(aside) “Present fears are less than horrible imaginings. My thought whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man That function is smothered in surmise, And nothing is but what is not.”

When an ”(aside) “ is used as a stage direction it is a construct to allow Macbeth to reveal his thoughts to the audience without the characters present on stage hearing.

The word “murder” appears in his thoughts – why?Will he have to kill Duncan to become King?His language is equivocal and reminiscent of the witches.

“If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir”

Macbeth reasons that if his future is guided by fate then he does not need to act.

The audience is left to question – will Macbeth’s ambition drive him towards murder or will he trust in fate?

Aristotle’s PoeticsThe ancient Greeks wrote plays and created a formula for the genre. Aristotle wrote down the rules for Greek drama. The Rules for Tragedy still exist but the Rules for Comedy were lost. Literary critics often argue whether a play is a “Tragedy” according to the rules in Aristotle’s Poetics. The Greek Rules of Tragedy:

1. The hero must be from a high-ranking family. (The Greeks didn’t write about poor people because they didn’t matter!)

2. The hero must be at the height of his success; the top of the wheel of fortune.(And yes, usually male, women were useful for breeding purposes but otherwise hysterical – from the Greek for womb.)

3. The hero has one fatal flaw – which will “quite literally” be the death of him.

4. His downfall is unavoidable, tragic and fateful. It may well be engineered by the gods.

5. There is a Greek Chorus who will remind the audience of the important bits.

6. And everybody dies at the end.7. The audience will follow the protagonist, vicariously

suffering his emotional journey and leaving the theatre cleansed of emotion. This is called Catharsis.

Act I Scene 4

Malcolm reports on the execution of the Thane of Cawdor.

“frankly he confessed his treasons,Implored your highness’ pardon, and set forthA deep repentance”

This demonstrates that treachery against the King (an absolute monarch in Shakespeare’s time – in England with God’s authority –

Divine Right) is wrong, and the Thane sees the error of his ways and begs forgiveness, accepting his death as a fair judgement. He dies well in contrast to Macbeth’s treacherous beginning as Thane of Cawdor.

“There’s no artTo find the mind’s construction in the face.He was a gentleman on whom I builtAn absolute trust.”

The King comments that it is difficult to read someone’s true thoughts. This builds up the sense of irony after the suggestions in the previous scene. Directly after these words, Macbeth enters, again building tension and preparing the audience for the possibility of more treason.

Duncan tells Macbeth he is very grateful.Macbeth says he is paid by the act of loyalty to his king.

The King introduces imagery of a tree

“ I have begun to plant thee, and will labourTo make thee full of growing”

Introducing the idea of cultivating Macbeth’s loyaltyWhen Banquo is acknowledged he continues the metaphor:“The harvest is your own”

The expectations of Macbeth and Banquo are raised; then King Duncan announces next in line to the Throne. In Scotland the King can name his successor. Will it be… Macbeth?

“”We will establish our estate uponOur eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafterThe Prince of Cumberland”

Macbeth was expecting to be named as Duncan’s successor after the witches’ predictions. Duncan’s Court is revealed as a family unit bound by natural ties of family and loyalty.

Macbeth’s response:

“The Prince of Cumberland! That is a stepOn which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires,Let not light see my black and deep desires.”

Macbeth realises for his ambition to be achieved he must remove the king and Malcolm.

He introduces “black” alluding to the dark side, evil, the witches.He asks the stars to hide their light so that no one can see his evil thoughts. Learn this quote.The King has decided to stay at Macbeth’s castle in Inverness. This would be an honour for Macbeth. Macbeth rides ahead to prepare for the visit.

Act I Scene 5

This scene begins with Lady Macbeth reading a letter from Macbeth. He explains the strange predictions of the witches followed by the news of his promotion from Ross and Angus.

Her response – she is ambitious for her husband.

“Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt beWhat thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature:It is too full o’ the milk of human-kindnessTo catch the nearest way.”

She wants the predictions to be fulfilled but is concerned that Macbeth is too kind, too gentle to carry out the necessary murders – “the nearest way”.This is a good point to raise in an essay on Macbeth’s character. Is he influenced by the witches or by his wife and does this suggest a weakness?

“Hi thee hitherThat I may pour my spirits in thine ear,And chastise with the valour of my tongueAll that impedes thee from the golden roundWhich fate and metaphysical aid doth seemTo have thee crowned withal.”

Write out Lady Macbeth’s words and the translation in the correct order.Lady Macbeth hears from a messenger that King Duncan is on his way. Macbeth is ahead of the king but they must make preparations.

REORDER THE LINES TO TRANSLATE THE QUOTE:

All that stops you getting Duncan’s crownTo have you already crowned.Hurry home to meThat I may influence your thoughtsThat your destiny and supernatural forces are helpingAnd reprimand with my brave tongue

Look at lines 36-57. Create a poster illustrating the speech and highlighting key themes - present to the class.

The raven himself is hoarseThat croaks the fatal entrance of DuncanUnder my battlements. Come you spiritsThat tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me hereAnd fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood;Stop up the access and passage to remorse,That no compunctious visitings of natureShake my fell purpose, nor keep peace betweenThe effect and it. Come to my woman’s breastsAnd take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers,Wherever, in your sightless substances,You wait on nature’s mischief. Come, thick night,And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the darkTo cry, “Hold, hold!” Enter Macbeth

Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor!Greater than both by the all-hail hereafter!Thy letters have transported me beyondThis ignorant present, and I feel now

The future in the instant.

Coat of Arms - Cawdor

Coat of Arms Glamis

Lady Macbeth instructs Macbeth to Welcome King Duncan:

“look like the innocent flower,But be the serpent under’t. He that’s coming Must be provided for”

To pretend to be the perfect host but to betray him and murder him.

What is Macbeth’s response?

At this point in the play, what do you think of Lady Macbeth and how far is she responsible for the plot to kill Duncan?

Act I Scene 6

Duncan and Banquo make polite conversation. Martlet builds nests in churches – place of sanctuary.

Lady Macbeth welcomes King Duncan to her home. The calm before the storm.

Act I scene 7

Work through Macbeth’s soliloquy. In this speech he works out arguments for and against the murder of King Duncan. Match a quote from the speech to the translation and put in the correct order.

We but teach bloody instructions, which, being taught, return to plague the inventor. This even handed justice commends the ingedience of our poisoned chalice to our own lips.

What goes around comes around.

If the assassination could trammel up the consequence, and catch

If Macbeth kills the King and becomes the new king, he will

with his surcease success – that but this blow might be the be-all and and the end-all!

achieve his desire.

If it were done when ’tis done, then ‘twere well it were done quickly.

If it must be done, do it quickly.

Then, as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself.

The host should not invite someone in and then kill him, he should be protecting him from attack.

We’d jump the life to come If he commits murder he will not go to heaven.

I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent but only vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other

There is nothing but leaping ambition that makes me want to carry out the deed.

Besides this Duncan hath bourne his faculties so meek, hath been so clear in his great office, that his virtues will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against the deep damnation of his taking off.

If Duncan is murdered, he has led such a good life that the angels will take him to heaven. (Christians at the time believed that you must confess your sins before death or you would go to hell. If you are murdered you can’t confess your sins.)

He’s here in double trust: First as I am his Kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed;

He trusts me as a relative and as his loyal subject.

In your opinion, is Macbeth prepared to kill the king at this point in the play?

Lady Macbeth enters. What language technique is used to change the atmosphere and what atmosphere is created?

How does Lady Macbeth attempt to persuade her husband?Explain the images she uses in lines 36-45.

How does Macbeth respond to her?Deconstruct the metaphor and explain how effective you find the lines:“I have given suck, and knowHow tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me;I would while it was smiling in my faceHave plucked my nipple from his boneless gumsAnd dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as youHave done to this.”

What signifies a change in Macbeth and why do you think this has happened?

What is Lady Macbeth’s plan?

The act ends with the rhyming couplet:“Away, and mock the time with fairest show:False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”

What does he mean and of what does this remind you?

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