Click on the button above to access a booklet on Macbeth. The idea is for students to read the play in its entirety and to focus on specific big questions as they progress.
1. How does Shakespeare create a foreboding atmosphere in A1-S1?
2. How does Shakespeare present Macbeth as a formidable warrior in A1-S2?
3. What prophecies do the Witches make about Macbeth and Banquo in A1-S3?
4. How do Macbeth and Banquo react to the prophecies and how do their reactions differ in A1-S3?
5. To what extent is Lady Macbeth presented as an ambitious and assertive character in A1-S5?
6. Why does Macbeth feel so conflicted about murdering Duncan in A1-S7?
7. What does Macbeth’s soliloquy reveal about his state of mind in A2-S1?
8. What does Macbeth’s behaviour in the aftermath of the murder reveal in A2-S2?
9. How does Macduff react to discovering Duncan’s dead body in A2-S3?
10. How is the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo presented after the murder of Duncan in A3-S1?
11. How is Macbeth’s state of mind presented after he sees the ghost of Banquo in A3-S4?
12. How does Macbeth react to the failure of the banquet at the end of A3-S4 and what does this reveal?
13. Why does Macbeth visit the Witches again in A4-S1 and what does he learn?
14. How does Macduff react to the news that his family have been murdered in A4-S3?
15. How is Lady Macbeth presented in A5-S1 and how has she changed?
16. How does Macbeth react to the new of Lady Macbeth’s death in A5-S5?
17. How is the final confrontation between Macbeth and Macduff presented in A5-S8??
Beyond the core stuff for each key scene, I’ve also included a knowledge organiser, notes on key allusions and common misconceptions, a couple of assessment tasks and quiz questions.
You may also find these resources useful:
Macbeth common misconceptions booklet
Hope it’s useful –
Doug