Macbeth Project

This project will have multiple steps and parts and we will be working on it for the majority of classes until the end of the semester.

Part 1: Getting Started Pick a group of 4. There will be 8 groups of 4.

Part 1: Getting Started Each group is going to write a “treatment” for a version of Macbeth set in an alternate universe. Example: Macbeth in Space. TODAY: Your group is going to brainstorm different ideas and answer the following questions. – Setting: Where and when (year, season, etc). – Characters: Who are they, what do they do? (They should have the same personality but in a different setting. Example, Lady Macbeth would still be crazy (even in space!).

Part 2: Writing a Summary ACT 1 Use the printed summary of Macbeth you are given, to write a summary of ACT 1 in your alternate universe. For example, in the play Scotland is at war with Norway. If your AU is about a gang war, maybe Scotland is Crips and Norway becomes Bloods and it’s a battle for turf. Another example, if your AU is about Mermaids, maybe Norway is their enemy “the shark-people”.

Part 3: Storyboarding Take two pieces of white paper. Fold them in quarters so you have four rectangular sections. (1 hot dog fold, 1 hamburger fold). The first box should be a title page. The next seven boxes correspond to the seven scenes in Act 1. For each box, you should draw an illustration of that scene (in YOUR setting, not in the original play). Crayons, markers, colored pencils, in the boxes on the file cabinet. Get to work.

Part 4: Lady Macbeth’s Letter Rewrite the letter that Macbeth sends to his wife in language appropriate to your new setting. The letter is on page 16 of the text. Example: Macbeth closes his letter with “Lay it to thy heart and farewell.” – If your Macbeth is a high school student, he’d probably just say “I hope this news made you happy. Love you.”

Part 5:Act 2, Scene 2 Rewrite the dialogue of Act 2, Scene 2 (Page 27-30) Re-Write EACH and EVERY line of dialogue to make it fit in your new setting. It should sound like your Macbeth and Lady Macbeth would actually speak that way and say those things. If you have to, read the dialogue out loud to see how it sounds.

Part 6: Ending Summary Write 1 page summarizing how your version of Macbeth ends. In this page you need to make sure you include: 1. Malcolm and Macduff fighting against Macbeth with help from Siward (a warlord of England). 2. Macbeth killing Young Siward. 3. Macduff, who is not born of women, killing Macbeth. 4. Malcolm telling the thanes that he would change the way the government is set up so it is more fair to everyone.