1. Macbeth
‘The Scottish Play’

2. Aims The aims of this unit are:
To read, understand and enjoy a Shakespearean drama
To learn how to use and analyse textual evidence
To provide pupils with the information and tools they need to produce a critical essay

3. Objectives Curricular Area By the end of this unit students will
Demonstrate their understanding of the drama by completing questions after each Act and a final Plot Quiz
Demonstrate their ability to use quote and analysis in order to support an argument
Produce a critical essay for their folios
Curricular Area
National 5 English
Reading – for Analysis and Evaluation, Critical Essay
Talking – Group Discussion
Writing
Listening

5. 11th Century Scotland
Setting

6. Bad luck – ‘The Scottish Play’
Shakespeare lied a bit: Macbeth ruled
he was so popular he
was able to visit Rome for a year on pilgrimage!

7. 11th century Scotland was a violent and troubled country
11th century Scotland was a violent and troubled country. Feuding families and clans fought to control trade and territory.  The castle was the power base of each rival warlord or noble man or Thane.  Political murder and revenge killings were commonplace.  And on top of all that they had marauding Vikings and Norsemen constantly raiding the coast.
Macbeth did exist.  He was born into this violent world in 1005, son of the family that ruled Ross (see map).  His cousins murdered his own father.  Macbeth married Gruach, granddaughter to a High King of Scotland.  They had no children and there is no historical evidence about Gruach's influence on her husband.
Duncan's rule had been ineffectual and unpopular.  He was only thirty-eight when he was killed, possibly by Macbeth, who was elected High King Of Scotland in 1040.  Macbeth ruled for seventeen years, the first ten as a competent, reforming king.  He gave Scotland a long period of comparative peace and stability.  There is no evidence that Macbeth dabbled in witchcraft, in fact he was a strong supporter of the Church.
Duncan's son Malcolm invaded Scotland in 1054 supported by Edward The Confessor.  Macbeth was killed on 15th August 1057 at Peel Ring (Lumphen) . He was buried at Iona, the sacred burial place of Kings Of Scotland.

8. The Essay

9. Macbeth Essay
You will be writing a critical essay on Macbeth. The topic you will explore in your essay is Macbeth as a tragic hero.
Macbeth is a classic example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. Aspects of a tragic hero include:
A person of high standing in society
Influenced by ‘other forces’
Let down by his ‘tragic flaw’
Commits a crime
Falls from high position
In your essay you will have to examine the character of Macbeth and decide whether or not you think he is a tragic hero.

10. Macbeth Critical Essay
Essay Plan 800 words
Introduction – 100 words
Macbeth as a respected soldier – 150 words
Influenced by witches – 150 words
Influenced by wife – 150 words
How he falls from power – 150 words
Conclusion – 100 words
Remember…
Use short quotations
ANALYZE quotations
Topic sentence
Present tense
Line of argument

11. Success criteria The writing is technically accurate.
The opening paragraph gives the title of the play, the name of the writer and introduces your line of thought using the key words of the question.
The essay is logically organised – an effective opening, middle and end all relevant to the line of thought introduced in the first paragraph.
The middle section is a series of separate, but well-linked paragraphs each containing a
Point Evidence Explanation relevant to the task
Phrases like: “The scene is memorable because ….”; “The lines Shakespeare gives the character …” ; “The imagery in the soliloquy ….”: “The character has obviously changed because …” (If you use the writer’s name, use the last name), appear in the essay.
Short direct quotations from the text are properly introduced.
Critical terminology is used appropriately.
An appropriate ending rounds off your argument.

12. Act 1 Scene 1
On a heath
by Forres
(Now the
A940!)