A Walk Through William Shakespeares Macbeth Act by Act!

For each Act:

a) It is your responsibility to be in class, follow along, help by reading a part out loud from time
to time, and TO ASK QUESTIONS IF ANY PART OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IS NOT CLEAR
TO YOU. By the time weve finished reading the act, you should know what happened.
b) When we are done reading the act, you will, in a small group, prepare one of the activities
below, depending on what youve been assigned. There are six activities and five acts. You
will remain in the same group for the duration of our study of the play. You will do 5 of the 6
activities.
c) You will present what youve prepared. The class will ask you questions about anything
that they are not sure about.

Activities
#1

A Dramatic Rendition of the Act in Five Minutes.

Your task is to perform the act for us in five minutes! This means that you will decide what must
be left in or condensed and what can be left out. You may use modern English but each
performer must incorporate one original line from the play in their dialogue.
You should use simple costumes and props, especially if you need to play more than one part.
You may have a script in your hand in case you forget your lines, but it should seem rehearsed
enough that the Act flows!

#2

The Characters

Your task is to analyse the main characters as they present themselves in that Act. Focus on
what character traits are revealed by what the character said or did, or by what others said
about them. Create a google spreadsheet with the following headlines and share your
completed work in our community.

Eg

Character Trait

Macbeth

brave leader

How we know it

Quotation

Soldier said he was

a fierce leader and

the victory fell

fighter.

us (1,2, 23)

upon

A minimum of 10 entries are expected.

Create and post a visual board on Pinterest for one of the main characters in this act. Present
your board to the class explaining why you chose these images for this character. (at least 15
pins)

#3

Themes

There are major themes that are introduced or developed in each act. Examples would be
appearance versus reality, introspection versus action insanity good versus evil
honour etc. Your task is to explore the various topics that Shakespeare presents to us
through the action of the play. What is he showing us is true about these themes? What are
the moments in this act that touch on these themes?
Present these themes in a well-developed Prezi including links to meaningful media.
Share the link with our community.

#4

Imagery and other Rhetorical Devices

a)Shakespeare uses imagery to extend meaning in his play. Find references to the following
imagery in your Act. Provide an explanation of its effectiveness and a quotation for each.
Blood

Sleep

Clothing

Animals

b) Explore the metaphors, hyperbole, symbols, analogies, allusions etc. that Shakespeare uses
to bring his story alive through words. What is significant to notice about the use of these
rhetorical devices? How do they reinforce themes or character traits? Show us 5 of the most
beautifully crafted lines in this act and explain why they are so well-crafted.
Create a google doc. In chart form, list the imagery, quotation and explanation and share it with
our community.

#5

Analyzing Soliloquies and comparing two film Versions

You will analyze the soliloquy from your Act and explain the meaning and imagery in it to the
class. Have the words on the screen for the class to view as you explain them.
In class we watched the Polanski version of the play. Find 2 other versions of the soliloquy
online and show them to the class. Compare the two versions in terms of:
a)
b)
c)
#6

the interpretation of the role of Macbeth.

the film setting of this important scene.
special effects or sound effects used by the filmmaker to enhance the moment.

Exploring the Setting

The setting of an act is often as important as the actions. Analyze the various settings and
expose their importance to our understanding of the Act. Create a google map displaying the
information you learn. Remember mood and atmosphere are part of setting.

Mapping
Do this by going to google maps and creating a custom maps.
Each entry should include:

an icon that suggests the significance of the setting

a quotation from the novel that illustrates the importance of the given setting

an image that also illustrates what the specific setting adds to the play

Other Guidelines / Requirements:

Your groups presentation of information should be approximately 10-15 minutes.

Everyone in the group is expected to contribute equally but all do not have to speak
equally.

Visuals make it easier for your audience to focus on specific lines from the play that you
refer to or specific details you want to point out. Create an electronic note detailing the
significant discoveries of your group. You may refer to it during your presentation and it
can then be shared in our community.

Make sure your audience is actively learning through discussion questions, games or
any other creative way that engages them in your presentation.

You will have the chance to evaluate yourself and your peers in terms of each
individuals contribution and effort to the groups success.