1. LESSON ELEVEN

2. TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
READ ACT 4, SCENE 2
WHAT HAPPENS?
SYMBOLISM
The depth of brutality to which Macbeth has sunk is revealed in his determination to massacre innocent women and children in Macduff’s castle.
Macduff’s wife interprets her husband’s flight to England as madness, fear or lack of love for his family. Ross comforts her: Macduff knows best, and even though the times are dangerous, they will improve.
Macduff’s son teases his mother affectionately. Behind his playful words are glimpses of the dangerous times: traps for the innocent and widespread treachery. A messenger arrives to warn of danger.
The messenger warns Lady Macduff to flee with her children because terrible danger is near. The Murderers enter, seeking Macduff. They kill his son and pursue Macduff’s wife to murder her.
One critic compared this scene to the biblical Slaughter of the Innocents. Macbeth’s murder of future life and youthful hopefulness, as well as his cruelty and depravity, take on epic proportions through this biblical allusion.
TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
Can I read, understand and respond to texts?
Can I consider the social and historical context of ‘Macbeth’ and discuss its significance?
Can I analyse the language in a scene and explain its significance?

3. This picture is of Herod’s slaughter of the innocents, a mass infanticide in the Bible.
Why is the killing of children so emotive?
In his death, the referral of Macduff’s son as ‘egg’ and ‘fry’ emphasise his youth, adding to shocking nature of his killing.
Macduff’s son’s innocence and confidence in his father adds paths – we know he won’t live but he dies rightfully defending his father’s honour.
Lady Macduff sadly dies politically naive and still perhaps believing that her husband has abandoned them.

4. Structure Points
Lady Macduff exits at the end of the scene crying ‘murder’.
Structurally this creates suspense as the audience is not sure that she is dead until the next scene.
The Macduff’s are also used to show contrasting family relationships – the close bond between Lady MacD and her son (adding to how moving the scene is) in stark contrast to Lady McB’s claim that she would ‘dash the brains out’ of a baby. Siward in Act 5 scene 9 is proud rather than sad because his son dies fighting bravely against evil.

5. Significance of Act 4 Scene 2
The scene is important for the themes of loyalty and treachery – it features the perceived disloyalty of Macduff by his wife and the treacherous brutality of Macbeth’s reign.
If you consider it, Banquo and Duncan were murdered for a purpose (albeit an evil one) but Lady Macduff and her son were murdered out of pure spite.
The savagery creates pathos for the victims and hatred for Macbeth placing his firmly as the tyrant he has become.

6. Which is the worse crime?
Which is the worse crime: murdering King Duncan or having Macduff’s family slaughtered?
Things to consider:
who did the deed;
who were the victims;
what were the motives;
regicide vs. infanticide;
motive.

7. Answer these questions as annotations in your text!
READ ACT 4, SCENE 3
1. Highlight the adjectives used to describe Macbeth in this scene. Complete single word analysis on them. What are the connotations of these adjectives?
2.What is ‘tyranny’ and how does this link to Macbeth’s character?
3. What qualities does Macduff identify as causing the downfall of Kings? Why do you think these qualities in particular are dangerous?
4. Macduff is doing his best to persuade Malcolm to fight Macbeth yet Malcolm seems reluctant. How would Macduff be feeling here?
5. Highlight the qualities of a good King that Malcolm identifies. Complete single word analysis on them. What are the connotations of these qualities?
6. Look from “nay had I power” to “unity on earth” . What is Malcolm saying here and is he telling the truth to Macduff? Why might he have reason to lie?
Answer these questions as annotations in your text!

8. Significance of the Scene
Macduff’s Loyalty is called into question at the start of the scene and Malcolm tests him. This scene is important to consider what makes an effective king ‘kingship’.
Malcolm lists the characteristic of a bad king (all the things that Macbeth has) and then juxtaposes them with all of the virtues of an effective and good king (Duncan’s attributes).
Structurally in the play this is the scene that contains the most talking and littlest action. It is also the only scene set outside of Scotland and is sandwiched in between two of the most dramatic and theatrical scenes in the play.
It is significant that judgements are openly raised on Macbeth and Scotland is personified as a key character, who is suffering at the hands of a tyrant. Interestingly this contrasts the portrayal of England’s King Edward who is ‘good’ and ‘full of grace.’

9. TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
YOUR TASK: WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?
LADY MACBETH
GENTLEWOMAN
DOCTOR
Infer as much as you can from this picture of Act 5, Scene 1.
TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
Can I read, understand and respond to texts?
Can I consider the social and historical context of ‘Macbeth’ and discuss its significance?
Can I analyse the language in a scene and explain its significance?

10. TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
IF SOMEONE WAS SLEEPWALKING, WHAT WOULD I EXPECT TO SEE?
They might have their eyes open but they may not see you.
TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
Can I read, understand and respond to texts?
Can I consider the social and historical context of ‘Macbeth’ and discuss its significance?
Can I analyse the language in a scene and explain its significance?

11. TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
YOUR TASK
Let’s read Act 5, Scene 1. Consider Lady Macbeth’s character. What was she like when we first met her? What is she like now? How has she changed?
TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
Can I read, understand and respond to texts?
Can I consider the social and historical context of ‘Macbeth’ and discuss its significance?
Can I analyse the language in a scene and explain its significance?

12. YOUR TASK Quotation Which event is Lady Macbeth referring to?
In this scene, Lady Macbeth refers back to a lot of events that have already happened. The audience knows about these events, but the Doctor and woman do not.
Therefore, this is an example of dramatic irony.
Write out quotations in this grid that refer to an earlier event, and tell me the event Lady Macbeth is talking about.
How would an audience react to Lady Macbeth here?
Quotation
Which event is Lady Macbeth referring to?
“Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard?”
Macbeth was scared at the thought of killing Duncan.
TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
Can I read, understand and respond to texts?
Can I consider the social and historical context of ‘Macbeth’ and discuss its significance?
Can I analyse the language in a scene and explain its significance?

13. DISCUSS THIS Is Lady Macbeth still a villain? THEN NOW Lady Macbeth:
"A little water clears us of this deed.”
Gentlewoman:
“It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands; I have known her continue of this a quarter of an hour.”
Lady Macbeth:
“If he do bleed, I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal…”
“Here’s the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”
NOW
TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
Can I read, understand and respond to texts?
Can I consider the social and historical context of ‘Macbeth’ and discuss its significance?
Can I analyse the language in a scene and explain its significance?

14. How has Lady Macbeth changed in Act 5, Scene 1?
TO FINISH
How has Lady Macbeth changed in Act 5, Scene 1?
Statement from start – At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is presented as….
Statement from end – However by the end, Lady Macbeth is presented as…
Quotation – When Lady Macbeth starts to sleepwalk and the doctor overhears her, she says ‘…’
Analysis of meaning – It could be argued here that…
Analysis of difference – This is different from the beginning because…
Language Analysis – The noun/adjective ‘…’ could imply… Furthermore,…
Develop/ Effect and context – Perhaps a Shakespearean audience would feel … because…

15. How has Lady Macbeth changed in Act 5, Scene 1? TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
WHAT SHOULD MY WORK LOOK LIKE?
How has Lady Macbeth changed in Act 5, Scene 1?
At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is presented as power hungry and somewhat hubristic. Her desire for power becomes her obsession and it is clear she will do whatever she can in order to obtain it. However, her obsession becomes her downfall and in Act 5, Scene 1, she is presented as a broken woman, someone driven mad by the guilt she clearly feels. This is most evident through her anxiety. She ‘sees’ blood on her hand and says ‘Out damned spot!’ The exclamation mark here suggests she is urgent and panicked, two qualities that imply weakness, something she has refused to show until now. The adjective, ‘damned’ has connotations of… It could be argued that a Shakespearean audience would feel … here because…
TODAY’S KEY QUESTIONS:
Can I read, understand and respond to texts?
Can I consider the social and historical context of ‘Macbeth’ and discuss its significance?
Can I analyse the language in a scene and explain its significance?