I have not created this, or own it, I found this in the shared Twitter Dropbox Folder.

1. GCSE ENGLISH
LITERATURE
MACBETH
NAME:_____________________________________

2. LIT AO1, AO2, AO3
Act One Scene One
The three witchesmeet in a stormand decide when they will meet up again.
AO1: Whatdoes the weather suggestto the audience about these characters?
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AO2: Whyare the linesbelowimportant?What do they establishabout this play?
Fair is foul, and foul is fair:
Hover through the fog and filthy air.
(fromBBC Bitesize): InShakespeare’stimepeople believedinwitches.Theywere people whohadmade a
pact withthe Devil inexchange forsupernatural powers.If yourcow wasill,itwas easyto decide ithad
beencursed.If there wasplague inyourvillage,itwasbecause of awitch.If the beansdidn’tgrow,itwas
because of a witch.Witchesmighthave a familiar –a pet,or a toad,or a bird – whichwassupposedtobe a
demonadvisor.Peopleaccusedof beingwitchestendedtobe old,poor,single women.Itisat thistime
that the ideaof witchesridingaroundonbroomsticks(acommonhouseholdimplementinElizabethan
England) becomespopular.
KingJamesI became kingin1603. He was particularlysuperstitiousaboutwitchesandevenwrote abook
on the subject.Shakespeare wrote Macbethespeciallytoappeal toJames – ithas witchesandisset in
Scotland,where he wasalreadyking.The three witchesin Macbeth manipulate the charactersintodisaster,
and cast spellstodestroylives.
AO3: How doesShakespeare presentthe witchesto support Elizabethanideas about witchcraft?
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3. LIT AO1, AO2
Act One Scene Two
King Duncan and his son,Malcolm,meet a sergeant,who talksaboutMacbeth (Thaneof Glamis) and what
a good warriorhe is. Duncan decidesto makeMacbeth Thaneof Cawdorasa reward for killing the
traitorousMacdonwald.
Sergeant: Doubtful itstood;
As twospentswimmers,thatdoclingtogether
Andchoke theirart. The mercilessMacdonwald--
Worthyto be a rebel,forto that
The multiplyingvillaniesof nature 5
Do swarmupon him--fromthe westernisles
Of kernsandgallowglassesissupplied;
Andfortune,onhisdamnedquarrel smiling,
Show'dlike arebel'swhore:butall'stooweak:
For brave Macbeth--wellhe deservesthatname-- 10
Disdainingfortune,withhisbrandish'dsteel,
Whichsmokedwithbloodyexecution,
Like valour'sminioncarvedouthispassage
Till he facedthe slave;
Whichne'ershookhands,nor bade farewell tohim, 15
Till he unseam'dhimfromthe nave to the chaps,
Andfix'dhisheaduponour battlements.
AO1 & AO2: What do we learn about Macbeth in this extract?
Macbeth in 1:2

4. LIT AO1
Act One Scene Three
The three witchestalk aboutwhatthey’vebeen doing sincethey lastmet – it involves‘killing’ and ‘revenge’.
Macbethand Banquo appear,and thewitcheshailMacbeth as‘thaneof Glamis…thaneof Cawdor…that
shall be king hereafter’.They also hail Banquo as‘Lesserthan Macbeth,butgreater…Notso happy,yet
much happier…Thou shallget kings,though thou benone.’Thewitchesthen disappear,leaving Macbeth
and Banquo to pondertheirwords.Rossand Angusarriveand tell Macbeth heis now thaneof Cawdor.
Macbethprivately pondersthepossibilitythathe mightbe king,concluding it is bestto let the future
unravelby itself.
AO1, AO2 – Annotate this extract, focusingon how Shakespeare presentsMacbeth,and how he uses
foreshadowingto create a sense of foreboding:
MACBETH
[Aside] Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor:
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair 5
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature? Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings:
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man that function 10
Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is
But what is not.
BANQUO
Look, how our partner's rapt.
MACBETH
[Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir. 15
BANQUO
New horrors come upon him,
Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould
But with the aid of use.
MACBETH
[Aside] Come what come may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. 20

5. LIT AO1
Act One Scene Four
Macbethand Banquo meetDuncanatthe palace.Macbeth is hailedas thaneof Cawdor,andcontinuestoconsiderthetantalisingprospectof becomingking.
AO1: Complete thistable using quotesfrom the firstfour scenesof the play.In the final column,consider:are these characters changing?What is influencingthese changes?
Character Key Quote What we learn about them
Macbeth
Duncan
Banquo

6. LIT AO2, AO3
Act One Scene Five
We meet Lady Macbeth,who is reading a letter fromMacbeth,telling her aboutthewitches’prophecy.She
decides thatthey will kill King Duncan whilsthe is a guestat their castle. Macbeth entersand Lady Macbethsets
aboutconvincing himto murderDuncan.
(fromwww.elizabethanenglandlife.com):Men assumed a dominant position in [Jacobean] society. It was the
man of the house who worked and fetched for food to keep his family alive. Apart from being the sole bread
earner of the family, the eldest male member was the head of the house. Everyone had to obey him and do
as was being told… Jacobean women continued to live a life that was sub-ordinate to men. They were
supposed to obey what was told to them. The main responsibility of married women was to take care of the
household matters and raise children.
AO2, AO3 – How much does Lady Macbeth follow the traditionalmodel of a Jacobean woman?
Annotate the following extracts, thinking about how Shakespeare is using language to present her to
the audience:
Hie thee hither,
That I may pourmy spiritsinthine ear
**************
Come, youspirits
That tendon mortal thoughts,unsex me here,
Andfill me fromthe crown to the toe top-full
Of direstcruelty!make thickmyblood;
Stopup the access and passage toremorse,
That no compunctiousvisitingsof nature
Shake myfell purpose,norkeeppeace between
The effectandit! Come tomy woman'sbreasts,
Andtake my milkforgall,youmurderingministers,
Whereverinyoursightlesssubstances
You waiton nature'smischief!
****************
looklike the innocentflower,
But be the serpentunder't.

7. LANG AO5,AO6
Writing Task: Lady Macbeth
Usingthe eventsof ActOne Scene Five,write adescriptionof LadyMacbeth.You can focuson herphysical
appearance,herpersonality,ora combinationof both. Itmightbe effectivetoincorporate some linesfromthe
playintoyour description. Remembertoconsider:
 Vocabulary and figurative language
 Sentence formsand structures
 Whole textorganisation and paragraphing
 Spelling,punctuationand grammar
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8. LIT AO1, AO2
Act One Scene Six
Duncan,hissons(Malcolmand Donalbain) and Banquo arriveatMacbeth’scastle.They aregreeted by Lady
Macbeth,who personifiesherlines fromthe previousscene:‘ looklike the innocentflower,/Butbetheserpent
under't.’
***SPOILER ALERT: Both Duncan and Banquoare murderedwhilststayingatMacbeth’scastle.***
Dramatic irony: Whenthe knowledge ofthe audience surpassesthat of the characters.
AO1, AO2: Whyare the linesbelowironic?
DUNCAN
This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air
Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
Unto our gentle senses.
BANQUO
This guest of summer,
The temple-haunting martlet, does approve, 5
By his loved mansionry, that the heaven's breath
Smells wooingly here: no jutty, frieze,
Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird
Hath made his pendent bed and procreant cradle:
Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed, 10
The air is delicate.
AO2: Thisscene acts like a‘buffer’betweentwoscenesinwhich LadyMacbethconvincesherhusbandtomurder
Duncan.Why do youthinkShakespeare chose toinclude it?
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9. LIT A01
Act One Scene Seven
The scene openswitha SOLILOQUY(a speech thatonly the audiencehears,revealing a character’sinner thoughts
and feelings) fromMacbeth,in which he is wrestling with his conscience:should hekill Duncan or not?Lady
Macbethenters,and Macbethtells her he will notgo through with it. Lady Macbeth questionsherhusband,and
once again convinceshimto murderthe king.
***SPOILER ALERT – Macbeth murders A LOT ofpeople besidesDuncan,before he is murderedat the endof
the play***
AO1: WhydoesShakespeare allow us to hear Macbeth’sthoughts and feelingsatthis pointin the play?
Annotate the extract below,focusingon what is goingthrough Macbeth’s mind:
Macbeth:
But inthese cases
We still have judgmenthere;thatwe butteach
Bloodyinstructions,which,beingtaught,return
To plague the inventor:thiseven-handedjustice
Commendsthe ingredientsof ourpoison'dchalice 5
To our ownlips.He'shere indouble trust;
First,as I am hiskinsmanandhissubject,
Strongboth againstthe deed;then, ashishost,
Who shouldagainsthismurderershutthe door,
Notbear the knife myself.Besides,thisDuncan 10
Hath borne hisfacultiessomeek,hathbeen
So clearin hisgreatoffice,thathisvirtues
Will pleadlike angels,trumpet-tongued,against
The deepdamnationof histaking-off;
Andpity,like anakednew-bornbabe, 15
Stridingthe blast,orheaven'scherubim, horsed
Upon the sightlesscouriersof the air,
Shall blowthe horriddeedineveryeye,
That tears shall drownthe wind.Ihave nospur
To prick the sidesof myintent,butonly 20
Vaultingambition,whicho'erleapsitself
Andfallsonthe other.

10. LIT A02, AO3
Act One Scene Seven
AO1, AO2, AO3: How doesLady Macbethconvince Macbethto go through with the murder?
Strategy Quote Whyit’s effective (refertoCONTEXT where relevant)
Gettingangry with Macbeth
QuestioningMacbeth’s
masculinity
Usingviolentimagery
Suggestingfailure isn’tan
option,as longas he is
brave
Comingup with a way to
hide their guilt

11. LIT AO1
ACT ONE
5 wordsto describe…
Macbeth
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lady Macbeth
1.
2.
3
4.
5.
CONNECTIONS GAME
M
SUPERNATURAL JACOBEAN ENGLAND DEATH
SIGHT AMBITION
LM
FATE
W
NATURE CHANGE
B
SEXUALITY
D
CONFLICT

12. LIT AO1 AO2
ACT ONE
Reimagine the eventsof Act One as a seriesofwhatsapps sent betweenMacbethand Lady Macbeth. You
shoulddraw the textboxes,indicate what time they were sentand whetheror not they’ve beenread. You can
also include picturesif relevant.

13. LIT AO1 AO2
Act Two Scene One
Banquo tells his son,Fleance,that he cannotsleep even though hefeelstired. Banquo and Macbeth talk;Macbeth
lies to Banquo and sayshe‘think[s] notof’thewitchesand their prophecy.Macbeth performshissecond soliloquy,
claiming to see ‘a dagger’floating in the air beforehim and leading him to performthemurderof Duncan.
AO2 – At the start of this scene,the atmosphere is much changed. How is thisapparent inthe extract below?
BANQUO
Hold, take my sword. There's husbandry in heaven;
Their candles are all out. Take thee that too.
A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,
And yet I would not sleep: merciful powers,
Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature
Gives way to in repose!
Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torch
Give me my sword.
Who's there?
AO1, AO2: Macbeth delivershissecondsoliloquy,inwhich he is preparing himselftokill Duncan. How does
Shakespeare use language to show the changes in Macbeth’scharacter? Pick 2 quotesand create a mindmapof
what they show:

14. LIT AO1 AO2
Act Two Scene Two
Lady Macbethis waitingfor newsfromMacbethaboutthemurder.Macbetharrivesandtells her he hasdoneit, buthe feels guilty.Lady Macbethtells him notto be weak.They
heara knocking;Macbethsayshewishesit wouldbringDuncanbacktolife.
AO1, AO2 – Complete the table below,focusingon the ways Macbeth and Lady Macbethreact to the ‘deed’.
Character Thoughts and feelings Quote What this shows– focus on language and structure inyour analysis
Macbeth Becomingparanoid
“Will all greatNeptune'soceanwashthis
blood
Cleanfrommy hand?”
Lady
Macbeth Frustratedwith
Macbeth
“Had he notresembled
My fatherashe slept,Ihad done't.”

15. LIT AO2 AO3
Act Two Scene Three
The porter(oneof theservantsatMacbeth’scastle) is complaining aboutthebanging atthegates,comparing
himself to a doorman atthegatesof hell. Macduff entersand asksto see theking. Macbeth tells him he’sstill
asleep.Whilst Macduff goesto see Duncan,Lennox tellsMacbeth abouta terrible stormthe previousnight.
Macduff returns,telling themthe king is dead.Macbeth and Lennox go to see theking,and Duncan’ssons
(Donalbain and Malcolm) appear.Macbeth comesbackand tellsthem he haskilled the servants,which Macduff
questions.Lady Macbetharrives,and promptly faints.Macduff,Banquo,Macbeth and theotherlordsagreeto
assemblein the hall shortly.Malcolmand Donalbain,fearing fortheirown lives, flee to England and Ireland
respectively.
AO2 – A lot happens inthis scene,which starts off humorouslyand ends withsignificantplot developments.
1) Whydo you thinkShakespeare decidedto include a comic scene at thispoint in the play?
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2) Whydo you thinkwe are introducedto Macduffat this pointin the play?
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AO3 – InJacobeanEngland,people still largelybelievedinthe divine rightofkings – the belief thatGodputthe
kingon the throne,andtherefore onlyGodcouldremove him.Anattackon the kingwasan attack onGod
Himself,whichisabelief thatthe Stuartkingssuchas JamesI promotedinorderto validate theirclaimtothe
throne.
How would Shakespeare’saudience have reactedto the murder of King Duncan? Why?(REGICIDE = murder ofa
king – use this word in your response).
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16. LIT AO1 AO2
Act Two Scene Four
Rossdiscussesthe ominouseventsof thepastfew dayswith an old man.Macduff arrivesand providesexposition:
Donalbain and Malcolmare suspected murderersasthey haverun away;Macbeth isgoing to be declared king.
Patheticfallacy=whenthe weatherreflectsthe moodorcomingeventsinatext.
AO1, AO2 – Shakespeare usespatheticfallacy a lotin this play, and the start ofAct Two Scene Four is no
exception.Whatdo the followinglines allude to?
bythe clock, 'tisday,
Andyetdark nightstranglesthe travellinglamp:
Is't night'spredominance,orthe day'sshame,
That darknessdoesthe face of earth entomb,
Whenlivinglightshould kissit?
AO1, AO2, AO3 – Write a paragraph about how the weather has beenimportant in the play so far. You should
referto other parts of the play as well as this scene.
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17. LANGUAGE AO5 AO6
Writing to Describe
Write a descriptionof Macbeth’scastle the nightthatDuncan ismurdered.Youshouldfocusoncreating
atmosphere anddepth,ratherthanthe actual murderitself.Youcould describe differentstagesthroughoutthe
night,or at the time of the murder.Youcan use referencesfromthe playinyourresponse if youlike.Remember
to consider:
 Vocabulary and figurative language
 Sentence formsand structures
 Whole textorganisation and paragraphing
 Spelling,punctuationand grammar
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18. LIT AO1
ACT TWO
5 wordsto describe…
Macbeth
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lady Macbeth
1.
2.
3
4.
5.
CONNECTIONS GAME
M
GUILT JACOBEAN ENGLAND
M
SIGHT AMBITION
LM
FATE
W
NATURE CHANGE
B
SEXUALITY
D
CONFLICT

19. LIT AO1
Act Three Scene One
Banquo museson thefactthat thewitches’ prophecy hascometruefor Macbeth,andwonderswhetheritwill come truefor him aswell. MacbethentersandasksBanquo if he is
goingriding thatafternoon,andif heis takinghis sonwith him.Macbethperformsasoliloquy,explainingthathefeels threatenedby Banquo.Hemeetswith three murderers,
andarrangestohaveBanquo andFleancemurdered.
AO1 – How isthe Macbeth of Act Three differenttothe Macbethof Act One?Do they share any common traits at all?
ACT ONE ACT THREE
BOTH

20. LIT AO1 AO2
Act Three Scene Two
Macbethand Lady Macbethtalk.Lady MacbeththinksMacbethshouldbehappy nowhe’sking;Macbethsaysthey havenotfinished yet,asBanquo isstill alive. Lady Macbeth
tells him toleave it, but Macbethwill notbe placated.WhenLady Macbethaskswhatwill happen,Macbethrefusestolet her in onthe plan.
AO1: In thisscene,we reallystart to see Macbeth changing – he and his wife have almost swappedplaces.Referringto Act One Scene Five,findquoteswhere Macbeth and
Lady Macbethare echoingthe sentimentsinthis scene – but in reverse:
Act One Scene Five Act Three Scene Two What it shows
Lady Macbeth:
“looklike the innocentflower,
But be the serpentunder't”
Macbeth:
Lady Macbeth: Macbeth:
“Come,seelingnight,
Scarf up the tendereye of pitiful day;”
AO2: Macbethmakes lots of referencestoanimals inthis scene.Whydo you think he refersto these animals? What do they symbolise?
“We have scorchedthe snake,not killedit”:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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“O, full of scorpionsis mymind,dearwife!”: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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“ere the bat hath flown/Hiscloister'dflight,ere toblackHecate'ssummons/The shard-borne beetle withhisdrowsyhums/Hathrungnight'syawningpeal”:_________________
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“Light thickens;andthe crow/Makeswingto the rookywood:”____________________________________________________________________________________________
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21. LIT AO1 AO2 AO3
Act Three Scene Three
The three murdererslie in wait forBanquo and Fleance.They murderBanquo,butFleanceescapes.
AO2/AO3: King Duncan ismurderedoffstage,as are the king’s chamberlains;this is the first time we see any
violence onstage.Whydo think Shakespeare choosesto have Banquo murderedonstage?
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AO1: Create a pie chart, suggestingwho is responsible forthe eventsthat have taken place so far. There are
some examplesbelowto helpyou:

22. LIT AO1 AO2
Act Three Scene Four
Macbethand Lady Macbethhold a banquet.Themurdererscomein and tell Macbeth thatBanquo isdead buthis
son Fleance escaped.RossasksMacbethto join themat the table,but Macbeth seesBanquo’sghostseated in his
place. The ghostdisappears,Lady MacbethcalmsMacbeth down,and theghostappearsagain.Macbeth shouts
at it again, and it disappears.Lady Macbethasksthelordsto leave.Macbeth asksLady Macbeth why Macduff
wasn’tatthe banquet,and sayshewill speakto thethree witches again.
AO1, AO2: Whydo you thinkMacbeth seesthe ghost?Think about:
 Has Macbethseenthings before inthe play?
 Whydoesn’t the ghost speak to Macbeth?
 Whydoes the ghost appear whenhe does?
 What doesMacbeth say to the ghost?
 What might the ghost symbolise?
Banquo’s
Ghost

23. LIT AO1 AO2
Act Three Scene Five
The three witchesmeet with Hecate,the goddessof witchcraft.Sheis annoyed with themfor meddling
with Macbeth’sfuturewithoutconsulting herfirst.Shedeclares that,when Macbeth meetswith them
tomorrow,they should fillhim with a falsesense of security and show him confusing visions.
AO1, AO2: Do you think Hecate’s descriptionofMacbeth is a fair one? Why?
a waywardson,
Spiteful andwrathful,who,asothersdo,
Lovesfor hisownends,notfor you.
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AO1: In Greekmythology,Acheronwas one of the five riversthat ran through the underworld.It was known as
the “riverof woe.” Whatdoes thistell us about Hecate’splans for Macbeth?
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24. LIT AO1
Act Three Scene Six
Lennox and a lord are at Forres.Lennox is questioningtherecenteventsin thekingdom.FleancehasbeenblamedforBanquo’sdeath,ashehasfled.However,bothsuspect
Macbethwasinvolved in themurderof DuncanandBanquo.ThelordexplainsthatMacduff hasgonetoEngland,tojoin withMalcolm.This hasled Macbethto prepareforwar.
BothLennox and thelord hopethatMacduff andMalcolmcansaveScotlandfromMacbeth.
AO1 –The endof Act Three signifiesachange in fortune for Macbeth – he has gone from beinga respectedthane to a ‘tyrant’. Complete the table below,indicatinghow
perceptionsofMacbeth have changed since Act One. Remember,youare focusingon what people say about him,rather than what he says.
Act Character Speaking What they say about Macbeth (quote) What we learn about Macbeth
One
Two
Three

25. LIT AO1
ACT THREE
5 wordsto describe…
Macbeth
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lady Macbeth
1.
2.
3
4.
5.
CONNECTIONS GAME
M
GUILT JACOBEAN ENGLAND
M
SIGHT AMBITION
LM
FATE
W
NATURE CHANGE
B
SEXUALITY
D
CONFLICT

26. LIT AO2 AO3
Act Four Scene One
The three witchesmeet on theheathandcast spells.They predict the arrivalof Macbethby declaring“somethingwickedthis way comes.”Macbethaskstobe shown some
predictionsof whatthe futureholds.Thewitches showMacbethaseries of apparitions:A floatingheadtells him to “bewareMacduff”;abloody childtells him that“none of
womanborn/ShallharmMacbeth”;acrownedchild,with a tree in his hand,tells him thatno harmwill come to himuntil Birnam WoodmovestoDunsinaneHill. These
predictionsfill Macbethwithconfidence.Finally,Macbethis shownaprocessionof 8 kings,the last onecarryinga mirror.Banquo’s ghostwalksbehindthefinalking.Macbeth
askswhatthe vision means,butthewitches disappear.Lennox entersandtellsMacbeth thatMacduff hasgonetoEnglandtounitewith Malcolm.Macbethresolvestosend
murderersto Macduff’scastletocaptureit andkill Macduff’swifeandchildren.
AO3: JamesI believedthathe wasa descendantof Banquo;the presentationof Banquoand Macbethin the playisclearlydesignedtoflatterthe king(whowasapatronof
Shakespeare’splays).Whencrowned,Jamesheldtwoorbs(representingEnglandandScotland) –there isa reference tothisinthe play.
AO2, AO3 – Whatdo the visionsmean, and how can we interpretthem differentlytothe way Macbeth does?
Vision What the apparition
says
What Macbeth thinks(quote) What this means How we can interpretthisdifferently
First Apparition:an
armedHead
SecondApparition:
A bloody Child
Third Apparition:a
Child crowned,with
a tree in his hand
A showof Eight
Kings,the lastwith
a glassin his hand;
GHOST OF BANQUO
following

27. LIT AO1 AO2
Act Four Scene Two
At Macduff’scastle,Lady Macduff talksto Rossabouthow herhusband isa “traitor” and hasabandoned herand
their children in Scotland.Rossleaves,and Lady Macduff tellsher son thathis fatheris dead.Her son arguesthat
he is not.A messengerarrivesand warnsLady Macduff to leave,butshe arguesthatshehasdoneno harm.The
murderersenter,and call Macduff a “traitor.”Macduff’sson callsthemliars, and is murdered.Lady Macduff runs
offstage,pursuedby themurderers.
AO1, AO2 – Thisis an incrediblyviolentscene –how has the violence escalatedas the play has progressed?
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AO2 – Lady Macduffdraws an allusionbetweenherselfanda wren, stating:
the poor wren,
The most diminutive of birds,will fight,
Her youngonesinher nest,againstthe owl.
Thisis the fourthand final reference toowlsinthe play;otherswere made by LadyMacbeth inAct Two Scene
Two,whenDuncan ismurdered,andbythe oldman in Act TwoScene Four,talkingaboutthe unnatural events
that have occurredsince Duncan’smurder:
Lady Macbeth: It was the owl that shriek'd,the fatal bellman,
Whichgivesthe stern'stgood-night.
******************
I heardthe owl scream and the cricketscry.
OldMan: 'Tis unnatural,
Evenlike the deedthat'sdone.OnTuesdaylast,
A falcon,toweringinherpride of place,
Was by a mousingowl hawk'dat andkill'd.
What is Shakespeare usingan owl as a symbol for? Annotate the quotesabove withyour ideas.Try to consider
alternative interpretationsas well.

28. LIT AO1
Act Four Scene Three
Malcolmtests Macduff tomakesurehe is loyal to him (andScotland) ratherthantoMacbeth.Rossentersandinitially tells Macduff hiswifeandchildren are well, before
breaking down and tellinghim they havebeenmurdered.Macduff swearsrevengeonMacbeth.
AO1 - How has Macbeth brought about his own death?
Event in the play How it brings about his death
Macbeth andBanquo meetthe witches The witches’prophecyputsthe ideaof beingkingintoMacbeth’shead.Hisinitial
scepticismisknockedwhenhe ismade Thane of Cawdor
Macbeth writestohiswife, tellingheraboutthe witches’prophecy
Macbeth has Macduff’swife andchildrenmurdered

29. LIT AO1
ACT FOUR
5 wordsto describe…
Macbeth
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Act Four is only 3 sceneslong,but it is a turning point in the play. Why?
1.
2.
3.
4.
CONNECTIONS GAME
M
GUILT JACOBEAN ENGLAND
M
COMPULSION AMBITION
LM
FATE
W
NATURE CHANGE
B
SEXUALITY
D
CONFLICT

30. LIT AO1
Act Five Scene One
In DunsinaneCastle,a doctorand gentlewoman discussthechangesin Lady Macbeth,who hasbeen sleepwalking.
She enters,sleepwalking,speaking to herself abouttheblood thatshecannotremovefromher hands.
AO1, AO2 – Thisis the first time we have seenLady Macbeth onstage since Act Three Scene Four. How has she
changed?Focus your ideasaround the extract below,annotating it and drawing comparisons with herrole in
the rest ofthe play. Considerhow some of her words can be seenas metaphorical as well as literal:
Out, damned spot! out, I say!--One: two: why,
then, 'tis time to do't.--Hell is murky!--Fie, my
lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we
fear who knows it, when none can call our power to
account?--Yet who would have thought the old man
to have had so much blood in him.
AO1, AO2 - This isLady Macbeth’slast scene – her death isreported to us later in the play. Why do you think
Shakespeare chose to include thisscene in the play?
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31. LIT AO1, AO2
Act Five Scene Two-Five
A group of lordsdiscussthe plansforthe battle – Macduff and Malcolmmarch north, and will unitewith the
Scottish army who oppose Macbeth.
Macbethis preparing forbattlein Dunsinane Castle,brimming with confidenceafterthepropheciesfromthe
witches.He is told thatthe opposing army consistsof ten thousand soldiers,and asksforhisarmour,even though
the battleis still a long way off.Thedoctortells Macbeth thathis wifeis sick; Macbeth ordersthedoctorto cure
her.
MalcolmdiscussesMacbeth’sposition withSiward;they decide to cut down branchesfromBirnamWood in order
to protectthem asthey approach thecastle.
Macbethhears“a cry of women”;Seyton returnsto tell him Lady Macbeth is dead.Macbeth isstunned by this
news.He then hearsthatthe trees of BirnamWood are moving towardshiscastle.He declares heis ‘weary of the
sun’and will die in battle.
AO2 – There are a lot of short scenesin this act, alternating betweenMacbethand the opposingarmy. What
impact does thishave on the audience?
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AO1, AO2: One of the most famous speechesin‘Macbeth’is deliveredbyMacbethafter he hears ofhis wife’s
death. What doesMacbeth mean?What is he saying about life,and the decisionshe has made?
To-morrow,andto-morrow,andto-morrow,
Creepsinthispettypace fromday to day
To the last syllable of recordedtime,
Andall our yesterdayshave lightedfools
The way to dustydeath.Out,out,brief candle!
Life'sbuta walkingshadow,apoorplayer
That struts andfretshishour uponthe stage
Andthenis heardno more:itis a tale
Toldby an idiot,full of soundandfury,
Signifyingnothing.

32. LIT AO1 AO2
Act Five Scene Six-Eleven
Malcolm, Siward and Macduff advance on Macbeth’s castle with tree boughs as their shields. Theyleave the stage.
Macbeth repeats the witches’ prophecy that he cannot be killed by someone ‘of woman born.’ Young Siward approaches and fights
Macbeth, and is killed. Macbeth leaves.
Macduff, enters, searching for the ‘tyrant’ Macbeth. He leaves.
Siward and Malcolm enter, heading for Macbeth’s castle. They leave the stage.
Macbeth enters, declaring he will not kill himself. Macduff enters and they fight. Macbeth declares he cannot be killed ‘by one of woman
born’. Macduff replies that he was ‘from his mother’s womb untimely ripped.’ Macbeth says he will not fight him. Macduff tells him to yield
and they will put him on show. Macbeth says he doesn’t want to live to see Malcolm become king. They leave the stage fighting.
Malcolm, Siward and Ross enter. Ross tells Siward his son is dead; Siward is glad to hear he died as a hero. Macduff returns to the stage
with Macbeth’s head. He declares Malcolm king. He declares Macduff, Siward and Ross the first earls of Scotland, and recalls his brother to
Scotland.
AO1 – Why does Macbeth’s death appear offstage? Why is he beheaded? Is it important that he dies fighting? Why?
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AO2 – After Macbeth’s death, the play ends quite abruptly, with a short speech from Malcolm vowing to address the wrongs done to
Scotland by ‘this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen’. Why do you think the play ends here?
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AO1 – Macbeth is called many things in the play – which words best describe him in your mind?
Brave Valiant Worthy Gentleman Noble Partner Worthiest
Cousin Peerless Kinsman Great Coward Man Good lord
Royal Highness Wayward Spiteful Wrathful Wicked Treacherous
Traitor Devilish Sinful Fiend Villain Usurper Butcher

33. Macbeth – Critical Thinking
In the play, Shakespeare makes use ofa number of themes, whichare developed and amplifiedas the playprogresses.
The best wayto visualise these themes is to use a concordance, which collects together everyuse ofa particular word within the whole
play, puttingit intocontext.
This is important as it shows us whois using these words, and how their meaning is beingdevelopedor alteredas the playgoes on.
It is a particularlyeffective wayto analyse language and structure, as you cantrace clearlyhowanidea is developed.
Using the online resource www.opensourceshakespeare.org, search for ‘Macbeth’ andthenlookfor instances of particular words
appearing in the play. Examples are givenbelow, but you couldsearchfor a different theme, witha little guidance from your teacher.
Once you have some results, look at them critically:
 Whyare those particular characters using those words?
 Where are theybeing used?
 Does the meaningof the wordchange depending onwhenit is used, or who is usingit?
Some good examples for your investigationmight include:
NATURE – also lookupUNNATURAL, NATURES, NATURAL. Remember that there are two meanings to consider here, andthat Shakespeare
is sometimes playingon both ofthem…
SIGHT – alsolookupSIGHTLESS. Again, consider the different meanings behindthe ideaof sight.
SLEEP – alsolookupALSEEP, SLEEPY, SLEEPLESS, SLEEPING, SLEEPERS.
BLOOD – also lookup BLOODY, BLOODIER
Remember, you donot have to analyse all of the citations – in some cases there are more than 20 – but you need to see ifyou canidentify
anypatterns or ideas that you thinkare important. Your keyquestions are always WHY andHOW.
NOTES
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