Macbeth

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

List any titles of literary works we attribute to Shakespeare, along with any biographical facts you know. For what reasons do we still study him?

Teaching Suggestion: Students who have studied Shakespeare previously might first share what they know with a partner or small group who has not. Some students might have strong opinions about why we should or should not still read his works. Opening up the discussion by sharing familiar titles can allow all voices to be heard while grounding ideas in commonly recognized works. Building background knowledge of the times helps students enter the worlds Shakespeare writes about.

• Shakespeare Biography: The Royal Shakespeare Company’s information about Shakespeare’s life
• “The Uneducated Author Who Made Literary History”: A 5-minute video about Shakespeare’s life and contributions  

Short Activity

Seeing and hearing Shakespearean language can unlock the mystery of the plays. Employ the use of any 2 or more quotes from Shakespeare in a brief skit. By watching your skit, we should understand the meaning behind the quotes.

Teaching Suggestion: Students can find quotes from Macbeth from the article below or be assigned quotes. Focusing on small pieces of his language can help students experience success while reading this challenging text. Since Shakespeare is often best understood when viewed in performance, incorporating that medium from the start of the unit introduces this practice.

• Opening Scene Shakespeare in Love: This 4-minute clip from the beginning of the film reveals aspects of daily life in Shakespeare’s time and introduces Shakespearean language.
• Language of Macbeth: This article from The Folger Shakespeare Library analyzes Shakespearean language, including examples. It includes the option to listen to the article.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the play.

What does ambition mean to you? Is ambition a more positive or more negative quality in a person?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might begin with a brief brainstorming exercise in which they list historical figures or modern-day celebrities whom they associate with ambition.

• “Cold Ambition”: This poem by John McKinley Greenlee offers the opportunity for a theme connection to Ambition and Corruption.

Differentiation Suggestion: Kinesthetic and interpersonal learners could benefit from forming a philosophical line. One end represents that which is completely positive and the opposite end represents that which is completely negative. Students stand where they believe ambition lies along the continuum. Then, in small groups, they discuss their choice with those near them. This can lead to a larger whole-class discussion.