Macbeth 12 - Something Wicked - Act 4 scenes 1 & 2

"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."  

Macbeth 12 - Something Wicked- Act 4  begins - howling, hooting, acting and reading and discussion:  We begin by leaving our classroom and going to the bridge that connects two of our buildings (any dramatic setting will do).  The students then use a Shakespeare Set Free handout and act out the beginning of the Scene 1 - the Witches incantation scene - by howling, hooting, and making sounds of the wind - while three students do the witches' spell.  It is pretty amazing!  We then break into three groups - one for each apparition - the students are given time to plan their scene - and then we act it out (along with another student for Macbeth).  We then go back into the classroom and read Scene 2 - the murder of Macduff's family - we then watch a film version of that scene - pointing out some of the clever choices made by the director and actors.

Lesson Overview - Something Wicked - Macbeth Act 4 in-class reading begins

Three Witches Choral Reading

We begin by heading out to the bridge that connects two of our buildings (any dramatic spot will do).  Students have a handout from Shakespeare Set Free - Macbeth. Lesson 15 - "Fire Burn, and Cauldron Bubble" (Handout 5).  See that lesson for more details.   I get the students into a circle and we pick Three Witches and then divide the students into three sound effect makers - I usually just count off and point (see the Shakespeare Set Free Handout).  We then go through that opening of Scene 1.

The Rest of Scene 1

While we are on the bridge - we will read the rest of Scene 1.  Because the students are already separated into three groups - it is perfect - they now become the Three Apparitions - based on their group.  I also pick someone to play Lennox.

Give the students about 5-7 minute to rehearse their respective apparition scenes.  As always stress being dramtic, creative, and over the top is good.  I usually give examples of past groups - like the one who created a giant face out of 5 of the groups members and the rest spoke the words while the mouth moved!  Walk among the groups urging them on.  Students always think they have more time than they do.... .  You will also need to have the Macbeth and witches characters go from group to group (a couple of minutes with each) to coordinate what they're characters will do during the respective apparition scenes.

Some questions to ask while they are performing - I usually wait until each group is done performing and then ask some questions - you can find these in my Reading Notes below - but here are some of the main takeaways... (remember to do this AFTER each apparition group performs).

Note: After apparition #1 is done - you will need to inform them that they will also be the line of kings that appear...

lines 44-45 - "Something wicked this way comes" - What is the wicked thing?  Macbeth!  This is a huge deal - he is transformed from what he was in Act I.  I also point out this being a title of a great Ray Bradbury book...

line 70:  Macbeth chooses to "see them" rather than be told 2nd hand.  Why?  (ask the students remember - but here is a good answer: because he's hoping to avoid the equivocation that occured with the first round of predictions - ha! fat chance.)

line 80: This only fear Macduff of course leads to the tragic events that follow this scene.

lines 90-92:  "No man born of woman..."  Ask the students HOW will this make Macbeth act.  They will always answers - hauty, overconfident...   Also I point out the connection to Lord of the Rings - and the death of the Witch King (well - I love Tolkein)

lines 105-107 "Not until Birnam Wood..."  Again - ask students how this will make Macbeth act?  Also second Tolkein reference - the Ents marching on Hellms Deep.  This is actually hilarious because Tolkein always used to claim that he never read anything past Chaucer....

 lines 127-139 - the procession of kings with the last one resembling Banquo.  I love this part because in the actual history - well Holinshed's Chronicles anyway - Banquo is complicit in the murder of Duncan - BUT since the current King James traced his lineage back to Banquo - Shakespeare makes a very smart change to the actual history here.... :)

lines 167-168 - "The firstlings of my heart..."  What a GIANT change in Macbeth - no more Mr. Niceguy (ha!) and of course this leads to the death of the Macduff family.
After you finish the scene - it's time to go back to the classroom.

Scene 2 (back in the classroom)

For scene 2, I do something different than for any other scene.  Remember, the students have read this already (and been quizzed on it today) - they know this scene - one of the most famous in the play.  I begin by asking the students - before we read - and to refresh their memories about the exchange and specifically about the young Macduff boy.  The students all agree he is way ahead of his years -  precocious and very clever.  Soooooo.... I ask the students to nominate a student they think could play this part well.  It works every time!  I then ask for volunteers for the other parts - Lady Macduff (you want someone strong), Ross, the two murderers (students always want to play this).  Then we read the scene aloud with our chosen actors.  See my Reading Notes - but here are some important takeaways:

lines 1-6   Point out how Lady Macduff attacks her husband - it makes a great (and realistic) contrast for how she will defend him later.

line 27 - things will get better or worse - "Deor"

line 29-30  "My pretty cousin..."  This is a GREAT SELF-TEST.  Ask the students whom Ross is speaking to?  They will probably say - Lady Macduff....  But that makes no sense - go to the next page - the next line shows he's talking about the Son.  Ask students if they stopped to figure this out - when they read.

line 35 onward - It switches to PROSE.  Why?  Ask the students.  My favorite theory - originally from a student - is that we speak in prose and it allows us to get "closer" to them - making their death all the more heartfelt.  

line 40   Like most adults - his mother underestimates the fears and anxieties her child faces.

line 47  What is he calling his mother?  Answer: a sellout.  Students love this and the modernity of the entire scene.

line 61-64  The son is SO perceptive - and of course what he says will come into play in moments.  Like the  prose, the humor (which Polanski leaves out of this scene - mistakenly I believe) makes their horrific murder all the more powerful and touching.

line 89-90   After attacking her husband when she speaks with Ross - she defends him when the murderers abuse him - WHY?  Ask your students?  They all get this!  It's ok to put down your own family - but God help any outsider that tries to do it.

OVERVIEW: Remember - Macbeth said that now he would go with his gut...not care anymore of the consequences.  Here we sadly see that.  This is NOT the Macbeth from Act 1 or even from the Banquet scene.  Something wicked indeed!

AFTER the scene - make sure your actors get a huge round of applause.

Showing a film version (Polanski's 1971 version if you can) of Scene 2

I then show Scene 2 to the students - AFTER we've read it from the 1971 Roman Polanski version.  There are a couple of reasons that I show this one.  One - they do some very clever things that the students can process for when they put on their own scenes.  Two - for the story to tell after we've shown it.

Some things I point out (I pause the video) while watching Polanski's Macbeth 4.2.

In about a month, the students will put on their own scenes from Macbeth - this is so cool for showing them how little changes can change the entire play!  I once had a student, Olivia Tarcov, whose group put on this scene and when the little boy was talking to his mother (the scene set in her bedroom), he reaches under the sheets and finds Ross's necktie (they had a modern theme).  Wow!  Now all of the Son's lines make a new kind of sense.  Selling father out, indeed!

A story about Polanski's Macbeth

After the scene plays out and we've talked about it - I tell the students that this film was the first film that Roman Polanski made after his wife and unborn child were killed by the Manson Family (Helter Skelter).  He was in England when the murders occured working on another project.  

I then ask the students - WHY?  Why make this movie?  Remember - the students have read the entire act.  I've never had a class were at least one student (who tells the rest) doesn't get it.   Polanski is Macduff.  "All my pretty ones!"  Like Macduff he blames himself - and if only he had been there.

Reading through the play in class.  This is different in that we choose our actors, rather than just going down each row. See my page on Reading Plays Aloud in Class for more on this.  You also need to announce (probably every day) that they may also raise a hand if they are confused, have a question, or want to point something out.  This last one may be especially true given that they read it on their own and taken notes on the reading.   ADVISE (AGAIN PROBABLY EVERY DAY) THE STUDENTS TO USE A DIFFERENT COLOR PEN (OR PENCIL) TO TAKE NOTES IN CLASS - SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH VERSUS WHAT THE CLASS CAME UP WITH (this is an invaluable idea - that actually came from a student a long time ago in my class).


 Remind students of what the next reading is and when it is due - and to follow their bookmarks.

Most Recent Quiz for Act IV

Act IV Reading Quiz      Docx    PDF

I call these tests (rather than quizzes) because they require more time (and with notetaking - effort) than the usual reading assignment - so I want to reward that effort with more points.  It's so important to quiz (see my page on Quizzing) - if the class doesn't read first - a great opportunity is lost - for the students to discover on their own - to question on their own - before it is talked about in the entire class.  Note the vocabulary words as extra credit.  Most of these words are found in the footnotes - but the students know, since the beginning of the year, that if they don't know what a word means - they are to look it up.

The Folger Script for today's reading.

The Folger Script for the Entire play of Macbeth    For Act 4 scene 1 (today's starting point)

Please note that the Folger Online Edition of Macbeth will have the same corresponding page & line numbers that I reference.  Also, the script is available to download from them as a PDF, Microsoft Doc, and with or without line numbers.  My students had their own copies (which I strongly recommend) that they could take notes directly in - and which have so many valuable footnotes on the left side of the page.  See my handout on Reading Shakespeare in my opening Macbeth Lesson.

This is my script - my "promptbook" if you will - that I follow while we do our in class reading.  Please see the page on Reading Plays Aloud in Class.  Note, the recording below will pick up earlier in the play - with the murder of Banquo.  You can find those Play Notes in our last in class reading. The page numbering, pagination, and line number align with the Folger Edition above.  There are notes that should prompt discussion (of course you will have your own as well) - but very often it doesn't go much beyond an underline or a word or two.  I have included in the Lesson Overview above Five Important points in that day's reading.

Act IV, scene 2  video (Royal Shakespeare)

I cannot find the Polanski 1971 version of this scene on YouTube.  So here is the Royal Shakespeare Version.  The comments and story pertaining to the Polanski version will obviously not work with this video.  If you want the Polanski version you can find it here on Amazon.  At the moment it is free with a Prime membership.  This scene, as done by the Royal Shakespeare Company - will of course have it's own methods and choices that can be commented on.

MacbethAct4scene1and2_2015.mp4

Class Recordings 

Audio - a recording of today's reading and discussion of the play.

A recording of the students on the bridge complete with sound effect, reading the play and the questions, answers, and discussion that ensuesWe begin by going to the bridge (at our school) and reading the Witches scene that opens Act 4 - complete with the entire class producing all of the sound effects. We then act out the encounter between a new, wicked Macbeth and the witches and the apparitions that they present to him. We come back to the room and go over the murder of Macduff's family and watch a film version of same. 

Remote Teaching

See my page on Reading Aloud in Class.  We did these lessons with students reading remotely - very successfully.

Shakespeare Set Free - Folger Shakespeare Library & Peggy O'Brien

Here is the description from Amazon: "This volume of the Shakespeare Set Free series is written by institute faculty and participants, and includes the latest developments in recent scholarship. It bristles with the energy created by teaching and learning Shakespeare from the text and through active performance, and reflects the experience, wisdom, and wit of real classroom teachers in schools and colleges throughout the United States. "

The Folger Library has an online edition of the play without the annotations - Shakespeare words (what appears on the right hand page in the paperback edition.  It also includes in this online edition the very useful synopses  that appear before each scene.

What's Next & Unit Homepage

Macbeth 13 - All My Pretty Ones - Act 4, scene 3 - Small Group Reading: This activity is like the other two alternate lessons in this unit - the students will read Act IV, scene 3 aloud - as we do in class, except in a small group of 5-7 students.  They will have a group leader who will ask questions (provided) when they get to the appropriate lines - and everyone will take notes in their books.   There is also an extra-credit question based on the Anne Sexton poem, "All My Pretty Ones". 

WHAT CAME BEFORE:  

                      Macbeth 11 - Act 3 Reading Continues
                     

Thoughts on the Lesson 

It is so great to get students to get out of their comfort zone.  This was never an issue with my senior classes who were always excited to do something new and were never embarrassed.  It was a little harder with Juniors.  To howl like a dog or wolf or wind - and stand at a place were there friends were walking by - well, maybe they had a moment of hesitation - but they quickly lost it.  Carpe Diem!