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.

1. Notice how the self test lines 29-30 are shown in the video.

2. Polanski removes all of the humor from this scene (see the story below).

3. BIGGIE:  He has Ross open the gates for the murderers!  Why?  I thought Ross was on Macduff's side.  Ask the students!  They have NEVER failed to get this.  Ross has Macduff's family killed and frames Macbeth for it - this will ensure that Macduff fights for them and against Macbeth.

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!

4.  We also talk about whether they don't like anything that Polanski does in the scene.  I think removing the humor is a huge mistake.  The humor makes us care more about them as humans...

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.

Macbeth - Folger Shakespeare Library Edition  Paperback
Macbeth - Folger Edition - Text Only 

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.