Macbeth 14 - Is this an expendable line I see before me - Cutting a Scene
"Brevity is the soul of wit." Hamlet, William Shakespeare
Macbeth 14 - Is this an expendable line I see before me? - Cutting Lines - Act 4, scene 3: So, the previous lesson had students coming to a deep understanding of this scene. And now - we are going to ask them to cut fully one third of the lines from the scene! So why cut lines? Well - first of all, actors (including Elizabethan) did it all the time. But perhaps more importantly - in order to cut lines - you must fully understand the importance, meaning and weight of every syllable that you cut. So of course I've given them the most difficult scene in the entire play. A scene that I'm sure many of them misunderstand when they are reading ("Why is Malcolm being so cruel and vicious?"). If they can cut this scene and still have it make sense and carry the information that it needs to for the rest of the play to "work" - well they have truly mastered it.
Lesson Overview - Is this an expendable line I see before me? - Cutting Lines - Act 4.3
No Quiz
They've already been quizzed on Act 4.
Part 1 - Initial Cuts in their Groups (18 minutes)
The students will (mainly) work with the groups that they were in yesterday - where they were reading through and answering questions about the scene. Each group will now quickly divide themselves into two different subgroups. The script (make sure their Macbeth books are away - they need to do this without outside help) is divided into an A and a B. If their group from yesterday is too small (smaller than 7) - you will need to quickly rearrange the groups to get them in groups of 7 or 8 total.
Each subgroup - with pencils (important to use pencils as the edits may change) wil read through their part of the scene - marking possible candidates for removal. Each group will cut about 1/3 of the total lines from the scene. Here are the instructions from the handout (see the actual handout for complete instructions):
1. Read through your section of the scene (A or B), as you read through indicate (with pencil) possible candidates for editing. These marks do NOT need to be the same across the group – you are just reading NOT discussing – but each of you should note possible candidates for cutting.
2. Next, you are to make actual cuts to the scene. Remember you CANNOT change any words or add words; you are merely deleting words and lines. Make identical changes to all the scripts in your group (that’s why you’re using a pencil). MAKE SURE YOU ALL HAVE THE SAME CUTS.
In the handout they are given some major considerations for which lines to cut - here are three of them: - 1) are you removing a line that while it may not be important is beautiful for its own sake. 2) meter – you have to maintain whatever meter is present.
3) effects on plot and character – not only on this scene but in the rest of the play (cuts in one scene often lead to cuts in another).
Notice the first one - that's so important. If Shakespeare is read because of the words (not the plot) - you need to be very careful about the words that are cut.
Part 2 - Jigsawing with other groups (8 minutes)
Now, they get together - this part is hard and you'll just have to do it by eye - with like letters - two groups of like "A"'s (7 or 8 each) and two groups of like "B"'s (also 7 or 8 each). They will share with these other letters (the other groups) the cuts they made and take copious notes to bring back to their own group.
Part 3 - Back to their original groups and final cuts (8 minutes)
Now they return to their original group with what they've learned from the other "editors" and make their final cuts to get to the required 1/3 lines gone.
Part 4 - The entire group reads through the scene (rest of the period)
Now A & B assign parts and they read their section to the other. While they do - the other letter ("B" while "A" is performing; "A" while "B" is performing) pays close attention to make sure the cuts still allow the scene to make sense and that they haven't cut any important lines. Imagine the horror of cutting "All my pretty ones".
And that is it! Simple but so useful and important. Remember, soon the students will be putting on their own scenes - and they will be allowed to cut (depending on how many students they have for a given scene).
Is this an expendable line - Cutting a Scene Handout
The download has both the instructions for the students (you'll need to make a copy of this for every student) and the script divided into A & B. You'll need to make enough copies of this for each group you have - usually 4-6. Remember - have the students put their Macbeth books away.
The Folger Script for today's reading.
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.
Remote Teaching
Of course this can be done in Small Groups Remotely if you've set your class up appropriately and students know how to get into Groups remotely. It is also a great way for students who have missed the class to get together and make it up.
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.
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. "
Macbeth 15: Our Hour Upon the Stage: Picking Macbeth Scenes and Act V Quiz: The ultimate final project for this unit on Macbeth is to have the students memorize a scene from the play - choose an appropriate theme (setting) - and perform it on the school theater stage for their peers. For today's lesson, they are to have read Act V and will be quizzed on it. That means they will have about 6 weeks or so to get ready (including Winter Break if they so choose). Students will send a representative, before school begins, to claim their scene (first come, first serve - each scene being done only once for all of my classes).
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
Macbeth 13 - All My Pretty Ones - Act 4 scene 3 small group reading
Thoughts on the Lesson
This lesson takes a lot of management. Specifically, getting the students into their Part 2, Jigsawed Groups and towards the very end when you have 4 or 5 groups simultaneously reading a scene (and cheering!) - you need to remind them that other groups need to be heard.