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"Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
Macbeth 17 - Tomorrow & Tomorrow - Act V - finishing the play: This lesson will pick up where we left off - after the sleepwalking scene in Act V and continue until the end of the play. I know - since this is the last reading during the years, I've begun the lesson at different points. The recording included below starts at Scene 3 (a more realistic place if you want to get through with the play) - but I will give my notes for scene 2 as well. Since you need to wrap things up - you may end up skipping some of the fighting and planning of battles - it depends on you. One of the most important things covered today is the "Life is a tale told by an idiot" soliloquy. I will ask the students what they think it means - I will then show them what the text book (teacher's edition) says about it - then I will tell them what I think. We then go onto finish the play with a flourish! (literally).
Lesson Overview - Tomorrow & Tomorrow - Macbeth Act V in-class reading - finishing the play
Lesson Overview - Tomorrow & Tomorrow - Macbeth Act V in-class reading - finishing the play
The Quiz: Students have already taken the quiz, days ago
Reading through the play in class. See my page on Reading Plays Aloud in Class for more on this. Every student will read - and as they do their reading - you will stop them (hopefully at the completion of a line) and ask questions or point things out (questions are better). 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).
Today's Play-Reading Agenda (this is for a 50 minute period):
Start Act V, beginning with Scene 2 (note: the recording starts at scene 3)
Important Takeaways (there are SO many more important things to point out - mainly through asking - see my Notes on today's reading for more). REMEMBER: Have students see these points for themselves by asking questions to get at these.
Act V - Scene 2 (I have skipped this scene when pressed for time)
lines 22-23 : Angus points out that Macbeth's men act only out of command - not love of their commander. I usually bring up The Godfather Part 2 - when Michael Corleone decides to get out of Cuba - after he sees a suicide bombing and realizes the side that isn't getting paid - always wins...
Scene 3 lines 3-7 - The cockiness instilled by the witches' predictions is plainly shown.
lines 11-20 - Macbeth calls the servant with the dire message WHITE like 5 times - each time as an insult (cowardice).
line 25 - disseat - how Shakespeare coined so many words when he needed them
lines 75-76 - how the Doctor's words echo the gentlewoman's talked about in the last lesson
Scene 4 - read through only if you have time (see my Reading notes)
Scene 5 lines 11-15. This can be one of the coolest moments in your class (for this play). Macbeth says he remembers when he used to hear an owl and it would scare him to death. WOW! The students will remember that - go back to the scene - after he is supposed to have killed Duncan and says he stopped because of the owl (would that he did). Shakespeare is so clever to give the audience (reader) these moments of recognition.
Lines 57-58: We hate Macbeth - and yet we admire that he is not a coward, will not run. This is Shakespeare! No easy 2-dimensional villains for him.
- lines 19-30 Tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow.
In my opinion, you could easily spend an entire class period on this soliloquy. I always read it for my students - after having a student read Seyton's cue. After I read it - I would ask them what they thought it meant. Most of them will say - that Macbeth is too busy "she should have died hereafter" to bother with the death of his wife - she should have wait for a more opportune time.
NONSENSE - I go through line by line explaining each line to the students. But first, I ask them "What does Macbeth think is about to happen?" - You should get the answer that he believes (based on the witches' prophesies) that he is going to win and everything will be settled. Ah!!!!
So she should have died after the battle - when all is won and accomplished! After all - she is the one that started all of this in motion. She began the whole process - and now she is gone before it is done. THIS is what makes him say "life is a tale told by an idiot". It was all for her - and she is gone. Life makes no sense. There is "sound and fury" - graduations, weddings, funerals - but in the end - it signifies nothing. His entire view of life is changed by her death at this point - far from "he can't be bothered"; he is crushed.
I then play a short video (found below) that I made on the soliloquy - that tries to show them through an Illuminated Text how the words point to that interpretation.
10. line 32 - it always cracks me and the class up - life is a tale told by an idiot - then the messenger comes in and Macbeth says "tell me your story."
11. lines 49-50 - FINALLY! Macbeth gets it and begins to "doubt the equivicoation" from the witches.
12. SCENE 6 - I usually skip for time - if not you can talk again about the "foul is fair" aspect of it.
13. Scene 7 - lines 8-14: Ha! Trash-talking between Macduff & Macbeth.
14. Scene 8 - lines 5-7: Ha - he says he won't fight Macduff because he killed his family - that's enough. That makes NO sense! Of course he won't fight him because of the witches' prediction to beware Macduff.
15. lines 17-20: Doh!!!!!!! He's got every equivocated prophesy wrong!
16. lines 44-63: The entire exchange with Siward is so important - so modern - so relatable for students. Siward only seems to care if his son died a hero or coward (wounds before him). The fact that he's dead doesn't matter. Rather than being unrealistic - it shows Shakespeare's incredible filling out of character. Note Malcolm's response - that Siward's son is worth more than his father gives him.
17. line 71 - I always indicate to the class that they are to be the ALL in this scene and together we all shout: "Hail, King of Scotland!" What a wonderful way to bring the class into the final moments.
18. At the end students always ask - "Then how does Fleance become king?" Great question but - it's not this play.
REMEMBER - There are so many important details that can be found in my script notes below
Remind students of what the next reading is and when it is due - and to follow their bookmarks.
The Folger Script for today's reading.
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.
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. 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.
lifeisataletoldbyanidiot2014.wmv"Life is Tale" - An Illuminated Text by Joe Scotese
"Life is Tale" - An Illuminated Text by Joe Scotese
I really believe that Macbeth's life view is changed by the fact that his wife dies before - what he believes - they achieve their final goal. I use music and movement - using the text to try and get that point across one more time.
This Power Point first shows the teacher's annotated text book and their take (perhaps the most common) on Macbeth's reaction to his wife's death. My Illuminated Text follows and is in Power Point form.
MacbethActVscene3toend20161219.m4aClass Recordings
Class Recordings
Audio - a recording of today's reading and discussion of the play.
Audio - a recording of today's reading and discussion of the play.
A recording of the students reading the play and the questions, answers, and discussion that ensues. We finish the play today - we pick up at scene 3 and go through the rest, stopping for the famous "Life is a Tale" soliloquy - talking about it and its importance - and possible misinterpretations. We then finish the play and the students talk with their groups for the last 5 minutes (about choosing scenes tomorrow morning).
Remote Teaching
Remote Teaching
See my page on Reading Aloud in Class. We did these lessons with students reading remotely - very successfully. I showed the "Life is a Tale" video remotely. The Power Point above can be very helpful.
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. "
Looking for Richard (Movie & Questions): We always had just enough time to watch the first half of this movie. There are so many reasons to show this film if you are teaching Shakespeare. For me, there were three reasons at the forefront. The first was the very real, practical advice that Pacino (and others) have for those who are going to be performing Shakespeare. My students will be putting on their Macbeth scenes a few weeks after viewing this movie. The second reason is that it features high school students and other nonactors talking about Shakespeare - both what they love - and what they don't get. Finally, this movie - like so much of what we do in my class focuses on the text.
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
Thoughts on the Lesson
Thoughts on the Lesson
There is such joy in completing this play together - it is hard to express. The fact that we read it aloud - we all contributed - it felt, in the best possible way like a wonderful journey that we all took together. And the fact that they will soon (in about a month's time) put scenes from this play on and show me (and themselves and some of their parents) what they have learned - is even more exciting.
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