WEEK 9

Happy Monday!

Here's your work for the week:

1. Revise your sonnet and/or sonnet analysis if necessary.

2. Read Acts 2 and 3 of Macbeth. 

3. For each scene (not act, but scene), do the following:
a. Explain what happens and why Shakespeare included it
b. If Macbeth is present in the scene, identify his state of mind at that point (he's sliding downhill [to Hell] and we want to track his progress). A sentence is enough as long as it includes his state of mind and the evidence to support it.
c. If Lady Macbeth is present, describe the relationship between her and Macbeth (Act 1, when she was a manipulative force of nature, is a good reference point for comparison because she's clearly not the same Lady Macbeth in acts 2 and 3).

4. Finish reading Macbeth, and answer these questions for acts iv and v:

Act IV... 
1.What are the 3 prophecies told to Macbeth by the apparitions   (p.84,85 or p196,197 in the big textbook)?  Use 3 quotes.
2.What is Macbeth’s response to each of these?  3 quotes.
3.What else do the witches show, show, show him?
4. Scene 3: Summarize Malcolm’s “arguments” about why he’d make a terrible king from these lines:   a. 60 – 65;      b. 78 – 84;       c. 95 – 100
Summarize Macduff’s responses to him from these:  a. 70 – 74;      b. 89 – 90;        c. 108 - 114
5. What advice does Malcolm give to Macduff in dealing with his grief over his murdered family?  Quote the text.

Act V...

1 (5:1) What is the cause of Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking?

2 Of what are the Doctor and Gentlewoman so afraid?

3 (5:3) What is Macbeth's mental state as he awaits the approaching enemy? How do we know this?

4 Summarize Macbeth’s response to his wife’s death (5:5, lines 17-28). 

5 When does Macbeth finally believe that witches are not to be trusted? Quote the text.

6 Summarize how the 2nd set of prophecies (the 3 from the apparitions in 4:1) are fulfilled in Act 5.

This is not an assignment but a suggestion: Look for a full version on youtube and watch each act as you read it. You may be limited to a low quality stage production (a lot of colleges have versions on line to watch), but it's better than just reading it. Shakespeare was meant to be watched, remember. If you can't find a full version to watch, listening to an audio is helpful too.

You can also search "Macbeth PBS"; There's no link for the whole play but you may find some interesting scenes.


Everything is due Friday night.

Have a great week!