Exploring Women's Roles in Shakespeare's Macbeth
In this literature revision task focused on Macbeth, we delve into the portrayal of women, particularly Lady Macbeth, in the play. The activities include analyzing expectations vs. reality of women's behavior in the Jacobean era, examining Lady Macbeth's control and loss of it in her relationship with Macbeth, and exploring key scenes like the sleepwalking episode that reveal her descent into guilt and madness.
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Literature Revision Macbeth Work through the activities here to help you be able to address this question. How does Shakespeare present the role of women in this extract and throughout the play? This is the question you will be answering before you leave today.
LADY MACBETH The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Extract from Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5 Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts, Underline the words which immediately jump out at you And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, Where do we see her NOT act as Jacobean audience would expect? And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry 'Hold, hold!'
Task 1 Task 1 Expectations vs reality Expectations vs reality Women expected to behave / act in Jacobean era? How Lady Macbeth is different? Fill in this table to show both your understanding of how audience EXPECT to see women + how Lady Macbeth SUBVERTS this.
Task 2 Task 2 Placing the extract in the play Placing the extract in the play What has happened so far? _____________________________________________________________________________________ When does Lady Macbeth have the MOST control in her relationship with Macbeth? _____________________________________________________________________________________ When do we see Lady Macbeth start to lose control what does her husband stop telling her? ____________________________________________________________________________________ What does the sleepwalking scene show? Why is it written in prose? ____________________________________________________________________________________ What shows that Lady Macbeth has lost control what final unnatural action does she take? ________________________________________________________________________________________
These will focus you on some of the key aspects! Task 3 Task 3 - - Quick fire questions on extract Quick fire questions on extract What bird is mentioned at the start of the extract? ____________ How does she describe Duncan s entrance? __________________ Who does she call on? ___________________________ What emotion does she not want to feel? _____________________ How else does she refer to the spirits she calls to (alliteration!) _____________________ Find 3 examples of darkness imagery _______________________ + ___________________________ _______________________ Who has Shakespeare paralleled her with here? ________________
Task 4 Task 4 complete these quotes using words complete these quotes using words from side from side human Light dashed Flower white plucked Nature Shame Man Serpent Out Black Stars, hide your fires, let not __________ see my ______ and deep desires. Macbeth I fear thy _______ is too full o th milkof _______ kindness LM look like th innocent __________ but be the __________ under t LM I would, while it was smiling have _________ my nipple from his boneless gums and ________ the brains out . LM My hands are of your colour, but I ________ to wear a heart so _________ LM Are you a ______? LM Out, damned spot! ______, I say -LM
Task 5 Task 5 Lady Macbeth + Lady Macduff Lady Macbeth + Lady Macduff We know that Shakespeare has created a con______________ between these characters How do we see differences between them based on this extract? Use these points to help fill this in Where else does Lady Macbeth use violent verbs towards children? How does this contrast Lady Macduff? Lady Macbeth Lady Macduff Raven = death On stage with children Unsex lose femininity Recognises lack of power as female Milk for gall NOT provide Strong relationship with son Associations with hell Knows she is innocent
Task 6 Task 6 Lady Macbeth + witches Lady Macbeth + witches We know that Shakespeare has created a con______________/ par________ between these characters How do we see similarities between them in THIS extract? Both behave unnaturally! Who was this to please? ______________________ What do we know about Jacobean audience? __________________________________ Lady Macbeth Witches What animal associated with? When did we see witches using animals what making? How are these quotes similar? Who does she call on? Who are the witches linked to? Fair is foul and foul is fair. Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under t . How know doesn t want to feel guilt? How see them get revenge on other woman? Foreshadow! _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ Images of hell What are the witches?
Task 7 Quote exploding Saying a lot about a little! Quote explode Quote 1 - Unsex me here What does this show? ____________________________________________ What does she want taken away from her? __________________ Why does she want this removed? ________________________________ How does this create a role reversal in genders? _______________________ How is she not acting as Jacobean audience would expect? ___________________________________________________________
Task 7 Quote exploding Saying a lot about a little! Quote explode Quote 2 - Come to my woman s breasts and take my milk for gall How is she using an imperative? _______________________________ What does this show? Why say woman + breasts what is she saying about herself here? _________________________________________________________ What is milk a symbol for? (why would a mother breastfeed?) ________________________________________________________ How does gall show the opposite? ________________________________ What other quote could you link this to which shows she is not acting in a protective or maternal way? _______________________________________ What violent verbs are in this? ____________ __________________
Task 7 Quote exploding Saying a lot about a little! Quote explode Quote 3 - Come thick night What imperative is she using again? _________________ We have already seen this so Shakespeare is using __________________ What type of word is thick ? A_________________ Why does she want the night to be like this? ___________________________________________________________ Why is the use of night important? ________________________________ Night shows the day coming to an end what could this symbolise / foreshadow? _________________________________________________ What other events take place at night? _____________________________
What do we know about this society + religion? Task 8 Imagery Darkness imagery Light imagery What kind of acts are being discussed when darkness imagery is used? _________________________ What other characters are described like this? _________________________ What language feature is used when witches are speaking? _____________________________ What quote shows Macbeth using this? _______________________________ Which King is associated with light imagery in the play? _________________________________ Why is this? ________________________________ Who does a Jacobean audience think has appointed the King? ____________ How is this used in this extract what does she not want heaven to see? _________________________________
Task 9 Your intro What way are women supposed to act? Do we see a range of views of women in the play? What women do you want to bring in? Think about how they are presented, who they are with, how they think + how they act
Task 10 Write up - Essay plan to follow How does Shakespeare present the role of women in this extract and throughout the play? Each para plan - Quote from extract - Explain this - Link to somewhere else - What show about society if can - Link back to what learn Intro Shakespeare presents women as . Para 1 raven + fatal life vs death WITCHES ANIMALS Para 2 unsex me + milk defeminise not maternal LADY MACDUFF MATERNAL Para 3 come imperatives taking control + crown ambition L MD INNOCENT Para 4 spirits + murdering ministers unnatural - WITCHES Para 5 darkness imagery vs light imagery CONTRAST TO DUNCAN Con Shakespeare has created ..
Getting started Methods Soliloquy Parallel Foil Contrast Rhyming couplets Imagery Imperatives Each para plan - Quote from extract - Explain this - Link to somewhere else - What show about society if can - Link back to what learn Shakespeare presents We can see this in .. Shakespeare has used . This conveys . This demonstrates From this we learn We also saw when Shakespeare also showed when .. This shows us that in the Jacobean era . From this we can learn that the Jacobean society . We can see that . Move through the previous para points
Before you finish Make sure EVERY time you use a character s name it has a capital letter. Check that you have quotes from extract. Have you looked at rest of play? Have you said what we learn? Are you saying what Shakespeare does? Each paragraph needs to have a clear opening + closing line
