Friday, December 12, 2014

E Block: Passages 1-6: Exam Review

1. How does this passage related to major action of the play?
2. What does this passage reveal about the character(s)?
3. What themes are represented?
4. What motifs are present?
5. What literary devices are used?
6. What is the tone of the passage? What words create that tone?

ps: Andy really loves Macbeth. Look at the joy on his face.








A Block: Passages 1-6: Exam Review

1. How does this passage related to major action of the play?
2. What does this passage reveal about the character(s)?
3. What themes are represented?
4. What motifs are present?
5. What literary devices are used?
6. What is the tone of the passage? What words create that tone?







Friday, December 5, 2014

Macbeth: The End (Part 2)

Discussion
  • Soliloquy #7 (5.3.19-29)
    • What's the significance of the key metaphor? What does this reveal about Macbeth?
    • What is the meaning of Macbeth's figurative language: mouth-honour, breath
  • Soliloquy #8: (5.5.18-27)
    • What general feeling about life is expressed in this soliloquy?
    • Four metaphors
      • Identify key words and meaning they express
      • Are these thoughts Macbeth's alone or might they represent Shakespeare's? Is there some universal quality in these thoughts, a significance and relevance that go beyond Macbeth's situation and touch all people?
  • Macbeth vows to die like a man and go down fighting. Does this affect your view of him? Does choosing death give a kind of nobility and dignity? When is death preferable to captivity? How does this relate to gender norms?
  • Malcolm calls Macbeth "this dead butcher," (5.9.36) and most readers will agree that Macbeth's fate has been deserved. Did Shakespeare want the audience to view Macbeth exactly as Malcolm views him, or did he want the audience to have a different feeling about him?
  • Where do you think Shakespeare wanted the audience to lay the primary responsibility for Macbeth's course of evil? on the witches, Lady Macbeth or on himself?
  • Some audience members retain some measure of sympathy and respect for Macbeth. How does Shakespeare's presentation of his thoughts and actions in the last scenes serve to make the audience retain such a measure of sympathy and respect? Refer to specific lines.
  • Major themes? symbols?
  • Last thoughts, comments, ideas, insights?

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Macbeth: The end (Part 1)

Review of Meta Comments: see handouts and ...

  • Meta comments are a way for you and I to engage in some dialogue about your writing. You wrote, I responded, and now you get to respond again. This process is a way for you to think more deeply about the comments and process of writing and a way for me to see how you will move forward for the next writing assignment.
  • Meta comments are about 1. a restatement of the suggestion, criticism, or praise; 2. a confirmation of their understanding of the issue; and 3. a concrete plan for moving forward.
  • You have two choices: you can either use the table to gave you OR you can write our the meta comments like the example I have you. Regardless, each much address the three areas noted above.


To start with some laughter (WSJ)

ACT-ivity
  • Entire class: Let's look at Lady Macbeth! In the case of her sleepwalking scene, Shakespeare seems to have anticipated, centuries ago, some of the most important psychological findings and insights of our own time, which deal with the symbolic interpretation of dreams and the effects of suppression of deeply buried feelings. Modern psychology holds that mental breakdown is often due to long-suppressed or repressed feelings, and that clues to the causes of such breakdown can be found in dreams. What?! Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking can be viewed as such a dream — a dream in motion, a nightmare being acted out.
    • How is Lady macbeth's language disjointed and unconnected?
    • According to her utterances, what are the causes and origins of her present condition?
    • What previous conversations does she repeat or paraphrase?
    • What are the real causes of her breakdown? Why do you think she broke down first? Is this a larger commentary on women? Mental illness?
    • Where can you find dramatic irony in her speech?
OR ...

Lady Macbeth debate. Remorse or no remorse???

Monday, December 1, 2014

Macbeth 4.2 & 4.3

  1. Poor Lady Macduff is the only other female in the play. What? It's true. How does she compare to Lady Macbeth?
  2. Ross's speech (4.2.14-26): What does Ross reveal about Scotland under Macbeth's rule? Look back at Lennox's speech (3.6.1-25) to see how things have changed/stayed the same.
  3. What is up with Malcolm and Macduff?? Let's look at Scene 3!
    • What is the purpose of Macduff's visit to Malcolm?
    • Why does Malcolm hesitate to trust Macduff?
    • How does Malcolm test Macduff's honesty & integrity?


    Main players:
    1. Macbeth
    2. Lady Macbeth
    3. Duncan
    4/5. Malcolm & Donaldbain
    6. Macduff
    7. Lady Macduff
    8. Banquo
    9. Fleance
    10/11 Murderers (2)
    12-14 Witches (3)
    15. Porter
    16/17 Ross & Lennox
    18. Shakespeare while writing Macbeth


    Maybe some video: Patrick Stewart Chpts. 14, 15, 16