William Shakespeare’s Macbeth Unit

This unit will consist of the following elements/activities:

  1. Macbeth Intro Notes

  2. Written Assignment (annotations notebook) and Vocabulary

  3. Reader’s Theater

  4. Mock Trial: Scotland v. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

  5. Written Exam

Written Assignments:

Macbeth writing assignment (annotations notebook)

Macbeth Vocabulary Assignment

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Reader’s Theater:

We will read Shakespeare’s Macbeth in class in Reader’s Theater format. Here’s how Reader’s Theater Works:

  1. Read the play

  2. Sign up for a role to read to the class (Perform this with some pizzazz! We don’t expect you to act, but you need to read with a character’s conviction)

  3. Your reading quality will be graded (click here for the rubric)

Your “performance” of the text will be dependent upon you aptly fulfilling the following:

  1. Read with conviction, volume, and expression

  2. Display accurate and clear pronunciation

  3. Pay close attention to the text as we read it (you are failing miserably if we have to call upon you bring you back for your part of the performance)

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Reader’s Theater Roles:

ACT 1

  • Witch 1

  • Witch 2

  • Witch 3

  • Lennox

  • Malcolm

  • Duncan

  • Captain

  • Angus

  • Ross

  • Banquo

  • Macbeth

  • Lady Macbeth

  • Messenger

  • Servant

Act II

  • Banquo

  • Fleance

  • Macbeth

  • Lady Macbeth

  • Porter

  • Macduff

  • Malcolm

  • Lennox

  • Donalbain

  • Old Man

  • Ross

  • Narrator

Act III

  • Banquo

  • Macbeth

  • Lady Macbeth

  • Attendant

  • Murderer 1

  • Murderer 2

  • Murderer 3

  • Servant

  • Lennox

  • Ross

  • Lords

  • Witch 1

  • Hecate

  • Narrator

Act IV

  • Witch 1

  • Witch 2

  • Witch 3

  • Hecate

  • Macbeth

  • 1st Apparition (Head)

  • 2nd Apparition (Bloody Child)

  • 3rd Apparition (Crowned Child)

  • Lennox

  • Lady Macduff

  • Ross

  • Son

  • Messenger

  • Murderer 1

  • Malcolm

  • Macduff

  • Doctor

  • Narrator

Act V

  • Doctor

  • Gentlewoman

  • Lady Macbeth

  • Menteith

  • Angus

  • Lennox

  • Carthness

  • Macbeth

  • Servant

  • Seyton

  • Malcolm

  • Siward

  • Messenger

  • Soldiers

  • Macduff

  • Ross

  • Young Siward

  • Narrator

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Scotland v. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Mock Trial

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are being charged with the following:

Macbeth:

  1. Regicide

  2. 5 counts of murder in the first degree

  3. Attempted murder of a child

 

Lady Macbeth

  1. Conspiracy to commit regicide

  2. Accessory to regicide

  3. Accessory to murder in the first degree

Court Documents and Evidence (prepared by Lynn Boughey)

Macbeth’s Defense team

Your responsibilities as a defense team include:

  • Convincing the jury that Macbeth is NOT GUILTY

    • This can be done by:

      • Step one: Discrediting the witnesses.

      • Step Two: Introducing a new suspect.

      • Step three: Discrediting the evidence.

    • Macbeth and his wife will be tried separately in order to use their testimony against each other. It is up to you who your new suspect is and whether it is Lady Macbeth or someone else.

 

  • 2 lawyers

    • There will be two lawyers involved in the trial: a first chair (the lead attorney who addresses the jury and presents arguments) and a second chair (who helps the lead attorney, examining some of the witnesses, and presenting the opening statement or closing argument).

  • 1 Paralegal / Investigator

    • There will be 1 paralegal involved in the trial who will aid in investigating the text, looking for evidence, and assisting in developing the arguments and cross-examinations.

 

Lady Macbeth’s Defense team

Your responsibilities include:

  • Convincing the jury that Lady Macbeth is NOT GUILTY

    • This can be done by:

      • Step one: Discrediting the witnesses.

      • Step Two: Introducing a new suspect.

      • Step three: Discrediting the evidence.

    • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will be tried separately in order to use their testimony against each other. It is up to you who your new suspect is and whether it is Macbeth or someone else.

  • 2 lawyers

    • There will be two lawyers involved in the trial: a first chair (the lead attorney who addresses the jury and presents arguments) and a second chair (who helps the lead attorney, examining some of the witnesses, and presenting the opening statement or closing argument).

  • 1 Paralegal / Investigator

    • There will be 1 paralegal involved in the trial who will aid in investigating the text, looking for evidence, and assisting in developing the arguments and cross-examinations

 

The Crown / Prosecution

Your responsibility is:

Convincing the jury that BOTH Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are GUILTY of the charges:

  • This can be done by:

    • Playing on the emotions of the jury

    • Focusing on Duncan and Banquo’s good character

    • Emphasizing the heinous / terrible nature of the crimes (killing a king, a mother, a child, and attempting to kill another)

    • Emphasizing the human nature of Macbeth’s actions despite the supernatural elements of the play and discrediting the supernatural elements of the play.

  • 2 lawyers / 2 Crown prosecutors

    • There will be two lawyers involved in the trial: a first chair (the lead attorney who addresses the jury and presents arguments) and a second chair (who helps the lead attorney, examining some of the witnesses, and presenting the opening statement or closing argument).

  • 1 paralegal

    • There will be 1 paralegal involved in the trial who will aid in investigating the text, looking for evidence, and assisting in developing the arguments and cross-examinations

  • 1 investigator

    • Each defense and prosecution team will have an investigator whose responsibilities include looking closely at the text for evidence to support your team’s arguments.

 

The Witnesses

Your responsibilities include:

  • Formulating your testimony strategies with either the defense or the Crown

  • Preparing your testimony through careful examination of your character within the text

  • Extensively knowing your character, their motivations, and their personalities as shown in the text.

 

  • Macbeth (Defense witness)

  • Lady Macbeth (Defense witness)

  • The 3 witches (Defense witness)

  • The Ghost of Banquo (Crown Witness)

  • Macduff (Crown Witness)

  • Murderer 1 (Crown Witness)

The Jury

Your responsibilities include:

  • During prep time looking at and analyzing evidence of BOTH sides within the text.

  • During prep time looking at and analyzing the character evidence within the text.

  • During the trial listening to BOTH sides, taking careful notes, and asking questions when allowed.