Macbeth

Introduction

Before we read the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, you will need to gain some understanding of the major concepts of the play and a general understanding of the playwright. These are important foundations before we tackle how to read the (relatively) complicated language of Shakespeare.

Task

Let's start your quest! Copy and paste these questions in a Word Document (mostly so you can save your work) or in Google docs (or something similar) and e-mail me your answers (E-mail: taschenb@ualberta.ca). If you prefer, you can write out the answers on paper (you don't need to copy down the questions). Just ensure that you hand in something to me!

 

Macbeth WebQuest Handout

Click on a link and answer the questions that follow it. 

Shakespeare – The Author and Playwright

The article: Shakespeare biography

1. In the article “Shakespeare the Author and Playwright” the author references two periods in the history of Shakespeare's life called “The Lost Years.”  What are the dates and what did they cover?

2. It is widely believed that Shakespeare was an established actor by the end of 1592.  Give two (2) pieces of referenced evidence from the article that supports this claim.

3. What was the turning point of Shakespeare’s career in 1593? 

William Shakespeare

4. Why is Shakespeare considered “the greatest writer ever”?

5. How is Shakespeare's works divided and how are they classified?

6. What is the connection with Shakespeare, The King James Bible, and Queen Elizabeth?

The Controversy of Shakespeare and his works

7. After viewing the clip: Who is the real William Shakespeare?

8. Comment on the controversy surrounding Shakespeare’s work.  What evidence is given that Shakespeare's works are falsely credited to him? Is it important to know the truth behind the author of Shakespeare’s works in order to teach, appreciate and study the plays in school?

The Play and Its Popularity

http://witchesandwitchcraft.weebly.com/primary-resources.html

9. How did King James I influence the play?

http://shakespeare.about.com/od/macbeth/a/Macbeth_Witches.htm

10. What purpose do the witches serve?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramamacbeth/0drama_macbeth_contrev2.shtml

11. What is one of the main reasons that the play still strikes a chord with modern audiences?

12. What reason is given for people talking about 'The Scottish play', or 'The Comedy of Glamis', or even just 'The Play' when referring to Macbeth?

http://www.folger.edu/documents/Macbeth_An_Insiders_Guide.mp3

13. What is implied as the cause of the different opinions of the basic themes in Macbeth?

14. Macbeth is one of the few Shakespeare plays in which a woman plays a major role.  What does Lady Macbeth’s role add to the play’s theme according to this synopsis?

The True Story of Macbeth

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/macbeth.shtml

15. Read the brief article, The True Story of Macbeth.  In one paragraph, explain who ruled first and how Macbeth took the throne.  What was his rule like?  How did he die?  What happened?

http://resources.mhs.vic.edu.au/macbeth/historical/backmac.html

16. Why do you think Shakespeare chose to make Macbeth into a villain when history tells us that he was not?

Shakespearean Tragedy

http://cla.calpoly.edu/~dschwart/engl339/plot.html

http://www.scs.sk.ca/edf/ce/ela10/b10%20decisions%20unit/elements%20of%20tragedy.pdf

 17. Consider the elements of a Shakespearean tragedy. Generally, if Macbeth is a tragedy, what can we expect to happen? What predictions can we make based solely on the formula?

 

Process

Assignment

  1. Visit all the sources and answer all the questions. 
  2. Hand in or e-mail your assignment once you have completed it.
    (E-mail: taschenb@ualberta.ca)
  3. Take a breath knowing that you are prepared to conquer the Macbeth Unit. Congratulations !

Evaluation

Below is the evaluation rubric for this assignment. The WebQuest answers count for 50 points of the grade. The categories of how the grade is made up are explained below.

Evaluation Rubric
  Poor - 5 points Developing - 10 points Good - 15 points Fantastic - 20 points Score
Content of Answers Very little to none questions are answered. There is some information but most does not pertain to the question. There is no use of resources to support claims. Most information is clear and relevant with few to no grammar errors and properly cited supporting evidence (or citing has some errors). All information is clear and relevant to the question and in full sentence format. There are properly cited where needed. _/40
Grammar and Proper Word Usage Answers have numerous grammatical and structural errors, to the point that the message is unclear. Answers have a large amount grammatical and structural errors, but the message of the response is understandable. Answers have a few large word usage and/or grammatical errors, but the response is clear. Answers have few to no errors. The errors, if any, are small and do not affect the content of the response. _/10
_/00
Total Score: __/50
Conclusion

Now that you have finished this project, you should pat yourself on the back! Great job! Hopefully through this assignment you have been able to see Shakespeare in a different light. I hope this project has given you the courage to tackle Macbeth in the coming weeks. 

Check out this rap video by Flocabulary summarizing Macbeth -- you may find it helpful.  This song is just one from Flocab's "Shakespeare is Hip-Hop" CD/Book.  Check it out and enjoy!

Credits