Macbeth Made Easy Group Work Part 2

Macbeth Made Easy Group Work Part 2

Macbeth Made Easy Group Work

START IMMEDIATELY ON PART 1 – FOCUS in order to FINISH

Though this is group work – everyone needs to write their own answers down in their notebooks – put it in the class notes sections: have this handout first followed by each of the parts. TIMEKEEPERS: look at the clock – Part I (10 minutes), Part II (15-18 minutes), Part III (the rest of the period) – MARK OUT where you should be for each of these parts.

Part I – look at the attached sheet with the 2 different versions of a soliloquy from 3.1. Follow the directions in the grey box – writing as many notes as you can (directly on the paper and on a separate sheet if necessary). Because you only have 10 minutes for this section – you may want to divide your group into 2 sections – some will concentrate on (but not be limited to) lines 47-59 while the other half of the group will concentrate on the rest of the soliloquy.

After your close examination (only 10 minutes) – go directly to Part II. As you answer these questions bring up any other discrepancies or interesting changes you found between the original Shakespeare and Shakespeare Made Easy.

PART II (you have 15-20 minutes for this part)

Answer the following questions in your journals -

All line numbers refer to the original Shakespeare (as found in the Macbeth made Easy Edition)

47 – Is thus only referring to being a king (see previous scene and notes from class)

48- 49 – What is the difference between “having fears” in something and having those “fears stick deep”?

49 What is the difference between royalty and regal? Which is more likely to refer to an attribute held by many (like thin or fat) and which is more likely to describe kingship? Implications?

50 If much goes with thus, what does “He’s daring go with?”

50 Dares describes an act while daring describes…

51 dauntless also means bold…why is bold a bigger threat to Macbeth than fearless? Think of this scene.

54 When Macbeth says “My Genius is rebuked” – who is doing the rebuking – who is being put down – how is this different than the translation? Also comment on that same relationship with Mark Antony and Caesar.

57Which version is closer (when talking about the sisters naming him king) to the idea of equivocation? Why?

56 Is bade = ordered? What is the difference? Again how does this fit in with what Macbeth is feeling towards Banquo at this moment?

60 Sterile versus fruitless. What is the difference? A fruit tree bears the fruit itself while something that is sterile implies that it is only ½ the equation. Comment in specifics.

61 Gripe means grasp. Look at the following quote: A man’s reach must be further than his grasp or what then is a heaven for? Now comment on the difference between the two (grasp – hand)

62 - Who or what does “unlineal hand” refer to? Can that then be translated as “a stranger”

64 – again notice the difference between issue and offspring – which of these is active, which passive – how does that fit into Macbeth’s fears?

66 What is the vessel of his peace? Think of him seeing Banquo’s ghost – what does that have to do with keeping the original wording (especially if you don’t show the ghost).

67 Does eternal = immortal? What is the subtle difference that may have made Shakespeare use the former?

68 Is the eternal enemy of man only the devil? What else does the former encompass? Macbeth?

69 Again, by saying seed rather than sons – who is being blamed the sons or the father? Why is that important?

70 List in this sense probably means the catalogue of an army (their forces). BIG DIFFERENCE – In the original Shakespeare is he challenging fate (to the death of all things) as in the translation or is he asking that fate use him to his own ends? Which makes sense given whats happened to him so far with the witches and their predictions. Explain with specifics.

Part III – After completing Part II send a group member up to get the 3rd sheet (one for each group member and 1 color version in plastic [for clarity) version for each group) – look at and comment on the connections within the original Shakespeare (Stephen Boothe moments, puns, word choices). Watch for same colors next to each other and arrows. After you go through as many of them as you can – comment in your journals on whatever “Big Picture” you can make out of all three parts that you’ve completed today.