Assessment focus: A01, A03. A04 / Suggested number of lessons: 2-3
Resources:
Resource sheet 13: Pageant & politics
Resource sheet 14: Malcolm reborn
Resource sheet 15: Malcolm & Macduff / Outcomes:
·  To understand the different function and ‘feel’ of scenes within the same act
·  To understand the key ideas in Act 4 Scene 3, and learn about Macduff and Malcolm
·  To explore the notion of kingship in relation to major characters

► Initial work

Act 4 is incredibly varied in tone and dramatic effect. Once students have had a chance to read the scenes from Act 4, start by asking them to consider how very different each scene is.

▲  Activity 1: In small groups ask students to look at Resource 13: Pageant and politics. Discuss the questions and then feed back answers. The final task on the sheet, which can be completed in this session or as homework, may need to be modelled in terms of building a succinct and fluent summary of the key events.

► Focused work

The focus for this session is on the ‘difficult’ Act 4 Scene 3 – often seen as such because of its length, and for the fact that ‘nothing happens’ until the end.

▲  Activity 2: As a way of helping students navigate through the scene’s initial long dialogue, distribute Resource 14: Malcolm reborn. Students should work in pairs to find appropriate quotations to support the flow diagram, and then add them to the supplied speech bubbles. Once this is done they can reread the rest of the scene. Some students might create their own flow diagram for the remainder of the scene.

▲  Activity 3: Once students have completed Activity 2, ask them to discuss in the same groups the questions in the boxes below.

▲  Activity 4: The above discussion can be turned into a longer, written response which compares and contrasts the two characters. You may wish to use Resource 15: Malcolm and Macduff to plan the essay with students. Suggest that they begin the essay with a brief introduction describing views of kingship in Shakespeare’s time, and what it meant to be a ruler. This will ensure that A04 is addressed. Useful websites for background reading on this are listed below.

é  Aim High

The assignment on Malcolm and Macduff can be extended into a wider consideration of the nature of kingship, taking into account the way Duncan and Macbeth are presented. It could refer, briefly, to the historical Macbeth, and the tribalism that dominated Scottish ruling life, and then deal with each character’s strengths and faults in an even-handed way.

è  Moving On

Make sure all students have absorbed the key information from Act 4 Scene 1 which will be so crucial to the later scenes. You may wish to ask students to recall the prophecies in Act 1 Scene 3, so they can measure to what extent they come true by the end of the play.

8  Check the web

The Royal Shakespeare Company website has an interesting section on ‘kingcraft’ in Macbeth. See http://www.rsc.org.uk/macbeth/about/essay.html This will be useful for the coursework assignment in Unit 15.


Task 1: In your group, discuss the following questions about the events and ideas in Act 4.

Task 2: Write an account of Act 4 in which you summarise the main plot developments. In your summary, try to find ways of describing the different ‘feel’ of each scene.

The flow diagram below represents the path of the conversation between Malcolm and Macduff. Add suitable quotations next to the boxes.


Use the planning sheet below for making notes and preparing a coursework assignment to answer the title: Who would make a better king – Malcolm or Macduff?

Introduction / Seventeenth century notions of ‘kingship’ and the qualities of rulers; some comment on why audiences of the day would have been interested in these matters
Malcolm & Macduff’s actions / Their contribution to the action of the play – what they do/have done to them; how this might prepare them for kingship
Macduff / Key ideas about his character: what he says/does
Views about his qualities and weaknesses in respect of leadership; how he might be viewed as similar or different from Malcolm
Character adjectives
Key quotations (scene/line references)
Malcolm / Key ideas about his character: what he says/does
Views about his qualities and weaknesses in respect of leadership; how he might be viewed as similar or different from Macduff (and Macbeth?)
Character adjectives
Key quotations (scene/line references)
Conclusion / A summary of the two men – their similarities and differences; who is best suited for ruling a kingdom?

*****Please supply text for copyright and footer notes*****