Literature insight 3: Macbeth – William Shakespeare

BEFORE YOU READ

  • 1Read about William Shakespeare. How old was he when he got married?

    William Shakespeare was eighteen when he got married.

    2Read the background to the story. What do the witches tell Banquo? What do you think this means?

    They tell him that he is the father of kings..

About the author

William Shakespeare (also called The Bard)

Born: 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England

Died: 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon

Important works: Richard III (1592), Romeo and Juliet (1594), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595), Hamlet (1600)

Did you know? Historians do not know the exact date of Shakespeare's birth. They think he was probably born on 23 April, St George's Day (St George is the patron saint of England). William went to the grammar school in Stratford and studied Latin. In 1582, when he was only eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway. She was eight years older than him. They had three children, a daughter Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith.

William became an actor and he went to London with a theatre company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men. He began to write plays, which became very popular. He wrote historical plays, comedies and tragedies. When London theatres closed because of the plague, Shakespeare wrote poetry. His theatre company built the Globe Theatre in London in 1599. Queen Elizabeth I often went there. The theatre was rebuilt and reopened in 1997 and you can see performances of Shakespeare's plays there.

William Shakespeare died a rich and respected man in Stratford-upon-Avon on 23 April 1616. Many people today believe that he is the greatest writer in the English language.

BACKGROUND TO THE STORY

Macbeth, a brave Scottish soldier in King Duncan's army, kills a Norwegian general in battle. The king is happy. After the battle Macbeth and his friend Banquo meet three witches. They call Macbeth soldier, general, the king. The witches tell Banquo that he is the father of kings. The witches vanish and a messenger arrives. He tells Macbeth that he is now the general of the Scottish army – the witches' prophecy comes true. When Macbeth tells his wife, Lady Macbeth, she encourages her husband to murder King Duncan when he is staying at their castle. Macduff, a general, finds the king dead and Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, are afraid. They run away. Macbeth becomes king, but he is not happy. The prophecy says that Banquo is the father of kings. Macbeth hires two assassins. They kill Banquo, but his son escapes.

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1Read the extract from Macbeth. Who can Macbeth see in his chair? 
You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task.

Macbeth can see Banquo's ghost in his chair.

Macbeth went into the dining room. There were a lot of people in the room, and there was a lot of food and wine on the table.

'Where's my good friend Banquo?' asked Macbeth. 'He isn't here. He's late!'

'It doesn't matter,' said Lady Macbeth. 'Come and sit down. Your chair is here.'

Macbeth walked to the table, then he stopped suddenly. There was a ghost in his chair! The ghost looked up at him. It was Banquo and his face was bloody!

'What's happening?' cried Macbeth. He was afraid.

The ghost looked at him, but didn't speak. 'Why are you looking at me? I didn't do it!' Macbeth cried.

Everyone at the table looked at Macbeth. 'What's wrong, my lord?' they asked. 'Why are you worried?'

They couldn't see the ghost – but Macbeth could see it.

'I'm sorry, everyone, my husband isn't well,' said Lady Macbeth.

She took Macbeth out of the room. 'What's the matter with you?' she asked angrily. 'You're imagining things again. First it was a dagger in front of you on the night of Duncan's murder, and now this ghost. What's wrong? Don't be afraid. Be a man. Be brave. There's no one in your chair!'

'But he's a dead man. How can he come back?' said Macbeth. 'And how can you look at him and not be afraid?'

'What are you talking about? What are people going to think? There is no ghost! Your friends at the table are worried. Now, go back and sit in your chair!'

They went back into the dining room. Macbeth couldn't see the ghost now, so he sat down happily.

'I'm sorry, my friends,' he said to his visitors. 'Sometimes I feel ill and I begin to imagine things; but please don't worry about me. I'm better now. Come on, let's have some wine! Let's drink to our friend Banquo! He isn't here with us tonight and I'm sorry for that!'

Just then, Banquo's ghost came through the door and walked across the room. Macbeth cried out again. 'Get away from me!'


From Macbeth, Dominoes. Text adaptation by Alistair McCallum.

Try again
2Read the extract again. Are the sentences True or False? Correct the false ones. 
You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task. You also need to use correct punctuation.

Macbeth went into the dining room. There were a lot of people in the room, and there was a lot of food and wine on the table.

'Where's my good friend Banquo?' asked Macbeth. 'He isn't here. He's late!'

'It doesn't matter,' said Lady Macbeth. 'Come and sit down. Your chair is here.'

Macbeth walked to the table, then he stopped suddenly. There was a ghost in his chair! The ghost looked up at him. It was Banquo and his face was bloody!

'What's happening?' cried Macbeth. He was afraid.

The ghost looked at him, but didn't speak. 'Why are you looking at me? I didn't do it!' Macbeth cried.

Everyone at the table looked at Macbeth. 'What's wrong, my lord?' they asked. 'Why are you worried?'

They couldn't see the ghost – but Macbeth could see it.

'I'm sorry, everyone, my husband isn't well,' said Lady Macbeth.

She took Macbeth out of the room. 'What's the matter with you?' she asked angrily. 'You're imagining things again. First it was a dagger in front of you on the night of Duncan's murder, and now this ghost. What's wrong? Don't be afraid. Be a man. Be brave. There's no one in your chair!'

'But he's a dead man. How can he come back?' said Macbeth. 'And how can you look at him and not be afraid?'

'What are you talking about? What are people going to think? There is no ghost! Your friends at the table are worried. Now, go back and sit in your chair!'

They went back into the dining room. Macbeth couldn't see the ghost now, so he sat down happily.

'I'm sorry, my friends,' he said to his visitors. 'Sometimes I feel ill and I begin to imagine things; but please don't worry about me. I'm better now. Come on, let's have some wine! Let's drink to our friend Banquo! He isn't here with us tonight and I'm sorry for that!'

Just then, Banquo's ghost came through the door and walked across the room. Macbeth cried out again. 'Get away from me!'


From Macbeth, Dominoes. Text adaptation by Alistair McCallum.

  • 1At the king's castle they are having a banquet in the kitchen.

     At the king's castle they are having a banquet in the dining room.

  • 2There is food and wine on the table.

  • 3There is blood on the ghost's face.

  • 4The ghost speaks to Macbeth.

     The ghost doesn't speak to Macbeth.

  • 5The dinner guests can see the ghost.

     The dinner guests can't see the ghost.

  • 6Lady Macbeth tells the guests that her husband is well.

     Lady Macbeth tells the guests that her husband isn't well.

  • 7Macbeth drinks a toast to Banquo.

  • 8Banquo's ghost does not appear again.

     Banquo's ghost does appear again.

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3SPEAKING Read the questions and give your opinion.
  • When Macbeth arrives, what does he say to the guests about his friend Banquo?
  • Where is Banquo's ghost sitting? How does Macbeth react?
  • Do you think Macbeth is happy now he is king? Why / why not?
  • When Macbeth arrives, he says he is late.
  • He is sitting in Macbeth’s chair. Macbeth is afraid.
  • Students' own answers.
4Read what happens next. Who is Macbeth afraid of? 
You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task.

READ ON

Alone in the castle, Macbeth tells his wife that he is afraid of Macduff, another general. He thinks that Macduff plans to kill him. Macbeth cannot sleep, so he searches for the witches. He wants to know more about the future.

Macbeth finds them in a dark cave. They are throwing things into a pot on a fire. The witches tell him to be careful of Macduff. They say that no child born from a woman can hurt him. They tell him to be careful when trees near his castle begin to move. Then the ghost of Banquo, with his children and grandchildren wearing crowns, appears.

Macbeth sends soldiers to Macduff's castle. They kill his wife and children. Macduff and Malcolm plan to attack Macbeth's castle.

Macbeth is afraid of Macduff.

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5Play the recording and listen to the next part of the story. What strange things does Lady Macbeth do? 

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Audio script

It was late at night. One of Lady Macbeth’s servants was with the doctor. 
‘I’m worried about the queen,’ said the servant. ‘At night, when she’s sleeping, she sometimes gets up and walks out of her room. She talks, and does strange things.’
‘When she talks in her sleep, what does she say?’ asked the doctor.
‘I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t want to tell anyone. Look, here she comes now!’
Lady Macbeth’s door opened, and she walked out. She carried a candle in her hand.
‘Her eyes are open, but she’s sleeping,’ said the doctor. ‘Where did she find the candle?’
‘She always has a candle by her bed, sir. She’s afraid of the night, and doesn’t like it when it’s dark.’
Lady Macbeth put down the candle and began to speak. ‘We must wash our hands. Are you a man or are you afraid? No one is going to know the truth. What’s this? Blood!’
In her sleep, she looked at her hands and cried, ‘There’s blood on my hands! He was an old man but he had a lot of blood in him. Macduff ’s wife, and their children! Where are they now?’


6Play the recording and listen to the next part of the story. Choose the correct answers. 

  • 1Lady Macbeth's servant is talking to a doctor.

  • 2When Lady Macbeth is asleep she gets up.

  • 3She carries a candle in her hand because she is afraid of the dark.

  • 4Lady Macbeth talks of washing her hands.

  • 5She says that Duncan was old, but had a lot of blood.

  • 6She is sad because Macduff's wife and children are dead.

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