"Between the Pages" -- Period 4

W7, #4: Lady Macbeth's Last Gasp

Last week in class, we discussed the 'sudden' mental collapse and death of Lady Macbeth in Act V.

The questions we wrestled with were:

Based on everything we had read in the first 4 acts, was it logical or predictable for Lady Macbeth to have a nervous breakdown and then commit suicide in Act V?

Or was this just 'convenient' for Shakespeare to suddenly end the play this way?

Your challenge:

• Defend one of the arguments.
• Length:  7+ sentences.
• Either way, use evidence from Acts I-IV to prove your case.

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W5, #5: MP3's for Macbeth

NOTE:  Mr. Long would love, love, love...and kinda appreciate, too...any student who brings in a copy (via a burned CD, for instance) of the songs that they are using for this reply.  This is entirely for selfish reasons.  His music collection -- while very impressive for a guy who graduated from high school in the way-back 80's -- has become a bit stale as of late.  Any help in re-gaining his musical footing -- as a human being -- would be wonderful.  Otherwise, he's stuck listening to Dan Fogelberg singing "Don't Let That Sun Go Down" and dated copies of A-Ha mixed tapes indefinitely.  Help!

***

Musically speaking, I wonder what the soundtrack for Act III would be. 

Even better, I wonder what it would sound like if you were the DJ putting that soundtrack for the play (or even a film version) together.

Here's what I'm thinking.

Now that we're regularly discussing how a director and his/her actors would perform parts of this play, perhaps we ought to think about how to create the right atmosphere/tone that would make the actions seem believable, hint at the future, and in general engage the audience. 

This means we might need to consider music.

With that in mind, here is your challenge:

Part 1:  Think of all 6 scenes in Act III.  Try to imagine the musical 'vibe' or 'tone' you'd want to create as the director for your audience.

Part 2:  For 5 of the 6 scenes, pick one song (and artist) to be played in the background -- or as an introduction to set the tone.  That would mean you have to pick 5 different songs, one for each scene.  Feel free to use any music -- from classical to modern -- to create the right atmosphere.

Part 3:  Pick one of the 5 songs you've selected. 

Part 4:  Explain in 7+ sentences why it would be the ideal song to play in that specific scene.  Remember:  your reader may not know the song, but they will be able to understand your description of the scene (hint).

W5, #4: Who's Wearing the Pants Now?

Okay, its a cheap cliche that has been thrown around a lot in class lately.  You have a strong wife convincing her weak husband to kill the king (in Act 1)...and suddenly everyone in our class jumps on the bandwagon:

Student A:  "Oooh, that lady got Macbeth upside down like a lil'ragdoll."
Student B:  "Yeah, that Lady Macbeth wears the pants in that family."
Student A:  "Yeah. The pants."
Student B: "Yeah. Like really yeah."
Class:  (giggle, smirk, giggle, high cliche five)

Let's fast-forward to Act III, Scene 3. 

Suddenly we have a new king (with blood on his hand) and his new queen (also with blood on her hands).   And more heads are about to roll.

Listen.  Now you're hearing Macbeth talk about "the torture of the mind to lie / In restless ecstasy" (lines 21-22) and babbling on and on about the threat that Banquo poses, all the while as his wife responds, "You must leave this." (35) 

Curious stuff.  More of the same?  Or a change in gears?

So, here's your challenge:

Cliches aside about who wears the pants, make a decision:

Who is the stronger individual based on life 'after Duncan's death' and what has to happen from this point forward:  Lady Macbeth or Macbeth?

Psst...perhaps you need to define what you mean by stronger in order to help your reader grasp the standards you're assuming.

Write a 7+ sentence defense of your opinion. Be specific.  Use evidence from anywhere in Act III (and before).

W5, #3: Pick a Scene, Any Scene

So, here we are in the dead-center of the play.  And there no longer seems to be a way for Macbeth to reverse directions.  Even best friends are not safe from the new king's paranoia and new-found desire for ultimate power.  Needless to say, this is an act that will make actors very excited once they know how to pull off their lines/actions.

So, this one is a prompt that asks you to be a director once again.

Challenge: 

• Part 1:  Identify the 3 most interesting 'moments' -- to you -- from Act III. Do not just list an entire scene.  Focus in on something much more specific for all 3 choices.
• Part 2:  Briefly describe -- one sentence for each one is fine, although you may certainly write much more -- why each grabbed your attention.  Be unique.  Do not just say the obvious thing that anybody else could easily write.
  
• Part 3:  Pick 1 of these moments that is the most interesting to you. 
• Part 4:  Tell the actor or actors how to pull off this scene in a way that is believable.  Focus on a maximum of 30 lines so it doesn't get too long.  Write 5+ sentences for the director's suggestions.

W4, #5: Lady Macbeth's Hesitation

Are the characters' real personalities in Macbeth more than meets the eye?

Many of you noticed an possibly unexpected 'change' in Lady Macbeth's character in the middle of Act II, something that seemed very different than the powerful personality that came across when she first realized what Macbeth needed to do after the prophecy and eventually convinced her husband to kill King Duncan.

She says the following after Macbeth has killed Duncan:

"I laid their daggers ready; / He could not miss 'em.  Had he not resembled / My father as he slept, I had done't." (II, ii, 11-13)

I'm curious:

• What do you think these lines represent with regards to Lady Macbeth's personality and the future of the play?
• Write a minimum of 7+ sentences explaining what you think these lines really suggest.

W4, #4: "Fair is Foul, and Foul is Fair"

All [Witches]:

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair." (I, i, 10)

As each of you has certainly realized by now, the 3 Witches' early statement has become a constant theme in this play.  Everywhere we turn, someone is playing around with this idea. 

Clearly Shakespeare does not want us to forget this concept.

With that in mind, here is your challenge:

• Tell a story of some point in your life where things appeared at first to be "foul" (or negative)...but over time you realized that it actually led to something really "fair" (or positive) for you (and anyone else in your life).
• Make sure to explain 'why' your thinking about the situation changed over time.  Was it a matter of maturity? Did you need to see 'evidence' later on to see the positive side?  Were you more logical, less emotional, etc. at the end of the process?
• Write a minimum of 7+ sentences.

W4, #1: "Yet Do I Fear Thy Nature"

On Thursday (of 'last' week, aka "Week 3"), each of you was asked to take on the role of 'director' of this play in order to help an 'inexperienced' actor/actress perform the opening lines from Act 1, Scene 5 (spoken by Lady Macbeth). 

*** Note:  click the bottom link on this entry to see all the lines we are considering. ***

As you discovered, the key to this scene lies in the 'internal' thinking of Lady Macbeth.  Once you grasp that -- as the director -- then you are in a position to show the actor how that translates into an 'external' performance via tricks of the trade:  voice, tone, pauses, movements, eyes, emphasis, etc.

With that in mind, here is your challenge:

• Write a short memo -- 7+ sentences -- to your 'inexperienced' actor/actress who is about ready to see lines 1-28 for the FIRST time.  (note: stop when the messenger enters at line 28).  Imagine this is her/his 'try out' to show you she/he understands the role/character in question.
• Tell your actor/actress how to perform this scene so that it is obvious that Lady Macbeth really comes to life and the audience will fully grasp what she is capable of throughout the remainder of Act I.
• Note:  be specific with your directions.  "Be angry", for example, is not specific advice.  "Raise your eyebrows and pause before letting your face drop into a subtle sneer as you begin to say the following words..." is specific.

Click the following link to read all the lines we are referring to here:

W3, #5: Selecting the Role

Ultimately Shakespeare's words/ideas are meant to be appreciated 'on stage'.

Now that you have read all of Act 1 of Macbeth, which character would you most like to play 'on stage' as an actor/actress?

Challenge:

1. Identify the character you'd like to perform.
2. Identify the most interesting line(s) -- in YOUR opinion -- that best 'define(s)' the character so far.
3. In 7+ sentences, explain WHY you'd enjoy playing this character as an actor/actress.

W3, #4: Predicting the Future

As of Monday, Feb 4th, everyone in class has read all of Act 1 of Macbeth.  (Congratulations, you are already 1/5th of the way through one of the most famous plays in literature -- he smiles)

While we're only beginning to grasp the larger story, themes, allusions, language cues, and Shakespearean word play, we are still in a position to predict lines from Act 1 that may end up being very significant to the rest of the play.

With that in mind, here is your challenge:

• Identify (3) lines (or sets of lines) from anywhere in Act I that you believe will be most important to the overall play and our class discussions as we read this famous tragedy.
• Pick (1) of the lines (or sets of lines) that you chose...and explain in 5+ sentences why you think these lines will be important to the rest of the story.

W3, #3: The Power of Decisions

Spoken by Macbeth (scene II, act i, line 33):

"Is that a dagger I see before me?"

As you will soon see as we read Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, a single decision -- good or bad -- can have a profound impact on the rest of one's life...as well as the lives of those around us.

Challenge: 

• In 7+ sentences, describe a GOOD decision you've made at some point in your past that ended up having a strong impact on the rest of your life (and maybe even those around you).
• Note:  Please decide how personal a story you want to share, even though it is a "good" one. Your name will not be shown...but others will read your story with sincerity/interest.