Block - THICE and J9

• P&P

• THICE on Hamlet (and Julius Caesar)

HW: Read Leithart's intro and material on Macbeth. J9 is due Monday.

J9 - Macbeth: Act 1.1-4

1. How does Shakespeare's drama change the historical particulars of Holinshed's Chronicle of Scottish History?
2. What are the three spheres that suffer when one attacks “the proper order of things” (and give one example of each)?
3. What are the two views of manhood that the play addresses?
4. Is power inherently evil? Why or why not? What is its purpose?
5. How does opening the play with witches serve to advance Shakespeare’s dramatic agenda (there are several answers)?
6. What is the political situation in Scotland when the play opens?
7. Explain Macdonwald’s—Thane of Cawdor—immense importance for introducing, foreshadowing, and foiling Macbeth’s character.
8. Why are Macbeth’s first words important?
9. What is Banquo’s reaction to the witches’ predictions?
10. What effect does Duncan’s announcement—that Malcolm is his heir—have on Macbeth’s plans?

J10 - Macbeth: Acts 1.5-2.4

1. Describe the biblical typology of Macbeth (MB) and Lady Macbeth (LMB). Who are they?
2. What details link LMB to the weird sisters, the witches?
3. What is important about both the location and the content of MB’s soliloquy?
4. What are some of the consequences that attend the “life” of the wicked, the guilty?
5. How do MB’s and LMB’s views of guilt differ?
6. What is significant about the “knocking” that begins just after the murder?
7. How does nature’s order reflect that of Scotland?
8. How does MB first “gild” his deathly deed?
9. Why do Duncan’s sons respond to the murder of their father in the way they do, and how might it be misinterpreted?
10. Why would Shakespeare write a play in which the “climax” occurs in the second act? In other words, what does he intend to show happening during the remainder of the drama?

J11 - Macbeth: Acts 3-4

1. What does MB mean by his “fruitless crown” and “barren scepter”?
2. Shouldn’t MB be satisfied that he is now king? Why or why not? and how does this affect Banquo?
3. What does the feast symbolize, and what makes a feast different from a common dinner?
4. How does MB behave at the feast and why?
5. What effect does MB’s behavior have on the feast, and how does this reflect the situation in Scotland?
6. What does MB mean when he says, “Blood will have blood”?
7. How do you know that MB does not intend to repent of his bloody course?
8. How do the three apparitions link to the theme pertaining to equivocal communication?
9. Why does Malcolm tell Mcduff how evil he (Malcolm) is?
10. How does scene 3 highlight MB’s tyranny? (there are two ways)