Renaissance Lecture Notes

"Macbeth" Mini-Book Directions and Demonstration

"Macbeth" Act I, Scenes 4-7 Notes

In the second half of Act I, we see Macbeth struggling with the implication that in order to become king as the witches predicted, he must somehow get rid of Duncan, who he likes and respects.

This this half of Act I, the dramatic irony is frequent. Recall from previous plays (like Julius Caesar and Romeo & Juliet) that dramatic irony is when the audience knows something that the character(s) does not.

Initially, we see this when Malcolm and Duncan discuss privately the execution of the former Thane of Cawdor. Malcolm admires the calm dignity the Thane of Cawdor maintained even in the face of death, but Duncan reminds Malcolm that it's impossible to know what is in a man's heart and mind just by looking at his face ("There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face" (I.iv.11-12)). You know, just like Duncan doesn't know his trusted and beloved Macbeth is considering murdering him!

So, in scene 4, when Duncan heaps praises on Macbeth and Banquo before announcing to everyone that his son Malcolm will officially be the next in line for the throne, Macbeth maintains a friendly and loving attitude towards his king, but in his asides he states his growing desire and motivation for murder.



Finally, Duncan invites himself over to Macbeth's castle, Inverness, for dinner.

In scene 5, we meet Lady Macbeth, who is overjoyed to hear that her husband has been predicted to become king. However, she muses that her husband is too kind-hearted and gentle to do what must be done to achieve that goal.

She is so determined that her husband not let anything stand in his way that she makes a "prayer" to the evil spirits in the world to remove all remorse, guilt, and kindness from her. Since women at that time were considered naturally nurturing, gentle, and compassionate, she makes frequent remarks regarding her gender and wishes them to be changed from their natural form into something cold, hard-hearted, and ruthless.



When Macbeth returns, he's still on the fence about killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth pushes him into considering it, however, and he eventually agrees that if it must be done, it should be done when Duncan comes over for dinner that night. Lady Macbeth reminds her husband not to look guilty or nervous or it will give them away. She tells him to just act natural and she will take care of everything else.



Scene 6 shows us just how deceptive Lady Macbeth can be. She greets Duncan by thanking him profusely for coming to stay with them and for everything he has given her and her husband. Duncan eats it up, suspects nothing, and graciously accepts Lady Macbeth's praises.

In scene 7, Macbeth finds himself hesitating again. He acknowledges that there are a few reasons why he shouldn't kill his king and friend:

1. There are a lot of people at his house (Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Banquo, and a bunch of other thanes and all their guards and servants) and it would be very easy for him to get caught
2. Murder is still a sin
3. Betrayal only breeds more betrayal
4. Duncan is his friend and is actually a good king
5. The only true motive he has is ambition

Lady Macbeth enters, reminding Macbeth that the king is eating dinner downstairs and may get suspicious if he doesn't come down soon. He confesses that he doesn't think they should go through with their plan. 

Then Lady Macbeth goes full dark side.

She accuses Macbeth of not even being a man because of his cowardice. She accuses him of being weak, deceptive, and not the man she thought he was.

She even tells him "If I promised you I'd kill my own child, I would bash its head in without blinking if you asked me to."

When Macbeth brings up the possibility of them failing, she insults him, saying they will only fail if he isn't brave enough. She then explains that she will get the guards drunk so they fall asleep and Macbeth can sneak in, kill Duncan, and then leave the murder weapon on the guards so they will be accused of the crime. 

Macbeth, somewhat terrified of his wife, remarks that she should only ever give birth to sons because her murderous determination would be terrible for raising daughters.

Finally, he agrees and both go back to dinner.

Some important points (NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR READING):

• We see a lot of important literary terms in this act. One of which is the soliloquy. This is a speech that a single character gives on stage alone. It is usually longer, emotional, and a narration of a character's deep inner conflict. At the beginning of scene 4 when Lady Macbeth considers Macbeth's weaknesses or when Macbeth hesitates in killing Duncan at the beginning of scene 7 would both be considered soliloquies.
• We are seeing another instance of a theme regarding "things aren't always what they seem" or "twisting things from their natural state is dangerous." Macbeth is trying to twist his future from its natural course as Thane of Cawdor. He is attempting to overleap Malcolm and Duncan to take the throne for himself. Lady Macbeth prays to have hear heart and her mind twisted from its natural form in order to give her the drive she needs to convince her husband to commit murder. 
• Remember that Banquo heard the prophecy too. Which means if Duncan dies by murder, he basically will automatically know that it was Macbeth who has done it. Not to mention, Duncan would be murdered at Macbeth's house. Clearly, Macbeth isn't considering the full consequences of his planned actions. 

"Macbeth" Audio Version

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Act 5

"Macbeth": Background and Act 1, Scenes 1-3 Notes

When we began Act 1 today, it was clear there was a little confusion regarding some of the characters and events transpiring at the beginning of the play. If we didn't get to take some of these notes in class, fear not! I will be sure to discuss them with you on block day to get everyone caught up.

Below are the materials you will need for class as well as a summary and some major points of the first 3 scenes of the play. Review them as you need.





First things first: remember that this play was written for King James I who had just become king of England. James was from Scotland, so Shakespeare wrote a play about Scotland for him. James was also the first stable leader England had had for awhile, so it was important to portray James as a ruler who didn't have any huge scandals or skeletons in his closet.

So, Shakespeare makes a not-so-subtle reference to James' great-great-great-great grandfather, Banquo, by making him a morally decent character in the play.

He also solidifies James' role as king through the plot: while Macbeth is prophesied to become king, Banquo is told that while he will never be king, his sons and grandsons and so forth will be.

James is one of those great-great-great grandchildren.

Now, the royal system in Scotland is kind of funny compared to what we know about other countries. Scotland is ruled by a king. In Macbeth, his name is Duncan. Scotland used to be ruled by multiple tribes during the Anglo-Saxon period, so as time went on, that system sort of stuck, even when they switched to a monarchy. So, Duncan has a bunch of smaller "mini-kingdoms" or cities and villages that he has other people run to help him keep order. These people are called thanes. They are like "assistant kings."



When the play opens, we are greeted by the three witches (referred to as the Weird Sisters, which is a reference to Greek mythology in which three Morae or Fates controlled the lives of mortals. These Fates were portrayed as three sisters).



The witches state they will meet at the end of the war to speak to Macbeth. Then, they utter an important line.

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair."

Shakespeare didn't start the play off this way just because. He was attempting to set the stage for a long-running theme throughout the play. By saying that both foul and fair are one in the same, the witches are implying that the lines between good and evil, natural and unnatural, and other binaries will begin to blur. Good men will turn bad, bad men will turn good. The rules of nature are bending and breaking. Things are not always as they seem.

Macbeth begins in the play as the Thane of Glamis. Glamis is a small village and Macbeth is a loyal and devout subject, but he doesn't have that much power when it comes to the country.

So, let's talk about the setting. We begin the play in the midst of a civil war. The players involved?

King Duncan, King of Scotland	VS	Thane of Cawdor (traitor)
Macbeth (wins the war for Duncan)		Macdonwald (helps Thane of Cawdor)
Banquo (helps his friend, Macbeth)		King of Norway

When the play opens, the civil war is in its final days. Macbeth kills Macdonwald in a battle that he seemed doomed to lose (so Macbeth seems capable of fighting against fate) and actually slices Macdonwald open from belly to jaw, cuts his head off, and sticks it on a spike. Macbeth is obviously a very fierce warrior. He is honorable and loyal to Duncan, but he can clearly mess someone up if he wants to. 

Macbeth also drives back the King of Norway's army and forces them into a surrender in which the King of Norway pays Scotland $10,000 in order to reach a truce. 

As thanks for this, King Duncan orders that Macbeth be given the title held by the Thane of Cawdor and the land he ruled over.

Meanwhile, Macbeth and Banquo are leaving the battlefield and run into the witches. These witches have been discussing their very petty and cruel treatment of people who do not give them what they want when the two stumble upon them. 

When Banquo speaks to the witches, the witches then tell Macbeth he is the Thane of Cawdor and will soon become king. Macbeth is, understandably, shocked and scared. Saying something like that is pretty close to treason and Macbeth is a loyal subject, so he doesn't appreciate the news.

When Banquo presses them further, the witches say that Banquo will never become king, but his descendants will be kings in the future. 

Then the witches just disappear. Yes, they just vanish. So quickly that Banquo questions whether or not they had hallucinated the whole thing.

When Macbeth gets the news he is becoming Thane of Cawdor, his thoughts understandably turn towards the prediction of becoming king. He considers the fact that Duncan has to die in order for this to happen, but stops just short of considering murder. However, Duncan also has two sons - Malcolm and Donalbain - which complicates things. 

He presses Banquo to consider the prediction that his sons will become kings but Banquo warns Macbeth that even though the witches spoke true, they may have left out the "catch" that inevitably follow such significant predictions (another blurring between the lines of good and evil; witches and their plans are evil, but the truth is good). 

Macbeth eventually determines after a great deal of thought, to simply leave the prediction to chance. If it is meant to happen, it will happen. 

TO SUMMARIZE (NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR READING):

• We see two big themes/thematic concepts appear here:
• The blending of good and evil/things aren't always what they seem
• The witches speaking truth but for possibly nefarious purposes
• Macbeth winning the war but having to kill his own countrymen to do so
• The witches been perceived as real and unreal, man and woman, living and dead all at once
• Predictions and fate
• Macbeth wins against fate in battle, but cannot fight the fate of becoming Thane of Cawdor
• Macbeth debates whether or not he is in control of his fate to become king, or if he even should be (as it would mean murdering his friend and king to do so)
• We see the witches as powerful, vengeful, cruel, and ruthless. They take what they want and if they cannot get it, they torture and torment people. Witchcraft is not a positive force in this play. It is used only for evil purposes. 
• Macbeth uses an aside when trying to communicate secretly with Banquo and also to narrate his inner-most thoughts. An aside is a moment when the actor speaks to themselves or to another character and no other characters are meant to hear what they are saying. 
• The prediction of Macbeth becoming king and Banquo's future offspring becoming kings is an example of foreshadowing.

"Macbeth" No Fear Version

You can find the No Fear Shakespeare version of Macbeth HERE. This version provides the original text that we are reading as a class alongside the play in modern English.

"Macbeth" Anticipation Guide

Below is the handout we used to complete our discussion and debate regarding important thematic subject and concepts that we will be covering in Macbeth. Be sure to respond to each statement with agree or disagree.

Afterwards, select two statements and elaborate on your response in 2 paragraphs (3-5 sentences each) in which you state your position (use the statement, not the number), your reasoning, and give a specific (real world, not hypothetical) example to defend your position.

College Essay Revisions and Formal Writing Expectations

On block day of this week, we revisited our college essay and discussed how we can use it as a baseline for the rest of the formal writings we will do this year. We began with reflecting on what we expect from teachers who read and grade our writing. Most classes gave answers regarding feedback, constructive criticism, and suggestions for improvement.

Ultimately, we expect our teachers to take time, care, and consideration when grading, not just slapping a number on it and calling it a day.



Then, we researched into what teachers and college professors expect of the writing their students submit. We did this using this article.

From here, we compiled a list of general advice we could give to someone regarding what to do when writing a formal paper.



Compiling all of this advice together, the most important point is this.

If you expect the professor to grade your work fairly and carefully, you should put the same amount of effort and care into preparing your essay!

With that in mind, we began compiling our "non-negotiables" for formal writing for the year. These are things that we all know make good formal writing and we should all be expected to do it.



With this in mind, we moved on to editing our college essays. You can access my specific feedback by viewing your document on Turnitin.com and then editing the document via Google Drive or the computer you saved the essay to. You should complete the reflection sheet below first and then move on to making specific revisions.



Then, you will email or Google share your revised essay with me using my school email address.

"Canterbury Tales" and Medieval Test Review

Our test over "Canterbury Tales" and the Medieval period is Tuesday, October 16th. Below is the review given out during class which should be turned in with your green study questions handout.



If you are looking for the completed lecture notes, you can find them below.



Be sure to review The Prologue and Satire Notes, The Wife of Bath's Tale, and The Pardoner's Tale to prepare!

1st Quarter Extra Credit Assignment

As we ran out of copies in class, here is the extra credit for this quarter. It is due Monday, October 15th. Please be sure to read the directions carefully.

"Canterbury Tales": The Pardoner's Tale

Recently, we began the Pardoner's Tale. Just like the Wife of Bath tells a story of her own that reflects her values and beliefs, so too does the Pardoner.

And the Wife and Pardoner are very vastly different people, although they share the trait of self-importance.



When we first met the Pardoner in the Prologue, he is described as having a goat-like voice and waxy yellow hair that falls like rat tails. Already, we are seeing the Pardoner portrayed in an unflattering way. He is being equated to a rat. What do we think of when we think of rats?

Usually:

• Disease
• Dishonesty
• Disgust
• Trash
• Dirty
• Snitch

The Pardoner is a little of all of these things. In his prologue, he talks about how he's basically in his job for the money, but still tries to pass it off as something that isn't really immoral. He even says that just because he himself is greedy doesn't mean he cannot help others avoid the sin of greed. But, this does bring up the paradox of the Pardoner's character: the Pardoner preaches that money is the root of all evil, but he earns money by selling indulgences to forgive sins. So, he uses what causes evil to supposedly cleanse people of evil. 



The pardoner's tale begins with three rioters. Rioters are like rogues, looters, troublemakers. They usually spend their days drinking and causing trouble. These three men learn that their best friend has just been murdered by a thief they call...DEATH.



Yes, Death is being used as a metaphor here. Death is portrayed as thief who kills many, many people, even an entire village. This is a reference to the plague, which seemed to steal away people's lives even at the pinnacle of their youth. So, the Pardoner portrays death almost like a person, sort of how we do with the Grim Reaper.



The three rioters make a pact that they will hunt down Death and KILL HIM! At the beginning of their journey, they run into an old man and talk rudely to him. The old man scolds them and so they accuse the old man of being a spy for Death. The old man denies it and tells the rioters that Death is actually waiting under a nearby oak tree.

And you should read the rest of the tale HERE.

Some things to remember (NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR READING, BUT IT MIGHT HELP):

• When the old man talks about missing his mother, it's another metaphor for the Earth. He knocks at her gate because he knocks the ground with his cane when he walks. He wants her to open his arms to her = he wants to die and be buried in the ground.
• The rioters DO eventually find Death. Do they win?
• The basic moral of the story can best be summarized by the old man's words "Do no more harm to an old man than you, being now young would have another do when you are old." Basically, do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
• The Pardoner admits that the life he lives may not be one that is very pious (good and religious) and that he himself is a sinner of sorts. However, he still feels himself very self-important because he believes his way of getting money is clever. 
• In other words, the Pardoner admits to the pilgrims that he is greedy and a scam artist, but almost takes a pride in it. But, he still tries to scam the other pilgrims at the end. 

"The Canterbury Tales": The Wife of Bath

Today, we began the story of the Wife of Bath.

We began with our warm-up and discussed how the characters Chaucer presents to us in the prologue do and do not fit the expectations or stereotypes we have of them. Check our powerpoint below for responses from each class.



One big reason we discussed stereotypes to start is because the Wife of Bath is someone who does not completely live up to the stereotypes and expectations that medieval society has for her nor does she really care much about that.

Women in this period were supposed to be:

• Coy
• Submissive
• Uneducated
• Timid
• Married
• Dependent on their husband or family

The Wife of Bath is a woman who is well-traveled, wealthy, bold, self-important, and direct. She openly discusses her sexual history and her past marriages (she states she has had 5 husbands, but she has had more than 10 lovers or husbands during her life). In her prologue, she says these marriages and relationships have made her an expert in marriage, love, and sex. The Pardoner even asks her to share her story so that men such as himself can learn a thing or two, despite also saying he assumed he would never marry if he had to live having to do what his wife told him to.



To read the Wife of Bath's Tale and her prologue, you can click HERE.

For those of you reviewing or those who were absent, just a few important points (NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR READING):

• The Wife of Bath's view on marriage isn't really completely clear until the end of the tale when she gives a suggestion at how love can change people and how marriage should be.
• The Wife of Bath has had 5 official husbands, but has had many more lovers and relationships. In the full version of the tales, it is said that her experience in relationships began at the age of 12. A girl who was forced to mature at such a young age will understandably have a less romantic view of such matters.
• Before the Wife even begins her story, she tells the group to not let it offend them because it's just a story. She knows that her story will probably offend them because it will challenge the ideas they hold about women and nobility. She is trying to increase her credibility. 
• When the Wife's tale begins, she starts by insulting the Friar who, we learn in the Prologue, is a really gross old man who pursues young women even though he isn't supposed to. Then, she transitions to a knight (a different knight than the one from the prologue) who sexually violates a young woman just because he can.
• At a few points during the story, she drifts off into other famous stories. Again, she is trying to build her credibility by showing her level of education and intelligence. Only about 1% of women in the medieval period could read or write, but the Wife knows stories written in Latin by ancient Roman writers! 
• The knight feels no real shame for the crime he has committed. His sadness and sorrow are all focused on himself. He feels sad because he might die and then later because he is forced to marry someone who isn't very attractive, is poor, old, and low class.
• The old woman gives the knight a long lesson that being rich, attractive, and upper class don't mean anything if you have a bad attitude or do terrible things. She tries to point out to the knight that deep down, he's kind of a turd wrapped in armor because he does things like rape young women, then complain when someone helps save his life because he actually has to hold up his end of the deal!

• Ultimately, the answer to the question of what women most desire is also the answer to a question regarding what love truly is. The rules of courtly love are sometimes contradictory, but they also circle around an idea of sacrifice in the name of someone's beloved. To give up control, the Wife suggests, is the true meaning of love. 
• That crazy, ridiculous, somewhat unfair ending? It illustrates how love can change someone. Consider how the woman changes physically and how the knight changes in his behavior and personality. 

There! Now you're up to speed! We will be starting in on the Pardoner's Tale next week and we won't have much time to slow down, so make sure you get yourself caught up before coming back to class!

"The Canterbury Tales": Writing Homework Assignment - The Knight's Tale or The Nun's Tale

Your homework assignment for this unit is to read a tale that is NOT located in our text book and to respond to that story. For this assignment, we have given you the choice of selecting either the Knight's Tale or the Nun's Tale. 

Here's a quick synopsis of each below if you need it:

• The Knight's Tale - Two cousins (almost like brothers), Palamon and Arcite, both fall in love with the same woman whom they see from the window of their prison in Athens, where they have been thrown after losing in a battle against king Theseus. The woman, Emelye, is the Theseus' sister-in-law. One day, Arcite is freed, but is banished and forbidden to return to Athens. He becomes jealous that Palamon gets to look at Emelye every day. However, Arcite eventually returns Athens in disguise and he and Palamon are pitted against each other in a battle for Emelye. This tale focuses on topics that the knight embodies: fortune, honor, and courtly love.
• The Nun's Tale - A rooster named Chanticleer is hopelessly in love with a hen named Pertelote. Chanticleer has a disturbing dream one night of a fox coming into the henhouse and snatching them up. Pertelote tells him not to worry and it is just a dream. However, the fox does appear one day and has his eye on Chanticleer and the other hens. This tale focuses on topics that the nun might concern herself with: appearance, courtliness, and flattery.

Your task for this assignment is to simply track your thinking as you read. When we read, we are always asking ourselves questions or monitoring our own understanding.We make predictions, wonder about the author's purpose, or react emotionally. While you read one of these two tales, keep track of these reactions every stanza or so and write them on a post-it or in a notepad or notebook. 

At the end of reading, select one of those thoughts. On the lined paper in the packet below, you are going to write/attach your idea or thought and then elaborate on it now that you have finished reading. The goal with this assignment is to demonstrate that you are thinking critically while reading, not just skimming through the words on the page. 

The second assignment in the packet is an in-class activity that we will do in groups. You do not have to worry about this second activity until Thursday, October 11th. What is important is that you come to class with that first writing finished. And yes, it should take up most if not all of the lines on the page. 

The QR codes in the packet will lead you to the tales. Copyright laws prevent me from posting the links to them here. If you need a printed copy, you may request one in class. 

Powerpoint from October 2nd

In class, we continued to read the prologue and responded to the study questions. However, our warm-up did review what we had learned about the narrator, knight, and squire. The responses from each class are listed on the slides in the powerpoint below and may assist students who were absent on the day we began reading about these characters.

"The Canterbury Tales": Satire Notes and Prologue

As we begin our new unit over "The Canterbury Tales," we must also discuss the genre of this text: satire.

Below are some notes regarding satire as well as the outline for these notes.





A few general points about satire:

• Satire is not about guilt, it is about humor. Good satire usually makes a lot of people laugh and a small group of people (usually the people being criticized) very angry. 

• Modern satire is sometimes accused of overstepping the boundaries of "decency," but its goal is always to make people change their thinking or their behavior.
• Some modern examples of satire that we discussed in class are:
• The Simpsons
• Saturday Night Live
• Family Guy
• American Dad
• The Daily Show
• Robot Chicken
• Moral Orel
• Various late shows
• Last Week Tonight

We then began with the prologue of "The Canterbury Tales." Now, the prologue is long, so we will not be reading all of it. In the prologue, Geoffrey Chaucer introduces us to all 29 of the travelers. These travelers are called pilgrims, much like the Pilgrims that we know that came and settled in America. Much like these Pilgrims, a pilgrim is someone who goes on a journey, usually a very long and difficult one, as a sign of religious devotion. Pilgrimages still exist today- the one most of you have probably heard of is the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. The pilgrimage is supposed to symbolize a religious journey, sometimes one of growth, sacrifice, or even enlightenment. 

The fact that Chaucer chooses to focus on the stories of people making this religious trip implies that this will be a story that deals with religious growth, though in Chaucer's case, he is hoping people will outgrow the corrupt practices of the Catholic church and seek for reform. 

Chaucer was very aware of the impact that first impressions have in terms of how we judge people. Since satire is all about making judgments, Chaucer goes to great lengths to give us a detailed description of each of the pilgrims and their background, mannerisms, and appearance. These descriptions are supposed to give us a perspective on each of these individuals. Some of them are actual members of the Catholic hierarchy - the Nun, Friar, Monk, etc. - while some are members of the "upper class" - the Knight - and others are just plain citizens - the Yeoman, the Wife of Bath. 

No detail is pointless in these descriptions. They all give us an impression of how we are supposed to feel about each of the pilgrims and how we should interpret their stories.

In the Prologue, we will meet a few specific characters: The Knight, the Squire, the Friar, the Wife of Bath, the Nun, and the Pardoner.

You can find the text of the Prologue HERE. These are the sections we are reading:

• Lines 1 - 102: Introduction and meeting the Knight
• Lines 122 - 166: Meeting the Nun
• Lines 169 - 211: Meeting the Monk (this is a change from what we did in class; I will explain on Tuesday)
• Lines 455 - 486: Meeting the Wife of Bath
• Lines 689 - 734: Meeting the Pardoner

As we read, we will be completing the following study questions. This handout is due tentatively on Tuesday, October 16th.