March 22 nd

1. March 22nd • Please sit in your character committees around the room. If you were absent, see me to assign you to a group. • Group 1 Macbeth • Group 2 Macduff (to line 75 “the life o’ the building”) • Group 3 Macduff (from line 76 “Approach the chamber”) • Group 4 Lennox • Group 5 Lady Macbeth and Banquo • Group 6 Malcolm and Donalbain

2. Act 2 scene 3 tasks • Read the summary at the beginning of the scene to get a sense of the overall events • Find every line spoken by the character(s) you’ve been assigned. If there are words or phrases you don’t understand, talk them over in your group so that you’re clear about what they mean • Write down, (each of you individually in your notebook-this counts as you act 2 scene 3 questions) how your character(s) react to the death of Duncan. Then write a good paragraph (5-8 sentences) of instructions for what kind of emotions and gestures an actor would need to make to play the roles you’ve been assigned • Choose a person who will read your role for the class. If you can’t agree among yourselves, I’ll just pick someone at random when it’s time to start the scene.

3. Macbeth Day 7 (March 21) Agenda What I want you to learn today From text to stage- how to interpret words on a page, and translate them to live action PLOT-what happens in the chaos right after the murder—where does it leave Macbeth • Warm up-review your character committees • 2.3 instant performance-the murder is discovered • Comic Relief • The Porter Scene • 2.3 In film comparison

4. The Porter Scene • In a scene of comic relief, the Porter hears knocking at the gate and imagines that he is the porter at the door to Hell. • He imagines admitting a farmer who has committed suicide after a bad harvest, an "equivocator" who has committed a sin by swearing to half-truths, and an English tailor who stole cloth to make fashionable clothes and visited brothels. • Outside stand Macduff and Lennox, who scold him for taking so long to respond to their knocking. The Porter claims that he was tired after drinking until late and delivers a short sermon on the ills of drink.

5. Two versions • First, just listen • Then, watch

6. Order in the Universe Assignment In your journals: • What causes order in the universe? What causes chaos? What are some examples of things that disrupt the order of the universe?

7. In film: • Focus on the character you were assigned yesterday. How is the portrayal different from your interpretation? How is it similar? • If you were absent, choose a character and describe how they react to Duncan’s murder

8. Order in the Universe Assignment • Rank the following in order from highest to lowest and explain your choice • President, dust, petty thief, street cleaner, dog, pediatrician, dandelion, amoeba

9. Finish Act 2 • Read the text • Why are Malcolm and Donalbain leaving? • How has the order of the universe been disrupted?

10. Act 2 scene 4 Group Tasks: • Read the summary at the beginning of the scene to get a sense of the overall events • As a group assign roles and read through the scene, • As a group, discuss and answer the reading questions for Act 2 scene 4 Everyone must have the answers in their journals

11. Act 2 scene 4 questions • Why are the events discussed by the old man and Ross in the beginning of the scene so significant? • How has Malcolm and Donalbain’s decision to flee the country impacted people’s beliefs about Duncan’s murder? • Do Ross and Macduff seem happy about Macbeth’s rise to the throne? Why or why not?  • The old man gives the final rhyming couplet in the scene? Why is it important