Friday, Feb 27th

For Monday:  I want an outline with a clear thesis and topic sentences for your Macbeth essay, which will be due by the Friday before March Break (or earlier).

The essay must spring from your supervised writing prompt and must zero in on one specific point.  In other words, it can’t be on how he uses motif, symbolism and imagery in the play.  It can be on how he uses dark imagery to (do a very specific thing) or the motif of —- to do a very specific thing.

DO NOT just whip together an outline to get ‘er done.  This is a VERY important part of the writing process and requires a lot of thought.  A well done outline will make the writing process much easier as well.  It will get a summative mark too.

THursday, 26th February

1.  Complete your Reflective Statement (no less than 300 words no more than 400) and email to my jecutcliffe@edu.pe.ca

2.   Come to lab 103 tomorrow, ready to write the prompt.  You will have approx 50 minutes.  After that, you will use the remaining time to begin your research for the interactive oral you have been assigned.  Might  be a good idea to start a google docs group tonight AND to divide up who is doing what.

3.   Tuesday:  more work in lab to research IO’s.  Night group.  I would strongly suggest weekend homework on this so you can use the period to practice and plan your delivery of the IO the next day.   You have more work now, but will then be free and clear.  The other groups will just save their plans and revisit them when it is their turn.

4.  Have the first chunk of Night  read for Thursday, second for the next Monday (we don’t have Friday).  Third will be Wednesday, fourth will be Friday.   Here’s the instructions: Do a Deep Read of Night in four sections

Monday, February 23rd

For Wednesday:

What is the purpose of the scene between Lady Macduff and her son?

Complete the following chart (point form):

Victim:        Motivation      Planning      Time/Place       Murderer(s)    Consequences

Duncan

Banquo

Macduff

*What is my purpose in having you fill this out?  Why is a good chart?

Be able to explain how and why Malcolm tricks Macduff

Look at the last part of scene three, after Macduff hears about his family.  What ideas does S’peare explore here and how does he do so?

Thursday, February 19th…the third day.

Just taking a quick look at your discussions.  Good work!  However, there are a few areas that need a closer look.  (Note some of you may have some of this stuff.  This is just a general overview):

Everyone do a really deep read of Macb’s soliloquy in III i “To be thus…utterance”.  This one’s big and has LOTS in it–character, language, theme.  And you got some of it, but not all.  Some of you even misterp his reason to kill Banquo. Go line by line and paraphrase all of the reasons why he wants to get Banquo. I’ll want to hear your list when next we meet.

While he kills Banquo more easily than Duncan, he doesn’t completely.  Take a closer look at his discussion with the murderers (his second, he tells us) This is significant–why?  What’s the deal on the catalogue and the dogs?  Look at what he does and figure out why.  Also there’s one really good line there near the end of his convo that says it all.

Lady M is very interesting in this act.  She’s only in two scenes (well a little in sc one) but there’s some interesting contrast there –and group one she doesn’t try to change his mind in sc ii–take another look.  Essentially, what up with Lady M???  Do a good analysis of her–in you head, in notes, etc.

What does he conclude when he hears that Fleance escaped?  What extended metaphor does he use?

Lots of excellent imagery in ii and iv.  What? Why?  Some of you got some, some didn’t.  Have another look, especially the last pages of both sc ii and iv.

There’s a new motif in sc vi.  What is it?

Good question group two on the rhyming couplets with Hecate–it’s usually just the last two.  It’s one of the reasons why some scholars believe S’peare didn’t write that scene but that someone else put it in later just for more fun/scariness.

So… be able to answer all of those questions.  Just make notes, nothing to pass in, but you will need good notes for the essay you will write later.

I found a youtube link with the movie.  Watch up to the end of Act III. http://youtu.be/1St2jMYJo1U

Read the rest of Act IV for Monday.  We will review Act III and then discuss what you think we need to discuss for Act IV.  Come with good notes/quotes.

No reason for those IOP’s not to be A-Maze-ING!

Wednesday, February 18th

Holy Moly guys!  We will never get Macbeth killed at this rate. (If I ruined the surprise that just means you don’t know your stuff re tragedies 😉

So…as my messenger already reported, I want you to work on your IOP’s.  If you have questions, I will check periodically.

Also, finish Act III and come to class with the following answered in writing (note form A-OK)

–What is Shakespeare’s overall purpose in ACT III?  Think carefully and narrow to one specific purpose.  Back up with several examples that cover the whole act.

–Two most important quotes from each scene–and why

–Anything interesting you notice about technique.

We will do a quick drive-thru version of Act III tomorrow and then, if we have time, we’ll look at IV(i)…and be careful…the witches are coming back….

Enjoy!

Monday, February 9th

Do a deep read of I vii and II i.   Be sure to read the notes on the Elizabethan view of the universe.  NO writing assignment.  But think about the question–why is she so quickly able to change his mind?

Happy Snow Day

You get to spend part of your day “off” with Macbeth–how sweet is that!  I have just shared three Google Docs with the unsuspecting  Graeme ZInck, who will, unbeknownst to him, be sharing said docs with all of you.  They are titled: Macbeth, Banquo and  Significance of Scenes.  I want you to add your ideas about how the two thanes are characterized as well as why scene two and three are important.  As always, look at S’peare’s use of technique/language.

**Please do not go on the doc and put everything you think you know.  I would like everyone to have a chance to think and contribute, so if you are among the first to post, please just put one or two ideas.  Then, people after you will add, question, challenge, etc.  Once we are done, I’m hoping we have a good overview of what’s important.  Treat it like a discussion.

**If there is something you don’t understand, please add those questions in bold, so I can quickly find them.  I will come on and check around 2pm so make sure you have contributed by then!

Read scenes 4-6 for Monday.