Macbeth: GCSE 9-1 set text student edition (Collins Classroom Classics)

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Section A of Paper 1 contains the Macbeth question and you are required to answer the one available question on the play

The Macbeths host a banquet at their castle, but Macbeth hallucinates a vision of the murdered Banquo sitting at his place at the table For a much more detailed guide on answering the Macbeth question, please see our revision notes on How to Answer the Shakespeare Essay Question . Macbeth is told of the death of his wife, and that Birnam Wood is advancing on Dunsinane. He contemplates the pointlessness of life but remains convinced he is invincible because of the witches’ second prophecy Macduff enters the castle and challenges Macbeth to a duel before admitting that he was born by Caesarean section, and is thus not “of woman born”Lady Macduff is advised to flee her castle with her children but refuses, saying that she has done nothing wrong They offer him three new prophecies: to “beware Macduff”; that “no man of woman born” can kill him; and that he won’t be defeated unless Birnam Wood starts marching on his castle While King of Scotland, Macbeth becomes increasingly paranoid that his act of regicide will be discovered, and that he himself will be murdered, and so Macbeth attempts to murder any person he sees as a threat (first his friend and comrade Banquo; later a thane called Macduff). The murderers kill Banquo, but Fleance manages to escape. The assassins return to Dunsinane to tell Macbeth Malcolm, Macduff and an army of Scottish thanes advance to Birnam Wood and use its branches for camouflage

You will be asked a question that asks you to analyse and write in detail about an aspect of Macbeth Macbeth is a five-act tragedy, written by William Shakespeare in 1606. Set in medieval Scotland, it mainly takes place in and around Macbeth’s castle, Dunsinane. The Macbeth essay is worth 34 marks in total, because it also includes 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar Examiners always praise students who clearly know the plot of the texts they are studying, as having this base of knowledge leads to the best exam responses. Below you will find: Macbeth sees his first hallucination – a bloody dagger – after seeing Banquo and Fleance in the castle courtyard

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There are also other minor characters in Macbeth who play a significant role in the play, such as the Three Witches and Malcolm.

In England, Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty and is satisfied with Macduff’s responses. Macduff is told about the murder of his family and vows revenge However, overwhelming guilt consumes both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth: Macbeth sees hallucinations – including of his murdered friend Banquo – and seeks the dangerous advice of the witches for a second time, while Lady Macbeth loses her mind completely and commits suicide. Macbeth keeps changing his mind about whether to murder Duncan or not. This is particularily so in the early part of the play. His ambition conflicts with his sense of loyalty and morality. Lady Macbeth is key to persuading him and keeping him determined. It is a closed-book exam, which means you will not have access to a copy of the text (other than the printed extract) in your exam As an increasingly deranged Macbeth starts shouting at Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth asks all the guests to leave

Throughout the play, Macbeth is tormented by thoughts of the evil things he has done. However, he is caught in a spiral of evil and does not seem able to stop himself. An overwhelming sense of guilt leads Lady Macbeth to lose her mind, and hallucinate in her sleep. She kills herself (this happens off-stage) Although Shakespeare plays often have a huge number of characters, the characters you should focus on when revising Macbeth are: At the start of the play, Macbeth shows that he is a mighty warrior when he leads the Scottish troops to victory over an invading force. Duncan, the King, rewards him by making him Thane of Cawdor. At the end of the play, when he knows he is about to die, Macbeth regains some of his old bravery, as he faces Macduff in single combat. Its protagonist , Macbeth, is at first presented as a noble warrior and thane who is loyal to his king. However, a combination of his ambition, the prophecies of three malevolent witches and the encouragement of his equally ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, sees him assassinate his king, Duncan, and ascend the throne himself.