3. Experiment and Innovate

Shakespeare
Image by Unknown Author in Wikimedia. Public Domain.

William Shakespeare is one of the most famous British  poets and writers. He had quite turbulent and dynamic professional life and all those conditions did influence the quality and trajectory of his work.

He was born in Stratford upon Avon in 1564. His father sold gloves and became an important person in the town. William, one of eight children, was the eldest son and was probably educated at the local grammar school. He married when he was only 18 and his wife, Anne Hathaway, was eight years older than him. They had two girls and a boy (who died aged 11).

Nobody knows how Shakespeare began to write or when he entered the theatre, but we know that he became a leading member of the theatre troupe known as 'The Lord Chamberlain's Men'. The company proved very popular and later, when King James I granted them the right to perform at his court, the troupe became known as 'The King's Men'. Shakespeare wrote over 30 plays for 'The King's Men', making it the most important theatre company in the country, and he often wrote parts for particular actors. He was very successful and wealthy in his time, and his work has remained very popular ever since.

His early plays were written in the traditional style for that time –nevertheless he is also very well known for the innovative moments in his writings. Sometimes he would adapt the traditional style to his own needs, using metaphors and rhetorical phrases that didn’t always naturally follow the story plot. He didn’t fear using new words in front of the audience like ‘captious’, ‘intenible’, ‘multitudinous’ and ‘incarnadine’ which quickly found their place in the English vocabulary. He didn’t stride from experimentation and innovation. In order to survive in the world we need to be brave, try new things and take risks.

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Match Shakespeare quotations with the play they come from. Write the number.

To be, or not to be: that is the question. 01. The Merchant of Venice
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
02. A Midsummer Night's Dream
…be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em. 03. Twelfth Night
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
04. Hamlet
Now is the winter of our discontent 05. Romeo and Juliet
If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? 06. Richard III
The course of true love never did run smooth. 07. As you like it
If music be the food of love, play on. 08. Julius Ceasar
All the world 's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts. 09. Macbeth
What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet 10. Twelfth Night

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Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's best-known plays. There are all sorts of reasons for this but perhaps the main one is that the basic story still strikes a chord with modern audiences. It is a bloodthirsty tale of ambition, and the evils we will go to in order to get what we want. We follow the central character, Macbeth, as he plots and kills in order to become king. And as soon as he is crowned, we watch as his world falls apart around him.

The play is considered very unlucky - actors shouldn't even say the word 'Macbeth' if they aren't on the stage performing it. So that's why people talk about 'The Scottish play', or 'The Comedy of Glamis', or even just 'The Play'. In fact, anything but Macbeth (luckily, it's okay to write it). One reason for keeping quiet is that some people thought Shakespeare didn't just include witches as characters in his play, he actually wrote real magic spells in some of the lines. Because of this, the play was cursed - legend has it that an actor died on the opening night, and lots of others have died since.

The play opens as three witches plan a meeting with the Scottish nobleman Macbeth, who at that moment is fighting in a great battle. When the battle is over, Macbeth and his friend Banquo come across the witches who offer them three predictions: that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, and that Banquo's descendants will become kings.

Banquo laughs at the prophecies but Macbeth is excited, especially as soon after their meeting with the witches Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor by King Duncan, in return for his bravery in the battle. He writes to his wife, Lady Macbeth, who is as excited as he is. A messenger tells Lady Macbeth that King Duncan is on his way to their castle and she invokes evil spirits to help her slay him. Macbeth is talked into killing Duncan by his wife and stabs him to death. No-one is quite sure who committed this murder and no-one feels safe, but Macbeth is crowned king.

Now that Macbeth is king he knows the second prediction from the witches has come true, but he starts to fear the third prediction (that Banquo's descendants will also be kings). Macbeth therefore decides to kill Banquo and his son, but the plan goes wrong - Banquo is killed but his son escapes. Macbeth then thinks he is going mad because he sees Banquo's ghost and receives more predictions from the witches. He starts to become ruthless and kills the family of Macduff, an important lord. Macbeth still thinks he is safe but one by one the witches' prophecies come true, Lady Macbeth cannot stop thinking about Duncan, becomes deranged and dies. A large army marches on Macbeth's castle and Macbeth is killed by Macduff.

Adapted from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramamacbeth/1drama_macbeth_plotrev1.shtml

Video by Dyanne Pennekamp on youtube

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Pregunta

Macbeth
Image by Unknown Author in Wikimedia. Public Domain.

Test your knowledge of the play by choosing the correct answer from the three choices for each question. Some answers you may get from the summary above and some from the video.

At the beginning of the play, three witches meet on a heath to cause trouble. The first witch chants: "When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning or...

Respuestas

...in pain'

...in rain'

...insane'

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Pregunta

After the battle, Macbeth and Banquo come across the three witches. They predict that:

Respuestas

Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, and Banquo's sons will be kings.

Banquo will be Thane of Cawdor and Macbeth will be King of Scotland.

Macbeth and Banquo's sons will be thanes and kings.

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Pregunta

The quickest way for Macbeth to become king is to murder King Duncan...

Respuestas

and Macbeth is really up for it.

but Macbeth almost chickens out and Lady Macbeth has to bully him into it.

but Macbeth is too noble to do such a terrible thing.

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Pregunta

Why is Banquo murdered?

Respuestas

He has an affair with Lady Macbeth.

He suspects Macbeth is Duncan's murderer.

The witches' predictions about Banquo's sons make Macbeth paranoid.

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Pregunta

Lady Macbeth becomes ill and starts trying to scrub her hands in her sleep. Why?

Respuestas

She has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Castles were dirty places in those days.

She dreams that her hands are covered in blood.

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Pregunta

The witches tell Macbeth not to worry because he won't be in danger until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane castle. What happens?

Respuestas

Malcom's army cover themselves in leaves for camouflage.

The wind blows the leaves up the hill to the castle.

Macbeth stays safe. Trees can't move.

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Pregunta

The witches tell Macbeth that his life is charmed; he cannot be killed by any man "of woman born". So how does Macduff manage to kill him?

Respuestas

Macduff was a test-tube baby.

Macduff was found under a cabbage patch.

Macduff was born by caesarean section.

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You have a class assignment with a classmate. You and your partner have to give a 5-minute presentation on Shakespeare and one of his works. Your classmate doesn't know much about Shakespeare and they don't like to read. Choose the information you want to give about Shakespeare, choose the work that you want to speak about, prepare a brief summary, so your classmate knows enough to be able to give the presentation with you.