"One of my favorite plays to teach is Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth. Despite the plot of witches, countless murders, corrupt Kings and Queens, and ghosts, this play is much more relatable to students than it may initially appear.
Prior to a respective reading assignment in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, students respond to a daily, in class journal centered on one of the play’s themes. After a period of 10-15 minutes of writing, we discuss their responses.
Then, once the students read the assigned Act in Macbeth, the plays themes are not only more apparent, but the characters motivations are more relatable and understandable."
Journal completed prior to beginning Act I of Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Explain the influence your peers have on your decision making.
Generally, do your peers positively or negatively affect your decision making? Explain.
Describe a time you have fallen to peer or parental pressure. What were the effects?
Journal completed prior to beginning Act II of Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Imagine for a moment that you’ve just done THE WORST thing you could ever imagine YOURSELF doing. (NOTE: this is subjective—for one person it may be breaking curfew, for another if may be murder (though I sincerely hope not!!))
On your piece of paper, explain this act. Then, ponder the following:
To what lengths would you go to cover up this horrible act? Or…
Would you confess immediately? Explain. What role does fear play in your decision making?
Journal to be completed prior to beginning Act IV of Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Do you agree or disagree with the following:
“Evil means justify honorable ends.”
Use experiences from your own life, or things you’ve observed to form the basis of your argument.
Macbeth Journal Questions
1. Does killing during war count as a sin? Is killing for your country bad? Explain.
2. Do you believe there are real witches who have dark powers? Explain.
3. Have you ever had a premonition that came true? Do you believe there are people who can see into the future? Why or why not?
4. Do you believe in prophecies? Would you go to a fortune teller?
5. What do you predict your future will be like? Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
6. What are you ambitious about? What would you give anything to posses?
7. Describe a time you hurt someone to get what you wanted?
8. Describe a time you were a good liar? When do you lie? What do you lie about?
9. In most relationships there is a dominant person. Are you usually the dominant person in your romantic relationships or friendships, or are you passive?
10. Describe a time you enlisted someone to be your partner in crime. Describe a time you asked someone who was unwilling to help you do something they didn’t want to do.
11. Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not?
12. Describe a time you personally experienced the old adage, “You reap what you sow”.
13. Fair is foul and foul is fair. Describe a time you experienced something that turned out to be the opposite of what you expected.
14. Is everything fair in love and war? Are there rules of combat we should go by or should be take it for granted that people are going to do whatever it takes to win?
15. Describe a time you witnessed retribution first hand. Describe an event in the news that showed a just punishment. Is there such a thing as the perfect revenge?