Blogger #30 - Meng Ling Yang - Period 9 - 12/6/21

Blogger #30 - Meng Ling Yang - Period 9 - 12/6/21

Aim: How does Macbeth's multiple or conflicting motivations ​compared with his interaction with other characters advance the plot ​or develop the theme? (Day 1)


Do Now: WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION



Mrs Peterson asked the whole class to think of a time you or someone else had a supernatural telling. (Question 1) Ilaria stated that something supernatural happened to her mural instructor in the school. Her mural instructor told her “...that when she was a baby, she was close to her grandma, then her grandma went bye bye….” I believe she said that the mural instructor’s grandma was already dead when she was born, so how could she have met with her grandma. Another supernatural telling was from Mrs Peterson where she stated, “...a gentleman told me about my mom...about how sadly my mother’s little sister had passed on…” and when she told this to her mother about this incident, her mom replied, “No”. I don’t have any supernatural telling, nor do the people around me have experienced it.
(Question 2) A classmate replied that most people would react with disbelief to predictions about their future. I agree with this statement as most people are filled with uncertainty about their future, and even if predictions are told about their future, people would be doubtful. What is going to happen in the future is always uncertain, and people can only use the time to tell if the predictions are accurate. Another classmate Emily took another stand that people can react excitedly to predictions about their future. Mrs Peterson added that people would react if the prediction were something good.

(Question 3) If some of the things from the prediction seem to come true, each person will react differently. If the person's prediction is something good and some come true, then that person would be ecstatic and look toward the future. On the other hand, if the person's prediction is something bad and a part of it has already come true. Then, that person would be in despair and disbelief of reality where they won't look forward to their future as they already know that the future welcoming them would be dreadful.


Reading/Acting

Students volunteer to voice for characters in Macbeth act 1 scene iii and iv.


Characters scene iii:

• The Narrator
• Three Witches
• Macbeth
• Banquo
• Ross
• Angus

Characters in scene iv:

• The Narrator
• Macbeth
• Banquo
• Duncan
• Malcolm

Before the students start reading Macbeth act 1 scene iii, Mrs Peterson proceeds to help the students to revisit and review what happened in scenes i and ii. In scene i, the students were introduced to the three witches meeting together, deciding that they were going to meet again in weather of thunder, rain, or storm after the battle that had been going on somewhere had a winner and a loser encounter Macbeth. In scene ii, the battle that the three witches talked about in scene i had ended. Mrs Peterson told the students that as the battle that had been going on is concluded, the three witches will meet again in either weather of thunder, rain, or storm. After Mrs Peterson's summary, the students voicing the characters in Macbeth start to read out loud. When the students finished acting out scene iii, Mrs Peterson explained that "Flourish" at the start of scene iv is King Dancan's palace. Macbeth and Banquo enter the palace to meet King Duncan. After the explanation, the students continue acting out scene iv. Lastly, when the students finished reading scenes iii and iv, Mrs Peterson started another class discussion.


Class Discussion:




A classmate, Emily, starts the conversation by saying that the reader doesn't know where the witches' power came from. She stated that the witches have "...supernatural powers. Foresee and finish." Mrs Peterson added that the witches "... can't physically touch, they can manipulate natural elements." Being able to control natural elements is very powerful, as we know from the phrase "the power of nature." From what was discussed above, an inference of how the witches power is limited is that although the witches can control natural elements to make mischief, they can't directly use their power to destroy something. An example Mrs Peterson gave was the 1st witch taking revenge on the sailor's wife, who refused to give chestnut to the witch. Mrs Peterson states that the witch decides to take revenge on the sailor as, during the Elizabeth period, women had little status and had to rely on men. Hence, the best way to revenge the sailor's wife was to affect the sailor as he is the woman's husband who insulted the witch. The 1s witch took her revenge by using her power so that the sailor's ship can't stop on any ports to prevent the people on the ship from getting freshwater, make the sailor unable to sleep and suffer torment for weeks and make the ship caught in a tempest but will not sink. It was unknown if the sailor had survived, but from this example, the students were able to see that the witches power is limited only to be used indirectly to destroy something.


After the class discussion regarding the witches' power, the students are introduced to dramatic devices to understand the script better.




NOTE: Aside is where a character is voicing a comment spoken only to the audience. An example of a soliloquy is in act 1, scene iii, where Macbeth is voicing his inner thoughts.

Mrs Peterson made the class first discuss the questions on slide six regarding Macbeth act 1 scene iii in their teams then altogether as a class.





Teamwork Then Discussion (Act I, scene iii)

How do Macbeth and Banquo react to the witches prophecies?

• My team: Macbeth and Banquo, doubt the witches' prophecies. A member of my team says that Macbeth is doubtful as he doesn't know how he will be the Thane of Cawdor. Another team member said that Macbeth and Banquo don't understand the prophecies.
• Class: Macbeth reacts doubtful and excitedly to the witches' prophecies as he know that he would get the title of "Thane of Glamis" when his father Sinel die but he was not sure how he would get the title of "Thane of Cawdor" as the titleholder is still alive so why would the king give the title of someone alive to him. When Macbeth hears that he is going to be king, Macbeth is excited by the prophecies that he is going to be king. Banquo is skeptical of the witches' prophecies as he thinks the witches are up to no good.

What does the figurative language used by Banquo in the line “instruments of darkness” imply?

• My team: My team didn’t understand what the “instruments of darkness” were and believed the three witches were. My teammate sought help from Mrs Peterson, to which she made us think about where witches came from and deduced that “the instrument of darkness” is the witch who originated from the devil.
• Class: Banquo's figurative language in the line “instruments of darkness” imply that the witches originated from the devil and the witches are off to no good.

What is Banquo’s warning to Macbeth in lines 132-139?

• My team: Banquo’s warning to Macbeth was not to trust what the witches said.
• Class: Banquo’s warning to Macbeth was that the witches were trying to manipulate them. Banquo warns Macbeth that the witch is only giving out a bit of truth into what they are saying to gain trust from Macbeth, but in the end, the witches are going to betray Macbeth. Banquo warns Macbeth to be careful of the witches.

Macbeth states: “Let us speak our free hearts to each other” to Banquo. What is he promising and why is that significant?

• My team: Macbeth is promising to be honest with Banquo.
• Class: Macbeth promises to be honest with Banquo when speaking privately. Macbeth promises to be honest with Banquo, to be honest with each other. Still, Macbeth himself is not honest as Macbeth started to believe the witches prophecies, and he now wants to be king and think of ways to make it happen, which he won't be honest with Banquo.

Reflection:

In this lesson, Mrs Peterson makes the students use character interaction with Macbeth to infer his inner thoughts and changing motive as the plot advances. Today the class read Macbeth act 1 scene iii & iv. In scene iii, the three witches meet with Macbeth and Banquo. They told Macbeth of their prophecies, which caused Macbeth's thoughts and motivation to be king and not trust Banquo. In scene iv, Macbeth and Banquo meet with King Duncan where part of the witches' prophecies come true, causing Macbeth to sink even more into believing the prophecies. We learned character interactions with Macbeth to infer how Macbeth's character is changing by itself and how we believe Macbeth's actions will predict what plot is going to happen. I will use what I have learned of character interaction in other novels to help me understand why certain characters are changing and what makes them change and act the way they are.