How to Teach Macbeth

Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is so thematically rich, it's hard for students to understand where to begin in analyzing the characters and situations. Here's a simple plan to help them write an analytical essay.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Make a list of every character in the play.
2. Have students describe each character's state of mind at the beginning of the play, then do the same for the end.
3. Discuss how each character has changed and why.
4. Discuss other characters from fiction or history who have gone through similar changes for similar reasons. The themes of the play will begin to reveal themselves.
5. Have each student choose one character from the play whose changes are similar to another character from fiction or history.
6. Have each student write an essay comparing and contrasting the characters they've chosen, then discussing how they themselves would have reacted if presented with the same set of circumstances.