Macbeth BP #1: Macbeth's Nature

Last updated almost 8 years ago

6 questions

Note from the author:

This is part of a series (of 4) I put together to scaffold the writting process for my struggling writers. The prompt is stated at the top of each Formative in the series. This Formative walks them through writing the first Body Paragraph establishing Macbeth's tragic hero nature.

Macbeth BP #1: Macbeth's Nature

Last updated almost 8 years ago

6 questions

Note from the author:

This is part of a series (of 4) I put together to scaffold the writting process for my struggling writers. The prompt is stated at the top of each Formative in the series. This Formative walks them through writing the first Body Paragraph establishing Macbeth's tragic hero nature.

This paragraph should establish that Macbeth’s moral nature is balanced enough to help the reader identify with him. It should show that he is noble, but also imperfect. The universality of his qualities can be explored (but don’t get sidetracked) in helping demonstrate how the reader has empathy for a man like Macbeth.

Look over your annotated Key Soliloquies. Then paste several of your favorite quotes which demonstrate that Macbeth is a noble character, using this doc if that is easier. Be sure to include proper citation for each one to make your life easier later (ie, Act 1, Scene 2, Line 30 = 1.2.30).

Looking at the quotes you pasted into Question 1, think about what they have in common. What kind of impression do those quotes leave on the reader of Macbeth's Character/Nature? What kind of man do those quotes describe? How do people generally view a man such as this?

Look over your annotated Key Soliloquies again. This time, paste several of your favorite quotes which demonstrate that Macbeth is an imperfect character--not evil, necessarily, but certainly not some squeaky-clean perfect Superman type character. Don't go for quotes showing him committing terrible actions--those will come in handy later...you must establish that he is relatable, and a villain is not relatable. Once again, use this doc if that is easier for you. Be sure to include proper citation for each one to make your life easier later (ie, Act 1, Scene 2, Line 30 = 1.2.30).

Looking at the quotes you pasted into Question 3, think about what they have in common. What kind of impression do THOSE quotes leave on the reader of Macbeth's Character/Nature? What kind of man do those quotes describe? How do people generally view a man such as this?

Now think about the two sides of Macbeth's nature you've discussed so far. Think about how the reader identifies with a person like this, as opposed to a more archetypal (stereotypical) character. Why do we identify with Macbeth? How do the two halves of his nature affect us in a way that neither one alone could? Do we identify with his flaws in some way? Do we aspire to his strengths? Try to keep your thoughts fixated on Macbeth; do not get too philosophical or generic here.

Time to assemble what we have to far and to clean it up. Copy-paste your favorite quotes from #1, then your response to #2 below. Then copy-paste your favorite quotes from #3, then your response to #4 after that. Then copy-paste your response to #4. Re-read what you have. At this point you have the beginnins of your first body paragraph! But it needs work, obviously. You need:

1. A topic sentence describing Macbeth's complicated nature.
2. Those quotes are just dropped in there naked and quivering! They need clothes! You need to weave the quotations by giving context and connecting them. I can help you with this! (Don't forget to leave the citation(s); you can separate multiple ones with a semi-colon...ex: 1.3.35; 2.1.45-58).
3. You need transitions between these blobs of text you pasted in...use transitional phrases to show how your ideas are connected--ESPECIALLY between your first chunk and the second.
4. You should end by stating what you have proven...find a way to encapsulate Macbeth's nature in memorable way.

Do all of those things and you'll have a pretty uh-mazing Body Paragraph.