Hello, my name is Ms. Grant.

I'm so glad that you've decided to look at the opening of "Macbeth" with me.

Today we're gonna look at some really interesting and challenging ideas.

I'm gonna be here to be your support and guide.

I'm really looking forward to hearing all of your ideas.

Let's get started.

So by the end of today's lesson, you are gonna be able to describe the atmosphere in the opening scene of "Macbeth." This lesson comes from the unit called "Macbeth:" lady Macbeth as a Machiavellian villain, we're gonna look really closely at act one scene one.

We're gonna think what is the atmosphere here and how Shakespeare created it.

We've got some key words that we're gonna be referencing throughout this lesson.

Familiar, foreboding staging, pathetic fallacy, and ominous.

All of these words are gonna help us describe the atmosphere in act one scene one.

The definitions are gonna come up on the next slide, one at a time.

Read through them and pause the video if you want to spend a bit longer.

So this is the structure of our lesson today.

We're gonna look first at witchcraft and the supernatural.

Then we're going to look at Shakespeare's use of foreboding, and we're gonna tie that all together and look at the atmosphere created in act one scene one in our third learning cycle.

Let's get started with witchcraft and the supernatural.

When Shakespeare wrote "Macbeth," witchcraft was a topic of considerable interest.

Witches were associated with the dark and death.

I'd like you to pause the video and discuss this question.

In what ways do Shakespeare's witches associate with darkness and death? Pause a video and have a discussion.

Some really fantastic ideas there.

People talking about, well, the witches are often presented as appearing at night, and some people actually referencing productions they've seen where the witches are presented as only appearing at night.

And some people thinking about the text already is a really literary text.

And thinking about the witches association with all the darkness, the violence, and the death that occur within the play.

Like how responsible are they for that? Now, there were some common Jacobean beliefs about witches.

They were thought to be agents of Satan, conduct their business at night, be able to control the weather and the natural world, cause death, be able to see into the future, and make potions and poisons from body or animal parts.

Again, I'd like you to pause the video and have a quick discussion.

In what ways do Shakespeare's witches conform to these beliefs? Pause the video and have a think.

Some really lovely discussions there, showing off fantastic knowledge of the play as a whole in the witch's part in it.

So lots of people talking about, well, not only is the first scene, does it seem to be at night, but actually it's in a storm and maybe the witches are controlling that storm.

Lots of people talked about the big one, the prophecies that they give to "Macbeth" and Banquo suggesting they really can see into the future.

And some people even remembering that that scene at the end of the play in act four, where they're chanting around a cauldron, really suggesting that they can make potions or poisons.

Fantastic knowledge of the play as a whole.

James, I, who was king of England when "Macbeth" was first performed, wrote a book called "Daemonology." It was published in 1597.

In it, he argues that witches exist and describes how witches should be punished.

Those suspected of witchcraft could be hung, burned or drowned, didn't like witches, felt they should be found, felt that they should be punished.

So for Jacobean's subjects of King James, Witches were a live issue and a really important topic.

So I want you to have a discussion.

What might Shakespeare be signalling to his audiences by starting his play with three witches? Pause the video and discuss this question.

Some beautiful discussions there.

Lots of people saying, look, this is a really bold choice to not start the play "Macbeth" with the hero, but instead with three supernatural creatures, maybe he's signalling their importance to the play and the importance of the supernatural to the play.

So definitely a really bold choice and seeming to be signalling to us how important these characters are to the fates of the other characters in the play.

So a quick check for understanding.

Jacobeans saw witches and the supernatural as theatrical, but nothing more, fictional, a concept their monarch supported, or a very real threat.

Pause the video and select your response.

Congratulations if you selected D.

Jacobeans saw witches and the supernatural as a very real threat.

Let's think about the witches appearances in "Macbeth." In act one, scene one, they meet on the heath, the staging.

It's during a storm.

In act one, scene three, we've got the first prophecies, the staging.

We're on a heath, a wild isolated area.

We meet them again in act three, scene five with Hecate, a witch goddess who's actually telling them off because they're meddling in Macbeth's life without her.

The staging, it's at night and the final time we meet them is an act or scene one where they give further prophecies to "Macbeth." So we meet the witches four times.

The staging for these further prophecies, it's round a cauldron and at night, I want you to think about the weather, the location, and the prop, the cauldron.

How does the staging reinforce Jacobean beliefs about witchcraft? Pause the video and have a discussion about this question.

Some lovely discussions there.

I like how lots of people talked about this prop, this cauldron where they seem to be making a potion.

And so absolutely this conforms reinforces Jacobin beliefs about witchcraft.

Lots of people talked about, oh, well, they're meeting at night.

This seems to reinforce their common beliefs about witchcraft as well.

And particularly that powerful opening with the storm may be suggesting their control or certainly saying, well, it's gonna be quite a scary play that's going to come about because we're starting with these scary witches.

So using the suggested sentence starters, I'd like you to justify this statement.

Shakespeare's witches conform to Jacobean beliefs about the supernatural.

Here are your sentence starters.

Shakespeare sets some of the witches scenes at night because in addition, chanting around a cauldron suggests and significantly their first appearances during a storm, which could suggest pause the video and write your response using the sentence starters to justify the statement.

Beautiful to see people writing and tying context.

Things we know about Jacobean beliefs about the supernatural to the play itself.

Here are some ideas that you might have had.

Shakespeare said some of the witches scenes at night because Jacob's believed witch is met and plotted at nighttime to avoid detection.

In addition, chanting around a cauldron suggests the witches are casting spells, perhaps using human or animal parts.

Significantly, their first appearance is during a storm, which could suggest they can control the weather or their evil deeds are affecting the natural world.

Have a look at your response, see if you want to add anything.

And well done for time context to the play itself.

We're gonna move on now to Shakespeare's use of foreboding.

First of all, let's read this section of act one scene one.

The stage directions say a desert place.

Thunder and lightning.

Enter three witches.

The first witch says, "When shall we three meet again in thunder, lightning, or in rain?" The second witch says, "When the hurlyburly's done, when the battles lost and won." First of all, I'd like you to discuss this question.

How do the opening stage directions create a sense of foreboding? Then move your discussion on and think, how does the witches dialogue develop this sense of foreboding? Pause the video and discuss these two questions.

Some beautiful discussions there.

Let's share and collect some ideas.

So lots of people focused on the fact that they're meeting in a deserted location.

They isolate themselves to hide their evil intent.

And by act two, remember "Macbeth" hides his actions too.

The thunder and lightning.

The weather is turbulent just like the action of the play promises to be.

The first witch has a question, "In thunder, lightning or in rain?" And perhaps this question suggests control over the weather and therefore control over other things too.

And finally, lots of people talked about these last lines and how confusing they are, and I completely agree, but I think these lines are deliberately confusing.

We can't trust her.

And Macbeth's trust in the witches is foolish.

So this opening section, just these short lines really create this sense of foreboding, that something bad is going to happen in this play.

A quick check for understanding.

I'd like you to match each device to its effect.

Each device that Shakespeare uses in act one, scene one, to create a sense of foreboding, we've got character dialogue and pathetic fallacy.

Pause the video, read the descriptions, and match each device to its effect.

Fantastic.

If you match character to act one, scene one is dedicated to the witches, not the hero.

Suggesting the malevolent control over the action.

Congratulations if you match dialogue to what the witches say suggests they can't be trusted.

And finally well done.

If you match pathetic fallacy to the scene set in an isolated location where the terrible weather foreshadows the terrible events to come.

Well done on matching each device to its effect.

So we're gonna annotate the rest of the scene, the rest of act one, scene one with this question in mind.

How does Shakespeare create a sense of foreboding? The highlighted sections might be of particular interest.

Pause the video and annotate the rest of act one.

scene one.

Some beautifully annotated scripts.

I can't wait to share and collect ideas.

So are some ideas you might have had.

The third witch seems to know when the battle will end.

She's predicting or controlling the future and the witches seem to target Macbeth and they want to meet him on an isolated heath, which mean that he is vulnerable.

Lots of people focused on the fact that they name Macbeth suggesting something bad is gonna happen to him.

The witches have familiars, demons to support them in their evil deeds.

Graymalkin and Paddock suggesting they've got quite a lot of power in this play.

And finally, they all chant together, "Fair is foul," which suggests appearances deceive.

And what appears good is actually evil.

They're creating a world.

A world which is very scary because we cannot trust what we see.

We cannot trust what we think might be good because actually it might turn out to be bad.

So we are going to move on to our final learning cycle.

We're gonna look at the atmosphere created in act one, scene one.

The opening scene sets the tone for the play and it can also help us understand the important themes that might be explored in the rest of the text.

I want you to discuss what themes do you think act one, scene one of "Macbeth" sets up.

Pause the video and discuss this question.

Some beautiful responses there showing off your fantastic knowledge of the play as a whole.

We're gonna share and collect some ideas.

I've got three themes and you might have thought of many more, so don't worry if these were not the ones that came up for you.

So lots of people did talk about the supernatural and its power and how important it is to this play.

The witches are not the only supernatural occurrence that occurs.

And so Shakespeare's singling at the very beginning, okay, the supernatural is gonna be very important to this play.

We've got appearance versus reality.

Lots of people talked about that final line that the witches chant really setting up the idea that this theme is going to be explored throughout the play.

And finally, isolation.

Really well done if you've got this one.

It's hard to spot, but the witches are in an isolated heath and they seem to be wanting to isolate Macbeth, who they name specifically.

And isolation is a theme that is explored throughout this play through lots of different characters.

So we've got three important themes to the play.

And I want you now to think how is each theme further explored? And just try and give one specific example.

You don't need to use a quotation but you can if you wish, you can just think about a plot point or a character.

Pause the video and think about this question, have a discussion.

Some beautiful discussions there again, showing off fantastic knowledge of the play.

I'm going to focus on the theme that most people talked about, appearance versus reality.

And I'm also gonna look at the character that many of you talked about.

Lady Macbeth, who pretends to be kind.

Duncan comes to her castle.

She pretends to welcome him, but she secretly plots his regicide.

But more than that, she also tells Macbeth, "Look, you should deceive Duncan.

Pretend that you are a loyal thing, a loyal soldier, but actually plot his regicide." Lovely to focus on that really important character and the way that she helps us understand this theme.

We're gonna look at a model paragraph now, which explores act one, scene once atmosphere and its significance to the rest of the play.

This student wrote, "Shakespeare uses act one, scene one of "Macbeth" to create a foreboding atmosphere to prepare us for the disturbing action of the play.

The scene is significant in terms of suggesting the witches control over the fate of "Macbeth," who they mention by name.

The witches meet in the dark throughout the play, reinforcing common Jacobean beliefs about the behaviour of witches.

It also makes us understand Macbeth's developing characterization as a once loyal soldier then uses the dark to kill his king." The student continues.

"While the witches only appear four times, the fact that they start the action underlines their power.

The final two lines of the scene include, 'Fair is foul.

' This sounds like a spell and gestures towards the theme of appearance versus reality.

The foreboding atmosphere created is therefore, born out in the play itself." A really lovely paragraph and I'd like us to dwell on it a little bit.

Pause the video.

What do you think is so powerful about this model paragraph? Pause the video and really pick it apart.

Really lovely to hear people exploring this paragraph, noting what is very strong about it.

Here are some ideas that I heard people talking about.

Lots of people notice that this student uses Shakespeare's name in that first sentence and uses a key word foreboding.

It was really nice to see the student then make specific reference to the scene's details.

They use their next couple of sentences to refer to common Jacobean beliefs about witches and relate the scene to another moment in the play.

And finally, this last section shows off their knowledge of the witches throughout the play.

References all their appearances, And importantly, it explores why Shakespeare starts the play with the witches.

So a really powerful paragraph.

So a quick check for understanding the atmosphere in act one, scene one is foreboding 'cause the witches want Macbeth to be king, is this true or false? Pause the video and select your response.

Well done if you selected false.

Now I want you to justify your answer.

Is it a Shakespeare signals that the witches focus is Macbeth but we are not sure of their exact intentions? Or B, Shakespeare signals that the witches focus is "Macbeth," but they want to kill him, not see him promoted.

Pause the video and select your response.

Well done if you selected A, we are not sure of the witch's exact intentions in act one, scene one.

Second, check for understanding.

You should prefer to scenes and isolation so you can explore them in enough depth.

Pause the video and select your response.

Is it true or false? Well done if you selected false.

Now I want you to justify your answer.

Is it A or B? A, "Shakespeare scenes are so rich and you have to make sure you are giving enough time for developed exploration." Or B, "Linking scenes together shows you understand the play as a whole and contract themes appropriately." Pause the video and select your response.

Well done if you selected B.

Linking scenes together shows you understand the play as a whole and contract themes appropriately.

Okay, we are gonna look at another response and we're gonna rewrite and improve it.

Let's look at the response below.

"Shakespeare uses act one, scene one of "Macbeth" to greater foreboding and ominous atmosphere.

The scene is short and designed to be scary, especially the when the witch is seen to specifically name Macbeth who they want to meet on an isolated heath.

Later the witches say 'Fair is foul,' which suggests that everything that is good is actually evil, a disturbing idea." So good paragraph, but it could be made even better.

You might want to add, to make this paragraph even stronger, ideas about staging, using the sentence starter.

"Shakespeare often presents the witches meeting at night which.

." Contextual information using the sentence data, "The witches reinforce traditional beliefs about witches, which could.

." References to other moments in the play.

"This scene is later developed when.

." Pause the video and you're gonna improve, rewrite that paragraph using these ideas to support making that paragraph even better.

Pause the video and write a response now.

Lovely to see people writing and getting their contextual ideas in there, thinking about their staging, the play as a whole.

Really, really strong writing there.

Before we have a think about what you might include, we're gonna do some self-assessment.

So read and assess your response using the questions below to guide you.

Where have you included ideas about staging? Where have you included contextual information? Where have you referenced other moments in the play? Pause the video, read through your response and make sure you've included these three things.

Lovely to see people editing their work.

A crucial part of the writing process.

So here are some ideas that you might have included in your paragraph.

Ideas about staging to begin.

You might have had the witches always presented as meeting at night, and even at one point around a cauldron, suggesting their supernatural powers and their desire for secrecy.

We might have looked at Shakespeare's use of pathetic fallacy in act one, scene one.

It's meant to be ominous, scary, and gesture towards the turbulent action of the play.

You might have had other ideas, but if you want to add any of these now, pause the video and you can bolster your response.

Let's think about the contextual information you might have included.

Perhaps you looked at Shakespeare's Jacobean audience had shared common beliefs about witches, and this scene reinforces many of those beliefs.

For example, meeting at night.

or perhaps Jacobeans also believe that witches could control people's fates.

And so starting the play with them makes it seem like they have control over all of the action.

These are just some of the ideas that you might have had.

If you want to pause the video and edit your response again, please do so.

And finally, references to other moments in the play.

You might have talked about the fact that "This scene introduces the idea of the supernatural, showing its importance to the play.

We see this not just by the witches, but also act three with Banquo's ghost.

The supernatural is both used as a threat and a warning." Or perhaps you looked at the witches chant, 'Fair is foul," introducing the theme of appearances versus reality.

Many characters in the play are not what they appear to be.

For example, when Lady Macbeth welcomes King Duncan to her home whilst plotting to kill him." There are so many ideas, so many different references you could have made.

If you want to add either of these, pause the video and you can bolster your response now.

So in summary, the opening scene is used to foreshadow events later in the play.

The witches being in the opening scene illustrates their importance to the plot and the supernatural is an important theme in the play.

Well done for completing this lesson.

It was lovely to hear all of your different ideas and to really hear how thorough your knowledge is of the play as a whole already.

Please do the exit quiz and I'll see you next time for our next lesson.