Act 3, Scene 4, ‘Macbeth’: Macbeth’s fears, and Lady Macbeth’s diminishing power
I can explore Act 3, Scene 4 of ‘Macbeth’, with a focus on Macbeth’s fears and Lady Macbeth’s diminishing power.
Act 3, Scene 4, ‘Macbeth’: Macbeth’s fears, and Lady Macbeth’s diminishing power
I can explore Act 3, Scene 4 of ‘Macbeth’, with a focus on Macbeth’s fears and Lady Macbeth’s diminishing power.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Act 3, Scene 4 sees the Macbeths hold an important feast
- Macbeth sees Banquo's Ghost
- As in earlier scenes, Lady Macbeth could be interpreted as trying to emasculate her husband
- However, Macbeth appears less susceptible to her emasculation
- Lady Macbeth appears to lose control over her husband
Keywords
Appearance versus reality - Appearance versus reality is an important theme in literature. If how things appear is different to reality, there is disorder.
Emasculate - If you emasculate someone, you deprive them of their masculine role or identity.
Legitimate - If your power is legitimate, it is legal and valid.
Diminishes - If something diminishes, it reduces in importance.
Blunt - If your speech is blunt, it is direct.
Common misconception
Banquo's ghost is definitely a figment of Macbeth's imagination.
It's up to directors whether Banquo's ghost should appear on stage; an actor could play this part, or Macbeth could be scared of nothing.
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Act 3, Scene 4, ‘Macbeth’: Macbeth’s fears, and Lady Macbeth’s diminishing power, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Act 3, Scene 4, ‘Macbeth’: Macbeth’s fears, and Lady Macbeth’s diminishing power, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the Macbeth: Lady Macbeth as a Machiavellian villain unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You need access to a copy of William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
An illegitimate monarch - his authority is not valid.
A monarch who kills his subjects.
A monarch who is fearful and paranoid.
A monarch who promotes his subjects when deserved.
A meek and virtuous monarch.
A legitimate monarch - his authority over Scotland is valid.