New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Writing an analytical essay about Lady Macbeth as a Machiavel in ‘Macbeth’

I can write a well-structured and convincing analytical essay about how far Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a Machiavellian villain.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Writing an analytical essay about Lady Macbeth as a Machiavel in ‘Macbeth’

I can write a well-structured and convincing analytical essay about how far Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a Machiavellian villain.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. An introduction can start with a general statement about the text
  2. This can be followed by a more specific statement about the focus of the question, and finally your thesis
  3. A conclusion can move from a specific statement about the text to a more general statement at its continued relevance
  4. Analysis of writer’s methods and/or context helps develop a paragraph

Common misconception

Analysis can only include a language focus, especially single word analysis.

You should analyse a range of writer's methods; this analysis should support your thesis or topic sentence.

Keywords

  • Machiavellian - Machiavellian is an adjective. It describes someone who gets what they want in cunning, ruthless and immoral ways.

  • Thesis - A thesis is an argument, a powerful idea that you state at the beginning of an essay and prove throughout your essay.

  • Embedded quotation - An embedded quotation puts a quotation inside your own sentence. For example: Lady Macbeth wants to be filled with ‘direst cruelty’.

  • Methods - Methods are techniques a writer uses. These encompass everything: language, form, structure and characterisation.

  • Context - Context concerns the circumstances in which a text was written; context helps us to understand the writer’s intentions further.

Consider how much time you would like students to write for, and plan the lesson backwards from there.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of serious crime

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
A key attribute of a Machiavellian villain is their ability to control others. What means does Lady Macbeth use to control Macbeth in 'Macbeth'?
kills their children
works with the witches
Correct answer: goads him into killing Duncan
Correct answer: questions his loyalty to her
accuses him of being a drunkard
Q2.
Why might some argue that, in 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth is a Machiavellian villain?
She is dominant in Act 1.
Correct answer: She is duplicitous.
She seeks power for Macbeth.
Correct answer: She helps eliminate Ducan.
She regrets her part in the regicide.
Q3.
A is an argument, a powerful idea that you state at the beginning of an essay and prove throughout your essay.
Correct Answer: thesis, Thesis, thesis., 'thesis', Thesis.
Q4.
Match the parts of the single paragraph outline to their function.
Correct Answer:thesis,outline your overarching argument for the whole essay

outline your overarching argument for the whole essay

Correct Answer:topic sentence,outline the main argument of your paragraph

outline the main argument of your paragraph

Correct Answer:summary sentence,summarise your argument; focus on the writer's intentions

summarise your argument; focus on the writer's intentions

Correct Answer:supporting detail,evidence from the text that supports your topic sentence

evidence from the text that supports your topic sentence

Q5.
In 1.5 of 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth advises Macbeth to "look like the innocent flower, But be the under't'".
Correct Answer: serpent, 'serpent', Serpent, 'Serpent', serpent.
Q6.
Which of these statements, taken from essays about 'Macbeth', best embeds a quotation?
Lady Macbeth rejects her humanity. For example, "fill me...Of direst cruelty".
Lady Macbeth rejects her humanity "fill me...Of direst cruelty".
Correct answer: Lady Macbeth rejects her humanity asking to be filled with "direst cruelty".
The quotation fill me with "direst cruelty" shows Lady Macbeth rejects humanity.
Lady Macbeth wants to be "cruelty".

6 Questions

Q1.
Writers use methods in their work to convey their messages. You should explore these methods in essays. Which of the following count as a writer's methods?
Correct answer: the form they chose for their work
Correct answer: the structural decisions they made
the directorial decisions made
Correct answer: the language they chose
Correct answer: the characterisation in the text
Q2.
Imagine an essay question which asks you to explore Lady Macbeth as a Machiavellian villain in 'Macbeth'. What would serve as the most relevant context for this essay?
Correct answer: Ideas about expectations of women in Jacobean England.
Ideas about expectations of women in Machiavelli's Italy.
Ideas about the supernatural in Jacobean England.
Ideas about James I marriage.
Ideas about the language Shakespeare uses in the play.
Q3.
Which of the statements, taken from essays about 'Macbeth', best embeds a quotation?
Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth. For example, "Art thou afeard?".
Correct answer: Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth, asking "Art thou afeard?".
Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth: "Art thou afeard?".
Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth "Art thou afeard?".
The quotation "Art thou afeard?" proves Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth.
Q4.
Which of the statements, taken from essays about 'Macbeth', do not successfully embed a quotation?
The witches create a dangerous world in which "fair is foul".
Shakespeare signals Macbeth's "noble" reputation in Act 1.
Correct answer: Shakespeare signals Macbeth's violence for example when he "unseam'd" a traitor.
Correct answer: Macbeth asks the witches to stay. The quote "Tell me more" shows his interest.
Banquo describes Macbeth as "rap't" signalling he is entranced by the witches.
Q5.
When writing an analytical essay, what should an introduction include?
analysis of language
Correct answer: a general statement about the text
Correct answer: a thesis statement
Correct answer: a statement about the focus of the question
a summary of the plot of the text
Q6.
When writing an analytical essay, what should a conclusion include?
a summary of the plot of the text
analysis of language
an additional thesis
Correct answer: a focus on writer's purpose
Correct answer: specific response to your introduction's thesis