Machiavellian is an adjective. It describes someone who gets what they want in cunning, ruthless and immoral ways.
A thesis statement is a clear, overarching argument
Topic sentences give focus to individual paragraphs
Topic sentences should support the overarching thesis
Identifying judicious supporting detail to include in each paragraph supports planning

Common misconception

Thesis and topic sentences are the same thing.

A thesis must be overarching. A topic sentence can be much more specific.

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.
Topic sentence - A topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph. It states the paragraph’s main idea.
Overarching - Your thesis should be overarching: it should be an idea that is supported by the whole text, not just one moment from the text.
Judicious - Judicious is a synonym for wise, well-chosen, sensible.

Consider how long your students might need to plan their response. Once you have identified this, plan the rest of the lesson's timings accordingly.

Teacher tip

Equipment

You will 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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

In 'Macbeth', which characters are presented as having villainous qualities?

Duncan

Correct answer: The witches

Banquo

Correct answer: Lady Macbeth

Macduff

Q2.

In 1.6 of 'Macbeth', in what ways is Lady Macbeth duplicitous?

She welcomes Banquo to her castle whilst plotting to kill him.

She hides the fact that she is a witch.

She emasculates Macbeth.

She pretends to be pleased about Macbeth's promotion.

Correct answer: She welcomes Duncan to her castle whilst plotting to kill him.

Q3.

When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost in 3.4 of 'Macbeth', how does Lady Macbeth try and control his terrified reaction to it?

Correct answer: emasculation

saying "Leave all the rest to me"

summoning the witches

pretending she can see the Ghost too

Correct answer: anger

Q4.

Which of the following are true of the purpose and role of topic sentences?

They should include analysis of quotation.

Correct answer: They give direction and purpose to paragraphs.

They conclude paragraphs.

They explain the range of topics you will explore in your essay.

Q5.

In 1.5 of 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth asks spirits to "Make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to "..

Correct Answer: remorse, 'remorse', 'Remorse', Remorse, "remorse"

Q6.

Once she hears about the witches' prophecies in 1.5 of 'Macbeth' via letter from Macbeth, the first thing Lady Macbeth says is, "Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art ".

Correct Answer: promised, 'promised', Promised, 'Promised'

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

You have been given this question: 'To what extent does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth presented as a dutiful wife?'. Match the question fragment to its purpose.

Correct Answer:To what extent,What is your overall thesis?

What is your overall thesis?

Correct Answer:does Shakespeare present,What were the writer's intentions?

What were the writer's intentions?

Correct Answer:Lady Macbeth as a dutiful wife,What ideas are there around this concept in the play?

What ideas are there around this concept in the play?

Q2.

Match the essay terms to their definitions.

Correct Answer:thesis,a powerful idea you prove throughout your essay

a powerful idea you prove throughout your essay

Correct Answer:topic sentence,the first sentence of a paragraph which states its main idea

the first sentence of a paragraph which states its main idea

Correct Answer:judicious supporting detail,well-chosen evidence which supports the topic sentence

well-chosen evidence which supports the topic sentence

Correct Answer:concluding sentence,summary of paragraph with a focus on writer's purpose

summary of paragraph with a focus on writer's purpose

Q3.

In his book 'The Prince' (1513), Machiavelli argues that to get and maintain power, you might have to resort to certain tactics. What are they?

Correct answer: immorality

supernaturalism

Correct answer: duplicity

Correct answer: treachery

emasculation

Q4.

Why might some argue that Lady Macbeth is not a Machiavellian villain?

Correct answer: She supports Macbeth's ambitions, not her own

Correct answer: She feels guilt at the end of the play and doesn't maintain power

She doesn't have children

She hasn't read 'The Prince'

She rejects her humanity

Q5.

Here is a thesis: Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth is presented as a Machiavellian villain when she uses duplicity; later she is not so Machiavellian because she feels guilty'. What feedback would you give?

Clear thesis

Correct answer: You are arguing both sides; select one

Correct answer: You are describing the plot, not arguing an idea

You are ready to write your topic sentences

Explain what Machiavellian means

Q6.

Which topic sentence best supports this thesis: 'Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth embodies the qualities of a great Machiavellian ruler, only prevented from realising her ambition due to the patriarchy'?

Shakespeare might have been influenced by Machiavelli's 'The Prince'.

Jacobeans believed women should run a godly household and not be Machiavellian.

Correct answer: Shakespeare uses Act 1 to establish Lady Macbeth's qualities as a Machiavel.

In 1.5, Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth powerfully with 'unsex me here'.

Ultimately, Shakespeare opposed the patriarchy; perhaps he was a feminist.