Reasons for selection and synopsis
Returning home from battle, power-hungry, ambitious Macbeth meets three evil witches who tell him that he will soon be king.
Macbeth immediately tells his scheming wife, Lady Macbeth, who pressurises him into murdering the current King Duncan. Macbeth
soon finds himself trapped in a web of deceit, murder, guilt and madness until a final battle reveals the truth behind the
prophecies, as foretold by the cunning witches. This is another excellent adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most popular tragedies.

Before reading…
Ask the children to look at the front cover. What do you think the book will be about? What things can you see on the front cover?
What sort of story will it be? Who might enjoy it?Now read the blurb – where any of your predictions correct?

How do the reviews on the back persuade you to read the book?

Cast List

This play is set in Scotland. Can you locate Scotland on a map?Look carefully at the cast list. Draw lines to match the name of the
character to their role in the story.

The Three Witches                                      Thane of Glamis and General to KingDuncan
Macbeth                                                         Wife to Macbeth
Lady Macbeth                                               Also known as the Weird Sisters
Banquo                                                           King of Scotland
King Duncan                                                 General to King Duncan
Malcolm and Donalbain                             Thane of Fife
Macduff                                                          The King’s sons
 

When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
When the hurly-burly’s done,
When the battle’s lost and won.
(First and Second Witches; I.i)

How many witches are there? What do you think they are doing?What might they be plotting?

What do you think their role might be in the story? What battle might they be referring to?

Can you transform yourself into a witch to recite this? How might a witch move/act/speak?

Pages 7 – 15

Vocabulary

What does ‘gloating’ (pg 7) mean?
Look at the illustration of the witches on page 7. Can you think of three adjectives to describe them?
Can you find an example of a simile on page 8. What does it mean? Is it effective?
Find and copy a word on page 11 that means the same as ‘weak’.
Try performing the chant on page 15, beginning “All hail, Macbeth…” Can you
make it sound frightening, threatening and spooky?
What does the word ‘thane’ mean?

Infer

What is the weather like on the battlefield? How do you know?
What do you think the crystal allows the third witch to do (pg 9)?
Read page 11. Why do you think Banquo isn’t smiling?
How do you know the horse is scared on page 12?
What might Macbeth be thinking and feeling on pages 14 and 15?

Predict

Read to the end of page 9. Who do you think is coming?
Read to the end of page 11. Do you think Macbeth will become king?

Explain

In the play, when Banquo sees the witches he says, “What are these/ So withered and so wild in their attire/That look not like th’ inhabitants o’ th’ Earth/ And yet are on ’t?” Can you explain to a partner what he might be saying about the witches? What is an ‘inhabitant o’ th’ Earth’ and why don’t the witches look like one?
On page 12, the hags’ robes are ‘streaming like tattered flags in the wind’. Why do you think the author has chosen this simile? Where else might we see ‘tattered
flags’? (An interesting link to make here with the battlefield!)
Look at pages 14 and 15. How does the author make the witches seem mysterious
and scary?

Retrieve

How have the witches remained undetected all day?
Which two sides are fighting in the battle?
The second witch has a tuft of black hair sprouting from her chin. True or false?
What are the names of the two Scottish generals?
Use the information on page 10 to draw and label a picture of Macbeth.

Summarise

Can you make a list of all the witches you know, that appear in films and stories?
What role do witches play in stories?

Pages 16 – 25

Vocabulary

Find and copy a word on page 17 that is similar in meaning to ‘messenger’.
Replace the words in bold with synonyms: “Fill me with cruelty, so I may teach my husband how to be ruthless!” screamed Lady Macbeth as the thunder rumbled.
Infer Why does Banquo ask if the witches are ghosts (pg 16)?
What might Macbeth be thinking and feeling on page 16 when he hears he is now the Thane of Cawdor?
Read page 18. Do you think Banquo is worried about Macbeth? Use evidence from the text.
What are your first impressions of Lady Macbeth?

Predict

Read to the bottom of page 18. What do you think Macbeth will write in his letter to
his wife?
Read to the bottom of page 23. What do you think Macbeth will do?

Explain

Read page 19. How does Lady Macbeth feel about her husband? How would she
describe him?
Lady Macbeth is only trying to do what’s best for her husband. Do you agree? Use
evidence from the text.
How does Lady Macbeth persuade Macbeth to commit murder?

Retrieve

What has happened to the previous Thane of Cawdor? Why has he been executed?
What message does the servant bring on pages 20 and 21?
Complete this sentence: Lady Macbeth says she will put a _____________ into a jug
of ___________ so the _________ sleep and Macbeth can slip into ___________ room
and murder him.

Summarise

Can you re-write pages 12-18 from Banquo’s point of view?
Lady Macbeth gives the following advice to Macbeth:
“Your face, my thane, is as a book where men May read strange matters….
Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it!” (I.v)
What do you think she means? Can you summarise her advice by re-writing it in modern day English?

Write a summary of Lady Macbeth’s plan to murder the king.

Pages 26 – 35

Vocabulary

Replace the words in bold with synonyms: Without realising, the strange force that
had compelled Lady Macbeth and Macbeth to kill Duncan was slowly driving them
apart.

Infer

What might Macbeth be thinking and feeling when he sees the dagger?
What might Lady Macbeth be thinking and feeling while she waits for Macbeth to
return on page 29?
On page 30, why does Lady Macbeth say, “You should not have brought the
daggers here!”
Underline any words or phrases on pages 30 and 31 that suggest Macbeth feels
guilty about what he has done.
Why do you think Malcolm and Donalbain are convinced that Macbeth is the
murderer?

Predict

Read to the end of page 29. Why do you think Macbeth has two daggers?
How do you think the King’s murder will affect Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?
How do you think Macbeth will rid himself of Banquo and his son?

Explain

In the play, when Macbeth sees the dagger he says,
“Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand?” (II.i)
What do you think the dagger symbolises? Do you think Macbeth really sees a
dagger?
Macbeth is being driven to murder by a strange force and cannot be held
responsible for his actions. Do you agree? Use evidence from the text.

Retrieve

What does Lady Macbeth do to make the guards seem guilty?
Why do people think Malcolm and Donalbain have murdered the King?
After their father’s murder, Donalbain and Malcolm flee to Ireland. True or false?

Summarise

Write a summary of these pages in six sentences.
Re-write pages 29-31 from Lady Macbeth’s point of view.

Pages 36 – 44

Vocabulary

What is a ‘coronation’ (pg 36)?
Can you underline a simile on page 40. What does it mean? Is it effective?
Find and copy a word on page 41 that means the same as ‘joke’.
Re-write this sentence, replacing the words in bold with synonyms: Macbeth
moaned softly to himself, “I will not be myself until Banquo’s spirit is laid to rest. Only
the witches can set me free!”

Infer

Read up to ‘they kept anxiously shuffling their feet’ (pg 39). Why do you think the
murderers are behaving like this?
What might Macbeth be thinking and feeling when he learns that Banquo’s son
has escaped?
What might the other nobles be thinking and feeling on page 43?

Predict

Read to the bottom of page 36. Where do you think Banquo is?
Read to the bottom of page 40. Who do you think is sitting in Macbeth’s throne?
After Macbeth has committed murder, he asks “”Will all great Neptune’s ocean
wash this blood clean from my hand?” Who is Neptune? How is Macbeth feeling?
Read to the bottom of page 44. Do you think Macbeth will go back and see the
witches? What might he say to them?

Explain 

Explain why Lady Macbeth answers Macbeth with a ‘forced laugh’ on page 41.
Macbeth has lost his mind. Do you agree? Use evidence from the text.

Retrieve 

Read page 37. What has happened to Banquo and his son?
Use the information on page 42 to draw a picture of Banquo’s ghost.
What excuse does Lady Macbeth give for Macbeth’s strange behaviour?
Summarise If you were putting on a performance showing the events on pages 40-44, how
would you direct the actors? What sort of scenery would you have? What music,
lighting and soundtrack might you want? Write a summary of your ideas.

Writing opportunity
Write a diary imagining you are Lady Macbeth recounting the events in the story so far.

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