Shakespeare in Three Steps: Macbeth

Product Description

“To become intimate with Shakespeare in this way is a great enrichment of mind and instruction of conscience.”—Charlotte Mason

Now you can help your students become familiar with Shakespeare’s imaginative stories, memorable characters, and brilliant lines in three simple steps:

1. Read the story.
2. Hear the script.
3. Watch the play.

Shakespeare in Three Steps: Macbeth book provides everything you need:

• A well-written story version of the play by E. Nesbit—a classic narrative that has been providing a wonderful introduction to Macbeth for decades.
• The complete script of the play with helpful notes to explain unusual terms or add to your understanding of Shakespeare’s stories, characters, and lines. When you purchase a printed version of Shakespeare in Three Steps, you will also receive the e-book version in PDF form so you can easily make copies of the included script for your students.
• An outlined plan for walking through the script, divided into manageable portions with quick recaps, scene introductions, and summaries that will guide you each step of the way. We highly recommend using the excellent audio dramatization from Arkangel Shakespeare for this step, so students can hear the lines delivered masterfully from the very beginning.
• Script highlights, featuring well-known or just ponder-worthy lines, that will gently introduce the Bard’s genius and cultivate an appreciation for his wonderful way with words.
• Parental advisories to give you a heads-up on scenes that may contain material inappropriate for children.
• Helpful lists of the characters in the scenes and the number of lines each one speaks, so you can assign parts knowledgeably for reading sessions or acting roles.
• Candid reviews of several video recordings of the play to save you time previewing and help you select an appropriate presentation for your students to watch and enjoy.

Macbeth

Recommended for Grades 9–12
Tragedy

Summary: Set in Scotland before English rule, Macbeth is a tragic drama. Macbeth and his friend Banquo are on their way home from subduing a rebellion when they meet three witches. The witches make a prediction that Macbeth will become king. Macbeth wonders if he can believe what they say, but his wife pushes him with such fanatical extent that the two of them murder King Duncan and seize the throne for themselves. Their resulting reign slides downhill quickly, with both Macbeth and his wife succumbing to madness and guilt that leads them to commit murder after murder, including that of Macbeth’s friend Banquo. Finally, one of Duncan’s sons rallies an English army, marches back into Scotland, and overthrows the tyrant Macbeth.