Year 5 - English
Analysing the main character in 'Macbeth'
Shakespeare's 'Macbeth': narrative and soliloquy writing
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils have their first taste of Shakespearean play scripts. They analyse the witches' prologue of this iconic play as a starting point for writing a narrative opening. Pupils investigate the central character, writing a soliloquy based on Macbeth's famous dagger monologue.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to make inferences and draw conclusions about the character of Macbeth.
Key Notes
- A protagonist is the leading character or one of the major characters in a narrative.
- Macbeth is the protagonist of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.
- Inner conflict is a key theme in many of Shakespeare's plays.
- We can make inferences about characters' feelings and personalities based on their actions, expressions and words.
- Macbeth is a highly conflicted character.
Vocabulary To Learn
- protagonist: the leading character or one of the major characters in a narrative
- conflict: an ongoing disagreement or argument
- inference: using reasoning or evidence to draw conclusions
- theme: a central idea that the writer intends the audience to engage deeply with
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- In Task A, pupils might need support in identifying what each still from the animation is showing.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
A protagonist is the leading character or one of the major characters in a narrative. Macbeth is the protagonist of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'protagonist'
the leading character or one of the major characters in a narrative.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: In Task A, pupils might need support in identifying what each still from the animation is showing. Correction: Look at each image and prompt pupils with questions such as 'Who is this character?'.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Analysing a scene in the build-up of 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Exploring characters and setting in the opening scene of 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Generating vocabulary for the opening of 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Identifying the features of a soliloquy Study Guide
- Peer editing a soliloquy based on 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Peer editing the opening of a narrative based on 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Performing a soliloquy in character as Macbeth Study Guide
- Planning and writing the 'against' section of Macbeth's soliloquy Study Guide
- Planning and writing the 'for' section of Macbeth's soliloquy Study Guide
- Planning and writing the closing thoughts of Macbeth's soliloquy Study Guide
- Planning part one of the opening of 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Planning part two of the opening of 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Understanding the context of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Understanding themes, characters and plot in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Writing part one of the opening of 'Macbeth' Study Guide
- Writing part two of the opening of 'Macbeth' Study Guide
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