writing assignments for macbeth

Gretchen Gales

Writer, editor, teacher, teaching tools: 5 writing prompts for macbeth.

Macbeth is one of my favorite plays to teach. It’s short, but impactful. If you have an interest in teaching your students Macbeth , there are many ways to adapt your curriculum to fit their needs. Many adaptations of the play exist, including the classic text, graphic novels, movies, and more.

First thing’s first: you should have an arsenal of good, open-ended writing prompts for daily journals or short writing assignments. These are especially useful for classes who need immediate “real life” connections to the text. They’re also ready in a pinch if you have to find last-minute materials. I’ve assembled some basic, yet aesthetically-pleasing journal prompts to help guide written discussion. You may be surprised at what students come up with, so don’t forget to let them share their ideas out loud.

Caution : For prompts and other content relating to fortunes and spells, be conscious of your school community’s attitudes towards topics involving the occult. Some families are uncomfortable with anything related to these topics, so have an alternative assignment ready. For journals, tell them they can write on a different topic.

How to Write a Macbeth Essay ( OCR GCSE English Literature )

Revision note.

English Senior Content Creator

How to Write a Macbeth Essay

Paper 2 of your OCR GCSE English Literature exam will include questions on your anthology poetry, unseen poetry and on the Shakespeare play you’ve been studying.

You will have 50 minutes to complete one Macbeth question from a choice of two options:

A question based on an extract (of about 40 lines) from Macbeth or

A “discursive” essay question, which is not based on any extract

You will not have access to a copy of Macbeth for either of these two questions, so it’s important you know the plot of the play really well, and that you have memorised some references and quotes from the play to use in your essay. For the Macbeth essay, OCR examiners state that you need to use evidence from elsewhere in the play, even for the extract-based question : to get a Grade 9, it’s not enough to rely on the text from the extract. See our Macbeth Quotations and Analysis revision note page for some great quotations to learn.

How do you start a Macbeth essay?

It’s always daunting when you have 50 minutes to write one long answer. So how do you start writing? It might sound odd, but the answer is don’t start writing.

The single most important thing you can do to get the highest mark on your Macbeth essay is to write an essay plan before you start your answer. For both the extract-based question and the discursive essay, examiners award the highest marks to students who create a “coherent line of argument” and who maintain a “focus on the question” and a “critical style”. What do these phrases actually mean?


“Focus on the question”
“Coherent line of argument”
“Critical style”

By creating a plan before you start writing, you can make sure that your essay covers all three of these points.

Your plan could look something like this:

How do you structure a Macbeth essay?

As we’ve seen, examiners give the highest marks to students who have managed to create a “coherent line of argument” throughout their essay. We’ve seen that the best way to achieve this is to create a plan, and to use that plan to structure your essay clearly and logically.

To achieve a grade 9, OCR recommends that students include an introduction , clearly organised paragraphs and a conclusion . If you look at the example plan above, you will see that the example plan includes a “ thesis statement ” and “ topic questions ”. See how to include these into your essay below:

Top tips for structuring your Macbeth essay:

Always begin with a clear thesis statement that sets out your argument:

Your thesis statement should only be one or two sentences in length

Include three or four paragraphs in your essay:

Including more paragraphs can result in a rambling essay that doesn’t always answer the question - less is more when writing a focused, coherent essay

Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence:

This is one sentence that sets out the argument of the paragraph

Topic sentences should always be directly related to your thesis statement and the key words of the essay question

All the evidence (quotations or textual references) you include in any paragraph should help you prove your topic sentence

Finish your essay with a short conclusion:

The conclusion shouldn’t include any new evidence

It should sum up how you have proved your thesis statement

Some schools and teachers teach students a “scaffold” for writing essay paragraphs. This usually takes the form of an acronym, like PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation).

However, more and more, OCR examiners are recommending students don’t follow these fixed structures. This is because they restrict your ability to bring in additional pieces of evidence, explore contextual factors, extend your explanation to include different interpretations, or include your own opinions.

To see an example of how to include these elements in your essay, see our model answer for the OCR Macbeth extract question , and a model answer for the Macbeth discursive essay question .

Macbeth essay top exam tips


Plan their essays before writing them	Don’t make an essay plan and write rambling, unfocused essays
Include their own line of argument in the form of a thesis statement	Write pre-learned essays that don’t answer the question, but rather answer the question they they’d been asked
Always focus their response on the question given	Don’t use topic sentences to focus their answer on the question that has been set
Include contextual analysis only when it is relevant	Include irrelevant context (usually at the end of a paragraph) and don’t relate it to the analysis of Shakespeare’s language, structure or form
Consider different interpretations	Explain or retell the plot of Macbeth, rather than analyse Shakespeare’s choices
Choose only relevant evidence from the extract, or play as a whole	Include irrelevant quotations because they’ve learnt them and feel they should include them
Develop and extend their analysis of language, structure and form to more than just one sentence	Make simple comments, and don’t extend their analysis

You've read 0 of your 0 free revision notes

Get unlimited access.

to absolutely everything:

Downloadable PDFs
Unlimited Revision Notes
Topic Questions
Past Papers
Model Answers
Videos (Maths and Science)

Join the 100,000 + Students that ❤️ Save My Exams

the (exam) results speak for themselves:

Did this page help you?

Author: Nick Redgrove

Nick is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. He started his career in journalism and publishing, working as an editor on a political magazine and a number of books, before training as an English teacher. After nearly 10 years working in London schools, where he held leadership positions in English departments and within a Sixth Form, he moved on to become an examiner and education consultant. With more than a decade of experience as a tutor, Nick specialises in English, but has also taught Politics, Classical Civilisation and Religious Studies.

Literary Analysis

Character analysis, character development.

AK RL.11-12.1,
AK RL.11-12.3,
AK W.11-12.1,
AK W.11-12.2,
AK W.11-12.4,
AK W.11-12.9,
AL 11.CL.R.4,
AL 11.CL.R.6,
AL 11.CL.W.11.b,
AL 11.CL.W.11.c,
AL 11.RL.W.28,
AL 11.RL.W.29,
AL 12.CL.R.4,
AL 12.CL.R.6,
AL 12.CL.W.11,
AL 12.CL.W.11.b,
AL 12.CL.W.11.c,
AL 12.RL.W.28,
AR 11.RC.3.RF,
AR 11.RC.5.RL,
AR 11.W.1.S,
AR 11.W.2.S,
AR 11.W.4.P,
AR 12.RC.3.RF,
AR 12.RC.5.RL,
AR 12.W.1.S,
AR 12.W.2.S,
AR 12.W.4.P,
AZ 11-12.RL.1,
AZ 11-12.RL.3,
AZ 11-12.W.1,
AZ 11-12.W.2,
AZ 11-12.W.4,
AZ 11-12.W.9,
CA 11-12.RL.1,
CA 11-12.RL.3,
CA 11-12.W.1,
CA 11-12.W.2,
CA 11-12.W.4,
CA 11-12.W.9,
CCSS RL.11-12.1,
CCSS RL.11-12.3,
CCSS W.11-12.1,
CCSS W.11-12.2,
CCSS W.11-12.4,
CCSS W.11-12.9,
CO RL.11-12.1,
CO RL.11-12.3,
CO W.11-12.1,
CO W.11-12.2,
CO W.11-12.4,
CO W.11-12.9,
CT RL.11-12.1,
CT RL.11-12.3,
CT W.11-12.1,
CT W.11-12.2,
CT W.11-12.4,
CT W.11-12.9,
DC RL.11-12.1,
DC RL.11-12.3,
DC W.11-12.1,
DC W.11-12.2,
DC W.11-12.4,
DC W.11-12.9,
DE RL.11-12.1,
DE RL.11-12.3,
DE W.11-12.1,
DE W.11-12.2,
DE W.11-12.4,
DE W.11-12.9,
FL ELA.10.C.1.3,
FL ELA.10.C.1.4,
FL ELA.10.C.1.5,
FL ELA.10.R.1.1,
FL ELA.K12.EE.1.1,
FL ELA.K12.EE.3.1,
GA ELAGSE11-12RL1,
GA ELAGSE11-12RL3,
GA ELAGSE11-12W1,
GA ELAGSE11-12W2,
GA ELAGSE11-12W4,
GA ELAGSE11-12W9,
HI 11-12.RL.1,
HI 11-12.RL.3,
HI 11-12.W.1,
HI 11-12.W.2,
HI 11-12.W.4,
HI 11-12.W.9,
IA RL.11-12.1,
IA RL.11-12.3,
IA W.11-12.1,
IA W.11-12.2,
IA W.11-12.4,
IA W.11-12.9,
ID 11/12.RC.L.5,
ID 11/12.RC.L.5.a,
ID 11/12.W.RW.1,
IL RL.11-12.1,
IL RL.11-12.3,
IL W.11-12.1,
IL W.11-12.2,
IL W.11-12.4,
IL W.11-12.9,
IN 11-12.RC.1,
IN 11-12.W.2,
KS RL.11-12.1,
KS RL.11-12.3,
KS W.11-12.1,
KS W.11-12.2,
KS W.11-12.4,
KS W.11-12.9,
KY C.11-12.1,
KY C.11-12.1.a,
KY C.11-12.2,
KY C.11-12.2.a,
KY C.11-12.3.a,
KY C.11-12.6,
KY RL.11-12.1,
KY RL.11-12.3,
LA RL.11-12.1,
LA RL.11-12.3,
LA W.11-12.1,
LA W.11-12.2,
LA W.11-12.4,
LA W.11-12.9,
MA RL.11-12.1,
MA RL.11-12.3,
MA W.11-12.1,
MA W.11-12.2,
MA W.11-12.4,
MA W.11-12.9,
MD RL.11-12.1,
MD RL.11-12.3,
MD W.11-12.1,
MD W.11-12.2,
MD W.11-12.4,
MD W.11-12.9,
ME R.4.9-D.a,
ME R.6.9-D,
ME R.6.9-D.a,
ME W.1.9-D,
ME W.3.9-D,
MI RL.11-12.1,
MI RL.11-12.3,
MI W.11-12.1,
MI W.11-12.2,
MI W.11-12.4,
MI W.11-12.9,
MN 11.4.1.1.,
MN 11.4.3.3,
MN 11.7.1.1,
MN 11.7.2.2,
MN 11.7.4.4,
MN 11.7.9.9,
MO 11-12.RL.1.A,
MO 11-12.RL.2.D,
MO 11-12.W.2.A,
MO 11-12.W.3.A.a,
MO 11-12.W.3.A.b,
MO 11-12.W.3.A.d,
MS RL.11.1,
MS RL.11.3,
MS RL.12.1,
MS RL.12.3,
MT RL.11-12.1,
MT RL.11-12.3,
MT W.11-12.1,
MT W.11-12.2,
MT W.11-12.4,
MT W.11-12.9,
NC RL.11-12.1,
NC RL.11-12.3,
NC W.11-12.1,
NC W.11-12.1.g,
NC W.11-12.2,
NC W.11-12.2.h,
NC W.11-12.3.g,
NC W.11-12.6,
ND 11-12.R.2,
ND 11-12.R.6,
ND 11-12.W.3,
ND 11-12.W.6,
NE LA.12.RP.2,
NE LA.12.W.2,
NE LA.12.W.4,
NE LA.12.W.5,
NH RL.11-12.1,
NH RL.11-12.3,
NH W.11-12.1,
NH W.11-12.2,
NH W.11-12.4,
NH W.11-12.9,
NJ RL.11-12.1,
NJ RL.11-12.3,
NJ W.11-12.1,
NJ W.11-12.2,
NJ W.11-12.4,
NJ W.11-12.9,
NM RL.11-12.1,
NM RL.11-12.3,
NM W.11-12.1,
NM W.11-12.2,
NM W.11-12.4,
NM W.11-12.9,
NV RL.11-12.1,
NV RL.11-12.3,
NV W.11-12.1,
NV W.11-12.2,
NV W.11-12.4,
NV W.11-12.9,
NY 11-12 R.1,
NY 11-12 R.3,
NY 11-12 W.1,
NY 11-12 W.2,
NY 11-12 W.5,
OH RL.11-12.1,
OH RL.11-12.3,
OH W.11-12.1,
OH W.11-12.2,
OH W.11-12.4,
OH W.11-12.9,
OK 11.3.R.3,
OK 11.3.W.2,
OK 11.3.W.3,
OK 12.3.R.3,
OK 12.3.W.2,
OK 12.3.W.3,
OR RL.11-12.1,
OR RL.11-12.3,
OR W.11-12.1,
OR W.11-12.2,
OR W.11-12.4,
OR W.11-12.9,
PA CC.1.3.11–12.B,
PA CC.1.3.11–12.C,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.A,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.B,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.C,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.D,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.F,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.G,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.H,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.K,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.L,
PA CC.1.4.11–12.S,
RI RL.11-12.1,
RI RL.11-12.3,
RI W.11-12.1,
RI W.11-12.2,
RI W.11-12.4,
RI W.11-12.9,
SC E3.RL.11,
SC E3.RL.5.1,
SC E3.RL.8,
SC E3.RL.8.1,
SC E4.RL.11,
SC E4.RL.5.1,
SC E4.RL.8,
SC E4.RL.8.1,
SD 11-12.RL.1,
SD 11-12.RL.3,
SD 11-12.W.1,
SD 11-12.W.2,
SD 11-12.W.4,
SD 11-12.W.9,
TN 11-12.RL.KID.1,
TN 11-12.RL.KID.3,
TN 11-12.W.PDW.4,
TN 11-12.W.RBPK.9,
TN 11-12.W.TTP.1,
TN 11-12.W.TTP.2,
TX TEKS E3.10,
TX TEKS E3.4,
TX TEKS E3.4.F,
TX TEKS E3.5.B,
TX TEKS E3.5.C,
TX TEKS E3.6,
TX TEKS E3.6.A,
TX TEKS E3.7,
TX TEKS E3.9.A,
TX TEKS E3.9.B,
TX TEKS E3.9.B.i,
TX TEKS E3.9.B.ii,
TX TEKS E3.9.C,
TX TEKS E4.10,
TX TEKS E4.10.B,
TX TEKS E4.10.C,
TX TEKS E4.4,
TX TEKS E4.4.F,
TX TEKS E4.5.B,
TX TEKS E4.5.C,
TX TEKS E4.6,
TX TEKS E4.6.A,
TX TEKS E4.7,
TX TEKS E4.9.A,
TX TEKS E4.9.B,
TX TEKS E4.9.B.i,
TX TEKS E4.9.B.ii,
TX TEKS E4.9.C,
UT 11-12.R.5,
UT 11-12.R.7,
UT 11-12.W.1,
UT 11-12.W.1.d,
UT 11-12.W.2,
UT 11-12.W.2.e,
UT 11-12.W.3.e,
VT RL.11-12.1,
VT RL.11-12.3,
VT W.11-12.1,
VT W.11-12.2,
VT W.11-12.4,
VT W.11-12.9,
WA RL.11-12.1,
WA RL.11-12.3,
WA W.11-12.1,
WA W.11-12.2,
WA W.11-12.4,
WA W.11-12.9,
WI R.11-12.1,
WI R.11-12.3,
WI W.11-12.2,
WI W.11-12.2.a,
WI W.11-12.2.b,
WI W.11-12.3,
WI W.11-12.3.a,
WI W.11-12.3.b,
WI W.11-12.3.c,
WI W.11-12.4,
WI W.11-12.9,
WV ELA.11.1,
WV ELA.11.20,
WV ELA.11.21,
WV ELA.11.23,
WV ELA.11.28,
WV ELA.11.3,
WV ELA.12.1,
WV ELA.12.20,
WV ELA.12.21,
WV ELA.12.23,
WV ELA.12.28,
WV ELA.12.3,
WY RL.11-12.1,
WY RL.11-12.3,
WY W.11-12.1,
WY W.11-12.2,
WY W.11-12.4,
WY W.11-12.9

Literary Devices

AK RL.11-12.4,
AR 11.RC.6.RL,
AR 12.RC.6.RL,
AZ 11-12.RL.4,
CA 11-12.RL.4,
CCSS RL.11-12.4,
CO RL.11-12.4,
CT RL.11-12.4,
DC RL.11-12.4,
DE RL.11-12.4,
FL ELA.10.R.3.1,
FL ELA.10.V.1.3,
GA ELAGSE11-12RL4,
HI 11-12.RL.4,
IA RL.11-12.4,
ID 11/12.RC.L.5.b,
IL RL.11-12.4,
IN 11-12.RC.11,
IN 11-12.RC.13,
KS RL.11-12.4,
KY RL.11-12.4,
LA RL.11-12.4,
MA RL.11-12.4,
MD RL.11-12.4,
ME R.7.9-D,
ME R.7.9-D.a,
MI RL.11-12.4,
MN 11.4.4.4,
MO 11-12.RL.1.B,
MO 11-12.RL.2.C,
MS RL.11.4,
MS RL.12.4,
MT RL.11-12.4,
NC RL.11-12.4,
ND 11-12.R.5,
NE LA.12.V.2,
NH RL.11-12.4,
NJ RL.11-12.4,
NM RL.11-12.4,
NV RL.11-12.4,
NY 11-12 R.4,
OH RL.11-12.4,
OK 11.3.R.4,
OK 11.4.R.2,
OK 12.3.R.4,
OK 12.4.R.2,
OR RL.11-12.4,
PA CC.1.3.11–12.F,
RI RL.11-12.4,
SC E3.RL.10,
SC E3.RL.10.1,
SC E3.RL.4.3,
SC E3.RL.9,
SC E3.RL.9.1,
SC E4.RL.10,
SC E4.RL.10.1,
SC E4.RL.4.3,
SC E4.RL.9,
SC E4.RL.9.1,
SD 11-12.RL.4,
TN 11-12.RL.CS.4,
TX TEKS E3.6.C,
TX TEKS E3.8,
TX TEKS E3.8.D,
TX TEKS E3.8.E,
TX TEKS E4.8,
TX TEKS E4.8.D,
TX TEKS E4.8.E,
UT 11-12.R.8,
VT RL.11-12.4,
WA RL.11-12.4,
WI R.11-12.4,
WV ELA.11.7,
WV ELA.12.7,
WY RL.11-12.4,

Social-Historical Context

AK RL.11-12.5,
AL 11.CL.R.5,
AL 12.CL.R.5,
AZ 11-12.RL.5,
CA 11-12.RL.5,
CCSS RL.11-12.5,
CO RL.11-12.5,
CT RL.11-12.5,
DC RL.11-12.5,
DE RL.11-12.5,
FL ELA.10.R.2.1,
GA ELAGSE11-12RL5,
HI 11-12.RL.5,
IA RL.11-12.5,
ID 11/12.VD.WB.2.d,
IL RL.11-12.5,
IN 11-12.RC.3,
KS RL.11-12.5,
KY RL.11-12.5,
LA RL.11-12.5,
MA RL.11-12.5,
MD RL.11-12.5,
ME R.8.9-D,
ME R.8.9-D.a,
MI RL.11-12.5,
MN 11.4.5.5,
MO 11-12.RL.2.A,
MS RL.11.5,
MS RL.12.5,
MT RL.11-12.5,
NC RL.11-12.5,
NE LA.12.RP.4,
NH RL.11-12.5,
NJ RL.11-12.5,
NM RL.11-12.5,
NV RL.11-12.5,
NY 11-12 R.5,
OH RL.11-12.5,
OR RL.11-12.5,
PA CC.1.3.11–12.E,
RI RL.11-12.5,
SC E3.RL.12,
SC E3.RL.12.2,
SC E4.RL.12,
SC E4.RL.12.2,
SD 11-12.RL.5,
TN 11-12.RL.CS.5,
TX TEKS E3.7.C,
TX TEKS E4.6.C,
TX TEKS E4.7.C,
UT 11-12.R.10,
VT RL.11-12.5,
WA RL.11-12.5,
WI R.11-12.5,
WV ELA.11.8,
WV ELA.12.8,
WY RL.11-12.5,

Themes and Motifs

Central theme.

AK RL.11-12.2,
AR 11.RC.1.RF,
AR 11.RC.2.RF,
AR 12.RC.1.RF,
AR 12.RC.2.RF,
AZ 11-12.RL.2,
CA 11-12.RL.2,
CCSS RL.11-12.2,
CO RL.11-12.2,
CT RL.11-12.2,
DC RL.11-12.2,
DE RL.11-12.2,
FL ELA.10.R.1.2,
GA ELAGSE11-12RL2,
HI 11-12.RL.2,
IA RL.11-12.2,
ID 11/12.RC.TC.1,
IL RL.11-12.2,
IN 11-12.RC.2,
IN 11-12.RC.5,
KS RL.11-12.2,
KY RL.11-12.2,
LA RL.11-12.2,
MA RL.11-12.2,
MD RL.11-12.2,
ME R.5.9-D,
ME R.5.9-D.a,
ME R.5.9-D.b,
MI RL.11-12.2,
MN 11.4.2.2,
MO 11-12.RL.1.D,
MS RL.11.2,
MS RL.12.2,
MT RL.11-12.2,
NC RL.11-12.2,
ND 11-12.R.3.b,
ND 11-12.R.4,
NE LA.12.RP.1,
NE LA.12.RP.6,
NH RL.11-12.2,
NJ RL.11-12.2,
NM RL.11-12.2,
NV RL.11-12.2,
NY 11-12 R.2,
OH RL.11-12.2,
OH RL.11-12.2.a,
OK 11.2.R.1,
OK 12.2.R.1,
OR RL.11-12.2,
PA CC.1.3.11–12.A,
RI RL.11-12.2,
SC E3.RL.6,
SC E3.RL.6.1,
SC E4.RL.6,
SC E4.RL.6.1,
SD 11-12.RL.2,
TN 11-12.RL.KID.2,
TX TEKS E3.4.G,
TX TEKS E3.6.B,
TX TEKS E4.4.G,
TX TEKS E4.6.B,
UT 11-12.R.6,
VT RL.11-12.2,
WA RL.11-12.2,
WI R.11-12.2,
WV ELA.11.2,
WV ELA.12.2,
WY RL.11-12.2,

-->

Writing activities for Macbeth

Add this document to collection(s)

You can add this document to your study collection(s)

Add this document to saved

You can add this document to your saved list

Suggest us how to improve StudyLib

(For complaints, use another form )

Input it if you want to receive answer

In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

Macbeth Act 3 Creative Writing Prompts

Easel Activity Frequently assigned

Also included in

Description

Enhance your Macbeth Act 3 lesson plans with these highly engaging and thought-provoking creative writing prompts. Perfect for a range of class activities, including bell ringers, homework assignments, writing assessments, and sub lessons, these prompts will help your students deepen their understanding and analysis of the play. With a focus on characters, themes, and concepts such as guilt and power, these writing prompts encourage critical thinking and imaginative writing.

The download includes the following:

★ A list of all 10 prompts

★ Individual handouts for each prompt on which students can write their creative pieces.

Some examples of the prompts are:

➤ Imagine you are Banquo's ghost, returning to haunt Macbeth after his assassination. Write a monologue from Banquo's perspective, describing his feelings and motivations.

➤ Write a letter from Lady Macbeth to Macbeth, in which she expresses concerns about how he has acted since Duncan's murder and the impact it has had on her.

Due to the range of prompts, students can pick their own challenge or you can select it for them so you can differentiate for students of different levels.

Don't miss out on this valuable resource for teaching Shakespeare's Macbeth in your English language arts or literature classroom. These writing prompts are sure to be a hit with your students and help them get the most out of their reading of Act 3!

If you are looking for more Macbeth resources, then check these out:

★ Macbeth Creative Writing Bundle

★ Macbeth Word Search ★ Macbeth Roll the Dice Discussion Board ★ Macbeth Quotation Crossword ★ Macbeth Post-Reading Creative Tasks ★ Macbeth Act 1 Self-Grading Quiz ★ Macbeth Bingo ★ Macbeth Picture Prompts

★ Macbeth Review Crossword If you are looking for more resources for the texts you teach, then check out: ★ Of Mice and Men Creative Writing Bundle ★ Lord of the Flies Activities Bundle ★ Macbeth Creative Writing Bundle ★ Twelfth Night Creative Writing and Review Activities Bundle ★ Animal Farm Growing Activities Bundle ★ A Midsummer Night's Dream Activities Bundle Thank you so much for checking out this product! If you want to show your support and stay up to date with my latest resources, you should: ♡ Follow my TPT store ♡ Follow me on Pinterest ♡ Leave a review if you loved your new resources!

Questions & Answers

We're hiring
Help & FAQ
Privacy policy
Student privacy
Terms of service
Tell us what you think

Cranston High School West Library: Perentin - Macbeth

Borrow a Book
Do Research
Database Tutorials
Tutor.com This link opens in a new window
AskRI This link opens in a new window
Of Mice and Men
Barone - Genocide
Barone - The Great Gatsby
Bianco - Argumentative Writing
Bianco - Grendel 20/21
Bianco/Roland - Night/Holocaust
Bianco - Societal Issue Narrative
Chieffalo - Research Project - Biographies
Cionci - Argumentative Writing
Cionci - Civil Rights
Cionci - Grendel
Cionci - Harlem Renaissance
Cionci - Secret Life of Bees
Cionci - Societal Issue Narrative
Cionci/Yates - 9th Grade Argumentative Writing
Colando - Frankenstein
Colando - Secret Life of Bees
Colando/DeCataldo - Social Injustice
D'Amico - Of Mice and Men
D'Amico - Poe
Federman - Argument
Federman - Civil Rights
Federman - Hawthorne Research Spring 2021
Federman - Informational Writing
Federman - Native Research
Feole - Emperor was Devine
Feole - Lord of the Flies
Howman - Research Project - Biographies
Jones - Catcher in the Rye
Jones - Hamlet
Jones - Holocaust
Kaffenberger - Grendel, Frankenstein, Beowulf
Kaffenberger - The Handmaid's Tale
Kaffenberger - Poet Research Paper
Kaffenberger - The Things They Carried
Lancia - The Great Gatsby
Lucas - Grendel, Frankenstein, Beowulf
Lucas - Great Expectations
Lucas - Of Mice and Men
Lucas - Poe
Lucas - Poet Research Paper
Lucas - Secret Life of Bees
Perentin - Brave New World
Perentin - Great Depression - Slides
Perentin - Harlem Renaissance
Perentin - Informational Writing
Perentin - Macbeth
Perentin - Response to informational text
Ray - Argument
Ray - Brave New World
Ray - The Great Gatsby
Ray - Macbeth
Ray - Julius Caesar
Ray - Realism
Ray - To Kill a Mockingbird
Bose/Powers - Biomes
Bose/Powers - Scientists
Bio II - Chordate Evolutionary Links
Fish Proposal Project
Careers in Renewable Energy
Gluck - Neuroscience Research Project
Guilmette - Fish Disease Project
Marchetti - Fish Disease Project
Marchetti - Molecule Building Project
Mendes - Fish Disease Project
Phineas Gage
Gonera - 1920s
Baranowski - 2nd Industrial Revolution
Baranowski - An Era of Social Change
Baranowski - Captains of Industry
Baranowski - Civil Rights
Baranowski - Civil War Bios
Baranowski - Civil War Research
Baranowski - "The Great War" Google Slides
Baranowski - The Holocaust
Baranowski - Indian Wars
Baranowski - Muslim World
Baranowski - Nuremberg Trials
Baranowski - Finał Project
Baranowski - Project 1
Baranowski - Project 2
Baranowski - Renaissance to Enlightenment
Baranowski - Roaring 20s
Baranowski - Suffrage
Baranowski - WWII Google Slides
Baranowski - World War II Storyboard
Buonfiglio - 2020 Presidential Election
Buonfiglio - Presidential Legacies
Buonfiglio - Supreme Court Cases
Caduto - Psychologist Biographies
Carpenter - Plagiarism
Krista - World War II Research Paper
Krista - World War II Slide Presentation
Krista - Civil War
Lee - Honors Anthropology
Manning - Industrial Revolution
Manning - Revolution Spreads Across Europe
Manning/O'Connor - Battle Propaganda
McClatchy - Supreme Court Cases
Royal - Inventions
Royal - Supreme Court Cases
Baker - Ciudades de España
Baker - Proyecto de Cultura
Baker - Tourism Campaign
Los Artistas Famosos
Paulino - Hispanic World
Prezi - Los Artistas Famosos
Spanish Language News
Ceseretti - PBL
Ceseretti/Lucas - Mental Health
Guilmette - Cancer
Guilmette - Water Quality Project
Lucas - Social Issues Ted Talk
Lucas - Two-Voice Poem
Child Development
Google vs. Databases
Website Evaluation
Fight Fake News
Summer Reading This link opens in a new window
Falcon Book Reviews
Ben's Dream
Box Jellyfish
Career Exploration
Comic Strips
Disability Research
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Effective Communication
Gordon Korman
Grizzly Bears
Disasters That Changed Our World
Hour of Code
Internet Safety
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
National Parks
Pink is for Blobfish
Trapped in a Cave
Veteran's Day
Widow's Broom
Women's History Month

Essay Prompts

Preliminary Essay Assignment

Directions: Because writing a research paper involves utilizing both primary and secondary sources, it is important for you to develop a sound argument before attempting to incorporate other people’s opinions. For this assignment, you are to write a multi-paragraph essay utilizing only Macbeth to answer one of the following prompts. These are your research paper prompts and this essay is the first step in the research paper process.

1. Do the witches (or weird sisters) control the events in the play? Why or why not?

2. Does Shakespeare want us to believe that the witches are real, supernatural, and/or projections of Macbeth's imagination?

3. What is the function of (dramatic, situational, and/or verbal) irony in the play?

4. What kind of marriage do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have? Do you think it is a good one? Why or why not?

5. How would you characterize Lady Macbeth? Does her appearance in the sleepwalking scene alter your perception of her from previous scenes? Why or why not?

6. One of the major themes in Macbeth is appearance vs. reality. What effect do the episodes or instances dealing with appearance vs. reality have on our understanding of the play?

7. What is the purpose of comedy and the comedic characters in Macbeth?

8. What is the importance of imbalances of nature in Macbeth?

9. Macbeth is the central character in the play who is described as both brave Macbeth and butcher Macbeth. Which of these descriptions fits Macbeth best?

10. Who is responsible for Macbeth’s downfall? (The witches, Lady Macbeth and/or Macbeth himself?)

11. How is the mood of evil developed in Macbeth? (Consider the setting, themes, actions of the characters, etc.)

12. What is the importance of the supernatural elements in Macbeth? How do they affect the action of the play?

13. The theme of sleeplessness is introduced early in the play and carried throughout. What causes these sleep disturbances? What ends them for each of the characters involved? Is sleep regarded as a soothing balm for a life well-lived? (Remember that sleep is often another metaphor for death.)

14. Some playgoers and readers say that Lady Macbeth is the reason that her husband murders King Duncan. Others claim that the killing was his responsibility alone. What do you think?

15. How is Macbeth an example of a Shakespearean tragic hero? What is his tragic flaw and how does it affect the events of the play?

16. Do gender roles actually have an impact upon the course of events in this play? (Consider, for example, the roles of Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff—and even the witches)

17. The characters and actions of the play Macbeth suggest very strongly what qualities a good king needs to have. What are those qualities, and who, if anyone possesses them? (Consider comparing Duncan, Macbeth and/or Malcolm)

18. What is the purpose of soliloquies in Macbeth? How do they reveal the stages in the process of Macbeth’s and/or Lady Macbeth’s downfall or moral decline?

19. In what ways is Shakespeare significantly changing the original historic record of the real Macbeth in his play?

20. What would have been the attitude of Shakespeare’s audience toward the supernatural events in Macbeth? After all, three witches, a ghost, and extremely odd events in nature are included for a reason. Explore what those reasons are.

Research Assignment Requirements

* The paper you produce must have 3 secondary sources plus the primary one—Macbeth for a total of 4 sources minimum.

* All sources must be authoritative; that is, they MUST be scholarly. You may not use sources outside of the library databases or library books unless approved by the teacher in writing. Avoid using .com, .net, .org type websites outside the school databases. Sources that are a full-length chapter or article in a book or periodical pertaining to your topic will be more helpful.

* You may not use anything from Wikipedia or any encyclopedia. You may not use any material from Spark Notes, Cliff’s Notes, Pink Monkey, or any other commercially prepared study guide of that nature. Other unacceptable sources include plot summaries such as Bloom’s “Plot Summary,” Foster Masterplots, and Schmoop.com.

* Your final essay must be 3 full pages typed (5 pages max.), not including the Works Cited page which should be the last page of your paper.

* No paper will be considered for grading without submission to Turnitin.com.

e-Book = "How to Write About Shakespeare's Tragedies"

Type in How to Write About Shakespeare's Tragedies in the "Find" field above and click Title.
Click on "Open"
Log in: your username is chw followed by your student ID number (ex. chw12345) your password is your date of birth (ex.012199)
Check out the book.
The chapter on Macbeth begins on page 152.

This is how to cite this source:

Print Sources for Macbeth

Macbeth Books

Bloom's Literature

No login needed from school. Off campus? Email [email protected] for password.

EBSCO Databases

No login needed from school.

Off campus? Click here and scroll down for EBSCO.

<< Previous: Perentin - Informational Writing
Next: Perentin - Response to informational text >>
Last Updated: Jun 3, 2024 8:26 AM
URL: https://guides.rilinkschools.org/falcons

More From Forbes

7 chatgpt prompts to improve your writing.

Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Share to Linkedin

Photo by NICOLAS MAETERLINCK/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images

On writing , author David Sedaris once said, “You need to do the best that you can do, and then you need to take the best that you can do and you need to rewrite it, and rewrite it, and rewrite it.” That’s the dynamic essence of the writing process. Writers refine their drafts, just like they continually refine their craft. I didn’t study writing or literature, so I was intimidated when I began contributing to major publications. But my confidence grew with each byline, and I began to find my voice.

While ChatGPT can be an impressive imitator, it can never generate your unique voice and perspective. It can, however, be a powerful tool for improving your writing, whether you’re penning business articles or important emails. It all starts with the right prompts.

Here are seven that you can use to level up your writing skills.

Automate Your Busywork

There are no shortcuts to becoming a better writer. The prolific author Stephen King once said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” That said, you can use AI tools to eliminate some of the tedious tasks involved in writing and leave more time for honing your craft. Here are some prompts to delegate your writing “busywork” to ChatGPT.

1. Generating Ideas And Topics

AI shouldn’t do your writing for you. It lacks the necessary human context and isn’t immune to errors. But it can be a powerful writing partner. As Wharton professor Christian Terwiesch (who challenged ChatGPT to come up with product ideas and compared those ideas to student ideas —ChatGPT won), has said , “Everybody should be using ChatGPT to help them generate ideas.” At worst, you reject all of them. At best, you enrich your pool of ideas.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

Here is a prompt you can use to help get the idea wheels turning:

"I'm an [role/title] writing for [outlet description] targeting [target audience]. Can you suggest some fresh and engaging topics that would appeal to this audience?"

If you’d like ideas related to a certain topic or tailored to a specific style (e.g., a “hot take” versus a personal essay), remember: the more context you provide, the more concise the results.

2. Editing For Grammar And Style

Whether you’re sending an email or publishing an article on a high-traffic website, typos are an embarrassing—and avoidable—faux pas. In today’s world, where internet content exists in perpetuity, anything attached to your name should be error-free. ChatGPT can be a near-instantaneous proofreader. Test out the following prompt:

"Can you proofread this [content] for grammar, punctuation, and style consistency? The intended audience is [audience/recipient]. Please provide a list of any suggested improvements.”

3. Hitting The Right Tone

Spelling and grammar are a crucial part of editing, but they’re relatively objective. Perfecting the tone is more subjective and sometimes more challenging—but just as crucial.

The proper tone can ensure that your text is engaging. It can foster trust and understanding with colleagues and business partners. It can persuade your audience to get on board with your viewpoint. Writing that misses the mark on tone, however, can cause misunderstandings, hurt feelings, damage your credibility, and lose your reader’s interest.

With that in mind, here’s a prompt that can help you achieve the right tone in your writing:

"Can you help me rewrite this [content] for [audience], ensuring it maintains a [describe the desired tone]?

Add context to make ChatGPT’s reply more helpful. For example, if your content should show sensitivity to a certain issue or audience, add it to the prompt.

4. Adding Data And Research

One lesson I’ve learned from contributing to Forbes and other widely-read publications is that my word alone is rarely enough. I can share my personal experiences, but research and data can strengthen any piece of writing.

Instead of researching the traditional way—reviewing your writing and identifying facts that need outside sourcing, then Googling for relevant insight—ChatGPT can speed up the process, leaving you more time to polish those personal anecdotes. Try this prompt:

"I’m writing [describe the content and subject matter] for [target audience] and want to include relevant data and research. Can you review the following text and provide researched-backed statistics and insights on this topic?"

Importantly, always check the sources that ChatGPT generates. It will almost certainly come up with helpful results but they’re not always accurate—that’s where you, human editor, come into play.

Refine Your Craft

To continually improve your writing skills, you can take a page from the habits of professional writers. The following prompts can help you develop practices to become a stronger writer.

5. Daily Writing Prompts

I’ve written before about my morning pages . It’s a great way to clear my head before the day begins and to practice fluidly translating my thoughts into words on paper. If a blank page feels intimidating, writing prompts are a great way to get started. ChatGPT can generate writing prompts in an instant. You can keep it general:

“Can you suggest a couple of writing prompts that I can use to practice the craft of writing?”

Or, if you have a goal in mind, add more context. For example:

“I'm trying to improve engagement with my readers. Can you generate a couple of writing prompts to practice writing engaging content?”

6. Experiment With Different Styles And Voices

If you call your grandmother on the telephone, I’d bet your voice and speaking style sound vastly different from when you’re chatting with your best friend. Writing is the same.

ChatGPT can help you practice toggling between different styles and voices, and in doing so, help you find yours. You can ask ChatGPT for writing prompts to practice a certain style. For example:

“Can you generate three short exercises to help me practice writing in different voices and styles?”

ChatGPT will not only generate exercises, it will also break down the structure and elements of different writing styles and specify the tone.

Or, you can submit text to ChatGPT and ask it to analyze the style and voice. Try this prompt:

“Can you analyze the voice and style of the following text: [insert text].”

I used this prompt to assess the introduction to one of my recent Forbes stories, and ChatGPT said it was “Conversational and Relatable,” “Encouraging and Reassuring,” and “Informative and Practical”—encouraging feedback from my AI editor.

7. Rewrite, Rewrite, Rewrite

In A Moveable Feast , Ernest Hemingway wrote, “The only kind of writing is rewriting.”

If you want to become a writer, you have to embrace rewriting, whether you’re retyping every word or pouring over (and over) a Google Doc draft. Here are a couple of prompts you can use so that ChatGPT can assist in the rewriting process, one excerpt at a time:

“Rewrite this paragraph in the style of [Ernest Hemingway or any other author]."

“Rewrite this introduction so that it sounds like a story in [publication]”

“Rewrite this email so that it will resonate with [audience].”

“Rewrite this paragraph for clarity and concision.”

Importantly, ChatGPT only does part of the work. It falls to the writer to analyze the results, apply those lessons in future drafts, and, of course, to keep writing.

Editorial Standards
Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service. We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
Content that otherwise violates our site's terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
Actions that otherwise violate our site's terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

Stay on topic and share your insights
Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
Protect your community.
Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service.

IMAGES

Writing About Macbeth: a curated collection of engaging writing assignments
Distance Learning: Macbeth Character Analysis Writing Assignment
Macbeth 41 pages of Assignments/Activities by Jennifer Hampton
Macbeth Act V Worksheet: Macbeth as Tragic Hero
Shakespeare Macbeth
Shakespeare's Macbeth: Story Summary Worksheets and Tests by Teach Simple

VIDEO

Macbeth Study: External exam introduction paragraph tips (the basics)
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Tragic Flaw In Shakespeare's Plays
Macbeth 2018: Annotating the extract & planning your response
Close Reading of a Macbeth Extract (and model exam response!)
Macbeth TOP 5 Quotes TOP 5 Themes

COMMENTS

PDF Writing! Prompt/Activity!
Underline every word or phrase where Macbeth is being insincere or lying (e.g. "Fail not our feast", etc.), then split class into 2 groups. Group 1 reads lines 1-‐41 slowly. Group 2 allocates each of the underlined sections to different speakers. As these lines are read by Group 1, have students shout out "That is false," and have ...
PDF MACBETH A UNIT PLAN
loved for his kindliness. Thomas Fuller, writing about 50 years later, gave an amusing account of the conversational duels between Shakespeare and Jonson: "Many were the wit-combats betwixt him and Ben Jonson; which two I behold like a Spanish great galleon and an English man-of-war; Master Jonson (like the former) was built far higher in learning;
PDF English 9 Macbeth Reﬂective Journal
macbeth reflective journal prompts. English 9 Macbeth Reflective Journal. Reflective journal. 1. Depending on how much time we have, we will answer 2 or 3 questions for each act. 2. Anchor your answer in the text by blending short quotations and citing as indicated: We know Banquo continues to think of the witches prophecy when he says he has ...
Teaching Tools: 5 Writing Prompts for Macbeth
If you have an interest in teaching your students Macbeth, there are many ways to adapt your curriculum to fit their needs. Many adaptations of the play exist, including the classic text, graphic novels, movies, and more. First thing's first: you should have an arsenal of good, open-ended writing prompts for daily journals or short writing ...
PDF Unit Plan: Shakespeare's Macbeth
Assignments will ask for academic writing and creative writing and artwork. Overall, this unit is intended for the students to have fun. Prescribed Learning Outcomes (Ministry of Education English Language Arts 11 I.R.P.) ... Lady Macbeth at the beginning of scene 5 and Macbeth at the beginning of scene 7. (30 minutes) Assessment
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Macbeth by William Shakespeare. I have put asterisks by my favorite activities and assignments. Handouts. 32-Second Macbeth lesson from the Folger Shakespeare Library. Famous as way to introduce the play. 60-Second Macbeth Newsletter from the BBC.. Act-by-Act Quotations includes the most important quotes in the play.. Historical Context from Gale Research Literature in Context covers the ...
William Shakespeare's Macbeth Unit
William Shakespeare's Macbeth Unit. This unit will consist of the following elements/activities: Macbeth Intro Notes. Written Assignment (annotations notebook) and Vocabulary. Reader's Theater. Mock Trial: Scotland v. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Written Exam. Written Assignments: Macbeth writing assignment (annotations notebook) Macbeth ...
Macbeth Writing Activities
Writing Activities Related to 'Macbeth' Shakespeare's Macbeth is a classic play that brings the amazing world of literature to your students' fingertips. Shakespeare was a master at wordplay and ...
Macbeth Writing Teaching Resources
Macbeth, William Shakespeare, Collaborative Poster, Writing Activity. by. Danielle Knight. 5.0. (28) $5.89. PDF. Macbeth, our beloved timeless tragedy by William Shakespeare is now a collaborative poster. This creative and beautiful resource contains a student writing prompt, encouraging your students to explore quotes from the famous play.
Macbeth Act 2 Creative Writing Prompts by Laura C
Macbeth by William Shakespeare Acts Creative Writing Prompts Activity Bundle. Enhance your Macbeth lesson plans with these highly effective and thought-provoking creative writing prompts. These 50 prompts, which focus on key characters, themes, and concepts such as guilt and power, are designed to promote critical thinking and imaginative writing.
How to Write a Macbeth Essay
Ensure your argument is consistent throughout your essay. Write a topic sentence for each paragraph which include the key words from the exam question. Include a conclusion that summarises your line of reasoning. "Critical style". Make sure you have offered your opinion on the question.
Macbeth
These literary analysis prompts provide opportunities to demonstrate your understanding of Macbeth while practicing essential writing skills like writing a clear thesis statement, incorporating text evidence, and providing insightful commentary. Dive deeper into the text with these writing prompts about character analysis, thematic development, social-historical context, and literary devices.
Meaningful and Fun Activities for Teaching Macbeth
Here's a glimpse at the Macbeth group activities throughout the play: Brainstorm a creative acting troupe name. Play a sound ball theater game in Act I. Perform a mini-drama in Act II. Design a finger puppet set in Act III. Do a character walk theater game in Act IV.
Macbeth : Essay Topics
5) The sleepwalking scene in Act V is one of the most memorable in all of drama. Relate this scene to the overall play and examine what makes Lady Macbeth's revelation so provoking. 6) Choose two of the minor characters in Macbeth and examine how they contribute to the play's action. 7) The witches tell Banquo that he will be the father of ...
Journal Prompts to Teach Shakespeare's Macbeth
1) After the students read the text, have them take out a piece of paper and use a pen or pencil to divide the page in 4 equal parts. Tell them to choose one scene that impacted them. 2) Give them 30 seconds to draw the scene. 3) Then give them a minute to describe the scene in words.
PDF AP Prompts for Macbeth
AP Prompts for Macbeth 1972. In retrospect, the reader often discovers that the first chapter of a novel or the opening scene of a drama introduces some of the major themes of the work. Write an essay about the opening scene of a drama or the first chapter of a novel in which you explain how it functions in this way. 1979.
Macbeth Suggested Essay Topics
Suggested Essay Topics. 1. Macbeth struggles with his conscience and the fear of eternal damnation if he murders Duncan. Lady Macbeth's conflict arises when Macbeth's courage begins to falter ...
Writing activities for Macbeth
this to the director of the play. In about 300 words, identify, explain and. justify the change you would make to the play. 3. Take on the role as one of the three witches. Write a short reflection about. meeting Macbeth and giving him the prophecies. What would they be.
Macbeth Ambition Essay Prompts
Macbeth Ambition Essay Prompts. Clio has taught education courses at the college level and has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction. Ambition is one of the most important and salient themes in ...
Macbeth Act 3 Creative Writing Prompts by Laura C
It in. 188. Products. $90.00 $211.25 Save $121.25. View Bundle. Macbeth by William Shakespeare Acts Creative Writing Prompts Activity Bundle. Enhance your Macbeth lesson plans with these highly effective and thought-provoking creative writing prompts. These 50 prompts, which focus on key characters, themes, and concepts such as guilt and power ...
Cranston High School West Library: Perentin
Research Assignment Requirements. * The paper you produce must have 3 secondary sources plus the primary one—Macbeth for a total of 4 sources minimum. * All sources must be authoritative; that is, they MUST be scholarly. You may not use sources outside of the library databases or library books unless approved by the teacher in writing.
PDF MACBETH A UNIT PLAN
Macbeth. Introduction 10 Unit Objectives 12 Reading Assignment Sheet 13 Unit Outline 14 Study Questions (Short Answer) 19 Quiz/Study Questions (Multiple Choice) 28 Pre-reading Vocabulary Worksheets 42 Lesson One (Introductory Lesson) 52 Nonfiction Assignment Sheet 55 Oral Reading Evaluation Form 59 Writing Assignment 1 61 Writing Assignment 2 67
7 ChatGPT Prompts To Improve Your Writing
1. Generating Ideas And Topics. AI shouldn't do your writing for you. It lacks the necessary human context and isn't immune to errors. But it can be a powerful writing partner.