Macbeth: The Crown and Conscience
Macbeth: The Crown and Conscience
An 11-week (1 term) study of Shakespeare's play for Form 2 and above.
**content warning: includes murder and violence–use your discretion if this appropriate for you student
Shakespeare was meant to be heard, imagined, discussed, and enjoyed. Macbeth: The Crown and Conscience gently prepares students to encounter the complete play without over-complicated analysis.
Students begin by meeting Shakespeare and stepping into the world of medieval Scotland. A two-part retelling and character introductions provide familiarity with the story before students encounter Shakespeare’s original language.
Over the term, students listen to and read the complete play while exploring its great themes and motifs—ambition, conscience, guilt.
Lessons also incorporate:
- narration
- mapwork
- picture study
- recitation,
- and the Great Conversation questions that invite students to wrestle with the ideas at the heart of the play
Supplies needed:
- The Usborne Complete Shakespeare: Stories from All the Plays, illustrated by Maria
Surducan (alternative options are listed in Links)
- one copy per student of Macbeth (such as Folger Shakespeare Library or Signet Classics
or Wordsworth Classics)
- Macbeth: The Arkangel Shakespeare audio performance (available through Audible or local
library) and device for listening
- character cards (included) – one set per student
- notebook and/or commonplace
- colored pencils
- Timeline book or Book of Centuries
- map page (included) – one map per student
- atlas
This Shakespeare study pairs well with:
History – The Symphony of History, Vol. 2 Nocturne (Middle Ages)
*the guide includes QR Codes for easy links, if you choose to print the document.
For printing, we recommend our print partner Humble Heart Press.
** due to the nature of digital products, we are unable to accept returns.