AQA GCSE Practise Paper – Macbeth: The Captain’s Speech

Below is an AQA GCSE Practise Paper for Macbeth. The question is from the June 2019 GCSE exam paper for AQA GCSE English Literature. Use it to practise planning and writing, either as a full mock exam in timed conditions – or working through it in your own time and at your own pace. Thanks […]

Notes on Religion in “Macbeth”

Below, you’ll find some thoughts, notes and comments on the idea of religion in “Macbeth”. These are intended as a starting point – you should also read essays on the topic, do your own research and develop your own more personal and detailed beliefs about each theme before attempting to write essays! Every essay or […]

Setting in Macbeth

Macbeth is set in Scotland – it’s part of the United Kingdom, but a separate country from England. The country is in the far North, and it is known for dramatic weather and wild landscapes – particularly the moors or ‘blasted heath’ upon which we meet the Witches. The opening of the play begins this […]

Macbeth and Shakespeare’s Audience

Below, you’ll find a list of the most important beliefs of people (audience) in Shakespeare’s time. Use these to enhance your essay analysis by making deeper connections between the story and its meanings. It’s important to read any Shakespeare play with knowledge of its cultural context. In this case, we need to understand the beliefs […]

Macbeth: Act 1 Scene 6 – Text, Summary + Study Questions

Act 1 Scene 6 is a key scene in Macbeth, even though the tragic hero isn’t in it himself! King Duncan arrives at Inverness Castle with Banquo and a few other lords; he’s greeted by Lady Macbeth. He thinks that the castle is ‘pleasant’, and has no awareness of the fact that the Macbeths are […]

Macbeth and Tragedy

Shakespeare’s Macbeth fits within the genre of a ‘tragedy’, and it follows by and large tragic conventions. Classical tragedies have very strict rules and parameters. We’ve detailed the main points about tragedy and how they link to Macbeth below, to help you understand how the genre influences the play and its ideas. It’s important to […]

Macbeth: Act 1 Scene 1 – Text and Study Questions

In this article you’ll find text and study questions from Act 1, Scene 1 in Macbeth. PROPHECY AND EVIL TASK 1: Read Read aloud if you can manage it If you get lost with the language, listen to a recording or watch a production of the scene on Youtube Vocabulary: Hurly-burly – chaos Ere – […]

Characters Breakdown in Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Here’s a detailed breakdown of three major characters in Macbeth: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and The Witches. It’s primarily tailored towards students at GCSE or A-Level studying AQA, CIE, Edexcel, WJEC, OCR, CCEA, or Eduqas but it’ll help with anyone studying the Shakespeare play in a wider context too! For a full breakdown of characters (Banquo, […]

Analysis of The Porter in Shakespeare’s Macbeth

The Porter is a minor character in Macbeth, but that doesn’t mean he’s not important, and he definitely deserved an analysis of its own. In an Edexcel GCSE English Literature exam last year, he unexpectedly cropped up as the main Macbeth question, so I’ve made this little resource to help anyone who’s revising that question […]

Macbeth by Shakespeare: Key Quotations

Looking for the most important quotations in Macbeth by William Shakespeare? No matter which level you’re studying Macbeth at, you’ll need to get some key quotes stuck in your head for achieving top grades in essays and exams! This course is particularly tailored towards those studying Macbeth at GCSE (high school), and A-Level (college) on […]