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Macbeth Monologue Project

…Shakespeare’s language is a primary source of our pleasure in his plays, not an obstacle to appreciation, not something we must overcome in order to understand the stories. In other words, there is no such thing as in other words. Shakespeare in other words is not Shakespeare….Once we become alert to the potential power of Shakespeare’s words, especially to the sensuousness of their sounds and patterns, then we have access to pleasures and meanings that take us to the heart of his dramatic enterprise.

- Russ McDonald, The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare

Our study of Macbeth will culminate in dramatic readings of monologues from the play. You will journey through one monologue, building on the techniques each “Rehearsal Day” provides. The goal is to be immersed in the possibilities of Shakespeare’s language.

There are three stages to this process:

1. Rehearsal – May 6-10a. On the pages of this packet are several activities1 that will help you comprehend,

analyze, and memorize your monologue.b. You will meet with a small group of your peers a few times to discuss your

findings and your understanding of the monologue.

2. Dramatic Reading – Tuesday, May 14a. In small groups (jigsaw-style), you will speak your monologue dramatically,

paying attention to the character’s thoughts and feelings and they evolve throughout the monologue.

b. Recite the first 8 lines from memory, and then read the rest from the text.

3. Process Piece – due Thursday, May 16a. Reflect on the rehearsal process and how it prepared you for the dramatic reading.b. 2 full pages, 12-point font, double-spaced.

1 Adapted from Will Power: How to Act Shakespeare in 21 Days, by John Basil with Stephanie Gunning, © 2006.

Friday, May 3 ClassworkChoosing a Monologue

Reread each of the following passages, and then rank your top three choices. Hand in your rankings on a separate piece of paper before the end of class today.

1. Macbeth, 1.3.143-1552. Lady Macbeth, 1.5.15-333. Lady Macbeth, 1.5.45-614. Macbeth, 2.1.44-785. Macbeth, 3.1.51-776. Lady Macbeth, 5.1.33-72 (her lines only)7. Macbeth, 5.5.20-31

1

2 3

No homework tonight!

Monday, May 6 ClassworkReads and Beats

TODAY’S ACTIVITY IS A GROUP ACTIVITY.

Get to know your monologue a bit better by reading and rereading it different ways, defining any unfamiliar words, and breaking it up into beats.

For the best results, do all the steps below in order. You will need a pencil (not pen!) to mark up a copy of the monologue (not your book!).

(1) First read a. Each student reads a line until the end of the monologue.b. Underline any words that are unfamiliar, as well as any phrases that are unclear.c. Try to figure out the meaning of those words and phrases from context. Use the

annotations in the Folger text.d. If needed, look up the words/phrases in A Shakespeare Glossary by C.T. Onions:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.03.0068

(2) Second reada. Each student reads to a punctuation mark (comma, period, colon, etc.) until the

end of the monologue.b. Discuss what you notice. Does each line contain a complete thought, or do

sentences spill over from one line into the next?

(3) Beat the monologuea. Break up the monologue into a series of beats (gear-shifts).b. Discuss: How does this piece “move”? What patterns emerge?c. Bracket the lines for each beat decided upon. (There is no “correct” answer.)

(4) Third reada. Each student reads to the end of a beat until the end of the monologue.b. Work out the meaning of each beat together. Pay particular attention to imagery.c. Record these meanings on your copy of the monologue.

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.03.0068

Monday, May 6 HomeworkRhythm and Rhyme

Prose is another name for ordinary speech, language that conveys thoughts in sentences and paragraphs without attention to rhythm, while verse is another name for poetry, language that follows a specific rhythm, or meter—a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables with a consistent number of syllables per line.


(1) Verse or Prose? a. Quickly scan the monologue and determine if it is written in prose or verse. You

can spot verse at first glance from two telltale signs: (1) the first word of every line is capitalized (even if it’s in the middle of a sentence), and (2) the right-hand margin is uneven. Your character may switch between prose and verse. Note any shifts from prose to verse, or vice versa, on your copy of the monologue.

b. Think about what your character’s format, verse or prose, reveals about him/her. The more intensely a character feels or the greater a challenge he confronts, the more poetically he speaks. Note your findings on your copy of the monologue.

(2) Identifying the Metera. If you’re working with verse, you need to establish the meter. A meter is

comprised of repetitions of a particular “metric foot,” a pattern of stressed (/) and unstressed (-) syllables. Types of metric feet include:

iamb - / 1 unstressed followed by 1 stressed syllabletrochee / - 1 stressed followed by 1 unstressed syllablespondee / / 2 strong syllables togetheranapest - - / 2 unstressed syllables followed by 1 stressed syllabledactyl / - - 1 stressed syllable followed by 2 unstressed syllablesamphibrach

- / - 1 stressed syllable between 2 unstressed syllables

Keep in mind that some words can be pronounced with different numbers of syllables (e.g., “ocean” can be “OH-shan” or “OH-she-ANN”; “worked” can be “WORKT” or “WORK-ed”). You decide what works best with the meter.

(continued on next page)

Shakespeare mostly uses iambs, in groups of five, resulting in what’s called “iambic pentameter.” Take Romeo’s line beneath Juliet’s balcony, for example:

- / - / - / - / - /“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?”

Scan the meter of each line of your monologue by counting the syllables and making these marks above the words. (Caution: if a line has more than 13 syllables, stop counting! You’re probably reading prose.) Then read the monologue aloud, clapping on the stressed syllables.

b. Consider the overall pattern of meter from line to line. If they are not all the same, is there a general pattern? Is that pattern iambic pentameter or some other meter?

c. Match form to function. Does the meter indicate the character’s state of mind or emotion? (For example, iambic pentameter has a solid, steady rhythm similar to the human heartbeat—da-DUM—or a horse’s trot. Trochaic quadrimeter, which is what the Witches use in Macbeth 4.1, is usually associated with magic.) For any lines that deviate from the general pattern, is your character speaking about some topic that causes him or her to shift emotions or mindsets?

d. Read your monologue aloud in a way that shows the changing emotions and mindsets indicated by the meter of your lines. Pay particular attention to lines that deviate from the usual rhythm. By making lines pop out at us, Shakespeare is telling actors: Do something special with them! Perhaps change positions, or walk in a new direction, or change your facial expression, etc. For lines that are less than 10 counts each, fill the empty space with some action that fits whatever your character is talking about right then.

(3) Rhyming Couplets

a. Lines do not have to rhyme to be considered verse (remember rhythm is key), but they often do anyway. First determine if any of your lines rhyme (look at the last syllable of each rhyme), and note so on your copy of the monologue.

b. Now determine why they rhyme. Note what you find on your copy of the monologue.

i. Rhymes at the end of lines in iambic pentameter usually mean “the end.” They show that the character is wrapping up a thought, a speech, a scene—or even the entire play.

ii. Rhyming couplets can also be romantic, indicating great harmony and heightened feeling, or very funny, especially if they make no sense.

c. Read your monologue aloud , performing any rhyming couplets according to the purpose you ascertained.

Tuesday, May 7 ClassworkRepetitions

TODAY’S ACTIVITY IS AN INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY.

Repeated words and sounds provide the audience with a strong sense of rhetoric and build emphasis on a particular idea or feeling. Your task is to identify repetitions and speak them in such a way that you emphasize those hidden meanings, create vocal variety, and stimulate the audience’s imagination. Remember that you are in the exploratory phase of this process; experiment now and reserve judgment about the “correct” performance later.


(1) Repeated Wordsa. Read your monologue once through, circling every repeated word.

b. Look at all your circled words together. What mood do they set for the monologue? What images come to mind? What emotions do they connote? Note these findings on your copy of the monologue.

c. Read the monologue aloud, making extreme and distinct vocal and physical choices on each repetition of a word or phrase. For example, sing one repetition and then whisper the next. Or, if you’re standing up on one repetition, sit down on the next. Have fun with this!

(2) Repeated Consonant Sounds (a.k.a. Consonance)a. Read your monologue aloud again, now circling every repeated consonant sound.

b. Think about how each repeated sound corresponds with the thoughts your character is having at that point in the monologue. (Recall that Shakespeare often uses Ks, Ps, and Bs for humor, Fs and Ts for emphasis, Ms for satisfaction, and Hs for laughter.) Note these findings on your copy of the monologue.


c. Read the monologue aloud, going up on tiptoe every time you say a certain consonant sound. For example, if you were tracking K sounds in that Taming of the Shrew scene we practiced in class, you would rise once during each of the following words: “…called…Kate…Kate…Kate…curst…” Your goal here is to deliver your lines with clarity and purpose, not speed. See if you can bring to life the hissing of the S, the lasciviousness of the L, the warmth of the M, etc.

(3) Repeated Vowel Sounds (a.k.a. Assonance)a. Read your monologue aloud again, now circling every repeated vowel sound.

b. Think about how each repeated sound corresponds with the feelings your character is having at that point in the monologue. For example, consider the irritating sound of EE, as in “screech,” compared to the calming sound of OO, as in “soothe.” Note your findings in your copy of the monologue.

c. Shakespearean characters repeat a sound because they loved the way it sounded the first time. Find a way to say the sound repeated in your monologue that indicates to the audience how much your character is relishing it. One of the easiest ways to do this is to elongate the sound. For example, if you were tracking OO sounds in that Taming of the Shrew scene we practiced in class, you would first say OO for one count (“move”); the second time, stretch OO for three counts (“mooove”); the third time, sit on it for six counts (“moooooove”).

d. Practice elongating your vowels and diphthongs (combination vowels like AI in “paint” or AU in “caught”) by speaking your lines using a different dialect: an Italian accent, an Irish brogue, or a Southern drawl. Each of these dialects has a characteristic upward inflection and so naturally “lifts the line.” Don’t worry about accuracy, but rather ham it up and have fun!

Tuesday, May 7 HomeworkRevving up Your Verbs

In your performance, what you say must align with what you do. As Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 2), “Suit the Action to the Word, the Word to the Action.” Shakespeare’s plays were produced without any director, so he purposefully embedded stage directions in his text for actors to follow. Picking out verbs from your monologue helps you know what you’re supposed to do on stage.


(1) Highlight the Verbsa. Read your monologue silently and highlight the verbs your character uses.

(2) Modulating Intensitya. Some words are more intense than others. Consider Macbeth’s line, “Is this a

dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee” (2.1.44-45). “Clutch” has a very different energetic quality than “touch,” “hold,” or “grasp.” How intense are your verbs? Clap hard for high-intensity verbs and softly for low-intensity verbs. Are they mostly imperatives (commands)? If so, what does that reveal about your character’s disposition?

b. Practice speaking the lines in a commanding tone—or, if your verbs are not commands but rather more passive verbs, such as “is” or “think,” practice speaking the lines in a gentler tone.

(3) Perform the Verbsa. Read your monologue aloud and literally perform each verb with a specific fitting

gesture exactly at the moment you speak that word. This might seem like you’re hamming it up, but until you try it, you won’t know what works.

b. Read your monologue aloud again, but this time do the opposite of what each verb means. For example, if your character says, “Come close,” move far away. If he says, “Laugh,” cry. This irony can add depth or humor to your monologue.

c. Note whichever actions work well on your copy of the monologue—again, do what fits your character; choose wisely. Each time you read your monologue hereafter, perform those actions when you speak those verbs. This will build “muscle memory.”

Wednesday, May 8 ClassworkPicking out Punctuation


In the Elizabethan era, there was no such thing as English grammar. Shakespeare would have studied Latin and Ancient Greek in school. Therefore, we can assume that Shakespeare didn’t employ punctuation for the purpose of literary clarity but, rather, for theatricality. Actors must approach Shakespeare’s punctuation as acting punctuation rather than grammatical punctuation. How we group our words together helps listeners properly comprehend a whole thought and provides rhythm, motion, emotion, and finally character. Each of Shakespeare’s characters speaks with a distinct rhythm dictated in part by their use of punctuation.


(1) End Stops (Periods, Question Marks, and Exclamation Marks)a. First compare and contrast the length of each sentence in your monologue. Are

most lengthy and longwinded? Short and choppy? Is there a mix of lengths? These changes in rhythm might reflect changes in the character’s temperament or state of mind. Note any shifts from long sentences to short ones, or vice versa, on your copy of the monologue.

b. Next, look at the punctuation marks used to end each sentence. Exclamation points indicate excitement, while question marks (obviously) indicate questions. But are those questions due to confusion, interrogation, wonder, curiosity, nosiness, or persuasive rhetoric? Decide what’s right for each sentence in your monologue, and note so accordingly on your copy of it.

c. Last, pay attention to where each sentence ends: at the end of the line, or in the middle? When an end stop occurs in the middle of a line, the next thought should come crashing in like a tidal wave. In Shakespeare, this is a way that characters interrupt themselves. If your monologue is full of midline endings, your character is probably making discoveries and speaking without forethought, and you should note so on your copy of the monologue.


Shakespearean thoughts are incomplete until they reach an end stop, and that often takes a long time (sometimes 20 lines for one sentence!). In order to arrive at the intended finish line, actors must always arc their lines towards the end stop, rather than sounding as though they intended to stop sooner. For any long sentences in your monologue, figure out how to arc the thought so that each sub-thought (i.e., each clause or phrase) has its own ebb and flow. Play with volume, pitch, intonation, and inflection. The following punctuation marks can help you do that effectively:

(2) Commas ,a. Commas are places for quick breaths, but they’re also there to spring you forward

from one thought to the next. Take a quick breath on a comma to give you more energy to build, but don’t pause too long to think or you’ll imply the sentence is over. Practice doing this with each comma in your monologue.

(3) Semicolons ;a. A semicolon indicates that the character’s thoughts are rushing and gushing

forward. The next turn of thought is more impassioned. Whenever you see a semicolon, take a quick breath like on a comma, and internally think “and.” Practice doing this with each semicolon, if any, in your monologue.

(4) Colons :a. A colon indicates that the character’s next turn of thought is going to be more

articulate, a better version of the same thought or a new twist. The character is honing in on the logic. Whenever you see a colon, take a big breath and internally think “therefore.” You might also make some physical action here—cross the stage, or shift your gaze from the left to the right, for example. Practice doing this with each colon, if any, in your monologue.

(5) Parentheses ( ) a. Parenthetical remarks serve a variety of purposes, including but not limited to:

i. The character is working to figure something outii. The character has just had an Aha! moment

iii. The character is making a joke at another’s expenseb. Whenever a phrase is set aside between parentheses (like this), you have an

opportunity to do something dramatically different with the text. A contrast could involve changing your tempo, volume, pitch, or emotional affect. Of course, don’t go nuts on that, unless your character is supposed to be nuts. But do make a clear choice so that your point is made. Anything you do must be backed up with the character’s reason. Practice different contrasts with each use of parentheses, if any, in your monologue.

Highlight each type of punctuation in a different color, and then reread your monologue aloud, walking around the room as you say the lines and radically changing direction or performing an action every time you hit a certain punctuation mark (e.g., clap at commas, jump at colons, etc.). This task develops your “muscle memory.”

Wednesday, May 8 HomeworkDescriptive Language

When metaphors are spoken, we know we’re in the territory of poetry. Emotions are heightened. Similarly, adjectives and adverbs add vivid emotion to the scene. Saying these words as if you’re consciously choosing them, instead of just reading yet more words off a page, makes your monologue powerful and colorful.


(1) Go through your own speech or scene and underline all the descriptive language: metaphors and similes, adjectives and adverbs.

(2) Draw a picture above each descriptive word or phrase. When you have a real picture in your mind when you speak those words, audience members will perceive real pictures in their minds’ eyes when they listen to you speak.

(3) Read your monologue aloud , stressing and savoring those descriptive words and phrases.

Thursday, May 9 ClassworkSharing Findings


Reuniting with your original group, share what you’ve learned about your character and your monologue over the past few days.

(1) If you have any differences of opinion or interpretation, see if you can find clues to help establish one interpretation as more correct.

(2) If, at the end of your group meeting, you still have any questions about your monologue or how to perform it, note them in the space below and keep working on them on your own.

Thursday, May 9 HomeworkMapping Your Monologue

Since you’ve marked up your monologue so many times, it’s not suitable as a script during your performance. You need to be able to glance quickly down at your paper without having to sift through dozens of notes. So, type up the monologue anew, and do it in a way that makes sense to you based on the performance notes you’ve developed throughout this process.

Here’s an excerpt of the “map” I created for Juliet’s monologue in Act 3, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet. My performance notes are on the left, and my words are on the right.

Fast tempo GALlop aPACE you FIEry FOOted steeds,Slow down, look up at sun Towards Phoebus’ lodging.Long pause

Such a Wagoner as PhateonShake head, smiling subtly Would whip you to the west,

And bring in Cloudy night immediately.Long pauseFan hands inward, as if closing curtain Spread thy close Curtain,Smile Love-performing night,Close eyes as speak That runaways’ eyes may winkOpen eyes, shouting, hands spread out and up And Romeo LEAP to these arms,Whispering Untalked of and unseen.Long pauseRegular volume Lovers can see to do their Amorous rights,

And by their own beauties:Turn and face opposite direction Or, if Love be blind,

It best agrees with night:Raise right hand out COME civil night,

Thou SOBER suited Matron all in black,And learn me how to LOSE a WINning match,Played for a pair of stainless Maidenhoods

Rub cheeks with both hands Hood my unmanned bloodBATing in my cheeksWith thy Black mantleTill strange Love grow bold,Think true Love acted simple modesty:

Raise right hand out again (keep it out) COME night, COME Romeo,Raise left hand out (keep it out) COME thou day in night,Lay back upon table (bed), with arms above head For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night

Whiter than new Snow upon a Raven’s backCaress table, moving arms down to sides COME gentle night,

COME loving blackbrowed night.

Friday, May 10 ClassworkMemorizing the Monologue


By this point, you should have read your monologue so many times that you have pieces of it memorized already. Tonight, try the tricks below to help you learn the rest (at least the first 8 lines of your monologue) by heart.

(1) Write the monologue, over and over, until you can do it without looking at the text.(2) Sing the monologue to the tune of a song you know. Multiple rounds should do the trick.(3) Practice performing the monologue, every word and action, in front of a friend who

reads along with your map.

Friday, May 9 HomeworkRehearsal

Rehearse your monologue using the map you created last night. Focus on memorizing the words and performing the actions and vocal variations you planned to go along with the words. Pretend this is the real performance, and don’t hold anything back!

Tuesday, May 14 ClassworkDramatic Readings


You will perform your monologue (with at least the first eight lines memorized) in front of a different group than the one you’ve been working with. Each member of your original group will “jigsaw” to group up with members from each of the other groups.

Here’s the process:

1. Each student performs for his/her jigsaw group.2. Applause. 3. Once all done, discuss the experience—pros, cons, challenges, etc.

Although I will walk around as you all perform your monologues, I will not be grading your monologue readings in themselves. Instead, I will grade your process piece reflection papers.

Tuesday, May 14 HomeworkProcess Piece Reflection Papers

Due Thursday, May 16

Write two full pages, typed, double-spaced, and following MLA guidelines, which address this experience and your journey towards a complete understanding of the monologue.

Questions to consider:

1. What did you learn about your character through the specific features of his or her language in this monologue?

2. What did you learn about Shakespeare’s use of language through your attempt at memorizing these words? I.e., how did memorizing the words help you make better sense of the words?

3. Which activities shed the most light on the monologue for you? What surprised you?4. How has your new understanding of this monologue changed your interpretation or

understanding of the play as a whole?

You will be graded based on how well you meet the following criteria:

1. Depth of analysis of the text (30 points)2. Accuracy of interpretation of Shakespeare’s language (30 points)3. Depth of reflection on your personal journey as a reader and performer (30 points)4. Spelling and grammar (10 points)

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