Macbeth journals now due next Wednesday!

Journals are now due February 22nd. However, no late journals will be accepted. You either have it on the 22nd or you don't. Remember that you have a long weekend to get everything done. DO NOT COME TO ME WEDNESDAY TO TELL ME THAT YOUR PRINTER IS BROKEN!

The following are journal topics that will help you in your analysis of the play, Macbeth. Complete the journals as you read the play to aid in your understanding of the action. Type all journals to present in a portfolio at the end of the unit. All journals must be approximately 300 words, or one typed, double-spaced page.

• Discuss the following quote: "Ambition destroys its possessor."
• Is Macbeth essentially a good character gone bad or was he evil all along? Draw your ideas from the text.
• Shakespeare took precise steps to achieve his goal of becoming a playwright. List the practical steps toward achieving your chosen career goal.
• Examine Macbeth's desires, motivations, and internal conflicts. Write a character profile.
• Think of something you want so much you would do just about anything to get it. Describe what you desire and consider what it would take to gain it. Do you need it?
• (Act III) If you could talk to Macbeth as a friend or confidant, what advice would you offer? Do you think he would take it? Do most people take the advice of friends?
• Would you say that Macbeth has a conscience? Why or why not?
• (Act IV, Scene ii) Write a letter from her husband that Lady Macduff might be reading as Ross arrives. Consider where he has gone, whom he plans to see, and the purpose of his trip. Explain why he has left his family.
• If the events in Macbeth were taking place today, would you want the president to send troops to Scotland to help Macduff and Malcolm? Explain why or why not.
• (Act V) Macbeth desperately wants to be king, but he proves himself to be unworthy of the position. Which characters would actually be right for the job? Complete a chart using "Character", "Skills", and "Personality" as column headings. Who would be the most qualified person? (Does not have to be 300 words)
• Do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth exchange personalities as the play progresses? Find examples from the play.
• What causes Macbeth's downfall--a tragic flaw, errors in judgement, forces beyond his control, or a combination of these? Support your opinion with evidence from the play. (See page 352 for help.)

Remember that no late journals will be accepted--not even for computer problems.