Understanding Character Motivation

 
Content Area: English Grade Level: 11,12
Keywords: Shakespeare, Macbeth, character, motivation, comprehension, critical thinking, writing
California Content Standard

Narrative Analysis

3.6 Analyze the way in which authors through the centuries have used archetypes drawn from myth and tradition in literature, film, political speeches, and religious writings (e.g., how the archetypes of banishment from an ideal world may be used to interpret Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth).

1.0 Writing Strategies
Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the writing process.

Organization and Focus

  • 1.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of discourse (e.g., purpose, speaker, audience, form) when completing narrative, expository, persuasive, or descriptive writing assignments.\
  • 1.2 Use point of view, characterization, style (e.g., use of irony), and related elements for specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes.
  • 1.3 Structure ideas and arguments in a sustained, persuasive, and sophisticated way and support them with precise and relevant examples.

2.0 Speaking Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)

Students deliver polished formal and extemporaneous presentations that combine traditional rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description. Student speaking demonstrates a command of standard American English and the organizational and delivery strategies outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard

  • 2.3 Deliver oral responses to literature
  • 2.4  Deliver multimedia presentations
Literacy Area(s):  Speaking Applications Skills:  Comprehension, critical thinking, Speaking
Literacy Strategy(ies):

Understanding Character Motivation (to be used in conjunction with the study of Shakespeare's Macbeth  Students will analyze the imagery, language, universal themes, and unique aspects of the text through the use of rhetorical strategies (e.g., narration, description, persuasion, exposition, a combination of those strategies).
Culminating Task and Student Outcomes:  Students will collaborate in teams to create a multimedia production of students delivering a selected soliloquy from Macbeth, explaining its meaning and significance re: progressive changes occurring in the character. 
Materials:
  1. Copies of the play, Macbeth  by William Shakespeare
  2. Video:  Macbeth
  3. Video Camera & tape
  4. Computers with video editing capability
  5. Graphic organizers: Open Mind, Venn Diagram
  6. Essay Organizer
Motivator:
  1. Teacher reads a soliloquy from a Shakespearean drama (other than Macbeth)
  2. Discuss how this literary device reveals the characters inner thoughts and feelings to the audience. 
  3. Ask for student volunteers to deliver an impromptu soliloquy

Procedure(s):

  1. Students read Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, as a study in character motivation.
  2. Students use Open Mind to express in images what motivates the main characters in various scenes: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Duncan, the Weird Sisters
  3. Students use a Venn Diagram to compare/contrast the Macbeth and at various points in the play to illustrate changes in character.  Do the same with Lady Macbeth.
  4. Venn Diagrams and Open Minds are shared included as part of the culminating project
  5. Writing activity:
  1. Brainstorm on character traits of selected characters. (What drives the character to action?)
  2. Select three traits from the list that best describe the character selected.
  3. Students access Macbeth on the Internet, and read the Analysis of characters.
  4. Use the Essay Organizer to compose a five(5) paragraph character sketch in the first person about one of the main characters in the drama. (See The Writing Process for help.) 
    This also, should be included in the script for the culminating project project.
  5. Be sure to include the following elements:
  1. A description of the character's personality traits
  2. What does he/she want?
  3. What stands in the way of getting what he/she wants?
  4. To what lengths does the character go to achieve what he/she wants?
  5. What are the results?

 

Assessment / Evaluation:
Acts 1 & 2 Quiz Final

Multimedia Project Rubric: Macbeth Solilioquies

Teacher name:

Student Name ___________________
CATEGORY Excellent = 4 Good = 3 Satisfactory = 2 Needs Improvement 
= 1		 Score
Originality Product shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive. Product shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights. Uses other people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original thinking. Uses other people's ideas, but does not give them credit.  
Oral Presentation Interesting, well-rehearsed with smooth delivery that holds audience attention. Relatively interesting, rehearsed with a fairly smooth delivery that usually holds audience attention. Delivery not smooth, but able to able to hold audience attention most of the time. Delivery not smooth and audience attention lost.  
Originality Product shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive. Product shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights. Uses other people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original thinking. Uses other people's ideas, but does not give them credit.  
Workload The workload is divided and shared equally by all team members. The workload is divided and shared fairly by all team members, though workloads may vary from person to person. The workload was divided, but one person in the group is viewed as not doing his/her fair share of the work. The workload was not divided OR several people in the group are viewed as not doing their fair share of the work.  

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Essay Rubric:

4

Character sketch demonstrates outstanding application of critical thinking skills in analyzing and interpreting a character's motivations. Examples from the drama to support character analysis are carefully selected for relevancy. Writing adheres to standard conventions.
3 Character sketch demonstrates adequate application of critical thinking skills in analyzing character motivations. Some examples from the drama are given to support character analysis. Writing adheres to standard conventions with a few mistakes.
2 Character sketch demonstrates some critical thinking. Examples from the drama are present but lack clear relevancy. Writing contains several mistakes in conventions.
1 Critical thinking is not evident in character analysis. Writing is incoherent and statements are unsupported.
Enrichment / Extension:
  • Show student projects 
  • Take students to the theatre to see the drama enacted on stage.

 

© 2002- Carolyn O Burleson