Macbeth: 2. Destiny
Macbeth and Banquo arrive at King Duncan's camp where Macbeth is greeted with the news that he is now Thane of Cawdor. The prophecy of the Weird Sisters appears to be coming true, but King Duncan announces that his own son, Malcolm, is to be his heir. Macbeth then rides ahead to his castle at Dunsinane to prepare for victory celebrations.
The story
you will be too scared to do what is neededLady Macbeth on Macbeth
When Macbeth and Banquo arrive at King Duncan’s camp they learn from the nobles Lennox, Ross and Angus that the rebel Thane of Cawdor is under sentence of death and his title has been awarded to Macbeth. Thus Macbeth is now Thane of Cawdor...and the prophecy of the Weird Sisters appears to be coming true. Macbeth begins to wonder if the second part of the prophecy might also come true...but when King Duncan arrives he names his son Malcolm as his heir. Macbeth departs for his castle at Dunsinane to ready it for a victory celebration. Meanwhile Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband sent after the battle in which he tells her about the Weird Sisters. But Lady Macbeth wonders if he is really prepared to do all that is necessary to gain the crown.
The main characters
| Name | Who is... |
|---|---|
| Macbeth | Thane of Glamis, then of Cawdor, then King of Scotland |
| Lady Macbeth | His wife |
| The 'Weird Sisters' | Three strange creatures living wild on the heathland |
| Duncan | The rightful King of Scotland |
| Banquo | Macbeth's friend and comrade |
| Fleance | Banquo's son |
| Malcolm | Duncan's son and heir |
| Donalbain | Duncan's younger son |
| Macduff | Thane of Fife; loyal to Duncan / Malcolm |
| Angus, Lennox, Ross | Three noblemen who initially support Macbeth but later leave him in favour of Malcolm / Macduff |
In the song tutorial
| Timing | Content |
|---|---|
| 00 00 Part 1 | Learning the opening chant, beginning: 'Never been a day so fair / Never been a day so foul'. |
| 03 19 Part 1 | Learning Verse 1, beginning: 'A shadow falls, the night is cold' and focusing on the crescendo to the words 'God save the King' which ends the verse. |
| 07 01 Part 1 | Noting the dynamics of the song: 'p' ('piano') for the chant and 'f' ('forte') for 'God save the King'. |
| 00 00 Part 2 | Learning Verse 2, beginning: 'To hide my fear, let darkness fall...' which is sung to the same tune as Verse 1. |
| 01 13 Part 2 | Learning the 'Middle 8', beginning: 'And the night is fright'ning...' in sections. The Middle 8 of a song is an 8-bar section which provides contrast to the verses and usually comes around the middle. |
| 04 15 Part 2 | Learning the final chanted section of the song in groups - beginning ‘When will I ever be crowned...’ - which uses the same melody as the opening chant. |
Story questions
What news do the noblemen give Macbeth when he arrives at King Duncan's camp?
That he has been created the new Thane of Cawdor (the old one having been condemned to death as a rebel)
What annoucement does King Duncan make after the battle is over?
That his son - Malcolm - will be named his heir and is to be called Prince of Cumberland (at the time the oldest male son of the king did not succeed to the throne by right)
How does Macbeth react to this announcement?
The announcement is problematic for Macbeth. Perhaps he had assumed he was a likely candidate to succeed Duncan himself. Now he knows he will have to take action if the Witches' prophecy is to come true
Where will King Duncan and the noblemen celebrate their victory?
At Dunsinane Castle - the home of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
What does Lady Macbeth tell her husband when he arrives at Dunsinane?
That King Duncan 'must not live to see the morning sun'...that he 'must be taken care of tonight...'
Resources
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Teacher's Notes
Guidance on all episodes (pdf)
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Lyrics - Destiny
Download / print the lyrics (pdf)
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Music - Destiny
Download / print the music (pdf)
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Pupils' pamphlet
All lyrics and activities (pdf)
