Before Reading
Preview the Selection
Preview act 5 of Macbeth, including the Prereading information on page 447, the artwork within the selection, and the questions on page 462. In addition, think about what you know about the characters and setting. Begin to picture what may happen in the act.
During Reading
Create Mind Pictures
1. Listen to scene 1, then read it on your own. What do you see and hear? What is the mood of this scene? Remember that stage directions tell you how something should be portrayed on stage. They will help you create mind pictures as you read.
2. Continue listening to or reading the act on your own. Keep making mind pictures as you listen or read.
Fix-Up Idea: Refocus
Review parts of a plot in Literary Tools on page 447. Think about what has happened already and about the central conflict of this play. As you read, focus on the climax, catastrophe, and falling action of the play.
After Reading
Summarize Mind Pictures
Jot down some notes about the mind pictures you created while reading. Compare your mind pictures with those of a partner.