Macbeth Activity Using Alanis Morissette's "Wake Up": Length of Activity: 20-25 minutes Materials Needed: Song-"Wake Up" by Alanis Morissette; Copies of song lyrics; Copies of Macbeth Context: This activity should follow a reading and discussion of Act I, Scene 7 of Macbeth in which Macbeth expresses his indecisiveness about killing Duncan and Lady Macbeth berates him regarding his indecision. Objective: Students will be able to write statements from Lady Macbeth's viewpoint that express her attitude toward Macbeth and reveal his ambivalence about committing the murder of Duncan. Sequence of Activities: Pass out lyrics to Alanis Morissette's "Wake Up" from her album Jagged Little Pill. As you pass these out, remind students of Act I, Scene 7 and the attitudes of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Play "Wake Up." Ask the following questions: What is the speaker's attitude in this song? Does this seem to be more like Macbeth's or Lady Macbeth's viewpoint? Refer them to the first three lines that are starred--what is the speaker expressing in these lines about the person to whom she is referring? Remind students of the cliché, "have your cake and eat it, too." Put students in groups of 3-4 and tell them to rewrite the lines are starred as if Lady Macbeth is speaking them to Macbeth. Remind them to consider Macbeth's state of mind at this point in the play and what Lady Macbeth's attitude is toward him. (10 minutes is usually sufficient to accomplish this) Have students share their lines with the class. ***************************** WAKE UP by Alanis Morissette You like snow but only if it’s warm (*) You like rain but only if it’s dry (*) No sentimental value to the rose that fell on your floor No fundamental excuse for the granted I’m taken for ‘Cause it’s easy not to So much easier not to And what goes around never comes around to you You like pain but only if it doesn’t hurt too much (*) You sit . . .and you wait . . .to receive There’s an obvious attraction To the path of least resistance in your life There’s an obvious aversion no amount of my insistance [sic] could make you try tonight ‘Cause it’s easy not to So much easier not to And what goes around never comes around to you To you to you to you to you to you . . . There’s no love no money no thrill anymore There’s an apprehensive naked little trembling boy (*) With his head in his hands (*) There’s an underestimated and impatient little girl (*) Raising her hand (*) But it’s easy not to So much easier not to And what goes around never comes around to you To you, to you get up get up get up off of it get up get up get up off of it get out get outta here enough already get up get up get up off of it wake up **************************************** Student Examples of Rewritten Lines: "You want fame but only if it's free" "You take love but never give it back" "You like power but only if it's free" "You like to win but only if it's easy" "You can fight in battle but you can't kill to be king" "You like the crown but only if it's given" "There's an unexpecting king Whose life can be gone in the blink of an eye There's a determined and impatient wife Ready to drop the knife" "There's a sleepy little king With his head on the pillow There's a large and shiny crown Waiting for your hand" "There's an undecided little puppy Running with its tail between its legs There is a misunderstood and anxious kitten Waiting to broaden her horizons" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++