PLANNING
Small Group learninG
performance TaSk
Should literature of
the past be rewritten into
present-day language for
today’s readers?uniT performance-BaSed
aSSeSSmenT
What is the relationship
of human beings to time?eSSenTial QueSTion:
How do our attitudes
toward the past and
future shape our actions?Summary
In this excerpt from “The Naked Babe and the Cloak of Manliness,”
Cleanth Brooks discusses key symbols in The Tragedy of Macbeth:
the naked babe and the cloak that covers the man Macbeth wishes
to hide. Brooks notes that when Macbeth seeks the Weird Sisters’
counsel for a second time, two of their apparitions involve babes.
The babe symbolizes the future that Macbeth wishes to control but
cannot. Brooks also notes that plant symbols— “a fruitless crown”
and even the trees of Birnam Wood—supplement the symbol of
the babe. At the end of the play, the symbols come together when
Macduff kills Macbeth and establishes a new line of Scottish kings.In the excerpt from “Macbeth,” Frank Kermode argues that the
structure and events of Shakespeare’s play determine the words
spoken by characters. He cites the strange sayings of the Three
Sisters as being largely about the past and the future, an important
theme of Shakespeare’s play. The essay goes on to explore how
the things the characters say reflect the theme and actions at any
given point.insight
Reading this selection will help students understand that poetic
language often requires detailed focus and interpretation. The students
should be able to relate Shakespeare’s use of these symbols, with other
more overt symbols in the play such as darkness and blood.audio SummarieS
Audio summaries of the “The
Naked Babe and the Cloak of
Manliness” and “Macbeth”
are available online in both
English and Spanish in the
Interactive Teacher’s Edition or
Unit Resources. Assigning these
summaries prior to reading the
selection may help students
build additional background
knowledge and set a context for
their first read.SMALL-GROUP LEARNING • THE NAKED BABE AND THE CLOAK OF MANLINESS • MACBETHThe Naked Babe and the Cloak
of Manliness • Macbeth
connection to the essential Question
Both essays connect to the Essential Question, “How do our attitudes
toward the past and future shape our actions?” Brooks discusses how
Shakespeare uses the symbol of the babes from the Weird Sisters’
apparitions to tie the themes of time and fate to the climactic events
of the play. Kermode’s “Macbeth” is primarily about the language that
conveys concepts of the past and the possible future in Shakespeare’s
play.connection to performance Tasks
Small-Group Learning Performance Task In this Performance Task,
students will explore the question, “Should literature of the past be
rewritten into present-day language for today’s readers?” Students will
relate the idea of symbols used in poetry to the way Shakespeare uses
them to reveal their meanings through actions and the play’s plot.Unit Performance-Based Assessment The essays will provide students
with evidence that will help them respond to the question, “What
is the relationship of human beings to time?” Students will explore
Macbeth’s obsession with controlling the future and maintaining his line
of succession.384A UNIT 3 • FACING THE FUTURE, CONFRONTING THE PAST
LIT17_TE12_U03_B2_SG_INTER.indd 1 16-04-12 1:57 AM