what should be in your essay?

• Macbeth's intentions are driven by vaulting ambition, which he compares to a horse that overreaches itself and falls
• Macbeth acknowledges that his ambition alone is not enough to carry out his intentions
• Lady Macbeth plays a crucial role in controlling Macbeth's ambition
• The supernatural elements in the play, such as the witches, influence Macbeth's thoughts but do not directly instruct him to commit evil acts
• Macbeth's fatal flaw is not solely ambition, but also his relationship with Lady Macbeth
• The witches introduce the theme of duality, where what seems fair is foul and what seems foul is fair
• Macbeth's actions are driven by his own choices and not solely by supernatural forces
• Lady Macbeth's guilt is symbolized by the imagery of a spot of blood on her hands
• Lady Macbeth's ambition and desire for power lead to her downfall and inner turmoil
• Lady Macbeth's rejection of traditional gender roles and embrace of cruelty highlight the theme of power dynamics in the play
• The witches' prophecy to Banquo serves to flatter King James and reinforce the idea of divine right of kings
• Banquo is portrayed as a noble figure who represents the antithesis to Macbeth's character
• The witches' prophecy to Banquo emphasizes the theme of appearance versus reality and the idea of equivocation
• The witches suggest that Macbeth won't be happy because he will act on his evil thoughts
• One of the witches refers to Macbeth as inherently evil, indicating their perspective
• Lady Macbeth's quotation about her baby's death shows her extreme level of violence and revenge towards Duncan
• Lady Macbeth asks for her milk to be turned to Gaul, indicating her recent grief over her baby's death
• Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth by suggesting that his promise to her is more important than a matter of life and death
• Macbeth's soliloquy "Out out brief candle" reflects his nihilistic view on life and his rejection of God
• Macbeth's desire to destroy the whole world after Lady Macbeth's death shows his childish impulse and rejection of God
• Shakespeare emphasizes Christian faith to deter the Nobles from going against the king, showing the consequences of rejecting God
• "I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself"
• "the raven himself is hoarse that croaks out this tale"
• Grade 9 essays typically contain around 975 words, with a range from 660 to 1100-1200 words
• Grade 9 students write an average of 22 explanations or interpretations about Shakespeare's purpose
• Grade 9 writers use an average of 13 to 15 quotes from the text
• Grade 9 essays typically mention around 8 named methods, such as foreshadowing, motif, contrast, metaphor, and simile
• Grade 9 students often mention Shakespeare's name in their essays to focus on his purpose and ideas
• Grade 9 essays usually consist of about 9 paragraphs, each around 100 words long
• There is no specific paragraph structure required for Grade 9 essays, but the focus should be on explaining Shakespeare's ideas with evidence
• Students can achieve a high score by following a coherent argument, whether starting with the extract or following a theme or character chronologically
• The conclusion of the essay should link back to Shakespeare's ideas and the society of his time
• Using around 10 quotes in the essay is sufficient to support the argument effectively