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PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT TASK

DIRECTIONS
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Defending the Macbeths
The Situation:
You are spending another late night at your law firm when your phone rings. It’s Macbeth, and he
sounds panicked. He tells you that, as he’s been accused of murdering King Duncan, he needs a lawyer
to defend him. He doesn’t say much but mentions that the “Weird Sisters” might have had something to
do with it.
You hang up the phone, but before you even have the chance to put the phone down, it rings again. This
time, Lady Macbeth greets you. She tells you in a rush that she, too, must stand trial for the murder of
Duncan and needs a lawyer to defend her in court. She says that she will sell out anyone to acquit
herself.
Now, you must choose ONE of these potential clients to represent in a court of law.

Your Task:
In preparation for this trial, you will write a script for your opening statement that you will present to
the judge (me) and jury (your classmates). This opening statement should outline the argument that you
will make to defend your client, while also specifically referencing the play and “eye-witness accounts”
(direct quotes from the text) to make sure that your argument is based on facts.
As you write, pay careful attention to your diction, syntax, and overall tone. Is your opening statement
well suited for a courtroom setting? (If you’re not sure what this means, don’t worry – we will watch
some videos of lawyers presenting their cases together in class!)

Requirements for Success:

In order to be successful on this assignment, you will need to:
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of an essential understanding in the context of
Macbeth:
o If you choose to defend Macbeth, this understanding is: The nature of “fate vs. free will”
presents people with paradoxical ways of understanding the world.
o If you choose to defend Lady Macbeth, this understanding is: People make “wrong” choices
(even when they know they’re wrong) for complex reasons.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge about Macbeth’s setting, plot, and characters
• Identify 2-3 key quotations from the play text that effectively further your argument
• Demonstrate effective use of diction and syntax that is well-suited for this hypothetical context
• Engage in the revision process using the steps that we have learned about in class together

Timeline:
Step 1: Submit your formal choice of which character you are defending to the teacher.
Step 2: Submit an outline of your response that includes: the three major focal points of your defense;
some commentary about your thinking for each of these points; and 2-3 pieces of textual evidence you
might incorporate into your argument (about one for each focal point). You will get instructor feedback
on this component of your project.
Step 3: Submit a first draft of your opening statement. You should already be thinking about how well
your diction and syntax fit your hypothetical purpose and audience.
Step 4: Revise your work using one of our revision strategies discussed in class.
Step 5: Submit your finished project.

We will have a lot of in-class work time to complete this assignment; I will typically be available for
conferences during these times if you want help or advice. The steps and timeline outlined above are
designed to help you stay on top of this project so that the final deadline does not surprise you;
adhering to this timeline will also give you more opportunities for feedback, which should ultimately
improve the quality of your final product.
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PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
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Outstanding Proficient Acceptable Needs Work
(10-9 pts) (8-6 pts) (5-3 pts) (2-0 pts)
Work demonstrates a Work demonstrates a Work demonstrates an There is little to no
thorough critical critical understanding of attempt at engaging with attempt at addressing
understanding of the one essential at least one essential either of the essential
indicated essential understanding from our understanding from the understandings from our
understandings from our unit and how it manifests unit and how it manifests unit.
unit and how it manifests in Macbeth. This in Macbeth, although the OR
Treatment of in Macbeth. These understanding is engagement lacks depth There is no analysis of how
Essential understandings are incorporated into the and/or complexity. the essential
Understanding incorporated seamlessly larger argument being This understanding is understandings from this
into the larger argument made, although it does not present in the larger unit manifest in Macbeth.
being made. serve as the focal point of argument, although there
the larger argument being are some issues with
made. integration of the EU with
the larger argument being
made.
• Argument is based • Argument is based • Argument is based on • Work demonstrates
solidly on the facts of solidly on the facts of the facts of the major misreading of
the “case” and draws the “case” and “case,” but the text, which
consistently from plot reflects a thorough demonstrates minor hinders the ability of
events and character understanding of the misreadings or the argument to be
traits from the play plot and characters of misconceptions about persuasive or
text. In addition, the play. the events and/or compelling.
argument goes characters of the play.
beyond what is on the • Work includes • Quotations included
pages of the play to multiple well • Work includes are insufficient; they
draw connections and integrated and multiple appropriately are unrelated to the
make logical appropriately cited cited quotations, but argument, or
Use of Textual inferences to quotations that are more integration is inappropriately cited.
Evidence strengthen the generally impactful needed for them to be
argument. and help develop the truly effective in
argument towards developing the
• Work includes sophistication. argument being
multiple flawlessly made.
integrated and
appropriately cited
quotations from the
text that work to
develop a
sophisticated and
cohesive argument.
 • Work demonstrates • Work demonstrates • Work demonstrates • Work demonstrates a
an effective use of an effective use of clear and lack of attention to
syntax and diction syntax and diction, comprehensible syntax and diction,
that reflect an although there are a syntax and diction, making the piece
understanding of the few minor digressions although the tone of choppy and difficult to
context, purpose, and in tone or style that the piece in general is engage with, or else
intended audience of do not serve the lacking the necessary poorly suited for the
the argument. overall purpose of the awareness of the hypothetical situation.
piece. hypothetical context,
• Work is logically purpose, and • Many errors are
Craft
organized and shows • Work is logically audience for this present, indicating a
evidence of organized and shows piece. lack of engagement
engagement with a evidence of with the revision
careful and thorough engagement with a • Some issues with process.
revision process and careful and thorough organization are
attention to detail. revision process. present, and there are
multiple places in
which further revision
is necessary.