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How should I start a newspaper article about Duncan's murder in Macbeth?

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To start a newspaper article about Duncan's murder in Macbeth, begin with the most important facts: King Duncan was murdered at Macbeth's castle during the night. He was stabbed while he slept, and Thane of Fife Macduff discovered his body the next morning. Macbeth killed the guards in anger, and Duncan's sons fled, raising suspicion. Present these facts clearly and concisely in the opening paragraph.

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Normally a newspaper article, especially a hard news article like this one, begins with the most important facts first. This is done to give readers who might not have enough time to read the entire story the most significant information as quickly as possible.

In what is called a "lede" (pronounced lead) paragraph, you would, therefore, put the most important information known at this point about Duncan's murder. The murder of a king is a huge news story, so you would probably want to begin with the basic fact that the king of Scotland has been assassinated. You would then want to inform people about where it happened and what kind of weapons were used to kill the king, as well as when the murder probably occurred. Use simple, straightforward sentences: people are reading this kind of news piece for information and don't want to be confused.

Once this basic information is stated, you could go on to offer other details, such as speculation about who might be responsible, as well as reporting the death of Duncan's guards and the flight of Duncan's sons. It's always good to have a quote from someone on the scene, so if you can find that in the play, it would be a good idea to include it.

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