Macbeth Questions 1.1
Macbeth Questions 1.1
Macbeth Questions 1.1
1.) What are the witches planning at the beginning of the act?
2.) What does the Captain report about the battle to Duncan?
4.) What happened to the original Thane of Cawdor and why did he lose his title?
6.) What do the witches mean when they say, 'Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so
happy, yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none'?
8.) What happens that causes Macbeth to recalculate his ease of becoming king?
12.) How sure is Lady Macbeth that this plot will succeed?
13.) What is the point of the first scene in reference to the whole play?
14.) What does Duncan call Macbeth when he hears that Macbeth has defeated
Macdonwald?
19.) Macbeth says "Stars hide your fires/ Let light see my black desires" what desires is
he talking about?
20.) After Lady Macbeth reads his letter, what does she say about her husband and
how does she plan to "help" him?
21.) What is Lady Macbeth's prayer to the spirits after she learns Duncan is coming?
21.) What advice does Lady Macbeth give Macbeth when he arrives home?
22.) What are Macbeth's reasons for why he should not kill Duncan?
23.) What arguments does Lady Macbeth use to convince Macbeth to commit the
murder?
3.) How guilty does Macbeth feel after committing the murder?
5.) What is the first reaction to the King's death and who's is it?
7.) What symbolism does Lady Macbeth's fainting have and how is it ironic?
9.) What meaning does the line, 'God's benison go with you, and with those that would
make good of bad, and friends of foes!' have?
11.) What is the signal Lady Macbeth is to give Macbeth to let him know that she has
taken care of the guards?
12.) What excuse does Lady Macbeth give for not killing Duncan herself?
13.) Why is Macbeth unable to say "Amen" at the end of a prayer he hears?
14.) Why won't Macbeth take the daggers back to the scene of the crime?
15.) Who was knocking on the palace door?
19.) Macduff says to Lady Macbeth, "O gentle lady, 'Tis not for you to hear what i can
speak. The repetition, in a woman's ear, Would murder as it fell." What is ironic about
this?
20.) What excuse does Macbeth give for killing the guards?
23.) Why does Ross not believe that Malcolm and Donalbain are responsible for
Duncan's murder?
Act III
1.) Why does Macbeth have Banquo killed?
3.) How does Macbeth feel with his new found power?
4.) What happens when the murderers try to kill Banquo and his son?
6.) How does Lady Macbeth make her husband feel better after seeing the ghost?
9.) Does Macbeth's plan for killing Banquo and Fleance work? Explain.
10.) Macbeth says "The worm that's fled/ Hath nature that in time will venom breed, /
No teeth for the present." What does he mean?
12.) How does Lady Macbeth cover for Macbeth at the banquet?
14.) Macbeth says, " I am in blood/ Stepped in so far that should I wade no more, /
Returning were as tedious as go o'er." What does he mean?
15.) What does Hecate want the witches to do?
2.) What three things does Macbeth learn from the witches and apparitions and how does
he react to them?
4.) How does Macduff react to the news that his family has been slaughtered?
6.) What are the witches doing at the beginning of Act IV?
7.) What are some things that the witches put in the cauldron?
24.) How does the witches respond to Macbeth's question about Banquo?
25.) What does Macbeth after the witches refuse to tell him about Banquo?
26.) What happens after the witches refuse to tell Macbeth about Banquo?
28.) What do the mirror the eight kings hold in Scene I symbolize?
31.) What does Macbeth plan to do from now on at the end of Scene I?
32.) What does Macbeth plan to do to execute his heart to hand mentality?
42.) Why does Lady Macduff tell her son that his dad is dead?
43.) What does the son say he will do if his dad is dead?
47.) How does Macbeth's previous murders compare to his murders now?
57.) Why does Macduff say there is no hope for Scotland in Scene III?
63.) Why are many people waiting for King Edward in Scene III?
66.) How does Ross respond to Macduff when he asks about his family?
69.) How does Macduff respond after hearing about his family?
70.) How does Malcolm's responds different from Macduff's about his family?
2.) Why won't the doctor or the gentlewoman tell anyone what they have seen or heard?
4.) How is the prophesy of Birnam Wood moving to Dusinane Hill fulfilled?
5.) Why doesn't Macbeth put his armor on when he goes out to do battle?
7.) Who decides who becomes king and who does he choose?
8.) What do the doctor and the gentlewoman see Lady Macbeth doing? What do they
decide to do? What is Lady Macbeth's mental state in Scene 1?
11.) What trick does Malcolm use to hide the number of men in his army? What is the
importance of the camouflage in Scene 4?
12.) What does Malcolm explain about the state of Macbeth's armies?
17.) What is Young Siward's reaction to the name Macbeth? Why is it important that
Young Siward die with wounds to the front chest?
18.) What excuse does Macbeth give Macduff for not wanting to fight him?
21.) Who will be the new king of Scotland? What is the significance of Malcolm's
ascension?
Macbeth the Play
1.) What is the setting?
9.) What do the witches prophecies seem like? What do the witches prophecies actually
do?
And/Or
Question 1: How do you reconcile Macbeth's prompt murder of the grooms with his
horror at the mere thought of killing Duncan, and his refusal to carry the bloody daggers
back to the chamber?
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Question 2: Is Lady Macbeth's swoon, on hearing of the murder of the grooms, real or
feigned - and the grounds of your opinion?
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Question 10: How did Shakespeare link symbolism and mysticism in Macbeth?
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Question 11: How do you explain the difference in Lady Macbeth's manner towards
Macbeth after the Banquo ghost scene (III.iv), as compared with her bearing after the
murder of Duncan (II.ii)?
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Question 12: Do you regard Lady Macbeth as a suicide? And what do you consider the
causes of her death?
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Question 13: What effect does Lady Macbeth's death have upon Macbeth, and upon our
feelings toward him?
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Question 14: How do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth act differently after Duncan's murder?
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Question 16: Over what period of time does Macbeth take place?
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