Macbeth

It helps to create the menacing/ominous atmosphere

Why does Shakespeare open with a scene of witches?

It refers to the key theme of the play, "appearances versus reality." Much of the play deals with pretending to be one way and yet being another way, or looking one way but being another way.

What does "fair is foul, and foul is fair" mean, and why is it important?

The soldiers who fought alongside Macbeth spoke about how he fought valiantly, bravely, courageously, heroically. According to the soldier, he is the reason they won the battle.

What evidence suggests that Macbeth has great heroic qualities and potential?

He is promoted to Thane of Cawdor by the king.

What honour is bestowed upon Macbeth?

Because the king bestowed the honour on Macbeth is the same kingwho may be killed by the man who gave him the honour (Duncan honors Macbeth, Macbeth kills Duncan)

Why might Macbeth being promoted to Thane of Cawdor be ironic?

The thane of Cawdor, the King of Scotland

What prophecies are made for Macbeth?

He will be lesser than Macbeth, but greater. He shall not be king but will have sons who become kings.

What prophecies are made for Banquo?

What is Duncan's announcement?

He announces they will go to Invernesss to celebrate his promotion as the Thane of Cawdor

What is Duncan's announcement?

His thoughts consist of murder and deceit and he must try to hide these thoughts by conveying a neutral face (appearences vs. reality)

What does Macbeth mean when he says "Stars, hide your fires!/ Let not light see my black and deep desires"?

She is cold and brutal. She is ambitious. She fears her husband is too morally good to commit dark acts, and plans to commit murder herself if need be.

What does Lady Macbeth's opening soliloquy tell us about her?

Macbeth doesn't want to kill Duncan

What is Macbeth's reaction to what Lady Macbeth proposes?

She is well versed in pretending, and falsely presents herself as the gracious and kind hostess to Duncan (even thought she is plotting his murder) (Appearances vs. reality)

Why does Lady Macbeth behave so differently in scene 5 and 6?

Dramatic irony: audience knows about the plotting murder but the king doesn't. Situational Irony: castle looks inviting but everyone in it is plotting murder (dark)

Irony in scene 6:

● to reveal the true character of the speaker
● to reveal the speaker’s opinion of another character
● to reveal the motivation and mood of the character
● to foreshadow, create suspense, or advance the plot

four main function of a soliloquy

● will inevitably cause more murders
● guilt
● friends/family
● Duncan is a good person
● The people love Duncan
● Failure

six reasons why Macbeth does not want to go through with the murder,

Ambition

one reason macbeth wants to go through with the murder

The battle

The witches plan to meet “When the hurlyburly’s done” - what’s the hurlyburly?

They meet him on purpose

Do the witches purposely meet with Macbeth, or is their meeting a random incident?

“Fair is foul, foul is fair”

What phrase is spoken by the three weird sisters in the first scene that introduces the recurrent theme topic in the play: the discrepancy between appearance and reality?

He’s being called a god of war because he fights so well

Why does the Sergeant call Macbeth “Bellona’s Bridegroom”?

The Thane of Cawdor; Macbeth gets his title

Who is being executed for treason? Who will get his title?

Macbeth and Banquo

In Anglo-Saxon folklore, the Weird Sisters are specifically referred to as the “goddesses of destiny.” This makes the witches more than merely instruments of evil, and explains why which two characters are so quick to listen to their predictions?

Banquo

Who points out to Macbeth that witches often tell truths to humans in order to cause their destruction?

True

True or false: The witches’ promises of prosperity make Macbeth’s hair stand on end?

Malcolm

Which of King Duncan’s sons is named The Prince of Cumberland, heir to the Scottish throne (next in line to be king) - Malcolm or Donalbain?

His desire to be king, and he thinks of doing something evil to get the throne

After the naming of the Prince of Cumberland, Macbeth says, “Stars hide your fires! / Let not light see my black and deep desires.” - What is his desire, and why is it “black and deep”?

Kindness

Lady Macbeth knows that Macbeth is ambitious, but she fears he is too full of
___________________________ to actually do what needs to be done to become King.

Lady Macbeth

Which character says, “Look like the innocent flower / but be the serpent under it”?

Soliloquy

Scene 7 opens with Macbeth alone on stage, thinking and reflecting out loud. What is this type of speech called?

__ambition___; True

True or false (and fill in the blank) - After thinking through all the strong reasons why he should
not kill King Duncan, Macbeth recognizes that his own ______________________ is the only
reason he wants to kill the king, and acting on that is the wrong thing to do, so he decides he
and Lady Macbeth won’t go through with her plan.

Fleance

What is the name of Banquo’s son?

True

True or False: Macbeth sees a bloody dagger leading him to the king’s chamber, but he knows it’s not real; it’s only a false creation of his feverish/troubled mind?

True

True or False: Lady Macbeth admits she had to have a little drink for courage and would not have been able to kill the king herself?

He brings the bloody daggers/murder weapons back with him

What part of the plan does Macbeth do wrong that Lady Macbeth has to go back to Duncan’s bedchamber and fix?

Macbeth

Who believes all of the water in “Great Neptune’s ocean [won’t] wash this blood / Clean from my hand?

Lady Macbeth

Who believes, “A little water clears us of this deed, / How easy it is then!”

He regrets the murder

Why does Macbeth wish the knocking at the gate would wake Duncan?

Macduff and Lennox

Which two characters arrive and knock at the gate, so they can be let in and wake the king to start his day?

Lennox

Who tells Macbeth of such events as terrifying voices in the wind and the earth shaking on the night of Duncan’s murder?

Dramatic

Macduff discovers the King has been murdered, and when Lady Macbeth asks what has happened, he replies, “O gentle lady, / ‘Tis not for you to hear what I can speak.” What type of irony is this?

Macbeth

Overcome with grief and anger at the murder of the king, who kills Duncan’s guards before they even wake from their sleep?

Malcolm; Donalbain

Afraid for their own lives, without speaking to anyone but each other, ___________________
flees to England, and ________________________ flees to Ireland.

Malcolm and Donalbain

Who is blamed for the murder of King Duncan?

Macbeth

With the heir to the throne having fled and believed to have bribed the guards to kill his father, who is named new King of Scotland?

True

True or False: Ross is going to see Macbeth crowned, while Macduff is going home to Fife instead?

MACBETH KNOWS THE ONLY REASON HE HAS TO KILL KING DUNCAN IS TO SATISFY HIS OWN AMBITION TO BECOME THE KING, AND THIS IS NOT A REASON TO KILL - MACBETH KNOWS RIGHT FROM WRONG, AND DECIDES HE WILL NOT KILL THE KING

What are Macbeth's thoughts on killing the king?

morally conflicted, confident, sensible/logical, brave, a good fighter, loving/sensitive, intelligent, loyal, easily influenced and manipulated, ambitious

Macbeth character traits

manipulative, intelligent, evil, impulsive, passionate, intimidating, determined, “unwomanly”, ambitious

Lady Macbeth character traits

True

True or false: Banquo suspects Macbeth attained the crown through foul play?

False - he wants his own prophecies to come true so he’s keeping quiet

True or false: Banquo plans to tell other Scottish Lords and Noblemen that he suspects Macbeth attained the crown through foul play?

False - his ambition is now to remain king, undisputed

True or false: Now that Macbeth is King, he feels he should stop acting on his evil thoughts and try to rule with the same grace and humility that Duncan did?

It’s no good to be king if he won’t stay king - he’s worried others will do the same to
him that he did to Duncan

Macbeth says, “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus.” (3.1.54) - what does me mean by this?

Knowing Banquo will father kings, he feels they are a threat to him

Why does Macbeth decide to have Banquo and Fleance murdered?

False - he convinces them Banquo is an enemy to Scotland

True or False: Macbeth gives no reason to the murders to kill Banquo and Fleance; as King, he just orders it and expects it to be done?

She is not happy

While alone, Lady Macbeth reflects that, “Nought’s had, all’s spent” (3.2.6) - what does she mean?

His mind is full of evil thoughts and poison

What does Macbeth mean when he says, “O, full of scorpions is my mind” (3.2.42)?

False - he’s keeping things from her

True or False: In scene two, we see that the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is just as open and honest as it was in the first two acts of the play.

Banquo is killed, but his son Fleance escapes

Who is killed in scene 3, and who escapes?

False - the ghost of Banquo appears

True or false: The ghosts of Fleance and King Duncan appear to Macbeth at the banquet?

False - she calls him weak

True or false: Lady Macbeth is sympathetic and understanding of Macbeth’s strange behaviour at the banquet?

The bloody dagger

Lady Macbeth compares the ghost at this banquet to what other vision Macbeth saw on his way to kill King Duncan?

True

True or False: Macbeth speaks directly to the ghost at the banquet, even though others can’t see it there?

Lady Macbeth

When Ross asks Macbeth what he’s seeing, who dismisses all the guests and tells them to leave at once, before Macbeth can speak further?

Macduff

Who does Macbeth notice is missing from the feast?

The witches

Who does Macbeth plan to go see in the morning?

It’s making him hallucinate/see things

Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth, “You lack the season of all natures, sleep” (3.4.167) - what effect does she believe this is having on him?

Queen of the witches

Who is Hecate?

They approached Macbeth without her

Why is Hecate angry at the witches?

true

True or false: Hecate doesn’t like Macbeth because she believes he cares more for himself than for evil and mischief for its own sake?

Fill him with overconfidence, and he’ll cause his own destruction

Knowing that Macbeth is planning to seek out the witches on his own, what does she instruct the witches to do?

When people feel secure, they often make mistakes

Hecate says, “And you all know security / Is mortals’ chiefest enemy” (3.5.32-33) - what does this mean?

Duncan and Banquo

Who does Lennox suspect Macbeth has had killed?

False - he believes it was Macbeth (and so do many others)

True or false: Lennox believes Malcolm and Donalbain had their father killed?

In England, gathering English forces (Northumberland and Siward) to help him fight to take his rightful throne from Macbeth

Where is Malcolm and what is he doing?

In England, to support Malcolm and his fight for his throne

Where is Macduff, and what is he doing?

A traitor

If Macbeth doesn’t do what King Macbeth asks him, what does this make him to his country?

It’s suffering - lack of food, lack of sleep, fearful people

How is Scotland faring with Macbeth as King? Give three examples.

He’s making preparations for war

Knowing the plans of Malcolm and Macduff, what is Macbeth planning?

Where are you going? With Fleance? When will you be back?

What questions doe Macbeth ask Banquo before he rides into the country with Fleance?

Two

How many murderers does Macbeth hire to kill Banquo?

Convinces them their station in life is as a result of their enemy - Banquo

A character change. He is becoming ruthless.

The fact that Macbeth is willing to have his loyal friend is an indication of what?

because his sons shall become king and Macbeth wears a “fruitless crown” and has a “barren sceptre” indicating he cannot have children

Why is Macbeth afraid of Banquo?

The murder must happen away from the castle as to give Macbeth an alibi so noone suspects him of doing the evil deed.

Why must Banquo's murder happen away from the castle?

Lady Macbeth is kept in the dark about Macbeth’s plan to have Banquo killed (change in their relationship although he states it is to keep her from having an even guiltier conscience)

Is Lady Macbeth aware of Macbeth's plan to kill Banquo?

“We have scorched the snake, not killed it…”

What does “We have scorched the snake, not killed it…” mean?

Macbeth admits he is envious of Duncan who is in his grave and is therefore not tormented with such evil thoughts, fear or guilt.

Why is Macbeth jealous of the deceased King?

Lady Macbeth not to appear guilty when their guests come to the banquet tonight (she thinks he is feeling guilt over Duncan because she doesn’t know about Banquo)

Why doesn't Lady Macbeth appear guilty at the banquet?

Macbeth is filled with evil thoughts, the idea of going mad is presented here

“O Full of Scorpions is my mind” meaning?

Macbeth calls upon darkness to help him do what he believes must be done in order to keep the crown.

Why does Macbeth calls upon darkness?

Murderer #3 appears to know the way Banquo gets off his horse and walks it to the castle once he gets close (he knows his routine)

Who know's Banquo's routine? What is it?

Character development

Macbeth is sickened by the fact that Fleance has gotten away but pleased that Banquo’s throat was slit. What does this indicate?

20

How many times was Banquo stabbed?

It refers to Macbeth as a serpent

What does the snake imagery represent?

Seated at Macbeth's chair at the table

Where is Banquo's ghost?

Lady Macbeth tries to cover for him by telling everyone he is unwell and to ignore him until it passes

How does Lady Macbeth cover for her husband talking to Banquo's ghost?

She then gets annoyed and begins to divulge their secrets in front of their guest by bringing up the death of Duncan and the floating dagger (line 72ish)

Why does Lady Macbeth start to divulge secrets in front of the banquet guests?

True

True or false: Macbeth also begins to reveal guilty actions at the banquet

Lady Macbeth tells their guests to leave before Macbeth reveals too much

Why does Lady Macbeth tell the guests to leave the banquet?