Macbeth Acts 1 & 2

Who says: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”

The 3 witches

King of Scotland

Duncan

Rebel leader of invasion from Western Isles

Macdonwald

Who says this line to who: “he (Macbeth) unseam’d him (Macdonwalk) from the nave to the chops”

Bloody messenger says this to King Duncan

Who tells the King about an invasion in the east of Scotland?

Ross

Who was invading from the east?

Norway

At the early point in the novel, how can you describe Macbeth?

Brave, a skilled warror, loyal to King Duncan

On their way back to King Duncan’s camp from the battlefield, who do Macbeth and Banquo meet?

The 3 witches

What position do Macbeth and Banquo have?

Thanes/generals - Macbeth is Thane of Glamis (place)

What do the witches tell the men?

3 things that will happen in the future (3 prophecies):

1. Macbeth is the Thane of Cawdor

2. Macbeth will be King of Scotland

3. Banquo’s children will be kings

Who says these lines:

“Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor”

“All hail Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter”

“Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none”

The 3 witches

What happens immediately after the witches disappear?

The thane of Ross brings news: Macbeth is now the Thane of Cawdor

What happened to the old Thane of Cawdor?

He helped the King of Norway invade Scotland, so King Duncan sentenced him to death

What internal struggle does Macbeth face?

He can’t tell if the prophecies are good or bad.

If they’re good news, why do I have a scary fantasy in my mind of killing the King?

Who says: “My thought, whose murther is yet but fantastical”

Macbeth

Who is Malcolm?

King Duncan’s son

What are the 2 things that King Duncan announces once Macbeth & Banquo arrive?

1. His son, Malcolm, will be the next King

2. Duncan invites himself to visit Macbeth’s castle at Inverness

How is the relationship between Macbeth & Lady Macbeth?

They love each other, share secrets, and are ambitious

What did Macbeth’s letter to Lady Macbeth say?

I met 3 witches. They called me Thane of Cawdor. They said I will be King! King Duncan made me the new Thane of Cawdor.

What does Lady Macbeth say about Macbeth?

He is too kind and he would never harm anyone in order to become King faster.

Who says: “too full o’ the milk of human kindness to catch nearest way”

Lady Macbeth

What does Lady Macbeth want to do?

Get rid of the kindness in Macbeth or anything that is blocking his ambition

What does the servant tell Lady Macbeth?

King Duncan and other royals will be arriving for a visit that night.

What does Lady Macbeth say in her prayer to the evil spirits?

Asks to be filled with cruelty, so she can be a part of King Duncan’s murder and never regret it

Who says this to Macbeth: “look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under ‘t”

Lady Macbeth

What are Macbeth’s 2 good reasons not to kill King Duncan?

1. Macbeth is the King’s relative and subject

2. Macbeth is the King’s host and should protect the King

Who says:

“First, as I am his kinsman and his subject”

“then, as his host, Who should against his murdered shut the door, Not bear the knife myself”

Macbeth

Who says this and to whom: “I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent”

Macbeth is talking to himself

This quote is saying that Macbeth has no valid reason for killing the King

What is Macbeth’s only reason for killing the King?

His own ambition

What does Macbeth compare his situation to?

Riding a horse- To make a horse go faster, the rider puts a spur on his boot. The rider digs the spur into the horse’s flesh & those points prick the horse’s skin & motivates the horse to run faster.

Who says this quote & what does it mean: “Vaulting ambition, which o’er-leaps itself And falls on the other”

Macbeth- He’s saying that his ambition is too strong to get on a horse; it will end up with him falling over onto the other side of the horse. His ambition will leap too far.

Who says this & to whom: “We will proceed no further in this business”

Macbeth to Lady Macbeth- he is saying they will not kill the King

How does Lady Macbeth respond when Macbeth says he will no longer kill the King?

She says that if he doesn’t kill the King, he is not a man! She also says that if she had agreed to do something, she would do it. She gives Macbeth a crazy example: she says if she had agreed to kill a newborn baby who was tenderly nursing at her breast and dash out its brains, she would do it. This is what leads Macbeth to agree to the murder.

What plan does Lady Macbeth come up with to kill the King?

They will make the King’s servants very drunk, so it looks like they committed the murder.

Who is Fleance?

Banquo’s (Macbeth’s buddy) son

What is the setting of Act 2 Scene 1?

A very dark night at Macbeth’s castle

Fleance says there is no moon in the sky & Banquo adds that there are no stars in the sky

Who says this quote & what is the context: “I think not of them”

Macbeth says this after Banquo tells him that he dreamed of the 3 witches

Who says: “Is this a dagger I see before me, the handle toward my hand?”

Macbeth

What happens as Macbeth sets out to kill the sleeping King?

Out of nowhere, a bloody dagger appears before Macbeth. He doesn’t know if it’s real or his imagination. The dagger then leads the way to the king’s room.

What were the servant’s condition when Macbeth passed by them?

Drugged

What does Macbeth hear after committing the murder?

An imaginary voice: “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep”

What is the reason Lady Macbeth didn’t just kill the king on her own?

He looked too much like her father

Who says: “I am afraid to think what I have done”

Macbeth- After Lady Macbeth tells him to take the daggers back

Who says: “A little water clears us of this deed”

Lady Macbeth (because her hands are bloody after she takes the bloody daggers back)

Who says: “To know my deed ‘twere best not know myself”

Macbeth- he already feels sorry for killing Duncan

Who opens the door for the people knocking?

The porter- he pretends that he is opening the doorway to hell.

Who is Macduff?

Man who was knocking at the door

Hero of the play

He arrived to accompany the king on the day’s journey

Where does Macbeth lead Macduff?

King’s room

What does Macduff do when he discovers the murder?

Wakes everyone up, including the King’s 2 sons Malcolm & Donalbain

What does Macbeth do while everyone is confused about the King’s death?

He kills the drugged servants

What do Malcolm & Donalbain do when they are informed that their father is dead?

They secretly leave- they don’t know who the killer is and they don’t want to be killed next

Who says and what does it mean: “by th’ clock ‘tis day And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp”

Ross- he’s saying that it should be light outside, but it is still dark

Is this true or a rumor: Duncan’s horses “Turn’d wild in nature” & “they ate each other”

Rumor

Who do people think committed the murder?

Malcolm & Donalbain hired the 2 servants to kill their father

Who is to be crowned King now?

Macbeth

Where is Macduff going at the end of Act 2?

Not to see Macbeth be crowned king- he is going home instead