Macbeth

What might the three witches represent to an audience from a religious stand point? Evil, temptation, going against God, the devil
How might”…But I have spokeWith one that saw him die, who did reportThat very frankly he confessed his treasons,Implored your Highness’ pardon and set forthA deep repentance…”echo religious sentiments of Shakespeare’s original audience? Confession of sins
How does Lady Macbeth’s description of her husband gain him sympathy from the audience? He is described to basically be “too soft and girly” and too good of a person to put his needs or wants first.
What is the central theme of Act I? Betrayal
Many Elizabethan plays represented a radical shift in English drama because they were… Not about religious themes.
Based on Act I, what appears to be Macbeth’s character flaw? A desire for power
During the Elizabethan period, theater companies began to… Use permanent performance spaces.
What important role do the witches play in Act I? They foreshadow events
Based on the information in Act I, what can you infer about King Duncan? He places a high value on bravery and loyalty.
Which of the following best describes Macbeth’s feelings about the possible assassination of King Duncan? Tortured ambivalence.
Why does Lady Macbeth think that Macbeth has a poor chance of achieving power? He is not ruthless enough.
What do the stage directions give the reader? Information about what is taking place on the stage.
Through Act I, Macbeth’s plans and actions seem to be motivated most of all by… His wife’s encouragement.
What is an example of a stage direction? [Thunder and lighting. Enter THREE WITCHES.]
Elizabethan tragedies were modeled on plays from… Ancient Greece and Rome.
The annotations in Macbeth, Act I are a helpful aid for… clarifying unfamiliar language.
In what way is Lady Macbeth stronger than her husband? She stands firm when Macbeth begins to waver in his deadly purpose.
Which would be true if you were watching a play at the Globe Theater back in Shakespeare’s day? The illusions of time and space would come from the words of the play.
What is the central idea of Act II? A murderer must live with his conscience.
For what reason did Shakespeare probably choose to write Macbeth in blank verse? To create an effect of natural speech.
In Scene II, Lady Macbeth’s purpose in drugging the servants is… So they will sleep through King Duncan’s murder.
What characterizes the line “This night’s great business into my dispatch” as blank verse? It has ten syllables with the stress falling on every second syllable.
What symbol in Scene II signals that the murder has been accomplished? The owl’s scream and the crickets’ cries.
Macbeth declares he will “sleep no more” because he believes… His conscience will never let him rest.
What does Macbeth really mean when he indicates that the blood on his hands will redden all the seas? It is a comment on his profound guilt.
In the Old Man’s dialogue in Scene IV, what symbolizes King Duncan? A horse.
In the quote from Banquo that goes as follows:”And when we have our naked frailties hid,That suffer in exposure, let us meetAnd question this most bloody piece of work,To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us.”What does he say the purpose of the meeting should be? To know the bloody piece of work further.
When Lady Macbeth says:”My hands are of your color, but I shameTo wear a heart so white”she means that… Her hands are red with King Duncan’s blood, but, unlike her husband, she is not afraid.
What reason does Lady Macbeth give for not killing King Duncan herself? She says the king looked like her father as he slept.
Unrhymed imabic pentameter is also called… Blank verse
To make sense of blank verse, you must… Read and analyze each full sentence, no matter where the line breaks are.
Macbeth wants a position of ______ in the kingdom. Predominance.
To persuade the two murderers to agree to kill Banquo, Macbeth tells them… That Banquo has been the cause of all their misery.
In Scene II, what is the connotation of the word scorpions in the line “O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!”? Horrors
Act III of Macbeth serves mainly to… Expose Macbeth’s mounting troubles
What is the cause of Macbeth’s irrational behavior at the banquet? His guilty conscience.
When Macbeth says to Lady Macbeth is Scene IV, “We are yet but young in deed,” he means that they are… Only just beginning their crimes.
Macbeth’s guilt that causes him to image he sees Banquo’s ghost at the banquet is an example of… Internal conflict.
By the end of Act III, how has Macbeth changed since the beginning of the play? He is now quick to use treachery to suit his ends.
Why does Macbeth send along a third murderer to join the first two in killing Banquo? Macbeth has become terribly suspicious and trusts no one; he sends the third murderer to make certain the job gets done.
When Lady Macbeth claims “Nought’s had, all’s spent,Where our desire is got without content…”she means that… She and Macbeth have risked everything but have gained no happiness because they are living in fear.
In Scene I, Macbeth is glad that Banquo will not be returning to the palace until nightfall because… Macbeth wants Banquo killed under cover of darkness.
When Act III begins, Banquo says that he knows… Macbeth killed Duncan.
When Macbeth says “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crownAnd put a barren scepter in my gripe…”he means… He has no male heir
What is an external conflict? Macbeth wants Banquo dead, so he hires men to murder him.
Why does Macbeth fear Banquo? Banquo is loyal to the true king.
One example of dramatic irony in Act III is _______? Macbeth urging Banquo to attend the feast.
A major purpose of Act IV is to foreshadow events related to… Macbeth’s downfall.
When the witch says, “Something wicked this way comes,” you know that… Even the witches now consider Macbeth evil.
After visiting the witches, why does Macbeth change his mind initially and decide not to have Macduff killed? He knows Macduff has fled to England.
Which best describes how Shakespeare portrays Macduff’s son in Act IV? Questioning and courageous
In Scene III, what finally convinces Malcolm that Macduff is loyal? Macduff’s noble despair for his country.
Which of the following lines spoken by Malcolm best conveys how he really feels about Scotland? “…It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash / Is added to her wounds.”
The end of Act IV foreshadows an important conflict between… Macbeth and Macduff.
In Elizabethan theater, ________ was especially important because there were no elaborate special effect, lighting, or sets. Imagery.
In Act IV, Macbeth visits the witches because he thinks that… Their evil doings can help him maintain his power.
What is imagery? Language that writers use to re-create sensory experiences.
What senses do the following lines appeal to?”This avariceSticks deeper, grows with more pernicious rootThan summer-seeming lust, and it hath beenThe sword of our slain kings.” Sight and touch.
What sense does the following quotation appeal to?”This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues,Was once thought honest.” Touch.
One of the images that runs throughout the whole play is that of… Blood.
Which of your senses does the following quote appeal to?”Nay, had I pow’r, I should Pour the sweet milk of concord into hell,Uproar the universal peace, confoundAll unity on earth.” Taste, touch, and hearing
Would the events of the play turned out the same way had Macbeth not met the three witches? Yes it is a tragedy and the protagonist has a fatal flaw of ambition making the cruel path to his king-hood inevitable.
Is Macbeth aware of how ambitious he is? Yes.
Is Lady Macbeth certain of Macbeth’s ambition before he kills Duncan? Yes but she doubts him, thinking he is too kind to be as ruthless as necessary.
How does Macbeth’s tragic impulse manifest itself? He reveals noble quality even when soldiers are pursuing him.
What is the main message of Act V, Scene I (including Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking)? A guilty conscience is not easily mended.
In Scene III, what does Macbeth’s behavior toward the servant who comes to deliver a message ultimately show about Macbeth’s character? He has grown brutal.
When Macbeth reveals in Scene V that he has grown impervious to fear and horror, he is underscoring the play’s theme of the… Destructiveness of blind ambition.
At what point does Macbeth first begin to realize that he has been tricked by the prophecies? When he learns that Birnam Wood is moving towards the castle.
In Act V, in what way does Macbeth revert to his former self? He fights with courage and skill.
Why does Shakespeare have Macbeth display certain admirable traits at the end of the play? To reinforce the idea that Macbeth is a victim of his tragic flaw.
In Act V, which of the following represents the resolution of the plot? Macduff kills Macbeth.
When the doctor watched Lady Macbeth sleepwalking, he… Is completely baffled.
You can infer that the doctors in Shakespeare’s time knew very little about… Psychology, emotional distress, and the mind-body connection.
When the doctor tells the waiting-gentlewoman to take Lady Macbeth “the means of all annoyance,” it is because he fears that Lady Macbeth might… Try to kill herself.
When Macbeth says “Out, out, brief candle!” the word candle refers to… Life.
In Act V, Scene I, you can tell that the waiting-gentlewoman is… Loyal to Lady Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth kills herself because… She cannot bear her guilt.
At the end of the play, how does Macbeth’s courage in battle affect the reader? It brings the reader full circle by once again pointing up an aspect of his noble nature.
Archetypes present Hero – MacduffMother Figure/Mentor – Lady Macbeth?Innocent Youth – Malcolm or Banquo’s son.Doppelganger – Macbeth/His conscience?Villian – MacbethJourney – Macbeth’s change from soldier to corrupted kingInitiation – Meeting the three witchesGood versus Evil – Macbeth vs His conscience, Macbeth vs Macduff, Early Macbeth vs Lady MacbethThe Fall: Killing Duncan
What makes Macbeth a tragedy? Macbeth has a tragic/fatal flaw, his downfall is ultimately his own fault, things would have gone bad anyways because he is ambitious, the death of the king, Banquo, Lady Macbeth, and Macduff’s family.
July 12, 2019