Macbeth: act 3-5

Explain the dramatic structure of this play: (triangle) In act one we identify the conflict. Act two is considered the rising action of the play. The turning point is act three and the falling action is act four. The last act of the play, act five, is the conclusion. There is order in act one, but chaos in act two because of the disruption of the great chain of being. Order is restored in act five.
What does Banquo say he fears in the opening soliloquy on page 33? That Macbeth has become cruel
What other thought does he address in this soliloquy? Banquo has hope that the witches were right and his son will be king.
How do the king and queen behave when they see Banquo in page 33? They ask him questions concerning whether or not he will be at the great feast.
When Macbeth invites Banquo to this evenings “solemn supper,” explain Banquo’s reply in your own words: He says he will do as Macbeth commands.
On pages 33-34 Macbeth ask Banquo questions. List the questions: 1. “Ride you thus afternoon”2. “Is’t far you ride” 3. “Goes fleance with you”
Explain this quote by Macbeth: “To be thus is nothing;/ but to be safely thus” Macbeth is saying to be king is nothing, but to be a king without oppositions Is something.
What does Macbeth mean when he says he fears Banquo’s “royalty of nature”? Macbeth is explaining how Banquo has proper royal behavior and could easily be king.
What other 4 things does Macbeth fear about Banquo? 1. Banquo is brave 2. Banquo is wise3. Banquo is the is the only one Macbeth believes could take his crown 4. If compared to Banquo, Macbeth is not as good
What strange info do we get from the stage directions on page 35? Two murderes come to meet with Macbeth
Why do you think Banquo was asked about his ride with Fleance by Macbeth? Macbeth was planning a murder
What is Macbeth trying to convince the murderers to do? To kill Banquo and Fleance
How has Macbeth changed by the end of Act three scene one? Macbeth used to be afraid of murder but now he doesn’t mind killing a “friend”
Explain this quote by lady Macbeth: “Nought’s had, all’s spent/ where our desire is to go without content:/ tis safer to be that which We destroy/ than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” According to lady Macbeth the couple is unhappy. They sacrifice everything including their innocence to get where they are, but they rather be dead. The guilt is eating the couple alive, they live in guilt and fear everyday because of what they did to Duncan.
Explain this metaphor by Macbeth: “We have scotch’d the snake, not killed it:/ she’ll close and be herself whilst out poor malice/ remains in danger of her former tooth” (page 38) The snake represents very thing against Macbeth like Banquo. They have not gotten rid of every opposition to Macbeth and his crown.
What does Macbeth sys that let’s us know he cannot sleep? In your answer, explain why he mentions the late king Duncan? Macbeth can not sleep because of his fear and nightmares. He mentions Duncan to point out his eternal peace. Macbeth is also very jealous of Duncan because Macbeth does not have peace is his life.
What does lady Macbeth say on page 39 that reminds of us the “fair is foul” theme? Tells Macbeth to hide his true feelings and act happy and “bright”
What job does Macbeth give his wife for the banquet? Macbeth tells her to respect and honor Banquo at the feast
Macbeth knows that Banquo wil never return to the castle. Why does he give his wife these instructions? To kill her suspicions
What does Macbeth admit when he tells his wife they are scorpions in his mind? He is freaking out and that his mind is not at peace
Whom or what does Macbeth address in his closing speech on page 39? Macbeth address the night and it’s “agents”
Why does he call on the night’s agents? He makes this address to ask for help with Banquo’s murder? (check annotations)
What 2 important events occur in act 3 scene 3? 1. Banquo dies 2. Fleance escapes
When Macbeth hears the news he says he had been “perfect”, but how does the news of fleance’s escape make him feel? Makes him feel like his is caged in by his fear and doubts
Explain these words from Macbeth:”There the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled/ hath nature that in time will venom breed,/ No teeth for the present.” grown serpent? worm? teeth? venom? The grown serpent= Banquo The worm=FleanceFleance is not dangerous now (no teeth for the present) But he will be later (in time will venom breed)
Lady Macbeth tries to cover for Macbeth’s strange behavior at the banquet. What are some things she says? She says Macbeth has been this way since he was a child and that his weird behavior is normal. She told them to just ignore him.
What does Macbeth tell his friends at thefeast to excuse his weird behavior? He tells his guest that he has a strange disorder that is normal to him.
When Macbeth begins to speak again to the ghost at the bottom of page 44 what does LMB say to the guest? LMB tells the audeince to not mind his behavior because it is normal.
Why does LMB decide to send the guest away from the feast? LMB does not want Macbeth to confess to any of their crimes and she does not want him to loook suspiciouis.
When the guest leave the feast, macbeth says,”It will have blood: they say blood will have blood.” What do you think this means? Murder brings murder
At the bottom of page 45 and continuing on 46 about whom is Macbeth talking, and why does he talk about this person? he begins to talk about Macduff. He realizes he was not there for the crowning or feast.
Explain what macbeth means with these words: “I am in blood/ Stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more/ Returning were as tedious as go o’er” Macbeth is going to keep going because he is already in blood and cannot turn back.
What does Macbeth mean by “We are young in deed”? macbeth is saying now he is not done with fighting to keep his crown.
Define tunring point: a point of no return
On page 48 the loong speech by Lennox is a review. What is he reviewing and what seems to be his tone toward MB? 1. the recent crimes (duncan and banquo deaths)2. Lennox belives MB was behind all the recent crimes. He calls him a tyrant.
Why does Lennox say Macduff lives in disgrace? MD did not go to the crowning of MB or the great feast.
According to the unknown lord in act 3 scene 6, Malcolm, the true heir of scotland has escaped to england. Why has MD also gone there? Macduff went to england to ask the king and his best generals for help in his fight against MB.
At the of page 49 what do we learn that MB is doing? MB is peparing for war as well.
What answer does MD give Mb when he commands him to come back to scotland? MD says NO.
In act 4 scene 2 what reason does Lady Md give for the fact that MD has left her? LMd belives MD does not love her or the children anymore
How does LMD begin a strange convo with her son? tells her son his father is dead
explain this quote from LMD: :But i remeber now/ i am in this early world, where to do harm/ is often laudable, to do good sometimes/ accounted dangerous folly.” what does she mean? which words does this sound like from Act 1? 1. she is saying that they live in a world where to do harm is praise worthy, but to do good is follish2. “Fair is foul and foul is fair”
What is brave about the death of Md’s son? He stands up for his father
When MD asks about his family to Ross, Ross says, “they were all at peace when i did leave them” explain the double meaning 1. they were fine and alive. they had no worries2. they are dead and in eternal peace
What is MD feeling when he says, “And I must be from hence” after the bad news? He is feeling guilty and responsible for the deaths of his family because he was not there to protect them.
What does malcom suggests Md do with his grief? Use it as fuel for destroying MB
Why does MD say “he has no children” about Mb? MD says this because he knows MB is childless so he does not understand the special bond in a family.
Why does MD call himself “sinfull”? Md feels responsible for the death of his family
What does Malcolm suggests when he says, “Be this the whetstone of your sword” malcolm is encouraging MD to use this as his reason to kill MB
What have MD and malcolm decided to do at the end of act 4? They have decided to go to scotlad and fight Macbeth.
What was the 1st apparition:description? Prophecy? MB’s reaction? -a head with a helmet-warns Mb about MD-grateful for advice, but wants more
2nd apparition: description? prophecy? Mbs reaction? -a bloody child-no man born of woman can harm MB-MB does not fear MD anymore, but decides to kill him anyway to be safe
3rd apparition: description? prophecy? MB’s reaction? -a child wearing a crown on his head and holding a tree in his hand-MB will never be beaten until Birham wood moves toward Dunsihane Hill-he feels safe because it is impossible for a wood to move
after the ghosts Mb still wants to know one more thing. what is it? and why? he wants to know if fleance and the other sons of BQ will reign becuse he knows Fleance escaped
What do the witches show MB aftetr the ghosts? The witches show him 8 kings. Some hold multiple septers showing that they reign over more than one country. The last ghost hold a mirror which shows macbeth many more kings. Banquo ‘s ghost follow the line of kings with a smile on his face. All the ghost look like Banquo.
What does the final ghost represent? the descendants of Bq as kings
What is MB’s reaction to the showing of the ghosts? he is in disbelief at the sight. he is scared and unsatisfied with the witches. he curses that day.
explain MB’s quote: “Infected be the air whereon they ride,/ And damned all those that trust them.” He is cursing the witches and those who trust them. He is basically cursing himself.
After hearing where MD is MB says,”From this moment/ the very firstlings of my heart shall be/ the firstlings of my hands.” explain Mb has decided to let his feelings determine his actions
What is LMB doing in the first part of act 5 scene 1? she is sleep walking
What actions did she do while sleep walking? acts out reading the letter fomr Mbshe continously tries to get “blood” off her handshe relives riging the knellshe relives the murder of King Duncan
what does the doctor admit about LmB’s disorder? he cannnot help her only God can
In act 5 scene 2 what are Lennos, Menteith, Cathiness and Angus doing? joining the english army
expalin this simlie used by Angus, “Now does he feel his title/ hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe/ upon a dwarfish thief” Kingship=giant’s robeMb= dwarfish thief
In act 5 scene 3 MB says he does not fear Malcolm. Why? Malcolm was born of a woman
accoridng to MB what 4 things must he not look to have in his old age? 1. honor.2. love3. obedience4. friends
accoring to MB what 2things does he have in his old age? 1. curses2. fake honor
On the top of page 75 MB is still confident why? because Birnam forest has not moved yet
What is the most important thing we learn in Act 5 scene 4? Malcolm’s army has deicided to use the trees of the forest as shields,so MB’s army will not see their numbers. Moving the forest
How does Mb react to the death of LMB? He wishes she died later because he does not have time to grief.
in MB’s tomorrow speech what does he say about tomorrow? He says tomorrow creeps
in his tomorrow speech what does Mb say about yesterday? leads us to death
What does Mb mean when he says “out, out brief candle”? Life=brief candle
in the last 3 senetences of the tomorrow speech what 3 things does he compare life with? 1. idiot’s tale, meaningless 2. a walking shadow, no substance3. poor actor, only on stage for a short time
STUDY ACT 5 ANNOTATIONS GOOD LUCK