Macbeth: Act I

When was Macbeth written? during Shakespeare’s Dark Period (1606)
Whom does Macbeth defeat in battle? the armies of Norway and Ireland
Who is the king when the play starts? Duncan
Who was Macdonwald? Scottish (Irish) rebel who Macbeth killed
Where do Macbeth and Banquo encounter the witches? in a moor
What is a thane? rank of Scottish nobility
After the battle, the witches prepare to meet Macbeth upon the heath
Macbeth and Banquo are Scottish generals
Which King did Shakespeare want to impress? James I (related to Banquo)
Name the style of writing during James I’s reign Jacobean
Define motif repeated theme (paradox=contradiction)
Name the three motifs in order of occurrence prophecy, clothing, darkness
Give an example of a prophecy motif Fair is foul, and foul is fair (talking about war)
Give an example of a clothing motif borrowed robes (Macbeth thinks the Thane of Cawdor is still alive)
Give an example of a darkness motif For in my it lies (Macbeth realizes he has to kill to people)
What do the witches prophesy? Macbeth will be king and Banquo’s children will be kings.
What title, predicted by the witches, does Macbeth receive? Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland
What happened to the previous Thane of Cawdor? he was executed because he betrayed Scotland by fighting for the Norwegians
Why did Macbeth get promoted to Thane of Cawdor? because he killed Macdonald (the Scottish rebel)
What does Macbeth do with the Macdonwald’s head? he placed it on a stick
Who is made heir to Duncan’s throne? Malcolm (Duncan’s eldest son)
Who is Malcolm? Duncan’s eldest son (who becomes king at the end of the play)
Who first leads Macbeth’s thoughts toward murder as a means to his ambitious ends? the three witches
Why does Macbeth develop inner turmoil regarding the possibility of becoming king? it would mean that he would have to kill Duncan and Malcolm (the next heir to the throne); he thinks that since the witches correctly predicted that he would become Thane of Cawdor, he is meant to become king
Whose children are prophesied to one day inherit the throne of Scotland? Banquo’s
Which King does Macbeth want to murder in the beginning of the play? Duncan
Describe the weather during scene 1 thunder, lightning, rain
The weather expresses this type of literary device foreshadowing
What was Macbeth’s original title? Thane of Glamis
Who is a “peerless” kinsman? Banquo
Who is the Thane of Ross? Scottish nobleman who tells Macbeth his new title (the king that the traitorous Thane of Cawdor had been defeated and the army of Norway repelled; goes to tell Macbeth that he has received the new title of “Thane of Cawdor”)
King Duncan owns the Castle of Forres
How was the captain wounded? through helping Malcolm escape capture
Who says,”Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” all three witches
What is our first impression of Macbeth? that he is a brave and capable warrior
Where does Duncan hear about the news that his generals, Macbeth and Banquo, have defeated two separate invading armies from Ireland (led by the rebel Macdonwald) and one from Norway? at a military camp
How does Macbeth react to being called the Thane of Cawdor? he becomes enraptured (charmed, delighted)
Name Macbeth’s castle Inverness (a town)
What is Malcolm’s original title? Prince of Cumberland
What does Macbeth’s letter to Lady Macbeth discuss? his promotion and his encounter with the three witches and their prophesies
The letter is written in prose (no iambic pentameter)
Lady Macbeth says that Macbeth is too ____ to seize the crown from Duncan kind (he doesn’t have what it takes)
What does Lady Macbeth say she will do when Macbeth returns to Inverness? chastise him
What is Lady Macbeth’s goal? to persuade Macbeth into doing whatever it takes to become king
What does Lady Macbeth mean by ” Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty.” she wants the spirits to make her more of a man so that she can do the bloody deeds
The key to being evil is egocentricity
What is a hautboy? a loud woodwind instrument
What is ironic about King Duncan’s entry into Inverness? he comments on the castle’s pleasantness and is oblivious to his fate
What is the only thing, according to Macbeth, that motivates him to kill Duncan? ambition (makes people rush ahead of themselves toward disaster)
Lady Macbeth challenges Macbeth’s ____________ and calls him a _______ in order to get him to follow through with his original intentions. He has a change of heart as a result. manhood; coward
What is the key to succeeding at this murder? Macbeth’s courage
Macbeth says that the assassination of Duncan would be easy if he knew it wouldn’t cause a series of terrible consequences
Although Macbeth declares his willingness to endure eternal damnation for the deed, he has doubts because bloody actions always return to plague the inventor
Name the reasons why Macbeth hesitant to kill Duncan Macbeth is Duncan’s kinsman and an admired as a virtuous ruler
What is Lady Macbeth’s plan on killing Duncan? to give the chamberlains wine to make them drunk and seem guilty
How does Lady Macbeth intend to place the guilt on the chamberlains? by spreading Duncan’s blood on them while they sleep
In reaction to Lady Macbeth’s “brilliant” plan, Macbeth states that she should give birth to men since her fearless spirit should not create anything that is not masculine
How does scene 7 end? Macbeth agrees to kill Duncan
“There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face” no skill can determine the thoughts behind an expression
“He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust.”Who is “he” referring to in the quote? Who enters next? Thane of Cawdor; Macbeth (shows that Duncan trusts Macbeth)
How does the monarchy work in the play? next ruler is appointed (not necessarily by blood)