Macbeth Acts I-V

What do we learn about Macbeth’s battlefield deeds? He is heroic, courageous, defeated the Thane of Cawdor, and halted the Norwegian invasion.
What are the recent activities of the Thane of Cawdor? He’s a traitor for helping the Norwegians and is sentenced to death.
What reward does Macbeth receive from the king? The title: Thane of Cawdor.
What do the three witches predict for Macbeth? He’ll be a king in the future eventually but he’ll become Thane of Cawdor first.
What do the three witches predict for Banquo? His descendants will be kings but he’ll never be king.
How do Macbeth and Banquo react to the witches’ prophecies? Banquo doesn’t believe the witches at all, saying they are evil creatures.Macbeth on the other hand is intrigued by the witches’ prophecies.
How does Lady Macbeth first learn of the witches’ prophecies? In a letter sent from her husband.
What in Macbeth’s personality does she fear will hold him back? He’s too nice and kind to take the matter into his own hands.
What action does Lady Macbeth plan to take during the king’s visit? She plans to kill the king.
How does she intend to accomplish it? Get the guards drunk until they’ve blacked out, use the guards’ daggers to kill the king, and place the bloodied daggers back on the guards.
Both the witches and Macbeth make statements about “foul and fair.”What are two possible meanings for the witches’ words?What does Macbeth mean by his remark? The Witches: What do you think is good probably isn’t while what you think is bad probably is.Macbeth: The weather was bad (foul) but they won the battle (fair).
Why is Macbeth indecisive about killing the king? Duncan (the king’s name) has been good to him. If they fail, there will be retribution in the form of Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s deaths. Finally, you shouldn’t kill a guest in your own home.
How does Lady Macbeth convince her husband? By questioning his manliness and calling him a coward.
How does the plan go? Lady Macbeth has to take charge because of her rattled husband. It’s later revealed that he killed the guards, which wasn’t part of the plan either!
What does the drunken proper imagine he is doing? He’s the gatekeeper to hell.
What does the drunken porter represent? Comic Relief
Compare and contrast Macbeth’s reaction to Lady Macbeth’s reaction. Macbeth feels guilty and hears noises and voices and even starts halluctioning. At one point before the murder, he sees a bloodied dagger pointing to Duncan’s bedchamber.Lady Macbeth is calm, cool, and collected and orders her husband to wash up.
How is the murder discovered? Macduff had an appointment with Duncan but when he enters the king’s room, he discovers the body.
What causes Lady Macbeth to faint? Macbeth saying that he killed the guards, though she may have been overdramatic.
Why do Malcolm and Donalbain flee the castle? They don’t want to be murdered like their father, Duncan, was.
Who does Macduff say has killed Duncan? The guards but only because the sons bribed them. This makes them fall under suspicion even further after they fled for their lives.
Why does Ross have doubts about accepting the guards as murderers? They were suppose to protect Duncan and would gain nothing from killing him.
Macbeth speaks of vaulting ambition in his soliloquy. How can this result in either great success or great destruction? Success=You don’t give up, you’ll be more successful.Destruction=You try too hard, you destroy anything in your way.
In Act III Scene I, what does Banquo say about the witches’ prophecies? He suspects that Macbeth cheated his way to the throne and wonders if his own prophecy will come true.
Why does Macbeth view Banquo as a rival? The witches prophesied Banquo would be father of a line of kings while Macbeth would have no sons.
What does Macbeth plan to do with Banquo and Banquo’s son, Fleance? He hires three murderers to kill them.
How does the plot against Banquo and Fleance go wrong? Banquo is dead but Fleance escapes and his whereabouts are unknown for the rest of the play.
What supernatural event happens at the banquet? Banquo’s ghost appears sitting in Macbeth’s chair and no one else but Macbeth can see it.
Compare and contrast Macbeth’s feelings about murdering Duncan with his feelings about murdering Banquo. Duncan: He didn’t want to do it because Duncan was a good man and he was guilty of doing it.Banquo: He took charge and didn’t feel guilty after the murder (well… maybe the ghost incited such guilt).
What does the final scene reveal about the opposition to Macbeth? Macduff has fled to England to plead for King Edward’s aid while news of plots has prompted Macbeth to prepare for war.
How has the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change? Macbeth takes charge and doesn’t tell Lady Macbeth much anymore.Lady Macbeth still criticizes him though.
Who doubted Macbeth’s mourning over Duncan’s death? Lennox
What do the three apparitions symbolize and tell Macbeth? First Apparition: Armed Head aka Macduff warning to beware the Thane of Fife aka MacduffSecond Apparition: A Bloody Child aka Macduff saying no one born of a woman can harm Macbeth.Final Apparition: A Child With A Crown On It’s Head aka Malcolm saying that Macbeth won’t be defeated until the Birnam Woods marches toward Dunsinane Hill.
What happens to Macduff’s family? Macduff’s family is murdered by murderers hired by Macbeth.
What does the murder of Macduff’s family suggest about Macbeth’s state of mind? He’s psychotic and power-hungry and has completely lost it.
How does Malcolm test Macduff? He pretends to be evil in order to check Macduff’s reaction.
What convinces Malcolm what Macduff is trustworthy? When Macduff gives up all hope and refuses to help Malcolm.
What news does Ross bring from Scotland? Macduff’s wife and children are dead.
What does the dialogue in iii reveal about Malcolm’s character? He wants to be a good king: Gold-orientated, upstanding gentleman, intelligent, honest, polite, respectful, etc.
What is Macbeth’s tragic flaw? Ambition
Tragic Flaw Character Weakness
What previous events does Lady Macbeth refer to in her sleepwalking? Duncan’s death, Macduff’s family and wife being dead, and Banquo’s death.
How have Macbeth and Lady Macbeth reversed roles at the end of the play? Lady Macbeth is now extremely guilty to the point of insomnia and mental illness.Macbeth is calm, cool, and collected.
What happens to Lady Macbeth before the final battle? She kills herself off-screen due to her guilty conscience.
What does Macbeth learn in Act V, Scene V, that makes him doubt the apparitions prophecies. The “woods” aka Malcolm’s 10,000 English soldiers and co. in disguise are coming toward Dunsinane.
In Act V, Scene VIII, why does Macbeth tell Macduff he doesn’t wish to fight him? He has the blood of his family on his hands and doesn’t wish to fight him too.
What does Macduff tell Macbeth concerning the apparitions’ second prophecy. Macduff’s mother died in childbirth but Macduff was saved via C-Section.
What is Macbeth’s fate? Macduff kills him and brings his head to the crowd.
At the end of the play, who’s crowned king of Scotland? Malcolm