What is the main theme of Act I of the Tragedy of Macbeth? | Betrayal |
Why is King Duncan so grateful to Macbeth? | Macbeth saved Duncan’s kingdom from the rebels |
What does an example of stage direction look like? | Brackets and often italicized |
Elizabethan writers modeled their tragedies on plays from where? | Ancient Rome and Greece |
Where does King Duncan come to spend the night? | Macbeth’s castle |
The numbered side notes in The Tragedy of Macbeth help readers understand which aspect of the play? | Unfamiliar language |
What is one characteristic for those who watched a play at the Globe Theater during Shakespeare’s time? | Performed during the day |
Why does Lady Macbeth think Macbeth has little chance of becoming king? | He is not evil enough |
Why does Lady Macbeth drug the servants in scene ii? | So they would not remember while Duncan is killed |
What is a characteristic of blank verse? | 10 syllables with stress on every 2nd syllable |
How should you read blank verse to make sense of it? | From period to period |
Why does Lady Macbeth choose not to kill King Duncan herself? | He reminds her of her father |
What does Macbeth mean when he says he will “sleep no more”? | He won’t be able to sleep because of his guilt |
What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says to Macbeth, “My hands are of your color, but I shame/To wear a heart so white”? | I have blood on my hands too, but unlike you I am not a coward |
What is another name for blank verse? | Unrhymed iambic pentameter |
Why does Ross and Macduff think King Duncan’s sons have killed their father? | They ran away which made them look guilty |
At the beginning of Act III, Macbeth learns that Banquo will not be returning to their castle until after dark. Why is this good news for him? | More darkness to have Banquo murdered |
Why does Macbeth decide to kill Banquo? | Knows too much and prophecy his sons will be king |
Why does Macbeth begin to act so oddly at the banquet? | He sees Banquo’s ghost |
The murderer appears at the banquet to report to Macbeth. He says that Banquo is dead, but not his son, Fleance. Macbeth says in as aside, “the worm that’s fled/Hath nature that in time will venom breed,/ No teeth for th’present.” What does Macbeth mean? | Fleance is not a danger now, but he will be when he grows up |
As a result of his guilt, Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo. What literary element does this event illustrate? | Dramatic irony |
What is one of the external conflicts in this play? | Macbeth wants Banquo dead so he hires murderers |
At the end of Act III, Macbeth plans to visit the witches once more. What does he want to learn? | The rest of the troubles in store for him |
How has Macbeth changed from the beginning of Act I to the end of Act III? | He no longer hesitates to do bad things to get what he wants |
What is the main idea of sleepwalking in Act V? | Hard to get over a guilty conscience |
At the beginning of Act V, the waiting gentle-woman tells the doctor about Lady Macbeth’s strange behavior. Why does he tell the gentlewoman to “Remove from her the means of all annoyance”? | He’s afraid she will try to kill herself |
Why does Lady Macbeth kill herself? | guilt |
When does Macbeth first realize he has been tricked by the prophecies of the witches? | When he saw the woods coming up the hill |
In her mad scene, Lady Macbeth declares, “Out damned spot! Out, I say!” What spot is she talking about? | King Duncan’s blood |
As Macbeth awaits the battle of Dunsinane Castle, he demonstrates that he is no longer touched by either fear or terror. Which of the play’s themes does his behavior underscore? | Destructiveness of blind ambition |
A major purpose of Act IV is to foreshadow events related to | the downfall of Macbeth |
When the witch says, “Something wicked this way comes,” you know that | The witches’ consider Macbeth evil |
After visiting the witches, why does Macbeth initially change his mind and decide not to have Macduff killed? | Because 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 |
What quote 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 and important conflict between | Macbeth and Macduff |
In Elizabethan theater, what was especially important because there were no elaborate special effects, lighting, or sets? | Imagery (colorful language) |
In Act IV, Macbeth visits the witches because he thinks that | Their evil doings can help him keep his power |
Renaissance/ Macbeth Study Guide
August 21, 2019