“Macbeth” – Act III – p. 334-350
Scene 1
Lines 1-3 – 1. What does Banquo think of Macbeth now?
Lines 29-30 – 2. Do you think people would believe Malcolm and Donaldbain are guilty? Why or why not?
Line 36 – 3. Why has Banquo done nothing about his suspicions of Macbeth?
Lines 49-60 – 4. Why does Macbeth fear Banquo?
Lines 67-69 – 5. How do these lines show Macbeth is a tragic hero?
Lines 93-101 – 6. What is the point of Macbeth’s extended comparison to dogs?
Lines 108-114 – 7. What do the murderers mean in this section?
Line 91 – 8. How does Macbeth convince the murderers that they should murder Banquo? What does this
remind you of from earlier in the play?
Lines 116-126 – 9. How does Macbeth justify asking the murderers to kill Banquo?
Lines 129-138 – 10. What are Macbeth’s final instructions?
Lines 139-149 – 11. How has Macbeth’s view of murder changed since his killing of Duncan?
Scene 2
Lines 4-7 – 12. Why is Lady Macbeth unhappy?
Lines 17-26 – 13. How is the motif of sleeplessness highlighted in these lines?
14. Give the reversal of personalities of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
Lines 33-34 – 14. How do these lines suggest the “Fair is foul and foul is fair” theme.
lines 52-56 – 15. Give the imagery in these closing lines.
Scene 3
Lines 1-2 – 16. Is Macbeth is the third murderer? Why/why not?
Lines 12-14 – 17. What can you infer about the third murderer from these lines?
Lines 16-17 – 18. What happens here? Why is this the turning point for Macbeth?
19. What happens during the murder scene that may cause Macbeth lots of trouble?
Scene 4
lines 29-31 – 19. Who is the serpent and the worm that Macbeth refers to?
Lines 43-48 – 20. How does this scene start to show Macbeth’s deterioration?
Lines 50-51 – 21. To whom is Macbeth talking and what was is his words true?
Lines 61-64 – 22. What does Lady Macbeth think is causing Macbeth to cry out?
Lines 65-74 – 23. Why does Lady Macbeth taunt Macbeth in these lines as she calls him a woman?
Lines 85-88 – 24. Give the impression Macbeth tries to create here.
25. Why might Lady Macbeth try to hush her husband up as he addresses Banquo’s ghost?
Line 128-133 – 26. Give the conclusion that Macbeth is drawing about Macduff.
Line 144 – 27. “We are but young in deed” is spoken by Macbeth. What does he mean?
Scene 5
Lines 10-13 – 28. Why is Macbeth wayward in Hecate’s eyes?
Lines 28-33 – 29. What draws Macbeth “on to his confusion”? What will cause him to continue down his
destructive path?
Scene 6
Lines 1-10 – 30. What does Lennox think of Duncan’s murder?
Line 49 – 31. What are Malcolm and Macduff doing as the act ends?