Name:_________________________ Date:________________ Period:__________
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Act III Reading Questions
Scene 1
1. According to the structure for a five-act classical drama, Act III contains the
climax. Define the term climax. What is the climax of the play?
2. In the short soliloquy, Banquo expresses his thoughts regarding all that has
occurred to Macbeth since he has become king. What does Banquo say he fears
about Macbeth?
3. What is Banquo and Fleance planning to do during the afternoon?
4. In his third soliloquy, Macbeth shows his uneasy state of mind toward the
witches’ prediction concerning Banquo. What does Macbeth mean and plan to do
when he states, “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus”?
5. In the same soliloquy cited above, Macbeth also talks about Banquo’s character.
How does he describe Banquo?
6. What do the murderers and Macbeth plan?
7. Why would these two men be willing to murder Banquo?
Scene 2
As this scene opens, Lady Macbeth reveals her feelings about being queen as she states,
“Naught’s had, all’s spent,/Where our desire is got without content:/’Tis safer to be that
which we destroy/That by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.”
1. What does Lady Macbeth mean by this?
2. How has she changed from earlier in the play?
3. What is Macbeth’s state of mind concerning Duncan’s murder?
4. Does Lady Macbeth know of Macbeth’s plan for Banquo? How has their
relationship changed?
Scene 3
1. How successful are the murderers in their attempt to kill Baquo and Fleance?
2. Why is Fleance’s escape important?
Scene 4
As this scene opens, the guests are seating themselves at the banquet tables; Macbeth and
Lady Macbeth are playing the welcoming hosts. It is at this point that the climax of the
play occurs.
1. What is the climax of this play?
When the murderer reports of Banquo’s death and Fleance’s escape, aside Macbeth
says, “There the grown serpent lies; the worm/that’s fled/Hath nature that in time
will venom breed,/No teeth for th’ present.”
2. In this metaphor who is the serpent? Who is the worm representing? What does
this mean?
3. Review the Ghost’s appearances. What lines seem to call him forth? What is
ironic about his entrances?
4. How does Lady Macbeth explain Macbeth’s behavior to the other guests (lines
64-69)?
By the end of this scene, we have witnesses Macbeth’s mental deterioration and moral
degeneration.
5. Why does the appearance of the ghost show a more serious state of nerves thatn
that of the dagger in Act II?
6. Why does Macbeth want to see the witches again?
7. What is the effect of Macbeth’s closing lines for this scene, “We are yet but
young in deed”?
8. Why might this scene be considered the climax scene?
Scene 5
This scene has little to do with the plot, and many scholars believe someone other than
Shakespeare may have added it. In this scene, Hectate is giving instructions to the
witches concerning Macbeth.
1. Why is Hecate angry with the three witches?
Scene 6
In this closing scene of Act III the conversation between two observers tells us that all of
Scotland suffers from Macbeth’s evil and that there is widespread feeling against him.
Furthermore, hints are given of the forces gathering in opposition to Macbeth.
1. In his first speech of this scene, Lennox suggests his suspicions of Macbeth,
although he is very indirect. Why might he be indirect?
2. Where does the lord say that Malcolm is?
3. Where is Macduff?
4. The antagonist has not yet been revealed to us. However, we can guess that the most
likely person is who? Why?