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Macbeth Study Guide
Act I Scene I
1. Why does Shakespeare choose to have the witches introduce the main character
of Macbeth?
2. When will the witches meet again?
3. What is the setting of this scene? What could Shakespeare be setting up for his
audience by creating this setting?
Act I Scene II
1. Paraphrase the Captains description of what occurred during the battle and
Macbeth’s role in this battle.
2. From the above description what information do you learn about Macbeth?
3. When the King of Norway begins a new attack, what do Macbeth and Banquo do?
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4. What must happen before the men of Norway are allowed to be buried?
5. Why is Macbeth now going to be given the title of “Thane of Cawdor”?
6. Given the fact that Macbeth was first mentioned by the witches; the idea of fair is
foul, foul is fair was introduced in scene one; and Duncan was deceived by Cawdor;
do you have any predictions for the rest of the play?
Act I Scene III
1. What does taking revenge on the sailors wife show about the witches?
2. Why do you think the first words that Macbeth says are “ So foul and fair a day I
have not seen” (I.iii.43)? What does this remind you of?
3. What do the witches first say to Macbeth when he asks them to speak?
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4. What are the three futures that the witches predict for Banquo?
5. Why does Macbeth believe he cannot be the Thane of Cawdor?
6. What message does Ross report to Macbeth from the King?
7. What is Banquo’s reaction to Ross’ message from the King?
8. Paraphrase Macbeth’s sololiquy Act I scene iii lines 139-155
Act I Scene IV
1. Explain the line “ there’s no art/ to find the mind’s construction in the face” (I.iv.4)
2. How do Macbeth and Banquo respond to Duncan’s compliments?
3. Who has Duncan named heir to the throne?
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4. Explain what Macbeth means when he says: “Stars hide your fires; Let not light
see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
What the eye fears, when it is done, to see”?
Act I Scene V
1. As this scene opens, what do you learn is Macbeth’s first response after getting
the prophecies?
2. What does Macbeth expect Lady Macbeth to do with the knowledge that one day
he will become king?
3. What does Lady MB believe will cause Macbeth not to take over the kingship?
4. What role does Lady MB see herself in?
5. How does Lady MB want the spirits to change her?
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6. Why should MB be like a snake when Duncan arrives?
Act I Scene VI
1. Who greets Duncan at Inverness? Why is this amusing?
Act I Scene VII
1. In Macbeth soliloquy how does he make reference to karma?
2.What three reasons does Macbeth give for not killing Duncan?
3. Why does Lady M.B. no longer consider MB a man when he says he no longer
wants to kill Duncan?
4. Analyze Lady Macbeth's response to his declaration that he will proceed no
further in the business.
- What tactics does she use to persuade him?
- What does the tone of her attack upon him suggest about her psychological state?
-What is it that finally persuades him?
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3. Explain the plan Lady MB has to kill Duncan?
Macbeth Study Guide
1. Why is Banquo unable to sleep?
Act II Scene I
2. Why does Macbeth lie to Banquo about thinking of the witches’ prophecy?
3. Read the "Is this a dagger..." soliloquy carefully. Paraphrase the soliloquy.
4. How does this speech use imagery of light and darkness?
Act II Scene II
1. Why does Lady Macbeth drink alcohol as this scene opens?
2. Give at least four examples of tension building throughout this scene.
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3. Why could LMB not kill Duncan?
4. Why do you think Macbeth means when he says, “ Macbeth shall sleep no more.
Macbeth has murdered sleep”?
5.What is the importance of Lady Macbeth's comment:
These deeds must not be thought
after these ways; so, it will make us mad. ?
6.When Lady Macbeth realizes that Macbeth has failed to remove the daggers from
the scene she appears strong and angry.
7. How is water used as an image in this scene?
8. How would you describe Macbeth’s feelings at the end of this chapter?
Macbeth Act II Scene III Questions
1. The opening section of this scene provides comic relief. Why? (HINT- look at the
porter’s comments)
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2. What elements of the porter’s comments apply to the dramatic action of the play?
3. What is significant about Lennox’s description of the night?
4. Explain the irony in Macduff’s lines, “O’ gentle lady, ‘tis not for you to hear what I
can speak\ The repetition, in a woman’s ear,\ Would murder as it fell.”(II.iii 96-99)
5. How is Lady Macbeth’s response to Macduff an error in judgment, “ what, in our
house?!”
6. Explain Macbeth’s speech, “Had I but died an hour before this chance….” (II.iii.
107-113) You should explain in 4-7 sentences
7. How does Macbeth respond to Macduff’s questions, “wherefore did you so?” (II.iii
126)
8. Why do Malcolm and Donalbain flee?
Act II Scene IV Questions
1. What is interesting about the events that Ross and the old man discuss?
2. What do you think those events symbolize?
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3. What does Macduff's decision not to attend the coronation suggest about his
attitude to Macbeth? What does this help us to understand about his character?
4. How is the fair vs. foul theme further developed within this act?
5. Make a prediction about what will happen during Scene III.
Act III Scene I
Act Three begins with a soliloquy by Banquo.
1) In what ways does this speech show that Banquo is a threat to Macbeth?
2) How has Macbeth and Banquo’s relationship changed? What clues are in the
dialogue?
Read Macbeth's soliloquy:
"To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus-"
3) Paraphrase the soliloquy.
4) What assumptions underlie Macbeth's fears?
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5) Given Banquo's earlier soliloquy, to what extent do you feel his fears are
justified?
6) How does Macbeth convince the murderers to help him? What reasons does he
given for being unable to commit the murder himself? What does this help us to
understand about Macbeth’s character?
7) Why is it interesting that Macbeth employs “murderers” to kill Banquo? How
does Macbeth’s method of persuading the murderers resemble the method used on
him by Lady Macbeth (in Act 1)?
8) Why does Macbeth wait until the very end of his discussion with the murderers
to mention Fleance? Why is Fleance’s death important to Macbeth’s plan?
Act III Scene II
1) In what ways do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth each show that the crown has not
brought peace of mind?
2) In what ways has Macbeth changed since the murder?
3) In many ways the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are reversed. Show how
their relationship has altered. Pay particular attention to the way the "fair is foul"
theme is used to emphasize this change.
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Act III Scene III
1) Pay close attention to the dialogue of the murderers. There were only two before,
who is the third and why is he/she here?
2) Does this plan work? Explain.
3) The identity of the third murderer has baffled Shakespearean scholars for years.
Is the third murderer another agent sent by Macbeth, an agent sent by the witches,
one of Banquo’s supporters, Macbeth himself, or someone else? In your opinion,
who is the most likely candidate?
Act III Scene IV
This is the scene in which Banquo's ghost appears.
1) Why does Shakespeare choose to have Banquo’s ghost “haunt” Macbeth rather
than Duncan’s?
2) In many of his plays Shakespeare uses ghosts. However, usually the ghost is seen
by a number of characters. What does the fact that only Macbeth can see this ghost
suggest about the nature of the ghost?
3) How does Lady Macbeth respond to his "fit"?
4) Once Banquo's ghost has finally gone, Macbeth appears to be more settled. Why
do you think this is so?
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5) Why do you think Macbeth decides to visit the witches again?
6) Examine the following lines:
For my own good
All causes shall give way. I am in blood
Stepped so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.
Strange things I have in head that will to hand
Which must be acted ere they may be scanned.
Explain what Macbeth means here.
Act III Scene V
Read Hecate's speech closely. She is the Queen of witches. Most critics believe that this
scene was not written by Shakespeare.
1) What does she suggest about the witches' plans for Macbeth?
2) In many productions of the play, this scene is left out.
What effect would leaving the scene out have on our understanding of the role of the
witches in determining Macbeth's actions?
Act III Scene VI
Scene six provides us with an insight into Macbeth's reign and the way in which he is
viewed by the Thanes.
1) Briefly describe these views.
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Act V Scene I
Macbeth returns to the witches, apparently placing his trust in their knowledge.
However, as the audience knows through the dramatic irony of the Hecate speech, he
will be deceived by them playing upon his own illusions and their creation in him of a
state of false security.
1) Read the opening of the scene, prior to Macbeth's entrance. What do you think is
the purpose of this scene?
2) In scene one, one of the witches says, “Open locks, whoever knocks!” What other
scene features knocking? What are the parallels between the two scenes?
3) Look carefully at the three prophecies. In what ways does each encourage a
sense of false security in Macbeth?
4) What effect does his meeting with the witches have on Macbeth?
Act V Scene II
This scene contains the murder of Lady Macduff and her children.
1) What does Macbeth’s decision to kill Macduff’s wife and children reveal about his
character? In what way are these murders worse than those of Duncan and Banquo?
2) Why do you think Shakespeare includes a scene showing the relationship
between Lady Macduff and her son?
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Act V Scene III
Scene three is a comparatively long and complex scene in which Malcolm tests Macduff
's loyalty, not to him, but to Scotland.
1) Why does Malcolm need to do this?
2) What do Ross's comments suggest about the state of Scotland under Macbeth's
rule?
3) Why does Malcolm tell Macduff that he will be an even worse king than Macbeth?
4) What qualities of leadership do you think Malcolm is shown to possess?
5) Why do you think Ross delayed in telling Macduff about the murder of his wife
and children?
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