Macbeth
Act I, scenes 5-7
Guide Questions
Name _______________________
Block / Period ________________
1. What are the contents of the letter that Lady Macbeth reads in scene 5? And, who wrote
the letter? (lines 1-14)
2. Read lines 15-20. These lines are Lady Macbeth’s response to the letter. What kinds of
things does she say about her husband?
3. A messenger arrives at line 35. What news does he bring to Lady Macbeth?
4. Lady Macbeth speaks some lines of foreshadowing in lines 45-47. What does she say?
5. Next Lady Macbeth reveals some of her wicked ideas in lines 47-61. What does she tell
us?
6. What do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth discuss at the end of scene 5 (lines 65-87)?
7. As we discussed in class, there are many opposites and contradictions in the story.
Describe the setting in scene 6. How can this possibly foreshadow a contradiction in the
story?
8. What are some of Lady Macbeth’s tactics for trying to persuade Macbeth? (Hint – look at
lines 39-49, 54-66, 69-81)
9. In scene 7 Macbeth thinks about why it is a terrible thing to kill King Duncan. He and Lady
Macbeth go back and forth discussing what to do. What does Macbeth decide to do at the
end of scene 7?