Macbet h Questions
Act 1
1. What w ere the three predictions of the w itches?
2. Who describes who as being “too full o’ the milk of human kindness”?
Why?
3. Where is Macbeth’s castle?
4. Where is Duncan’s castle?
5. Who is to be Duncan’s heir to the throne? What is his title?
6. With w hat country is Scotland at w ar w hen the play opens?
7. Who helps conv ince Macbeth to commit regicide?
8. What reasons does Macbeth give for not w anting to kill Duncan?
9. Who says, “Fair is foul and foul is fair”? What does this phrase mean?
10. Why is the Thane of Caw dor killed? How does he face death?
11. Why is Macbeth given the title Thane of Caw dor?
12. How does Banqou react to the w itches’ predictions?
13. Why does Lady Macbeth pray that she be “unsexed”?
14. What is her plan for Duncan? How w ill she carry out the plan? Who w ill
bare the blame?
Macbet h Questions
Act II
1. Who is Banquo’s son?
2. What does Macbeth see just before he goes to murder Duncan? Why?
3. Why is Lady Macbeth confused as Macbeth kills Duncan?
4. What did Macbeth forget to do after the murder?
5. What is Macbeth’s frame of mind after the murder?
6. Who discov ers Duncan’s body?
7. What happens to the guards after Duncan’s body is discov ered? Why?
8. What gift does Duncan giv e to Lady Macbeth? Why?
9. Who knocks on the door immediately after the murder?
10. Who drugged the guards?
11. Who fled to England? Who fled to I reland?
12. Who prov ides comic relief in Act I I? How?
13. Why w on’t Lady Macbeth kill Duncan?
14. Why do Duncan’s sons leav e Scotland?
15. What unnatural thing happens to Duncan’s horse? What does this
parallel?
Macbet h Questions
Act III
1. What reason does Macbeth give for wanting to hav e Banquo murdered?
2. Who else does Macbeth order to be murdered? Why?
3. At the beginning of Scene ii, w hat are Lady Macbeth’s feelings about
being Queen of Scotland?
4. What happens to Banquo in Scene iii? What happens to his son?
5. I n Scene iv , w hy does Macbeth refuse to sit at the table w ith his guests?
6. What explanation does Lady Macbeth give for his strange behavior?
7. What reason is giv en for Macduff’s trip to England in Scene v i? How does
Macbeth react to the trip?
8. How has Macbeth’s attitude toward murder changed since Act I?
Macbet h Questions
Act IV
1. Why does Macbeth return to see the three weird sisters?
2. What are the first three apparitions shown to Macbeth?
3. What three things do the apparitions w arn Macbeth?
4. What do the w itches show Macbeth after the three initial apparitions
gav e their w arnings?
5. What does Shakespeare symbolize by the “treble sceptors”?
6. What is Macbeth’s attitude after he hears the predictions?
7. Who does Macbeth now order to be killed? Why?
8. With w hom does Duncan’s son Malcolm ally himself?
9. How does Malcolm test Macduff?
10. How does Macduff respond to the new s of his family?
11. To w hom is the w itch referring when she says, “Something w icked this w ay
comes”?
12. What does Lady Macduff tell her son about his father?
13. Who brings w ord to Macduff as to the fate of his family?
14. Who is the Thane of Fife?
Macbet h Questions
Act V
1. To w hat castle does Macbeth now mov e?
2. Why does Lady Macbeth walk in her sleep?
3. What does Lady Macbeth reveal while sleepwalking? Who hears these
rev elations?
4. Where do Macbeth’s enemies gather?
5. How does Malcolm order his troops to camouflage themselves?
6. What happens to Lady Macbeth?
7. What does Macduff reveal about his birth? Why is this significant?
8. What is the “damned spot” to w hich Lady Macbeth refers?
9. What four things does Macbeth feel disappointed that he w ill not hav e in
old age?
10. How does Macbeth react to his w ife’s death?
11. What does Macbeth finally realize about the w itches and predictions?
12. Who leads the English army?
13. What happens to Macbeth? (be specific)
14. Who is hailed as king as the play closes?