The Tragedy of
M a c b et h
by:
William Shakespeare
Pre-Reading
List ten things that you’ve learned about Shakespeare:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Julius Caesar Soliloquy Translation
Write the translation of the soliloquy in the power point below in your own
words!!
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Sonnet #29 Translation
Write the translation of the sonnet below in the
power point in your own words!!
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Crime Evaluation!
Read the crimes described below and rank them from 1 to
15. Give a ‘1’ to the crime you think is most evil . . . a ‘2’
to the second most evil, etc.
Rank
Crime Description
A soldier who kills an enemy soldier in battle
A man who kills his king
A man who kills a close relative
A woman who persuades her husband to kill someone
A women who kills her own child
A woman who plans a murder but kills no one herself
A man who suspects his best friend of murder but does nothing
A man who arranges for his best friend to be murdered
A man who tries to have his best friend’s son murdered
A king who orders the death of an enemy
A king who orders the deaths of an enemy’s wife and children
A soldier who kills children under orders from his king
A doctor who knows his patient is a murderer . . . but says nothing
A woman who commits suicide
A man who kills the murderer of his family
Act 1; Scene 1
Question:
1. What is the purpose of the three
witches in Scene 1?
Evidence to Support Answer:
2. What is meant by, “Fair is foul,
and foul is fair”?
Act 1; Scene 2
Question:
3. How did Macbeth and Banquo do in
battle?
4. Ross tells us that a Scottish officer has
been a traitor to his people? Who was
disloyal?
5. What is happening to the Thane of
Cawdor’s title (and lands/money)?
Evidence to Support Answer:
Act 1; Scene 3
Question:
6. Why is the first witch angry, and what is she
doing about it?
7. It is in this scene that the witches give their
‘predictions to Macbeth. What are the three
predictions?
8. Banquo says to Macbeth of his reaction to
Prediction #3: “Why be so startled? Why
fear what sounds so fine?” What does he
mean?
9. This scene also gives us the witches’ three
predictions for Banquo: what are they?
10. How does Ross’ announcement to Macbeth
on page 35 address his ‘aside’ on the bottom
of page 32/33:
“But how of Cawdor? The thane of Cawdor lives
A prosperous gentleman; and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief.”
11. Is Macbeth drawn to possessing power?
How do you know?
Evidence to Support Answer:
12. Duncan’s states,
“. . .there’s no art
To find the mind’s construction in the face.”
Decide if you agree with the king or not – and
explain your answer:
Act 1; Scene 5
Question:
13. You meet Lady Macbeth in this scene.
What are her ‘fears’ about Macbeth’s
ability to take the throne?
14. After the messenger arrives with news
that Duncan is visiting her castle, Lady
Macbeth delivers a very famous
soliloquy where she is ‘conjuring’
strength for her power play. What is she
requesting?
15. Lady Macbeth tells her husband to,
“ . . . look like the innocent flower,
but be the serpent under’t.”
What does this mean?
Evidence to Support Answer:
Act 1; Scene 6
Question:
Evidence to Support Answer:
16. Why is Lady Macbeth’s greeting to
Duncan ironic?
“All our service
In every point done and then done double,
Were poor and single business to contend
Against those honours deep and broad,
wherewith
Your majesty loads our house.”
Act 1; Scene 7
17. Translate Macbeth’s soliloquy in Scene 7 on page 54 below:
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Question:
18. How does Lady Macbeth ‘motivate’ her
husband after he says,
“We will proceed no further in this business.”
19. How does Macbeth feel about his wife’s
femininity?
Evidence to Support Answer:
Act 1 Quiz
1. The play’s first act wastes no time in giving us all of the following
except:
a.
b.
c.
d.
an invasion
a cold-blooded murder
an execution
some treacherous plotting
2. A brief opening scene gives us which of the following?
a.
b.
c.
d.
a humorous, supernatural episode
a taste of intrigue to come
several key predictions
a foreboding view of three influential characters
3. Early in the play, we learn a number of important facts. Which of the
following is not one of them?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Scotland is at war with an invader.
The Thane of Cawdor is a traitor.
Duncan has a male heir named Malcolm.
Duncan and Macbeth are brothers and merciless men.
4. Before Macbeth makes his first appearance in the play, we learn about
his:
a.
b.
c.
d.
ambition
superstitions
great power
bravery
5. Macbeth’s first reaction to the witches’ prediction is one of:
a.
b.
c.
d.
indifference
amusement
wonderment
skepticism
6. We soon learn not only that Macbeth is delighted at the thought of
becoming king, but also that he:
a.
b.
c.
d.
hesitates to commit murder
has many friends to help him become king
assumes the witches will do the ‘dirty work’
believes it can happen openly and honorably
7. Lady Macbeth’s remark that her husband is, “too full o’ the milk of
human kindness” indicates something about Macbeth’s character, but it
also reveals what about Lady M?
a.
b.
c.
d.
She is ruthless.
She is not ambitious
She is a treacherous half-Viking.
She is very much like her husband.
8. What is the best interpretation of Malcolm’s dialogue below:
“Nothing in his life
Became him like the leaving it. He died
As one that had been studied in his death
To throw away the dearest thing he owned,
As ‘twere a careless trifle”
a.
b.
c.
d.
the Thane of Cawdor’s death was very unexpected
the Thane of Cawdor died with more dignity than he lived
Cawdor’s death left the country in despair
Cawdor took his own life
9. What is the best interpretation of Macbeth’s dialogue below:
“ The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,
For in my way it lies.”
a.
b.
c.
d.
Malcolm stands between him and any hope for the throne.
It will be more difficult to follow in Cumberland’s footsteps
Cumberland is not to be trusted.
He could easily fall from Cumberland’s favor.
10.What is the best interpretation of Lady Macbeth’s dialogue below:
“Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my sprits in thine ear,
And chastise with the valor of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round . . .”
a.
b.
c.
d.
The lady intends to drug her husband.
The lady fears Macbeth will return too soon.
The lady intends to convince her husband to take the crown by force.
The lady fears the king will punish Macbeth instead of rewarding him.
Act 2; Scene 1
1. Complete the Venn diagram below for Macbeth and Banquo:
Macbeth
Banquo
2. Do you believe Macbeth when he says, “I think not of them” of the
witches? Why or why not?
3. Macbeth ‘sees’ a dagger in this act . . . floating in the air. Why is
he seeing it?
Act 2; Scene 2
4. How has Lady Macbeth participated in the planning of Duncan’s
murder?
5. Why do you think Macbeth couldn’t say ‘Amen’ after killing
Duncan’s guards?
6. Who is handling the murder better initially – Lady Macbeth or
Macbeth? How do you know?
Act 2; Scene 3
7. At the beginning of this scene, what is the theatrical purpose of
the porter?
8. What in Scene 3 appeals to the ‘common’ man in the theater
audience?
9. On page 79, Lennox shares that the night had been filled with
wailing wind, screams of death, prophesies of disaster, and owl
screechings. Why is this significant?
10.What literary device is being used when Macduff says to Lady
Macbeth,
“Tis not for you to hear what I can speak:
The repetition, in a woman’s ear,
Would murder as it fell”
11.How does Macbeth try to justify his murder of Duncan’s
servants?
12.On page 85, Donaldbain and Malcolm discuss why they are
fleeing Scotland. Why do they leave?
13.What does, “Here, there’s daggers in men’s smiles” mean from
Donaldbain?
Act 2; Scene 4
14.This scene discusses ‘unnatural’ acts. Name three examples
which are given:
15.Why do you think that Shakespeare chooses to discuss
‘unnatural’ acts at this point in the play?
Roman Polanski’s Thoughts about Sharon & Richard Tate
"Invited to be a juror at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, I drove Sharon down to St.-Tropez in my
red Ferrari, which had been shipped over from L.A. Neither Sharon nor I sensed the imminence of
the “revolution” that almost toppled the Fifth Republic. I thought it utterly absurd to disrupt the
festival on the ground that it was an elitist, capitalism symbol. I knew what it meant to a director
when a film was accepted for Cannes. The festival authorities tried to keep going …but the festival
ended in complete disarray. "
"Sharon and I returned to London, then left for Los Angeles once more. Sharon's film career was
progressing far better than mine." (In mid-68 Sharon was working in The Wrecking Crew, which
starred Dean Martin) “After working all day on the set, Sharon would return to our latest rented
home, Patty Duke’s house on Summit Ridge Drive, and insist on cooking for me and the whole gang.
Her repertoire included Virginia ham, upside-down cake, and all the great southern dishes she’d
learned from her mother.”
“All our friends adored Sharon. It wasn’t just her looks that captivated them, though her beauty
was breathtaking and her miniskirts emphasized her marvelous legs. She was among the first to
flaunt theses symbols of the sexual freedom of the sixties. Miniskirts were erotic yet innocent,
romantic and charming and somehow vulnerable, so different from the forbidding, aggressive look
of the seventies. When Sharon appeared in one, the whole street would turn and stare: men with
admiration; women with envy; elderly matrons with vitriolic disapproval; old gentlemen with nostalgic
appreciation. There was far more to Sharon than a lovely face and a sexy figure. What enchanted
me about her as much as anything was her immutable good nature, her natural high spirits, her love
of people and animals-of life itself. Over demonstrative, over solicitous women had always made m
me uneasy, but Sharon struck the perfect balance between affection and concern. Though more a
spectator than a participant in our gags and shenanigans, she had a great sense of humor. She was
also a born housewife. Aside from cooking like a dream, she used to cut my hair – a skill acquired
from Jay Sebring. She liked to pack my bag whenever I had to take a trip. She always knew exactly
what to put in so much so that I can never pack or unpack, even today, without thinking of her.”
"By the end of 68, Sharon became pregnant. It was an accidental pregnancy since she’d been using
an IUD. Our L.A. doctor pronounced it a near miracle and put it down to Sharon’s animal vitality. If
truth be told, I was rather thrown by the news. A child seemed such a luxury, such an important
event, that I felt it deserved the same careful planning as a film. I wanted the circumstances to be
just right-bigger house and adequate time for preparation. What was more, Sharon had contracted
to make a picture with Vittorio Gassman in Rome and in London, and I knew that her pregnancy
would be obvious by the time shooting ended. I urged her to tell the director, Nicholas Gessner, but
she wouldn’t. 'Everything’s going to be fine,' she said soothingly."
"Terry Melcher, the young record impresario, was splitting up with Candice Bergen, so their rented
house off Benedict Canyon was on the market. Sharon, who had always liked it, contacted the owner,
Rudi Altobelli, and we signed the lease on February 12, 1969."
"It was an attractive place in many ways-a country house with a flower-filled garden enclosed by a
post and rail fence, the interior was all white walls and exposed beams, and the furniture included a
rocking chair, comfortable sofas, and a short grand piano. Most important of all, there was plenty
of room for the baby, not to mention the British nanny Sharon had set her heart on."
"Set back from a narrow, winding road called Cielo Drive, the house itself could not be seen from
Benedict Canyon. Candice Bergen had rigged up some Christmas lights along the fence, and we left
them there, switching them on whenever guests were expected so as to guide them to their
destination. Almost as soon as we moved in, Sharon had to leave for Rome to start filming. I
remained in London for business reasons."
"As if to remind me that every horizon, however radiant, conceals a cloud or two, I received an
anguished call from Wojtek Frykowski in L.A. We asked him and his girlfriend, Abigail Folger, to
look after the Cielo Drive house in our absence. While parking the car, he'd managed to run over Dr.
Saperstein, our dog, named after the character in Rosemary's Baby. The dog had been a member
of our family, almost like a child. I was miserable-appalled at the prospect of breaking the news to
Sharon. I consulted Victor Lownes. 'First,' he said, 'buy another dog.' "
"I phoned Sharon in Rome and told her that Dr. Saperstein needed some female company. Then I
bought a Yorkshire terrier puppy, which we christened Prudence. Later, when Sharon joined me in
London, I broke the news that Dr. Saperstein had 'disappeared.' It sounded plausible enough Saperstein regularly took off like a randy little tomcat and returned, looking shamefaced, after a
couple of days on the prowl. Sharon never did get to know what really happened."
"The baby had become the focal point of her life. She read every available book on childbirth and
baby care and went on a marathon-buying spree for baby clothes."
"Quite unabashed by her appearance, she didn’t object to being photographed; in fact, she reveled
in it."
"Our conversations revolved around the unborn child. I wanted a girl, but she was convinced it would
be a boy and debated what name to give him. She asked if there was anyone I’d particularly admired
as a boy. Only half-joking, I told her that my hero between the ages of twelve and fifteen had been
the founder of the Boy Scouts, Robert Baden-Powell. She doubted if it would be fair to saddle our
child with a name like Baden Polanski."
"It had always been taken for granted that Sharon would have the baby in America. No airline would
fly her across the Atlantic-she was in her eighth month by now-so I booked her a stateroom on the
QE 2. We spent our last evening together at Harry Saltzman’s newly opened restaurant overlooking
the Thames. Sharon had never looked more beautiful. The last picture I have of her, taken only a
few days before she sailed, is a little Polaroid test for a photo portrait due to appear on the cover
of Queen magazine. Another legacy from her is the book she left behind in our bedroom: Thomas
Hardy’s Tess of the d'Urbervilles. She’d just finished reading it and said it would make a wonderful
movie. Never setting foot in a big ocean liner before, we explored it like excited children, Sharon
with tiny Prudence nestling in the crook of her arm."
"Something about this parting made it different from the other, more casual leave-takings, and
both of us had tears in our eyes. 'Okay, go now,' she said abruptly. We walked down the
companionway to the main exit. She hugged me tightly, pressing her belly against me in a way she’d
never done before, as if to remind me of the baby. As I held and kissed her, a grotesque thought
flashed through my mind: you’ll never see her again. If nothing had happened, I might have no
recollection of this premonition; as it is, the memory remains indelible."
"There are little things, like packing a suitcase or getting my hair cut, or dialing the 213 code for
California or the 396 code for Rome, that invariably steer my thoughts back to Sharon. Even after
so many years I find myself unable to watch a spectacular sunset, or visit a lovely old house, or
experience visual pleasure of any kind without instinctively telling myself how she would have loved
it all.
In these ways I shall remain faithful to her till the day I die. "
After reading his memoir, describe how Roman Polanski felt about his new wife, Sharon Tate:
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Watch the documentary clip from A&E about the Manson murders. Describe, as best as you are
able, the specifics of Sharon’s murder:
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Consider Polanski’s choice in selecting to direct a film version of Macbeth as his first project
after Sharon’s murder (keep the nature of Duncan’s on-stage murder in mind, as well as the
overall tone, mood, and theme of the play):
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Polanski lived in Nazi-occupied Poland during WWII and the Holocaust. How do you think this
experience affected his choice in directing Macbeth?
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The final resident of the original Tate house was the musician Trent Reznor of Nine Inch
Nails. Reznor moved into the house in the early 1990s and had a recording studio built inside.
This studio, dubbed Pig (sometimes called Le Pig) in a reference to the fact that one of the
murderers had written "Pig" in Tate's blood on the front door of the house during the murders,
was the site of recording sessions for Nine Inch Nails' 1992 EP Broken and 1994 album The
Downward Spiral as well as Marilyn Manson's 1994 Reznor-produced debut album Portrait of
an American Family. Reznor moved out of the house in December 1993, later explaining that
"there was too much history in that house for me to handle."[3]Reznor made a statement about
working in the Tate house during a 1997 interview with Rolling Stone:
“
While I was working on Downward Spiral, I was living in the house where Sharon Tate was
killed. Then one day I met her sister. It was a random thing, just a brief encounter. And she
said: 'Are you exploiting my sister's death by living in her house?' For the first time, the
whole thing kind of slapped me in the face. I said, 'No, it's just sort of my own interest in
American folklore. I'm in this place where a weird part of history occurred.' I guess it never
really struck me before, but it did then. She lost her sister from a senseless, ignorant situation
that I don't want to support. When she was talking to me, I realized for the first time, 'What if
it was my sister?' I thought, 'Fuck Charlie Manson.' I went home and cried that night. It made
me see there's another side to things, you know?[4]
”
Reznor took the front door of the house with him when he moved out, installing it at Nothing
Studios, his new recording studio/record label headquarters in New Orleans.[5] In 1994, the
owner demolished the house and replaced it with a new mansion called Villa Bella with a new
street address of 10066 Cielo Drive. The current owner of the house is Hollywood producer Jeff
Franklin. He has reported nothing out of the ordinary while living at the property.[6]
Consider Trent Reznor’s decisions to:
a. live in the Tate house and have a music studio there
b. move from the Tate house after meeting Sharon’s sister
c. taking the front door with him to his new studio
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b._________________________________________________________
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c._________________________________________________________
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Act 2 Quiz
1. In Scene 1 of Act 2, Macbeth attempts to get Banquo to:
a.
b.
c.
d.
oppose Duncan
support Duncan
leave Scotland
kill the king’s heirs
2. When Macbeth is alone, he suffers from hallucinations and imagines
he sees:
a.
b.
c.
d.
a dagger
a sword
a golden crown
Duncan’s ghost
3. In Scene 2, Lady Macbeth tells her husband that she
a.
b.
c.
d.
takes an equal responsibility for the murders
begins to regret their evil plot
things he should prepare a good alibi
feels weary and wishes to sleep
4. In Scene 2, who sets the bloody daggers beside the murdered
servants?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Lady Macbeth
Macbeth
Servants
none of the above
5. Shakespeare makes Duncan’s murder seem more monstrous than it
might have been by
a.
b.
c.
d.
making Duncan afraid of murder
always portraying the king in sympathetic terms
vividly describing the actual murder
making the king appear disliked by his subjects
6. In Scene 4, Macduff emphasizes his opposition to Macbeth by
a.
b.
c.
d.
preparing to flee Scotland
publicly swearing allegiance to Malcolm
attempting to rally the thanes against Macbeth
refusing to go to Scone to see Macbeth crowned
7. What is the best interpretation of Banquo’s quote,
“There’s husbandry in heaven, their candles are all out.”
a.
b.
c.
d.
Banquo observes that it is a starless night
Dawn now makes candles unnecessary
Banquo can see no lights in the castle
Lady Macbeth is too frugal with her candles
8. What is the best summary of Macbeth’s intention in his words,
“Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.”
a. none – he is sleepwalking
b. he is so eager to kill Duncan that he hallucinates weapons
c. he is losing his vision
d. he is wavering in his decision to commit murder and take the crown
9. In this statement, what is Lady Macbeth saying?
“Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures. ‘Tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil.”
a.
b.
c.
d.
she shames her husband, calling him childish for fearing the dead
she realizes that her husband is ill and tries to help him
she admits that she, too, sees the imaginary daggers
she tries to awake Macbeth from a sleepwalking trance
10.In Macbeth’s soliloquy after Duncan’s murder, what does he mean?
“Had I but died an hour before this chance,
I had lived a blessed time; for, from this instant
There’s nothing serious in mortality.
All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead,
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees
Is left this vault to brag of.”
a.
b.
c.
d.
He is pretending to be sorry about Duncan’s death
He realizes that his crime has ruined the quality of his life and future
He comforts Donaldbain for the loss of his great father
He is shrewdly calculating an alibi for future crimes
Act 3; Scene 1
11.At the beginning of this scene, Banquo confesses of Macbeth’s rise
to power that, “I fear Thou play’dst most foully for’t”. What does
this mean?
12.Who is Macbeth attempting to pin Duncan’s murder upon . . . and
why does it seem plausible?
13.In Macbeth’s soliloquy on page 96, we learn that he is no longer
content being king. What does he now seek?
14.Why has Macbeth contracted two murderers in this scene?
Act 3; Scene 2
15.Lady Macbeth says, “What’s done is done”. What effect does she
hope this advice has on her husband?
16.At this point in the story, who is in charge of the plot: Lady
Macbeth or Macbeth . . . and how do you know?
Act 3; Scene 3
17.What is the primary action of importance in this scene?
18.You are working the King Duncan homicide case. Circle the
name(s) of the individual(s) you could potentially hold responsible
for Duncan’s murder . . . and for each selection, explain why on
the line provided:
a. Macbeth
____________________________________
b. Lady Macbeth
____________________________________
c. Banquo
____________________________________
d. The Witches
____________________________________
e. Duncan’s guards
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Act 3; Scene 4
19.Banquo appears at the banquet . . . how is this possible?
20.How would you characterize Macbeth’s behavior
during the banquet?
21.How do both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth attempt to
‘explain’ his outburst?
22.Why do you think that the Ghost of Banquo only appears to
Macbeth?
23.Macbeth says, “Blood will have blood”. Consider this, and
predict when the killing for power is going to stop in Scotland:
24.At the end of Scene 4, Macbeth thinks of an idea to aid him in
securing his future. What is he going to do next?
Act 3; Scene 5
25.Why is Hectate angry . . . and what is she going to do to Macbeth?
Act 3; Scene 6
26.What is Duncan’s son, Malcolm, doing in England?
Macbeth: Unlimited Stylistic Possibilities!
Look at the programs, posters, playbills, and scenes from nine different
Macbeth productions. Circle the three you think look most compelling if you
were going to buy tickets and experience this tragedy LIVE:
The Curse of 'Macbeth'
Is there an evil spell on this ill-starred play?
In 1604 Will Shakespeare in his zeal to please King James I, an authority on demonology, cast caution
and imagination aside and for the opening scene of Macbeth's Act IV he reproduced a 17th century blackmagic ritual, a sort of how-to to budding witches. Without changing an ingredient, Old Will provided his
audience with step-by-step instructions in the furtive art of spell casting:
The ritual's practitioners were not amused by this detailed public exposure of their witchcraft, and it is said
that as punishment they cast an everlasting spell on the play, turning it into the most ill-starred of all
theatrical productions. It is so unlucky that by comparison to Macbeth's nearly 400-year history of
unmitigated disaster, Murphy's Law appears exceedingly optimistic.
Here are some of the gory particulars:
Beginning with its first performance, in 1606, Dear Will himself was forced to play Lady Macbeth when Hal
Berridge, the boy designated to play the lady with a peculiar notion of hospitality, became inexplicably
feverish and died. Moreover, the bloody play so displeased King James I that he banned it for five years.
When performed in Amsterdam in 1672, the actor playing Macbeth substituted a real dagger for the
blunted stage one and with it killed Duncan in full view of the entranced audience.
As Lady Macbeth, Sarah Siddons was nearly ravaged by a disapproving audience in 1775; Sybil
Thorndike was almost strangled by a burly actor in 1926; Diana Wynyard sleepwalked off the rostrum in
1948, falling down 15 feet.
During its 1849 performance at New York's Astor Place, a riot broke out in which 31 people were
trampled to death.
In 1882, on closing night, an actor named J.H. Barnes was engaged in swordplay with another actor –
and he accidentally stabbed him in the chest.
In 1928, many members of a Macbeth cast were injured when the entire large set fell down and a fire
broke out in the dressing rooms.
In the early 1930s, Lillian Boylis, playing Lady Macbeth, died on the last day of dress rehearsal. Her
portrait was hung in the theater, and fell off the wall during the subsequent production of Macbeth there.
In 1936, Orson Welles produced a ‘voodoo Macbeth’ in a 19th century Haitian set. When a critic, Percy
Hammond, blasted the show, angry African drummers and a genuine witch doctor (all participating in the
cast) placed a ‘curse’ on Percy. He died within weeks.
In 1937, when Laurence Olivier took on the role of Macbeth, a 25 pound stage weight crashed within an
inch of him, and his sword which broke onstage flew into the audience and hit a man who later suffered a
heart attack.
In 1934, British actor Malcolm Keen turned mute onstage, and his replacement, Alister Sim, like Hal
Berridge before him, developed a high fever and had to be hospitalized.
In the 1942 Macbeth production headed by John Gielgud, three actors -- Duncan and two witches -- died,
and the costume and set designer committed suicide amidst his devilish Macbeth creations.
In 1947, actor Harold Norman was stabbed in a swordfight and died of his wounds.
In 1948, Diana Wynard, as Lady Macbeth, walked off a stage during opening night and fell 15 feet!
The indestructible Charlton Heston, in an outdoor production in Bermuda in 1953, suffered severe burns
in his groin and leg area from tights that were accidentally soaked in kerosene.
In 1955, Olivier was starring at Macbeth, and during his stage-fight with Macduff, he almost blinded him.
An actor's strike felled Rip Torn's 1970 production in New York City; two fires and seven robberies
plagued the 1971 version starring David Leary; in the 1981 production at Lincoln Center, J. Kenneth
Campbell, who played Macduff, was mugged soon after the play's opening.
In 1988 Broadway production of Macbeth went through three directors, five Macduffs, six cast changes,
six stage managers, two set designers, two lighting designers, 26 cases of the flu, torn ligaments, and
groin injuries.
In a Minnesota production, the actor playing Macbeth died for a heart attack on stage during the first
scene of Act III.
Of course, no explanations have been given for the seemingly inevitable toil and trouble that is part and
parcel of this unlucky play. You don't, in fact, ever refer to Macbeth or quote from it unless rehearsing or
performing it. You also don't, as explained to me by countless brave and talented actors from Glenda
Jackson to Ian McKellen, refer to this haunted play by name, but instead you call it That Scottish Play or
simply That Play; everyone, it seems, will get the message, in a flash.
Your Response to ‘The Curse”
In the space below, write a compelling paragraph that argues whether or not
you believe that there is a ‘Macbeth Curse’. If you wish, you may conjecture
as to why the curse might exist . . .
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Historical Misconnections:
Read about the ‘real life’ of Macbeth below, then complete the
Venn diagram provided to identify the similarities & differences
between ‘Shakespeare Macbeth’ and ‘Historical Macbeth’.
Macbeth (c.1005 - 1057)
c.1040, Macbeth King of Scots ©
Shakespeare's Macbeth bears little resemblance to the real 11th century Scottish king.
Mac Bethad mac Findláich, known in English as Macbeth, was born in around
1005. His father was Finlay, Mormaer of Moray, and his mother may have been
Donada, second daughter of Malcolm II. A Mormaer was literally a high steward
of one of the ancient Celtic provinces of Scotland, but in Latin documents the
word is usually translated as 'Comes', which means earl.
In August 1040, he killed the ruling king, Duncan I, in battle near Elgin,
Morayshire. Macbeth became king. His marriage to Kenneth III's granddaughter
Gruoch strengthened his claim to the throne. In 1045, Macbeth defeated and
killed Duncan I's father Crinan at Dunkeld.
For 14 years Macbeth seems to have ruled equably, imposing law and order and
encouraging Christianity. In 1050 he is known to have travelled to Rome for a
papal jubilee. He was also a brave leader and made successful forays over the
border into Northumbria, England.
In 1054, Macbeth was challenged by Siward, Earl of Northumbria, who was
attempting to return Duncan's son Malcolm Canmore, who was his nephew, to
the throne. In August 1057, Macbeth was killed at the Battle of Lumphanan in
Aberdeenshire by Malcolm Canmore (later Malcolm III).
Shakespeare
Real History
Act 3 Quiz
1. As of Scene 1, Banquo reveals in a short soliloquy that he:
a. plans to kill Macbeth
b. suspects that Macbeth killed Duncan
c. hopes to keep peace with his friend, Macbeth
d. wishes to leave Scotland as soon as he can
2. Macbeth desires Banquo’s death because he fears him and because:
a. Banquo is a friend of Donaldbain
b. Lady Macbeth wants him killed
c. the witches promised that Banquo would father kings
d. Banquo opposed him at every turn
3. In the extended banquet scene, Macbeth chastises Banquo for being absent.
The irony of this speech lies in the fact that:
a. Banquo is present in the form of a ghost
b. the assembled lords are aware of Banquo’s murder
c. Macbeth is unaware as yet of Banquo’s death
d. Banquo had no intention of attending the Banquet
4. At the banquet, Macbeth’s tortured conscience causes him to
a.
b.
c.
d.
drink excessively
confess the murder of Duncan
challenge Banquo’s ghost
stagger out of the banquet hall
5. During the banquet, Lady Macbeth does which of the following?
a.
b.
c.
d.
attempts to account to the guests for her husband’s odd behavior
sees the ghost also but manages to ignore it
admits she fears for her husband’s sanity
confesses her own guild to the assembled guests
6. In Scene 6, we learn that Macduff ahs gone to England to
a. escape Macbeth’s tyranny
b. see his favorite son
c. gather forces to depose Macbeth
d. make peace with the English
7. The best interpretation of Macbeth’s meaning in the below dialogue is:
“Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown,
And put a barren scepter in my gripe”
a.
b.
c.
d.
he finds being king a huge disappointment
he regrets the witches’ prophecy that his descendants will not rule
he feels he lacks the true regal powers of a king
he feels inferior to several nobles in his realm
8. What is Lady Macbeth saying when she reflects,
“Naught’s had, all’s spent
Where our desire is got without content.
‘Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy”
a.
b.
c.
d.
she is satisfied with the murder of Duncan
she is feeling more ambitious
she is not feeling satisfied, despite achieving her desires
she will be content once she murders more people
9. Macbeth considers how secure his kingship is . . . what does he mean?
“There the grown serpent lies. The worm that’s fled
Hath nature that in time will venom breed,
No teeth for the present.”
a.
b.
c.
d.
He is happy to learn that Fleance is a suspect in his father’s murder
He is fearful that he will see more ghosts and hallucinations
He recognizes that Fleance will prove a threat in the future, but not now
He is afraid that Duncan’s sons will become king
Act 4; Scene 1
1. Why does Macbeth go to see the witches in this act?
2. What are the predictions given to Macbeth by the
Witches/Apparitions?
3. Why does the final vision of Banquo with a procession of eight
kings vex Macbeth?
4. What plans does Macbeth have for Macduff and his family?
Act 4; Scene 2
5. How does Lady Macduff feel about her husband’s trip to England
to garner forces to fight Macbeth?
6. How does Lady Macduff’s son know his mother is teasing him
about his father being dead?
Act 4; Scene 3
7. How does Malcolm react to Macduff’s suggestion that he take rule
of Scotland?
8. How is Scotland faring under Macbeth’s rule?
9. Ross shares horrible news with Macduff at the end of Scene 3.
What is the news?
10.One of the predictions made to Macbeth at the beginning of this
act was, “Beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife”. How do
the actions reported in Scene 3 strengthen this prediction?
Macbeth and the Apparitions
After seeing Banquo’s ghost, Macbeth begins to worry about his future. He goes back to see the
witches to find out what will happen to him. Macbeth chooses to hear the news from the
‘masters’ of the evil spirits . . . in the form of apparitions.
The first apparition shows Macbeth that:
The first apparition warns:
Draw the first apparition above.
How does Macbeth feel as he sees and hears from this apparition?
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The second apparition shows Macbeth that:
The second apparition warns:
Draw the second apparition above.
How does Macbeth feel as he sees and hears from this apparition?
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The third apparition shows Macbeth that:
The third apparition warns:
Draw the third apparition above.
How does Macbeth feel as he sees and hears from this apparition?
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The final vision in response to Macbeth’s question shows:
The final vision warns:
Draw the final vision above.
How does Macbeth feel as he sees and hears from this vision?
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At the end of the scene, Macbeth learns:
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At the end of the scene, Macbeth decides:
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Act 4 Quiz
1. When Macbeth confronts the witches a second time, they
conjure up a series of apparitions that tell him all of the
following except:
a.
b.
c.
d.
he should beware Macduff
none of a woman born shall harm him
he shall be cursed – as will all of his children
he shall not be vanquished except by Birnam Wood
2. The actual murder of Lady Macduff and her children is
committed by:
a. Macbeth himself
b. Lennox’s servants
c. Ross’ servants
d. killers hired by Macbeth
3. In Scene 3, Malcolm meets Macduff in London and expresses
concern over:
a. the strength of Macbeth’s forces
b. his own courage and resolve
c. Macbeth’s treachery
d. the valor of the English troops offered to him
4. The murder of Lady Macduff and her children differs from
that of Duncan and Banquo because it appeared to be
prompted by:
a. jealousy
b. ambition
c. fury
d. greed
5. When Macduff asks about his family, Ross replies that, “They
were well at peace” when he last saw them. His statement is:
a. genuinely true
b. deliberately misleading
c. melodramatic and vague
d. honest but misinformed
6. The news of Lady Macduff’s death has what effect on
Macduff?
a.
b.
c.
d.
it renders him unable to fight
it makes him irrational with Fury
it spurs his determination to unseat Macbeth
it makes him fear others will be murdered
7. Act Four amply demonstrates that Macbeth has degenerated to
the point where he:
a.
b.
c.
d.
is incapable of any action at all
feels he must kill all rivals to ensure his rule
no longer has any feelings for his wife or heirs
relies completely on the witches’ prediction
8. What does Lady Macduff mean when she says,
“He wants the natural touch. For the poor wren,
The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
Her young ones in the nest, against the owl”
a. She is discussing the bird of Scotland with her son.
b. She believes it is unnatural for her husband to leave his family
unprotected.
c. She says that even a gentle wren teaches its young to fight.
d. She thinks her husband is as timid as a nestling bird.
9. What is Macduff’s message when he shares that,
“Boundless intemperance
In nature is a tyranny. It hath been
The untimely emptying of the happy throne,
And fall of many kings.”
a.
b.
c.
d.
Many kings have been unhappy on Scotland’s throne.
Lack of self-control can cause kings to fall.
Bad weather is hampering the Macbeth campaign.
Human beings, like weather, have good and bad days.
10.What is meant when the apparition tells Macbeth that,
“The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.”
a. no man can kill him
b. the only man who can kill him can’t have been born from a
woman
c. only Macbeth can kill his enemies
d. none of the above
Act 5; Scene 1
1. Describe Lady Macbeth’s recent actions, as seen by the doctor and her
lady-in-waiting:
2. What is the significance of Lady Macbeth’s famous ‘Out damned spot’
speech?
3. Do Macbeth’s soldiers believe in his cause? How do they feel?
Act 5; Scene 2
4. For what are Lennox and the others preparing in this scene?
Act 5; Scene 3
5. What is Macbeth’s reaction to reports of soldiers mounting against him?
Act 5; Scene 5
6. What stops Macbeth from immediately facing Malcolm’s army? Is he
afraid?
7. What happens to Lady Macbeth?
8. How does Macbeth describe life? What does he mean?
9. Explain how the three predictions come true:
Prediction:
How it comes true:
1. Beware Macduff
2. No man born of woman can harm
Macbeth
3. Only Birnham Wood can vanquish
Macbeth
10. Macbeth explores important ideas about life and death in this scene.
Underline three words that express his attitude toward the past as you read it:
“I have supped full with horrors.
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts,
Cannot once start me.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time:
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
This way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
I ‘gin to be aweary of the sun
And wish the estate o’ the world were now undone”
11. Based on the above soliloquy, how does Macbeth view life?
12. Look at the last two lines of the above soliloquy. What does Macbeth
want?
Film Criticisms for the New Macbeth Production:
Read the four reviews of the new Macbeth production below. For each one,
underline or highlight the main points of the critic. Once you are done, you need
to write your own review of the updated play.
Sam Worthington Review #1:
The Internet Movie Database lists 48 adaptations of Macbeth, including classics by Orson Welles,
Roman Polanski, and Akira Kurosawa, but Geoffrey Wright's contemporary gangster take on
Shakespeare's Scottish play doesn’t resemble any of them as much as a low-budget remake of Brian
De Palma's Scarface. There's lots of gunplay between drug dealers but very little to praise.
The contemporary updating of Shakespeare's timeless story of power and ambition is supposed to
make the drama more accessible but only distracts instead. Duncan and his men are Melbourne drug
lords, Macbeth’s gated estate bears a sign identifying it as Dunsinane, Banquo likes to ride motorbikes
just so he can ride something when he gets whacked, and Burnham Wood turns out to be a logging
company. The witches are a bunch of doped-up goth chicks who prefer a foggy dance floor to the
heath.
Wright also decided to abbreviate some of the Bard’s best soliloquies in favor of extended orgies
(some literal, some merely orgies of bloodletting.) In the title role, Sam Worthington gives most of his
speeches in voice-over without changing his expression at all, and as Lady Macbeth, Victoria Hill looks
like she would be more comfortable in a prime time soap than as literature's most cruelly ambitious
woman. She gets to do "Out, out damn spot" topless.
Worst of all, the direction lacks the go-for-broke postmodern gusto that made Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo
& Juliet such a success: everything about this adaptation, including the slow-motion finale, feels
unconvincing and lackluster, and the beauty of the language never takes wing. How could it if you cut
"tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" before the punchline?
Sam Worthington Review #2
A film without a brain. William Shakespeare's school-text standard is mauled almost beyond recognition
by director Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper), who updates the play's setting to Australia's criminal
underworld while attempting to keep the Bard's iambic pentameter intact.
This is one of those films where, 20 minutes in, you turn to your friend and ask, "What were they
thinking?" - only to discover your friend has slipped into a deep coma. Performances are positively
dreadful throughout, with Sam Worthington as Macbeth and Gary Sweet as Duncan - both fine actors reciting their lines as if learnt by rote.
There have been many good adaptations of Macbeth, most notably from Roman Polanski in 1971 and
Akira Kurosawa in 1957, whose Throne of Blood easily ranks as the best re-imagining of the work.
Here, however, almost every opportunity to reformat the themes of the play is squandered because and in dire contrast with what Baz Luhrmann did on Romeo and Juliet (1996) - the film is not
cinematically amped up to suit the new setting. It's Baz done bad.
A prime example of the dearth of imagination on display is the explanation of how Burnham Wood
comes to Dunsinane. We shan't give it away for the sake of those intrepid souls who sally forth to brave
this travesty. Godspeed. You'll need it.
Sam Worthington Review #3:
Review by Andrew L. Urban:
Any new adaptation of Shakespeare which retains the original text but sets the action in a modern
timeframe creates a permanent tension for the audience (those that are familiar with it, at any rate) in
anticipating how the filmmakers will translate 400 year old circumstances. For most of the film, we are on
the alert for inventive translations and relocations. How, for example, does Birnam wood march on
Dunsinane in 2006? Geoffrey Wright and Victoria Hill have the answer - but I won't spoil it here.
They also have the answer for transporting a madly ambitious couple like Macbeth and his lady, from the
friction of 17th century feudal princedoms to the gangland of 21st century Melbourne. That transportation
is made relatively easy from a character point of view, since greed, ambition, power, murder, family,
betrayal and empire building are all still part of the human condition. Not that there is a literalness to the
setting, and the universality of the work is paramount, but the Australian accents are no hindrance to the
text, nor to the film's mood. This is crucial, because we have to accept hearing Shakespeare's lines in
today's Australian voices. (Baz Luhrmann's modern treatment of Romeo + Juliet avoided that particular
issue, being set on the fictional Venice Beach of a multi-ethnic America.) But what about those witches?
Drug-induced apparitions or maybe figments of Macbeth's imagination...? In any case, they're younger
and sexier than they are in the play.
Once the settings, costumes and props had been re-imagined, it was all up to the actors to breathe life
into their characters; Sam Worthington satisfies both physically and emotionally as Macbeth, who might
be ambitious but is basically a decent guy underneath, until his manipulative lady eggs him on to commit
a murder, frame others for it, and then kill them, too. That's what the play is about, really: once you start
killing to gain something, there is a chain reaction set in motion which leads to an expanding pool of
blood.
Victoria Hill as Lady Macbeth, Steve Bastoni as Banquo, Gary Sweet as the ill fated Duncan, Lachy
Hulme as Macduff and all the rest are well able to wrangle the dialogue and make it meaningful, bringing
to life three dimensional characters, doomed to fight for survival within their world of violence. Technically
and creatively excellent, Macbeth also enjoys a wonderful score, outstanding design elements in all
departments (a dark, brooding and dangerous mood hangs over it), and goes to show that Australians
can tell their own stories in more ways than one.
Sam Worthington Review #4:
Review by Louise Keller:
Just as Baz Luhrmann re-imagined Romeo and Juliet in a contemporary setting, Geoffrey Wright has
imprinted his own style on Shakespeare's Macbeth. The themes of ambition and betrayal are twisted
boldly into a strikingly visual and cinematic work, where shadows lurk as evil is plotted. Adapted by Wright
and actress Victoria Hill, the script is impressively economical, yet those familiar with The Bard's
immortalised words will not be disappointed. With its strong cast headed by Sam Worthington, the result
is a gripping and sharply crafted film layered with emotional density.
Evil is portrayed like a character - be it in the ticking of Macbeth's troubled mind, the violence in the
streets or in the form of the seductive trio of young witches who flaunt their tattooed bodies, long hair and
scarlet nails. The Melbourne docklands are the setting - although the darkly lit rooms, the plush décor and
stylised wardrobe could be anywhere. Such mood and style is captured cinematically and musically. The
score is strong and deliberate, always hitting a nerve.
In the updating of the story, mobile phones, cameras and screens play a part, and guns are included as
part of the weaponry. The violence is savage at times, as it needs to be. There a several pivotal scenes
including the one when the deranged Macbeth stabs his boss Duncan (Gary Sweet, effectively cast),
before returning to his reclining Lady, who decides on action of her own. A diverse and excellent cast with
Hill's Lady Macbeth appropriately steely, and I especially like Lachy Hulme's Macduff and Mick Molloy's
Brown.
Write Your Own Review:
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Theme Analysis:
List at least 15 themes present in Macbeth. Remember, themes are messages
about life. What lessons are to be learned from this tragic play?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth
Comparing and Contrasting Two Great Tragedies
Using the Venn diagram provided on the other side of this paper, compare and contrast
the contemporary adaptations of Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth. While you are
comparing, please consider:

Wardrobes
Settings
 Props
 Language
 Themes
 Mood and Tone
 Characters
 Conflicts
 Dialogue
 Symbols
 Imagery

Building Background
Writing Activity
ARIZONA
Instrument to Measure Standards
WRITING
Practice Test Form
AIMS
High School
Form WA-ST1
Writing Prompt:
Shakespeare’s contemporary productions of Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet
have many similarities between them. In an expository essay, compare the
recent productions of these two great tragedies to each other and discuss how
these adjustments make the stories come alive for today’s readers and viewers.
Directions: Use this prewriting/planning page for notes, lists, webs, outlines, or anything else
that might help you plan your writing.
DRAFT
Directions: Write the first draft of your essay on the following lines.
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DRAFT
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Directions: Review the items in the writer’s checklist below. Then, carefully, read over your
rough draft. Highlight every item that is a true statement about your draft. Go back through
your draft and mark corrections that would improve your writing.
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
~adapted from the 6 Traits~
My paper has a specific audience and purpose
FINAL COPY
My paper contains a strong controlling idea
My paper stays on topic
My paper includes specific and relevant details, reasons,
and examples
My paper has an effective beginning, middle, and end
My paper progresses in a logical order, and my ideas flow
smoothly
My paper contains words that make it interesting
My paper includes effective paragraphing
My paper includes correct grammar, usage, punctuation,
capitalization, spelling, and conventions
FINAL COPY
Directions: Write the final copy of your essay on the following lines. Be sure to incorporate the
tips from the writer’s checklist on the prior page – pay attention to those 6 Traits of Writing!!!
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Name: ______________________
Macbeth Final Exam
Match each of the characters below with their best description:
1. Macbeth ____
2. Banquo ____
3. Duncan ____
4. Macduff ____
5. Malcolm ____
6. Lady Macbeth ____
7. Porter ____
8. Fleance ____
9. Donalbain ____
10. The Weird Sisters ____
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Murders King Duncan in a greedy quest for power
answers the castle door the morning of Duncan’s murder
give Macbeth and Banquo predictions about their fates
Duncan’s oldest son – next in line to the throne
Macbeth’s best friend who is also given predictions
Banquo’s son who survives his father’s assassination
Macbeth’s archenemy who eventually takes his life
Takes her own life after going insane
Duncan’s youngest son
the gentle, noble king of Scotland who is murdered
Describe the literary techniques being used in the following instances:
11. Before the witches plot to undo Macbeth, they curse a sailor with ill fortune.
a. symbolism
b. irony
c. foreshadowing
d. flashback
12. King Duncan, before he is murdered by Macbeth, calls him a ‘peerless kinsman’. Why is
this ironic?
a. because Duncan means ‘peerless’ in a negative way
b. because Duncan means ‘peerless’ as a noble compliment
c. because Macbeth is, truly, without peers on his own level
d. because Macbeth is trying to be better than Banquo
13. Consider the settings of the play and select the words that best represent the mood of
Macbeth:
a. ironic, cruel, and scattered
b. dark, depressed, and sinister
c. funny, predictable, and evil
d. cautionary, schizophrenic, and odd
14. Which is not an accurate example of indirect characterization for Lady Macbeth?
a. Being able to ‘see’ her compulsively washing her ‘bloody’ hands
b. The doctor stating that her illness is beyond his healing powers – because she needs a priest
c. Her words mocking her husband, “live a coward in thine own esteem”
d. Shakespeare telling us that she is a cruel, heartless woman
15. Lady Macbeth is often associated with the symbols of the owl, candle, and bell. What do
these symbols stand for, respectively?
a. death, desperation, and murder
b. flight, blindness, and sound
c. fear, vision, and music
d. none of the above
16. Duncan’s son says at Macbeth’s castle, “Here, there are daggers in men’s smiles”. What
literary device is this – and what does it mean?
a. simile; that smiles are like daggers when dealing with traitors
b. imagery; it helps the reader ‘see’ how dishonest everyone is in Macbeth’s realm
c. metaphor; it means that people are not what they seem – all smiles with evil intent beneath
d. allusion; it refers to the historical use of daggers in Scottish culture
17. The witches predict that only Birnham Wood can conquer Macbeth . . . and in the end, they
are correct. What literary technique would this be?
a. flashback
b. theme
c. irony
d. foreshadowing
18. What is the best summary of the conflict of the play – and who would the protagonist and
antagonist be in that situation?
a. man vs. self; Macbeth vs. his own greed
b. man vs. man; Macbeth vs. Banquo
c. man vs. nature; Macbeth vs. Birnham Wood
d. man vs. supernatural; Macbeth vs. the Weird Sisters
19. The ‘floating dagger’ that leads Macbeth to Duncan’s chamber is an example of:
a. personification
b. tone
c. theme
d. characterization
20. Lady Macbeth confesses, “Here’s the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will
not sweeten this little hand. Oh! Oh! Oh!” What technique is this, and what does it tell us about
her state of mind?
a. simile; it tells us that her hands are like blood
b. imagery; it tells us that she has been overtaken by her guilty conscience
c. personification; it tells us that the blood has taken on antagonistic qualities
d. theme; it is a message that permeates the entire play
Read the quotes below. For each, identify who said it and what they meant by it.
20. “Yet I fear thy nature is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”
Who said it?_____________________________
What does it mean?
21. “Thou hast it now – King, Cawdor, Glamis, all as the weird women promised and I fear
though played’st most foully for’t.”
Who said it?_________________________
What does it mean?
22. “And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us
with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence.”
Who said it?_________________________
What does it mean?
23. “Fit to govern! No, not to live. O nation miserable! With an untitled tyrant bloody
sceptered, when shalt thou see thy wholesome days again, since that the truest issue of
thy throne by his own interdiction stands accursed, and does blaspheme his breed?”
Who said it? ________________________
What does it mean?
24. “Out damned spot! Out, I say! One: two: why, then ‘tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie,
my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeared? What need we fear who knows it, when none can
call our pow’r to accompt? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so
much blood in him?”
Who said it? ________________________
What does it mean?
25. “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage
and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying
nothing.”
Who said it? ________________________
What does it mean?
26. “Foul whisperings are abroad. Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles; infected
minds to their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets; More needs she the divine than
the physician. God, God forgive us all! Look after her; Remove from her the means of
all annoyance, and still keep eyes upon her.”
Who said it? ________________________
What does it mean?
27. “Drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and
urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; it provokes the desire, but it takes away
the performance.”
Who said it? ________________________
What does it mean?
28 – 32. Macbeth is full of interesting themes. Select one of your favorites, and give examples
as to how that theme is expressed by different events and words in the play:
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33 – 37. Consider the ‘supernatural’ events of the play. Describe them and explain how they
advance the story.
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