Macbeth Reading Questions
Name:
Context:
Shakespeare wrote Macbeth after the Gunpowder Plot against King James settled. This was a time of great
nationalism in Britain and Shakespeare played his part by penning Macbeth: a tribute to King James, who could
trace his family tree back to Banquo’s line.
The Divine Right of Kings laid out that the rightful king of a country would be chosen by God to lead. When the
right king was in charge of a country, God would bless the country with bountiful harvests, good weather and
wealth. If the wrong king ended up on the throne, God would plague the country will bad/strange weather,
drought, famine, war etc.. In order to establish their right to the throne, Kings would often speak in the Royal
“We” (ie: “We thank you for your pains”) – meaning that the King spoke on behalf of himself and God, as the
king was God’s representative on Earth.
I,I (6 marks)
1. Why would Shakespeare start his play with the Witches? (2)
2. What does “fair is foul, and foul is fair” mean? What 2 different events from the play could they be
referencing? (4)
I,ii (3 marks)
3. What evidence is there in the Captain’s initial report that justifies Duncan’s characterization of Macbeth
as a “valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!” (24)? (2)
4. What news does Ross relay about the Thane of Cawdor (48-53)? (1)
I,iii (12 marks)
5. How does Shakespeare establish the Witches as evil? (3)
6. How do Banquo’s lines (51-61) provide for the actor playing Macbeth? (3)
7. How does the difference in reaction between Banquo and Macbeth underscore the historical context in
which Shakespeare wrote this play? (4)
8. What is the purpose of Macbeth’s asides? (2)
I,iv (5 marks)
9. What is your interpretation of Duncan’s line “there’s no art/to find the mind’s construction in the face”
(11-12) (2)
10. How could Duncan’s line right before Macbeth’s entrance (13-14) be considered an example of dramatic
irony? (2)
11. What is the step on which Macbeth must “fall down, or else o’erleap” (49)? (1)
I,v (14 marks)
12. What is “the nearest way” to which Lady Macbeth refers (19) - and what evidence is there in this initial
speech of hers (16-31) as well as in her preceding one (39-54) that Shakespeare has created a strong and
ruthless female character here? (10)
13. Explain how Lady Macbeth’s advice to her husband (65-67) parallel’s Duncan’s earlier statement about
Cawdor (I,ii,13-14). (4)
I,vi (3 marks)
14. How is Duncan’s impression of Macbeth’s castle again an example of dramatic irony? (1)
15. How do you see this short scene playing into Shakespeare’s thematic and/or narrative arc(s)? (2)
I,vii (15 marks)
16. Provide arguments against the murder of Duncan as provided by Macbeth in his monologue (1-28). (8)
17. Paraphrase the arguments Lady Macbeth uses to convince her husband to murder the king. (7)
II,i (14 marks)
18. How does Banquo and Fleance’s (and Macbeth’s) exchanges (4-11) contribute to our understanding of
the historical context in which the play was written? And contribute to Shakespeare’s creation of
foreshadowing? (2)
19. Analyze and explain the symbolism of Macbeth’s hallucination (31-end). (12)
II,ii (6 marks)
20. Explain how Macbeth’s reaction after the murder helps to align him to AC Bradley’s interpretation of a
Tragic Hero. What is Macbeth’s fatal flaw? (6)
II,iii (28 marks)
21. The beginning of this scene is Comic Relief. What jokes does the Porter make? (10)
22. What does equivocation mean? How is this term of particular significance to Macbeth? (4)
23. Why would Shakespeare put Comic Relief here? What is its function? (2)
24. How do Lennox’s observations (56-63) contribute to our understanding of the Divine Right of Kings? (3)
25. What arguments would you use to support the idea that Macbeth speaks the truth in lines 93-94? (3)
26. Why would Shakespeare have Macbeth kill the guards (8-9)? (2)
27. What do the princes decide? Why? (4)
II, iv (5 marks)
28. Explain the purpose of this scene? (5)
III, i (16 marks)
29. What is ominous about Macbeth’s questioning of Banquo? (2)
30. Paraphrase the fears Macbeth alludes to in his soliloquy (48-72) (10)
31. In what ways has Shakespeare changed Macbeth’s character from Act I to this exchange with the
Murderers? Provide evidence. (4)
III,ii (8 marks)
32. How does Lady Macbeth’s aside parallel her husband’s from III,i? (2)
33. What evidence is there that Shakespeare is starting to switch the characteristics of Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth? (4)
34. How does Macbeth’s advice to his wife (31-34) echo hers to him (I,v,65-67)? (2)
III, iii (6 marks)
35. Many scholars argue that the Third Murderer is in fact Macbeth himself. What arguments would you
use to support this claim? (6)
III, iv (4 marks)
36. What do you make of Shakespeare’s choice of the word “safe” in line 26? (3)
37. What is Banquo’s ghost a symbol of? (1)
III, v (4 marks)
38. Why is Hecate angry with the Witches? (4)
III,vi (6 marks)
39. What is the significance of Lennox & the Lord’s conversation? How does it represent a narrative shift in
the play? (6)
IV,i (9 marks)
40. Explain Macbeth’s second set of prophecies (9)
IV,ii (7 marks)
41. Why is Lady Macduff angry with her husband? (2)
42. Which established character do you believe could be the Messenger? Provide support? (4)
43. Why does Macbeth have Macduff’s family murdered? (1)
IV,iii (13 marks)
44. Why has Macduff gone to England? (1)
45. Explain what Malcolm claims about himself and why he reveals that he has lied about himself. (12)
V,i (4 marks)
46. Macbeth claims to have “murdered sleep” (II, ii) and never sleeps again; Lady Macbeth is plagued by
sleepwalking – what do these details symbolize? Provide support. (4)
V,ii (6 marks)
47. How do Menteith’s lines contribute to our understanding of the shift in Scotland’s perception of
Macbeth? (6)
V,iii (10 marks)
48. Explain how Hecate’s prediction of Macbeth becoming “over bold” is evidenced in this scene? (6)
49. Provide support for the argument that Lady Macbeth’s initial desire for her husband to have less “milk
of human kindess” is an ironic parallel to the Tragic Hero’s tragic flaw. (4)
V,iv (2 marks)
50. What is the purpose of this scene when you consider what happens in the previous and following
scenes? (2)
V,v (20 marks)
51. Comment on Macbeth’s philosophy on life (19-28). (10)
52. Despite the evidence provided by the Messenger of his imminent downfall, Macbeth still rushes into
battle. Explain how both the Macbeth of I,i and his darker, more recent counterpart work together in
his final actions. (10)
V,vi-viiii (11 marks)
53. What would be Shakespeare’s purpose in including all these entrances and exits? Why so many quick
scenes right at this point in the play? (4)
54. List Macbeth’s murders from the beginning of the play to the end – what pattern do you notice? How
does this pattern contribute to his Tragic Fall? (6)
55. How have Macduff and the Witches loopholed Macbeth? (1)