The Tragedy of Macbeth
Study Guide
Name: ____________________________
1. Be familiar with the questions following each act in the book.
2. What is one of the major themes of Macbeth?
Ambition and Betrayal
3. Macbeth and other Elizabethan plays represented a radical shift in English drama because they
were _____not about religious themes____________.
4. What do stage directions do for the reader? Helps the reader know what is going on on stage.
What they should be seeing.
ACT I
5. What is Macbeth’s character flaw? desire for power
6. The witches are presented in Act I in order to __foreshadowing event; negative in nature_____.
7. What always signifies the entrance of the witches? What can this be a symbol of?
Thunder and lightning. Symbol of evil.
8. From what you know about King Duncan in Act I, what can you infer about him?
Places a high value on loyalty and bravery.
9. How does Macbeth feel about possibly murdering the king?
makes him uncomfortable, tortured (pulled in different ways) TORTURED AMBIVALENCE
10. Why does Lady Macbeth think that Macbeth has a poor chance of gaining power?
too nice. Not ruthless enough to commit the murders necessary.
ACT II
11. What is the main idea of Act II?
murderers must live with the consequences and their consciences after they commit the deed.
12. Why do you think Shakespeare probably chose to write Macbeth in blank verse?
it gives the effect of natural speech
13. What is Lady Macbeth’s plan for the murder of King Duncan? What is her role? What is
Macbeth’s?
get the guards drunk and drug them, she will get the scene ready (daggers out, etc), Macbeth
just have to commit the murder. Afterwards, she will smear blood on the guards to make them
look guilty.
14. What symbolizes that the murder is complete?
the owl’s scream and the crickets cry
15. Why does Macbeth say he will “sleep no more?”
his guilty conscience will not let him rest
16. In the Old Man’s dialogue in Scene iv, what symbolizes King Duncan?
Falcon represents King Duncan, the owl represents Macbeth.
17. How does Lady Macbeth feel after the murder of the King? How does Macbeth feel?
Lady Macbeth- she is calm and collected. She still is thinking straight.
Macbeth- Freaking out. Doesn’t remember to wash the blood off, he can’t say “Amen”
18. Why do you think Shakespeare made Banquo the last person Macbeth sees before he murders
the king? Banquo is Macbeth’s last chance to change his mind and do what is right. (not kill the
king)
ACT III
19. How does Macbeth get the murderers to agree to kill Banquo?
convinces the murderers that Banquo is to blame for all their misfortunes and troubles
20. What is the cause of Macbeth’s behavior at the feast?
sees Banquo’s ghost which shows how guilty he feels.
21. What does Macbeth mean when he says, “We are yet but young in deed?”
They are just getting started. There is a lot more to be done (murders)
22. Macbeth imagining Banquo’s ghost is an example of ___internal_____ conflict .
23. Why does Macbeth send along a third murderer to kill Banquo?
He doesn’t trust anyone at this point.
24. Why is Macbeth so afraid of Banquo?
He is loyal to the true king and knows too much about the witches prophecies.
ACT IV
25. A major purpose of Act IV is to foreshadow events related to _______Macbeth’s downfall ____.
26. How do we know even the witches consider Macbeth evil?
“Something wicked this way comes.” If evil witches call you evil, you must be EVIL.
27. What finally convinces Malcolm that Macduff is loyal?
Macduff’s apparent love for his country and how dedicated he is to his country and getting a
good king on the throne.
28. The end of Act IV foreshadows an important conflict between whom?
Macduff and Macbeth. When Macduff finds out about his family he wants revenge on Macbeth.
29. Why is imagery so important in Elizabethan theater?
They did not have a lot of props and scenery. The lines in the play had to be descriptive enough
so the audience would understand and could imagine where/ what was going on.
30. Why does Macbeth visit the witches for the second time?
Reassurance; he thinks they can help him maintain his power/ role as king.
31. What is the image that runs throughout the whole play?
BLOOD
ACT V
32. What is the main point of including the scene that includes Lady Macbeth sleepwalking?
she has a guilty conscience and it is not easily fixed.
33. In Scene iii, a servant comes to deliver a message to Macbeth. What does his behavior reveal
about his character? he is ruthless and brutal. Trusts no one and threatens everyone.
34. When does Macbeth begin to realize he has been tricked by the prophecies?
When Birnam Wood begins to move.
35. How does Macbeth revert to his old self in Act V?
He still fights with courage and skills
36. Why does Shakespeare have Macbeth display admirable traits at the end of the play?
shows that he is not ALL bad, shows that he is a victim of his character flaw.
37. What is the resolution of the plot in Act V?
Macduff kills Macbeth.
38. What does the doctor think of Lady Macbeth’s condition? Who can help her?
There is no medicine for her condition and only God can help her at this point.
39. Is the gentlewoman loyal to Lady Macbeth? Why or why not?
Yes. She won’t repeat the things that Lady Macbeth admits to when she sleepwalks.
40. Why does Lady Macbeth kill herself?
her guilt is too much for her to handle
41. At the end of the play, how does Macbeth’s courage in battle affect the reader?
Some readers could feel compassion/ sympathy for him because they know he is a good guy
deep down. Others might think it too little too late.