ENG2D
Macbeth: Act I & II Questions
Instructions:
Answer the following in complete sentences on a separate
piece of paper.
Act One
Scene 1
1.
2.
3.
When do the witches plan to meet Macbeth? In what way is the choice of
time appropriate?
Who are Graymalkin and Paddock?
What might the last two lines of the scene foreshadow?
Scene 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Who is Macdonwald? Who kills him, and how?
What new assault then occurs?
How does Macbeth meet this challenge?
Why is the Thane of Cawdor ordered to be executed?
What does Duncan mean when he says, “‘What he hath lost, noble
Macbeth hath won”?
Scene 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why is the witch so angry at the sailor’s wife?
What supernatural powers do the witches describe here?
List all of the witches’ prophecies.
How does Banquo respond to the witches’ prophecies?
Do you think Macbeth is likely to take Banquo’s advice? Why?
Scene 4 & 5
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What two (2) major announcements does Duncan make in the latter part
of scene 4?
How does Macbeth react to Duncan’s proclamation? What does this
illustrate about his character so far?
What evidence is there in scene 5 that suggests Lady Macbeth plans on
killing Duncan herself?
Why doesn’t Lady Macbeth trust Macbeth to carry out the plot against
the king?
Some critics liken Macbeth and his wife to Adam and Eve. Do you think
the comparison is justified/appropriate? Explain your reasoning.
Scene 6 & 7
1.
2.
3.
What do Duncan and Banquo discuss as they approach Macbeth’s castle?
How is this ironic?
Name three (3) reasons why Macbeth is against killing Duncan.
a)
Summarise Lady Macbeth’s description of what it means to
“‘be a man.’”
b)
What ghastly example does she give, which proves she believes
herself to be more “‘a man’” than Macbeth?
Act Two
Scene 1
1.
2.
3.
What is bothering Banquo?
What is Banquo’s stance when Macbeth implies that he might want
Banquo as an ally?
In his fear of the night, Macbeth’s imagination is quite vivid. What does
he “see,” and of what is it symbolic?
Scene 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
In what state of mind are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after the murder?
Give an example for each.
Why was Lady Macbeth unable to kill Duncan?
What does Macbeth forget to do?
What are some of the things Macbeth imagined during the crime?
Why did Shakespeare not stage the actual murder of the king?
Scene 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What do you think is the dramatic purpose of the castle porter?
How is suspense created in the scene?
What reasons does Macbeth give for killing the guards?
What does Banquo seem determined to do when he hears about
Duncan’s murder?
Who are Malcolm and Donalbain? What do they decide to do? Why?
Scene 4
1.
2.
3.
List some of the unnatural occurrences that are reported by the Old Man
and Ross.
Who is suspected of Duncan’s murder?
Consider the Elizabethan view of the cosmos. Why might the characters
believe that the unnatural events are happening?
Macbeth: Act III - V Questions
Instructions:
Answer the following in complete sentences on a separate
piece of paper.
Act Three
Scene 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What attitude towards Macbeth does Banquo reveal in his soliloquy?
Explain how Banquo’s attitude towards the witches has begun to change.
Instead of confronting Macbeth with his suspicions, Banquo silences
himself: “‘But hush, no more’” (III.i 10). In your opinion, is Banquo’s
cautious diplomacy a positive or negative character trait? Explain.
Do you think Banquo would make a good king of Scotland? Explain.
What plans does Macbeth make in the latter part of the scene?
Scene 2 & 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
There are many signs that the once loving couple of Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth are growing apart. Find three (3) examples of this
estrangement.
Why is Macbeth envious of Duncan now that Duncan is dead?
Why doesn’t Macbeth tell Lady Macbeth about his plans?
In Scene 3, why do you think Macbeth sent the third murderer? What
does this illustrate about Macbeth?
Scene 4
1.
2.
3.
4.
How does Lady Macbeth attempt to explain her husband’s behaviour to
the guests?
How does she attempt to snap Macbeth into coming to his senses? Why
do you think that Lady Macbeth’s arguments, previously so effective, fail
her here?
According to Macbeth, how will the natural world respond to the latest
bloody business?
Do you think the ghost of Banquo was there or that it was an
hallucination? Explain your reasoning.
Scene 5
1.
2.
(No questions for Scene 6)
Many critics feel that the witches’ scene with Hecate serves no purpose
in the play. Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
It has been theorized that Shakespeare did not actually write Hecate’s
scene, that it was added after Shakespeare’s death by someone else.
What evidence is there in the scene that supports this theory?
Act Four
Scene 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
List some of the more disgusting ingredients that the witches throw into
the pot.
Before Macbeth asks anything of the weird sisters, he acknowledges
their powers.
a)
What powers does he attribute to them?
b)
Is your attitude towards Macbeth affected by the fact that he
knows exactly who and what he is dealing with here? Explain.
Describe the first apparition that the witches show Macbeth. What does
the apparition tell him?
Describe the second apparition that the witches show Macbeth. What
does the apparition tell him? Who is this child? Why is he bloody?
Describe the third apparition that the witches show Macbeth. What does
the apparition tell him? Who is this child? Why is he crowned?
What disturbing prophecy does Macbeth see about Banquo?
What does Macbeth decide to do about the problem of Macduff? What
does this show about his character?
Scene 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
Of what does Lady Macduff accuse her husband?
How does Ross attempt to console Lady Macduff?
Examine the dialogue between Lady Macduff and her son. It is in prose,
not the unrhymed iambic pentameter that Shakespeare favours. Why
might Shakespeare have used prose here? What effect is created?
What evidence is there that Lady Macduff, in spite of her earlier anger at
her husband, is still very loyal to him?
Scene 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Why does Malcolm distrust Macduff at the beginning of the scene?
According to Malcolm, what qualities does he say he will possess as king?
Give examples.
Why does Malcolm describe himself as such a treacherous king?
What finally convinces Malcolm that Macduff is loyal?
What help is England willing to offer Malcolm to enable him to reclaim the
throne of Scotland?
What are Malcolm’s opinions of King Edward of England? How is it
significant that Edward appears to be so close to God? (HINT: think of
the cosmic natural order.)
How does Macduff react to the news that his wife and children have been
killed?
8.
When Macduff expresses his grief, what suggestion does Malcolm make?
How does Macduff react to Malcolm’s advice?
Act Five
Scenes 1 & 2
1.
2.
3.
Why has the doctor been called?
What can we determine, through Lady Macbeth’s lines, is the reason why
she is sleepwalking?
In scene two, the lords do not refer to Macbeth as their king. What other
title do they give him? How do they describe his state of mind?
Scene 3
1.
2.
3.
Why is Macbeth so confident at the beginning of the scene?
What further evidence is there in the scene that Macbeth is becoming
increasingly unstable?
What does Macbeth wish the doctor could do? What does Macbeth
believe about Lady Macbeth’s illness and the fate of his monarchy?
Scenes 4 & 5 (no questions for scenes 6 & 7)
1.
2.
How has Malcolm unknowingly fulfilled the witches’ prophecies?
What bad news does Macbeth receive in scene 5? (2 things)
Scenes 8 & 9
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
In scene 8, what does Macbeth mean when he says, “Why should I play the
Roman fool, and die/ On mine own sword” (V.viii 1-2)?
Learning that Macduff “was from his mother’s womb/Untimely ripp’d” (V.viii
19-20), Macbeth denounces the treacherous witches. Explain what Macbeth
has learned about the witches’ language and intentions. Give line references.
a)
What grisly gift does Macduff bestow upon Malcolm?
b)
How does this demonstrate that the events of the play have come “full
circle”?
Malcolm describes Macbeth as a “dead butcher” and Lady Macbeth as a
“fiend-like queen” (V.ix 41). Do you agree with this assessment of these
characters?
The play ends with Malcolm’s intended coronation at Scone. In your opinion,
will the coronation be enough to restore the moral/natural order of Scotland?
Examine Macbeth’s final speech in scene 8, lines 32-39. Despite the enormity of
his crimes, Macbeth continues to command our admiration and respect. Do you
agree with this statement. Why or why not?