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Which main themes are introduced in the opening scene of the play?
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Macbeth Act 1 to 5
Exam Prep
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where is the opening scene of the play set? | On a heath in Scotland |
| Which main themes are introduced in the opening scene of the play? | Appearance vs Reality ("Fair is foul and foul is fair") Good vs Evil Winning and Losing |
| Who are the witches planning to meet? | Macbeth |
| Name the king of Scotland at the start of the play. | King Duncan |
| Name King Duncan's two sons | Malcolm and Donalbain |
| Where is the military camp where King Duncan awaits news of the battles? | Near Forres |
| Who are the two people who bring King Duncan news of the battles? | A wounded sergeant and Ross |
| Name the leader of the Irish mercenaries during the skirmishes. | Macdonwald |
| Who assisted King Sweno in his attempt to invade Scotland? | The Thane of Cawdor |
| What does King Duncan decide to do about the Thane of Cawdor's betrayal? | He orders the Thane of Cawdor's execution. |
| How did Macdonwald die? | Macbeth killed him on the battlefield. |
| Who will receive the title 'Thane of Cawdor' and why? | King Duncan orders that Macbeth receive the title as a reward for his bravery and loyalty on the battlefield. |
| What is Macbeth's only title at the start of the play? | Thane of Glamis |
| Why does Macbeth have the title 'Thane of Glamis'? | He inherited this title from his father upon his death |
| Which two predictions do the witches greet Macbeth with in A1S3? | They predict that he will be Thane of Cawdor and king of Scotland |
| What do the witches predict for Banquo? | He will not be king, but his descendants will |
| What does King Duncan announce concerning Malcolm in A1S4? | Malcolm will be Prince of Cumberland and is King Duncan's heir |
| Who is Macbeth's wife? | Lady Macbeth |
| How is Macbeth related to King Duncan? | They are cousins |
| Where is King Duncan's castle at the start of the play? | Forres |
| What is the name of Macbeth's castle? | Inverness |
| What name do the witches go by? | The Weird Sisters |
| How many witches are there? | There are three witches |
| Which king does Macbeth murder? | Duncan, king of Scotland |
| Where does Donalbain flee after his father's murder? | Ireland |
| What does Macbeth see in his hallucinations before the murder of King Duncan? | A dagger dripping blood He believes the dagger beckons him to King Duncan's room |
| Who discovers King Duncan's body? | Macduff |
| Who arrives in A2S3 to wake King Duncan? | Macduff and Lennox |
| Name Banquo's son. | Fleance |
| How do the witches greet Macbeth? | Thane of Glamis Thane of Cawdor King hereafter |
| What does Macbeth initially decide to do about the witches' prophecies? | He will leave it to fate/chance "If chance will have me king then chance may crown me without my stir." |
| How does Lady Macbeth find out about the witches' prophecies? | She reads the news in a letter that was sent with a messenger from Macbeth. As A1S5 opens, she reads this letter aloud. |
| What does Lady Macbeth fear about her husband in A1S5? | She believes that he does not possess the ruthlessness to fulfil the prophecy. She says he is too good and kind to take by force what he really desires. |
| When Lady Macbeth is informed that King Duncan is approaching the castle and will be spending the night, what does she decide to do? | She asks spirits to make her cruel so that she lacks kindness and weakness so that she can murder King Duncan. She will also persuade Macbeth to join in on her plan by poisoning his thoughts. |
| In A1S7 Macbeth shares a few reasons in his soliloquy for why he does not want to murder King Duncan. What are these? | Duncan is his cousin. Macbeth is a subject of King Duncan and should be loyal. Duncan is a guest of the Macbeths, and they should protect him from harm and show him hospitality. Duncan has rewarded Macbeth and is good. He is a well-loved king |
| There is only one factor for murdering King Duncan. What is it? | Macbeth's own ambition to become king |
| Who did the Thane of Cawdor assist in the skirmishes against Scotland? | King Sweno of Norway |
| True or False (Explain your answer) In A1S7 Macbeth is eager to kill King Duncan because the sooner he does it, the less likely it is that there will be consequences. | False Macbeth has internal conflict. He knows that the murder of King Duncan will have dire consequences. |
| Describe the atmosphere created by the witches in the opening scene of the play. | Ominous, sinister, mysterious, troubled |
| Explain how a battle can be lost and won. | One side wins, the other side loses, but even the winning side will have lost something (especially in a war against Norwegian Vikings, who were brutal warriors). King Duncan also loses two subjects: Macdonwald and the Thane of Cawdor. |
| What is King Duncan's fatal flaw? | He is overly trusting and naive. King Duncan admits in A1S4 that he wholeheartedly trusted the Thane of Cawdor. He also trusts Macbeth and rewards him with the previous thane's title, but Macbeth will end up betraying King Duncan as well. |
| What is the gift that Banquo hands Macbeth in A2S1? | A diamond This is a gift from King Duncan to Lady Macbeth to thank her for her hospitality |
| When Banquo mentions to Macbeth that he could not sleep soundly because he dreamt of the witches, what is Macbeth's response? | He says that he does not think of them. This is deceitful and ironic - Macbeth's willingness to murder King Duncan hinges on what was prophesied by the witches |
| How does Lady Macbeth signal to Macbeth that it is time to proceed with the murder? | She rings a bell |
| What is Macbeth carrying when he returns to Lady Macbeth after the murder of King Duncan? | The two daggers of Duncan's grooms |
| Who does Macbeth meet on his way to murder King Duncan? | Banquo and Fleance |
| Why can't Lady Macbeth murder King Duncan? | He resembled her father as he slept |
| Which part of the murder plan does Lady Macbeth carry out instead of Macbeth? | She returns the daggers to the grooms, and smears their faces with blood so that they appear guilty of the crime. |
| In the play, what does blood symbolise? | Guilt |
| What does Lady Macbeth do in A2S3 when Macbeth announces that the killed the grooms? | She faints |
| What reason does Macbeth give for killing the grooms? | He says that he was overcome with passion and love for King Duncan and he could not leave his murderers unpunished. |
| Give two possible reasons for Lady Macbeth fainting in A2S3. | She is shocked that he went beyond her plan. She faints on purpose to remove suspicions from Macbeth as he had revealed too much in his passionate speech |
| What do Duncan's sons do after their father has been murdered? | They decide to flee |
| Where does Malcolm decide to go after his father's death? | England |
| What will people believe now that Malcolm and Donalbain have decided to flee? | Their running away makes them appear guilty of bribing the grooms to kill King Duncan |
| What is Macduff's title? | Thane of Fife |
| What is the significance of Scone? | This is where Scottish kings are crowned |
| What is the significance of Colme-kill? | It is the ancient burial site of Scottish kings |
| What does Macduff decide to do concerning Macbeth's coronation? | He will not attend the coronation at Scone, but will return to his home in Fife. |
| What does Lady Macbeth compare the messenger to that brings her news of King Duncan's visit to Inverness? Why is this an appropriate comparison? | She compares the messenger to a raven. This is an apt comparison as ravens were superstitiously believed to foretell death. The messenger unknowingly brings the news of King Duncan's death as Lady Macbeth sees this visit as an opportunity to murder him. |
| Does Lady Macbeth respect her husband? Motivate your answer. | No. She emasculates him by calling him a coward, and not manly enough to take what he wants in A1S7. She does not support him in A2S2 when he is overwrought after the murder of King Duncan and speaks down to him as if he is a child. |
| How would you describe Macbeth's state of mind in A2S2? | Macbeth is guilt-ridden and overwhelmed. He is unfocussed and does not think clearly, bringing the daggers with him. He feels remorse about King Duncan's murder and cannot think of the murder plan, but remains devastated by what he had done. |
| Where does A1S4 take place? | At King Duncan's castle at Forres |
| Why does King Duncan decide to visit Inverness? | He says that he wants to strengthen his bond with Macbeth. |
| Why does Macbeth kill King Duncan? Give three reasons. | He has the ambition to be king himself. The first prophecy of the witches, that he would be Thane of Cawdor, came true and he believed he could make the king prophecy come true. Lady Macbeth manipulated him into killing King Duncan. |
| Who, except for King Duncan, does Macbeth see as an obstacle in his way towards becoming king in A1S4? | Malcolm who was officially declared Duncan's heir and Prince of Cumberland. |
| Who rides ahead from Forres to Inverness at the end of A1S4? | Macbeth rides ahead |
| Which character is used to provide comic relief before the discovery of King Duncan's body? | The porter, gatekeeper of Inverness |
| What does Lady Macbeth suggest Macbeth do in A2S2 in order to maintain his innocence? | She tells him to wash the blood from his hands and to dress in his nightgown, so that it looks like he has been sleeping |
| Who is the goddess of the witches? | Hecate |
| Which character was born by Caesarean section? | Macduff |
| Whose ghost does Macbeth see sitting in his seat during the banquet? | Banquo |
| How was Banquo killed? | Macbeth hired two men to kill Banquo. He was ambushed and stabbed 20 times in his head. |
| What is the significance of the appearance of Banquo's ghost at the banquet? | The appearance of Banquo's ghost appears whenever Macbeth toasts to Banquo, ironically. The ghost also appears with gashes and bloody hair, emulating the way he was murdered. This hallucination is brought on by Macbeth's guilt. |
| Who is Macbeth's armourer? | Seyton |
| Who is the general of the English forces sent to aid Malcolm? | Old Siward, the Earl of Northumberland is the leader of the English troops. |
| How many English soldiers are sent to aid Malcolm? | Ten thousand English soldiers |
| Why does the witches' prediction about Banquo lead to his death? | The witches declared that Banquo's descendants would be kings. Macbeth feels insecure as this means his own reign will be short-lived. He hires two men to murder Banquo, deceiving them for having their own reasons to murder Banquo. |
| Where does Macduff go to persuade Malcolm to return to Scotland? | To King Edward's palace in England. This is where Malcolm is. |
| What is Macduff's title? | Thane of Fife |
| Who is Macduff's wife? | Lady Macduff |
| In A3S1 when Banquo says, "I fear thou play'dst most foully for't", what does he mean? | He suspects that Macbeth has done something horrible, like killing King Duncan, to become king. |
| Why does Macbeth want to know about Banquo's plans for the afternoon before the banquet? | He wants to know where Banquo will be so that he can inform the men he hires to kill Banquo where to place themselves. |
| Why can't Macbeth kill Banquo himself? | He needs to remain unsuspicious in the murder of Banquo, and must be seen mourning his friend. |
| What is patricide? | The killing of one's father |
| By A3S6, which three characters have been accused of patricide? | Malcolm, Donalbain, and Fleance |
| What is regicide? | The killing of a king, regent, or monarch |
| How does Macbeth persuade the two men to kill Banquo? | He lies to them about Banquo's involvement in their misfortune, giving them their own reasons for wanting him dead. He also questions if they are manly enough to commit this deed. |
| Where do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth make their home in Act 3? | The castle at Forres |
| Which theme is evident in the following quote by Macbeth, "Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill"? | Good vs Evil/Light vs Darkness - Macbeth says that the more one commits evil, the easier it becomes. His moral decline is clear. |
| What surprises the two men hired by Macbeth to kill Banquo as they lie in wait to commit the murder? | A third murderer claiming to be sent by Macbeth |
| Who brings Macbeth news of Banquo's murder at the banquet? | The first murderer |
| What does the first murderer reveal to Macbeth regarding Fleance? | He tells him that Fleance escaped |
| What is the significance of Fleance's escape? | The witches' prophecy said that Banquo would be the ancestor of kings. By leaving one of Banquo's descendants alive, this prophecy could still come true. Macbeth would not be at ease knowing this. |
| There is antithesis between the way that the banquet starts in A3S4 and the way that it ends. Explain the contrast. | The banquet starts with order: guests are welcomed and seated according to their rank. It ends in disorder: guests are unceremoniously dismissed and leave in no particular order after Macbeth's outbursts. |
| Who does not attend the banquet? | Macduff |
| How has Macduff shown opposition against Macbeth in the first three acts of the play? | 1. Macduff did not attend Macbeth's coronation at Scone 2. Macduff did not attend the banquet. |
| After the banquet, what does Macbeth tell Lady Macbeth he will do the next day? | He will go to the witches to find out more about his security. |
| Why is Hecate angry with the witches? | They have meddled with Macbeth without her permission, not showcasing their power properly. Moreover, Macbeth is selfish and does not respect them. |
| What are Hecate's feelings towards Macbeth? | She believes he is self-willed, headstrong, and selfish. |
| What is Hecate planning for Macbeth in A3S6? | She will create illusions to trap Macbeth into believing he is secure, which will lead to his downfall. |
| What is Macbeth's fatal flaw? | His ambition |
| Where does Macbeth meet the witches in A4S1? | In a dark cave |
| What are the witches doing before Macbeth meets with them in A4S1? | They are brewing up a spell, making a potion full of evil ingredients in a cauldron. |
| Comment on Macbeth's tone when he meets the witches in the cave? | He is disrespectful, calling them 'hags'. He is demanding and condescending. |
| How many apparitions/illusions do the witches show Macbeth in total? | Four |
| What is the first illusion shown to Macbeth? | A helmeted head (head with armour) warning Macbeth against Macduff. This apparition represents Macbeth, a warrior, that will be beheaded by Macduff after they duel during the battle for Scotland. |
| What is the second illusion shown to Macbeth by the witches? | A bloody baby saying that Macbeth cannot be killed by any man born of a woman. This makes him believe he cannot be killed, but this apparition represents Macduff, who was born by C-section and not naturally. |
| What is the third illusion the witches show Macbeth? | A crowned child holding a branch, telling Macbeth that he will be safe until the forest of Birnam marches against Dunsinane Hill, which was a fortress during wartime. This child represents Malcolm, King Duncan's child, the rightful king of Scotland. |
| What news does Lennox bring Macbeth after he has met with the witches? | That there are two messengers to tell Macbeth that Macduff has gone to England. |
| What does the news of Macduff's fleeing to England make Macbeth decide to do? | He will launch a surprise attack on Macduff's castle in Fife and kill everyone, including Lady Macduff, their children, and servants. |
| Comment on the theme of 'Kingship vs Tyranny' as it applies to King Duncan and Macbeth. | 1. King Duncan reigned peacefully, while Macbeth brings chaos to Scotland. 2. King Duncan ruled fairly and rewarded his subjects; Macbeth rules through fear and punishment. 3. King Duncan was loyal to Scotland, where Macbeth seeks only personal power, |
| Why does Macduff go to England? | He wants to persuade Malcolm that there are people loyal to him in Scotland, who are willing to battle to make him king, and to persuade him that he should return. |
| Why doesn't Malcolm trust Macduff? | 1. Macduff was one of the lords who decided Macbeth should be king. 2. Macduff claims that Macbeth is a tyrant whom he mistrusts, but has left his family behind in Scotland unprotected. 3. This could be a plot by Macbeth to get Malcolm to Scotland. |
| Malcolm tests Macduff by claiming he has 3 shortcomings. What are they? | 1. He has an insatiable thirst for women - no woman in Scotland will be safe. 2. He is greedy for wealth and property and will ruin his countrymen to attain their wealth. 3. He has no kingly qualities; instead of standing for unity, he would only divide |
| Why does Malcolm lie to Macduff about his shortcomings? | He wants to test Macduff's loyalty to see if he can be trusted. Malcolm has already decided and made plans to return to Scotland, but he needs to be sure Macduff has not been sent by Macbeth to capture him. |
| Who arrives in England with the news of Macduff's family's murder? | Ross |
| Which themes are evident in the murder of Macduff's family? | 1. Good vs Evil 2. Kingship vs Tyranny 3. Guilt vs Innocence |
| What is the strategic importance of Dunsinane? | Dunsinane is a strong fortress on a hill, providing a defensive advantage, and Macbeth has further fortified it. |
| What are the doctor and gentlewoman doing in A5S1? | They watch as Lady Macbeth sleepwalks. |
| Mention a few things Lady Macbeth does during her sleepwalking. | She always has a light by her. She removes paper from her closet, folds it, writes on it, and reads it, then seals it again. She rubs her hands together as his scrubbing and murmurs about a spot of blood - she cannot wash it clean. |
| What is ironic about Lady Macbeth's rubbing at the spot of blood during her sleepwalking and her comments to Macbeth directly after King Duncan's murder? | After King Duncan was killed, Lady Macbeth told Macbeth that 'a little water clears us of this deed', yet now she obsessively rubs at the spot and cannot get it clean. She feels guilt for all the murders Macbeth has committed since. |
| What does Malcolm instruct the soldiers to do before they move through Birnam Wood? | Each of the ten thousand men should cut down a branch to bear before him during the march. This will conceal their number and to an onlooker, it will look as if the forest itself was marching against the castle (3rd apparition A4S1) |
| Who brings Macbeth the news of Lady Macbeth's death? | Seyton |
| What is Macbeth's reaction to Lady Macbeth's death? | Initially it is as if he is inconvenienced by it. He says that she could have died some other time, since right now he is preparing for battle. Then he ponders the meaninglessness of life. |
| Who is killed by Macbeth in the battle at Dunsinane? | Young Siward |
| How does Old Siward react to the death of his son? | He asks if his wounds are on his front or on the back. If they are on the front, it would mean that he fought and died bravely. If on his back, it would mean he was a coward. He is proud that his wounds were on his front. |
| Malcolm tells Siward, "We have met with foes that strike beside us"; what does this mean? | During the battle, many who fought for Macbeth switched their allegiance and joined the English army and Malcolm. They started as enemies, but ended the battle as friends. |
| Even after Dunsinane's defenses are breached, Macbeth still believes that one of the witches' prophecies will hold true; which one is this? | He believes that he cannot be killed by any man born of woman; that he will not die in battle, but from natural causes. |
| How does Macduff reveal to Macbeth that he has been misled by the witches? | Macduff tells Macbeth that he 'was from my mother's womb untimely ripped', therefore not born naturally from a woman, but 'taken', meaning that he can kill Macbeth. |
| Why does Macduff want to be the one to kill Macbeth? | He wants to avenge his family, who were all brutally butchered by Macbeth's henchmen. |
| After Macbeth has seen the first three apparitions in A4S1, he demands an answer to another question. What lies heavily on his heart? | He wants to know whether Banquo's descendants will ever be kings of Scotland. |
| What do the witches show Macbeth when he demands to know about Banquo's descendants? | They show him a line of 8 kings; the last carries a mirror, and in the mirror he can see an even longer line of kings, all resembling Banquo. Banquo's ghost stands next to the last of the eight and shows Macbeth that they are his descendants. |
| Who eventually kills Macbeth? | Macduff kills Macbeth |
| What is the first thing Malcolm does as king of Scotland? | Malcolm rewards the thanes who have stayed loyal to him, with new titles. He makes them Earls, the first of their kind in Scotland. |
Created by:
Rouxne Smal