Download Macbeth Post Play Questions:

Macbeth Pre-reading
5 Acts
Themes/Motifs of Interest:
1. Supernatural intervention in fate vs. free will
2. The origins of the pathology of evil
3. The effects of guilt, repression, madness on the human psyche, including
gender differences: the disintegration (rehumanization) of Lady Macbeth versus
the increased belligerence, focus, and determination in Macbeth
4. Manhood: what are the true characteristics of a man?
5. The question of just monarchy and divine right.
6. Macbeth is typically considered a tragic hero, but of what variety?
i. Tragic Hero
1. Aristotle – A tragic hero is a man who rises to a high ranking
position and then falls from that position often to death and
desolation. Two forces are involved: the tragic flaw (hamartia) and
fate.
2. Elizabethan Tragic Hero – This is a variant whereby the tragic
hero is responsible for his own downfall, emphasizing a waste of
human potential.
Reading Suggestions:
3. If you read a side by side text, keep in mind that all testing and
quizzing will be based upon the original text.
4. When you read, be sure you can establish the following for each
scene:
a. Setting
b. Plot action
c. Changes in key characters
d. Key Lines
5. Be especially mindful of key asides, soliloquies, and dialogue.
(e.g. Macbeth/Lady Macbeth) Your specific understanding of
soliloquies alone will do a great deal to inform your understanding
of the play!