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ACT 1
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What is the point of the first scene and in reference to the whole play?
What does Duncan call Macbeth when he hears Macbeth has defeated Macdonwald?
Who is sentenced to death?
What do the witches predict in Act I, Scene 3 for Macbeth? For Banquo?
Macbeth
Banquo
Who news does Ross bring Macbeth?
Banquo, like Macbeth, is surprised that the witches have predicted Macbeth’s new title.
He is, however, leery. What does he say about the motives of the “instruments of
darkness” ?
Malcolm describes Cawdor’s last moments before execution. What is Duncan’s reply?
Macbeth says, “Stars, hide your fires. Let not light see my black and deep desires.”
What are Macbeth’s desires?
After Lady Macbeth reads the letter, what does she tell us is her opinion of Macbeth, and
how does she plan to help him?
What advice does Lady Macbeth give Macbeth when he arrives home?
What are Macbeth’s arguments to himself against killing Duncan ?
What arguments does Lady Macbeth use to convince Macbeth to commit the murder?
What is Lady Macbeth’s plan?
​ACT 2
1. Why does Macbeth lie about thinking of the witches’ prophecy?
2. What is Macbeth’s suggestion to Banquo concerning the witches’ predictions? Under
what conditions will Banquo join Macbeth?
3. Where does the imagined knife point?
4. What is the signal Lady Macbeth is to give Macbeth to let him know that she has taken
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care of the guards (grooms) ?
What excuse does Lady Macbeth give for not killing Duncan herself?
After Macbeth kills Duncan , he goes to Lady Macbeth and is concerned about not being
able to say “Amen.” What is her advice to him?
Then, Macbeth is worried about hearing a voice saying, “Macbeth does murder sleep.”
What does Lady Macbeth tell him to do?
Why won’t Macbeth take the daggers back to the scene of the crime?
Lady Macbeth says, “The sleeping and the dead are but as pictures.” What does this
show about her personality? About Macbeth’s?
When Macbeth says, “No this my hand wll rather the miltitudinous seas incarnadine,”
connects to what theme?
Who was knocking?
According to the Porter, what three things does drinking provoke?
What is a comedic relief?
What is a Double Entendre?
How does Lennox describe the night, and what is Macbeth’s response?
What does Macduff discover?
17. Macduff says, “Oh, gentle lady, ‘Tis not for you to hear what I can speak. The repetition
in a woman’s ear, Would murder as it fell.” What is ironic about this?
18. How does Lady Macbeth distract the crowd from Macbeth’s rantings?
19. What excuse or explanation does Macbeth give for killing the guards (grooms)? What is
his real reason?
20. Why do Malcolm and Donalbain leave?
21. What unnatural events occur? What theme does it connect to?
22. Why does Ross not believe Malcolm and Donalbain were responsible for Duncan ’s
death?
​ CT 3
A
Why is Banquo leaving before the diner party?
What literary device is demonstrated when Macbeth calls Banquo the “chief guest”
Why does Macbeth want Banquo and Fleance dead?
What is the purpose of all of the dog references?
5. What did Banquo really do to the murderers to bread such hate?
6. What is Macbeth’s plan for killing Banquo and Feance? Does it work?
7. Macbeth says, “The worm that’s fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth
for the present.” What does that mean?
8. Who (what) did Macbeth see at the banquet table?
9. What theme does the previous vision connect to?
10. How does Lady Macbeth cover for Macbeth at the banquet? What excuses does she give
for Macbeth’s wild talk?
11. "Sleek o'ver your rugged looks; Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight" and
“And make vizards to our hearts/Disguising what they are” both connect to what theme?
12. Why is it shocking that Lady Macbeth says to the diner party to ​"Stand not upon the order
of your going/ but go at once"?
13. Who else is missing from the banquet table, besides Banquo? What is Macbeth’s reaction
to this?
14. How have the gender roles started to reverse for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? (consider
that he wants her to “be innocent of the knowledge”)
15. Macbeth says, “I am in blood Stepped in so far that should I wade no more, Returning
were as tedious as go o’er.” What does he mean? Why does it rhyme?
16. Macbeth says, “We are but young in deed,” What does he mean?
17. Identify quotes that reveal Manhood as a theme.
18. What does Hecate want the witches to do?
19. What does Lennox think about Macbeth, Fleance, and Duncan ’s sons?
20. What is Malcolm planning to do in England?
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ACT 4​
1. Witch 2 says “By the pricking of my thumb, Something wicked this way comes.” Who
arrives?
2. What is Macbeth’s attitude towards the witches this time?
3. What 4 things do the witches show Macbeth? What does each show/say? What is
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Macbeth’s reaction?
Macbeth says (about the witches), “Infected be the air whereon they ride, And damned all
those that trust them!” What is Macbeth, in effect, saying about himself? What literary
device is shown?
Where is Macduff? Why isn’t he with his family?
What is Lady Macduff’s attitude at the moment about her husband Macduff?
What role does the son play, which is a common character archetype in Shakespeare’s
plays.
What trait is shown by Macduff’s son saying to his mother “Nay, how will you do for a
husband?”
Why does Macbeth have Macduff’s family and servants killed?
Why is Malcolm in England ?
What does Malcolm mean when he says “black Macbeth will seem as pure as snow”?
Why does Macduff travel to England ?
Why does Malcolm test Macduff?
What traits does Malcolm claim to have?
What is Macduff’s true intentions of being in England?
What news does Ross bring to Macduff when he says he has “the heaviest sound that ever
they [Macduff’s ears] heard”?
What does Malcolm tell Macduff to do with his grief? Provide the quote.
What does Malcolm resolve to do by the end of Act 4?
ACT 5​
1. What do the doctor and the gentlewoman sees Lady Macbeth doing?
2. Her quote, “Out, damned spot” parallels what other moment? What theme(s) does this
connect to?
3. Why was the doctor needed?
4. What do they decide to do after they have “known what you you should not”?
5. Describe Lady Macbeth’s ramblings. Provide the quotes to the secrets she reveals.
6. What does Macbeth want the doctor to do for his wife?
7. What trick does Malcolm use to hide the number of men in his army?
8. What does Malcolm explain about the state of Macbeth’s armies? Provide a quote.
9. Why is Lady Macbeth compared to a “brief candle”?
10. Why is life considered to be a walking shadow?
11. How is Lady Macbeth’s death feminine?
12. What is Macbeth’s reaction to Lady Macbeth’s death?
13. What is ironic about Macbeth’s adviser’s name?
14. How is the third prophecy from the visions coming true?
15. What is Macbeth’s reaction to the news that Birnam Wood is moving?
16. Who first fights Macbeth? What happens?
17. Why is it important that Young Siward died with wounds to the front chest and “paid a
soldier’s death”?
18. What does his death tell us about Macbeth?
19. What excuse does Macbeth give Macduff for not wanting to fight him?
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When does Macbeth know he is in trouble?
How is the Second of the vision’s prophecies fulfilled? Provide the quote.
How does Macbeth die?
Who will be the new king of Scotland ?
Additional Test info
Shakespeare History
Themes-give four examples of each:
Appearance vs. Reality (How Reality can be distorted)
Response of Nature to human actions – and why it happens
The corrupting power of ambition -specific times MB’s ambition gets out of hand
Symbols and odds & ends to knowBell
Blood & blood stains
Daggers (floating & guards)
Various witches’ brew items
Terms -Define or write an explanation for each of the following!
Comic Relief
Aside
Tragic flaw
Tragic hero
Soliloquy
Metaphor
Simile
Questions to answer
Macbeth-tragic hero
What is his path of destruction and his tragic flaw?
Lady Macbeth-power hungry hag or loyal wife?
Malcolm-coward or wise?
Witches-human or supernatural? Real or figment of MB’s imagination
Quotes-Be able to explain the significance of each and who says them.
“Are you a man?”
“Out damn spot!”
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”
“Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripped.”
“Fair is foul and foul is fair.”
“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and tomorrow . . .Out, out brief candle . . . Signifying nothing.”