Macbeth

Act 1 Scenes 1, 2, and 3

Summary

The play begins with three witches promising to gather again later to meet with

Macbeth. The scene then shifts to a military camp where King Duncan, upon

hearing reports of Macbeth’s bravery in battle, decides to give him the title of

Thane of Cawdor for his courage. We then meet Macbeth and Banquo as they

encounter the three witches who predict great things for them. Macbeth then

learns that he has become the Thane of Cawdor.

Questions

1. Describe the battle. Who wins? Who is defeated?

2. Why did Duncan decide to give Macbeth the title of Thane of Cawdor?

3. What are the witches, predictions for Macbeth? For Banquo?

4. Banquo, like Macbeth, is surprised that the witches have predicted

Macbeth’s new title. He is wary, though. What does he say about the

“instruments of darkness”?(scene 3, line 135)

Scenes 4, 5, and 7

Summary

The former Thane of Cawdor I executed and Duncan greets Macbeth and Banquo

with great honour and happiness. We then meet Lady Macbeth, who is reading

Macbeth’s letter which tells of his meeting with the weird sisters. When he returns

to the castle, she urges Macbeth to kill Duncan and become king. Macbeth worries

about his courage and the possible consequences of killing Duncan.

Questions

1. Why is Duncan so happy to greet Macbeth and Banquo?

2. Who does Duncan choose as his successor to the throne and what is

Macbeth’s reaction to his choice?

3. After Lady Macbeth reads Macbeth’s letter, what does she tell us is her

opinion of Macbeth and how does she plan to help him?

4. What are Macbeth’s arguments with himself against killing Duncan?

5. What is Macbeth’s decision at the end of Scene 7?

Quotations

For each of the following quotations: a) state the speaker, b) what he/she is

referring to, and c) the significance of the quote.

1. “No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive

Out bosom interest; go pronounce his present death,

And with his former title greet Macbeth” (I, ii, 73-75)

2. “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.” (I, iii, 39)

3. “The Thane of Cawdor lives, why do you dress me in borrowed robes?” (I,

iii, 115-116)

4. “If chance will have me King,

Why chance may crown me,

Without my stir.” (I, iii, 156-158)

5. “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face.” (I, iv, 13-14)

6. “Stars hide your fires!

Let not light see my black and deep desires.” (I, iv, 58-59)

7. “...yet do I fear thy nature;

It is too full o’th’ milk of human kindness

To catch the nearest way.” (I, v, 14-16)

8. “Look like the innocent flower,

But be the serpent under it.” (I, v, 72-73)

9. “Away, and mock the time wit fairest show.

False face must ide what the false heart dot know.” (I, vii, 91-92)

Poetic Devices

Shakespeare uses poetic devices throughout his plays. They enrich the language

and make it more memorable. For each of the following devices, find two

examples in Act I.

1. Alliteration The repetition of consonant sounds in succeeding words.

Alliteration usually occurs at the beginning of words.

Eg. “Shakes so my single stat of a man that function

Is smothered in surmise…”

a.

b.

2. Metaphor A word or phrase which describes one thing in terms of

another.

Eg. “The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress e in borrowed

robes?” (I, iii, 115-116)

a.

b.

3. Smile A word of phrase which describes one thing in terms of another

but uses the words “like” or “as”.

Eg. “Doubtful it stood

As two spent swimmers that do cling together

And choke their art.” (I, ii, 9-11)

a.

b.

4. Paradox Two seemingly opposite or contradictory ideas that seem to

make sense.

Eg. “So foul snd fair a day I have not seen.” (I, iii, 39)

a.

b.

Act II

Summary

Banquo and his son Fleance meet Macbeth at his castle and briefly discuss the

weird sisters. Macbeth, alone, has a vision of a bloody dagger. Lady Macbeth

drugs the guards and Macbeth kills Duncan in his sleep but forgets the daggers.

Lady Macbeth returns and puts the daggers in the guards’ hands. Macduff and

Lennox then come to Inverness to wake the king and discover the murder.

Macbeth then kills the guard in feigned rage. Malcolm and Donalbain, the King’s

son, fee the country. Macbeth I crowned king.

Questions

1. What does Macbeth say to Banquo about the witches’ predictions?

2. What is Lady Macbeth’s excuse for not killing Duncan herself?

3. After the murder, Macbeth feels sorry for what he has done. What is Lady

Macbeth’s reaction?

4. Why does Lady Macbeth go back to Duncan’s room?

5. What purpose does the porter serve to the mood of the play?

6. How does Lennox describe the night and what is Macbeth’s reaction?

7. Why does Lady Macbeth pretend to faint and who tells the servants to look

after her?

8. Why do Malcolm and Donalbain flee Scotland?

9. Why does Macbeth become King?

Quotations

1. “Or at thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation,

Proceeding from the heart-oppressed brain?” (II, I, 45-47)

2. “A foolish thought to say a sorry sight.” (II, ii, 28)

3. “Me thought I hears a voice cry ‘Sleep n more!

Macbeth does murder sleep’, the innocent sleep,

Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care,

The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath,

Balm of hurt mids, great nature’s second course,

Chief nourish in life’s feast,” (II, ii, 43-48)

4. “Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead

Are but as pictures. ‘Tis the eye of childhood

That fears a painted devil.” (II, ii, 64-66)

5. “To know my deed ‘twere best not know myself.

Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst!” (II, ii, 88-91)

6. “Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeit,

And look on death itself!” (II, iii, 78-79)

7. “O gentle lady,

‘tis not for you to hear what I can speak.

The repetition in a woman’s ear

Would murder as it fell.” (II, iii, 86-89)

8. “There’s daggers in men’s smiles.” (II, iii, 157)

Poetic Devices

1. Personification This is a type of metaphor in which a non-human

object is given human characteristics.

Eg. “Is’t night’s predominance, or the day’s shame,

That darkness does the face of earth entomb,

When living light should kiss it?” (II, iv, 9-11)

a.

b.

2. Irony A poetic device where the meaning or the result of a statement

or event is different from what is expected or intended. Dramatic irony

occurs in plays and movies when the audience is aware of some action or

event that the characters are not. The audience is able to see how the words

really have a different meaning than what is intended.

Eg. “O gentle lady,

‘tis not for you to hear what I can speak.

The repetition in a woman’s ear

Would murder as it fel.” (II, iii, 86-89)

a.

b.

3. Symbol An object, animated or inanimate, which represents or “stand

for” something else. In Macbeth darkness symbolizes evil and light

symbolizes good. There are other symbols which were generally

recognizable to the audience of the day.

Eg. “The obscure bird

Clamored the livelong night.” (II, iii, 58)

a.

b.

4. Hyperbole When a poet or a character exaggerates in order to acive

a more dramatic effect.

Eg. “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this block

Clean from my hand? No…” (II, ii, 72-73)

a.

b.

Act III

Scenes 1,2 & 3

Summary

The scene is Macbeth’s castle where he, as king, is preparing for a banquet with

the thanes and lords of Scotland. Banquo enters suspecting Macbeth of treachery.

Macbeth decides to have Banquo and Fleance killed and hires two murderers to

help him. Lady Macbeth tries to convince Macbeth to act differently than he feels.

Macbeth hints to her about Banquo’s assassination but does not tell her. Banquo is

killed, but Fleance escapes.

Questions

1. Why does Macbeth want to know if Banquo is riding in the afternoon?

2. What reasons does Macbeth given for wanting to kill Banquo? How is he

acting differently from when he wanted to kill Duncan?

3. Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are feeling discontent. What is bothering

them?

4. Why did Macbeth send a third murderer top help the other two?

5. How has Macbeth changed in this act from Acts 1 and 2?

Quotations

1. “Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,

As the weird women promised, and I fear

Thou play’dst most foully for’t.” (III, I, 1-3)

2. “To be thus is nothing,

But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo

Stick deep….” (III, I, 54-55)

3. “Nought’s had, all’s spent,

Where our desire is got without content.

‘Tis safer to be that which we destroy

Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” (III, I, 6-9)

4. “Better be with the dead,

Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace.

Than on the torture of the mind to lie

In restless ecstasy.” (III, ii, 23-25)

5. “Come seeling night,

Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day,” (III, ii, 53-54)

Scenes 4, 5, & 6

Summary

The banquet begins, and the lords and ladies of the court sit in the order of their

rank. Macbeth is anxious to hear from the murderers. The three witches appear

and Hecate (Queen of the witches) is with them. Lennox and another lord speak of

Macbeth while they are outside Forres Castle.

Questions

1. Why has the ghost appeared to Macbeth?

2. How does Macbeth explain his strange behavior to his guests?

3. What are the witches going to do to destroy Macbeth?

4. Why doesn’t Macbeth share his plans to murder Banquo with Lady

Macbeth?

5. Why has Macduff gone to England?

Quotations

1. “Then comes my fit again. I has else been perfect.” (III, iv, 24-25)

2. “I pray you, speak not, he grows worse and worse.

Question enrages his. At once good night.” (III, iv, 138-140)

3. “And you all know, security

Mortal’s chiefest enemy.” (III, v, 32-33)

4. “How it did grieve Macbeth! Did he not straight

In pious rage the two delinquents tear,” (III, vi, 12-13)

Act IV

Summary

Macbeth returns to the witches’ cavern demanding to know what his fate will be.

The witches show him several apparitions which foretell his future. The witches

then disappear and Macbeth learns from Lennox that Macduff has fled to England.

The scene shifts to Macduff’s castle where Macbeth’s men murder Lady Macduff

and her son. The act ends in England with Malcolm and Macduff discussing the

fate of Scotland. Macduff learns of the murder of his wife and child and vows to

kill Macbeth himself.

Questions

1. What is Macbeth’s attitude towards the witches this time? Why?

2. What do the first three apparitions say to Macbeth and how does he react to

each?

3. What purpose does the long scene with Lady Macduff and her son serve to

the mood of the play and the audience’s perception of Macbeth?

4. Why does Malcolm suspect Macduff of treachery?

Quotations

1. “but cruel are the times, when we are traitors and do not know ourselves”

2. “Each new morn

New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows

Strike heaven on the face”

3. “No, they were well at peace, when I did leave em.”

Act V

Scenes 1, 2, & 3

Summary

Lady Macbeth’s servant has called a doctor in to witness her sleepwalking. The

doctor observes her and hears her speak of the murders Macbeth has committed.

The doctor tells the servant to look after her. The armies of Malcolm, Macduff and

Siward gather near Dunsinane. We learn that Macbeth’s army and servants are no

longer loyal. Macbeth prepares for battle telling his servant Seton to hang anyone

in the army who is not loyal. The doctor tells Macbeth that his wife’s problems are

psychological rather then physiological.

Questions

1. Why did Lady Macbeth’s gentlewoman call in a Doctor?

2. Why is Lady Macbeth speaking about the murders?

3. Why does Macbeth not fear the reports he hears of the English army’s

approach?

4. What does the doctor tell Macbeth about his wife?

Quotations

1. “Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One: two: why then “tis time to do’t. Hell is

murky! Fie my lord, fie! A soldier and afeard? What need we fear who

knows it, when none can call our power to accompt? Yet w3ho would have

thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?”

2. “Those he command move only in command, Nothing in love; now does he

feel his title Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe Upon a dwarfish

thief.”

3. “There in the patient must minister to himself.”

4. “Doctor, the thanes fly from me; Come, sir, dispatch. – If thou couldst,

Doctor, cast The water of my land, find her disease, And purge it to a sound

and pristine health, I would applaud thee to the very echo, That should

applaud again.”

Scenes 4, 5, 6&7

Summary

The armies are gathering near Dunsinane and cutting trees of Birnam Wood to

camouflage their advance. Macbeth then learns that Lady Macbeth has dies and

the Birnam Wood is, in fact approaching Dunsinane. The attacking army then drop

their cover and the battle begins with Macbeth killing young Siward and eventually

meeting Macduff. Macbeth doesn’t want to fight Macduff, but he is forced to.

Macbeth is beheaded by Macduff and Malcolm becomes king.

Questions

1. Why does Malcolm think they will easily win the battle?

2. How does Birnam Wood “move” toward Dunsinane?

3. How does Macbeth react to Lady Macbeth’s death?

4. Why does Macbeth not want to fight Macduff?

5. What does Malcolm decide to do when he becomes the King of Scotland?

Quotations

1. “I have almost forgot the taste of fears”

2. “She should have died hereafter; There would have been a time for such a

word. To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this pretty

pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; and all our

yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle!

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon

the stage, and then is heard no more: it is tale told by an idiot, full of sound

and fury, Signifying nothing.”

3. “Why should I play the Roman fool, and die on mine own sword? Whiles I

see lives, the gashes Do better upon them.”

4. “Despair thy charm, and let the angel whom thou still hast served Tell thee,

Macduff was from his mother’s womb Untimely ripped.”