Tuesday

Today, you have a quiz on Act 1- 3. When you finish work on study questions. Most of you are behind on your study questions. 

ACT I

Scene 1:

1) The play opens with thunder and lightning as the three witches enter.  What does this tell us about the mood of the play?  What do the witches symbolize beyond just superstition?  Do you really believe that they are witches?


2) What doe the witches mean when they say, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”?  What does this tell you about what is likely to go on during the play?



3) How can a battle be “Lost and won”?  What foreshadow might this set-up?  What is the real battle in this play?




4) Graymalkin and Paddock are familiars (a cat and a toad).  What does this suggest about the action of the play?  What might they symbolize?



Scene ii

1) What does the bloody man report?




2) Why is Macdonwald a worthy rebel?





3) What similes or metaphors does the captain (the bloody man) use to describe Macbeth and Banquo?  What is significant about these descriptions?







4)  “Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, or memorize another Golgotha.”  What is the allusion?  What is significant about the statement?   What does it suggest?  Please keep in mind the religious/superstitious images/symbols already presented.







5) Who was Scotland fighting?


Scene iii

1) Why do the witches talk in poetry?



2) What do the witches predict for Macbeth?  What is the dramatic irony involved?





3) What do they witches predict for Banquo?  What irony is involved in this promise?





4) What is your first impression of Macbeth in scenes ii-iii?  What is your first impression of Banquo?



5) How do Macbeth and Banquo differ in their reactions to the witches predictions?  What does this tell us about their characters?





6) What message does Ross bring?



7) “But ‘tis strange!  And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray us in deepest consequence.”  Who speaks the above quote?  What is the significance or meaning of the quote?





Scene iv

1) What is Malcolm’s description of Cawdor’s execution?



2) What is the King’s response to this description?



3) Who does the King name as his successor?  How does Macbeth react to this information?




4)  “Stars hide your fires!  Let not light see my black and deep desires.  The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.”  Who speaks this quote and what is the significance of it?



 

Questions for scenes 5

1. After Lady Macbeth reads the letter, what does she tell us is her opinion of Macbeth, and how does she plan to help him?


2. What is Lady Macbeth’s “prayer” to the spirits after she learns Duncan is missing?

3. What advice does Lady Macbeth give Macbeth when he arrives home?

 Scene 6

1. What do the Marlets represent?

2. Why has Duncan come to Macbeth's castle?

 Scene 7

1. Summarize Macbeth's soliloquy. What is he struggling with?

2. What is Lady Macbeth's plan. 

MACBETH: ACT II Questions

Scene i

1) Who says the following: “Their candles are all out. Take thee that too. A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, and yet I would not sleep. Merciful powers, restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature gives away in repose.” What is significant about the quote? How has the atmosphere of the castle been changed?



2) Why does Banquo mention his dream of the Weird Sisters? Hint: Ironically this is his last dream.


3) What does Macbeth say he and Banquo will talk about later in private?


4) Reread lines 42-70. Briefly summarize what Macbeth is saying in this soliloquy.


5) How does the illusion of the dagger play into the mindset of either witchcraft or Macbeth losing it.

Scene ii

1) What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, “That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold”?


2) Symbolically what does the fatal bellman toll? More than one thing here. And who is the fatal bellmen—the one Lady Macbeth hears?


3) How do you read the lines, “Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done ‘t.” What does this say about Lady Macbeth?


4) Sleep is an important symbol in this play. Please keep a list of all the times (with line numbers) that sleep is mentioned in Act II. Attach and turn this list in with these questions.

5) What is meant when Macbeth says, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep”?


6) Why is Lady Macbeth upset with Macbeth towards the end of scene ii?


7) What is symbolic about the knocking that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth hear?


8) What does Lady Macbeth say about washing of hands at the end of the scene? Do you believe her?


Scene iii

1) How is the Porter a humorous character? What does he say about drink? How does he metaphorical set the atmosphere of the scene?


2) Who is at the gates? (more than 1 person)



3) What does Macduff mean when he says, “Confusion now hath made his masterpiece!”?


4) How does Macbeth react to the news of the king’s murder? How does Lady Macbeth react?
5) Where do Donalbain and Malcolm decide to go? Why?


Scene iv

1) What is meant by the old man when he says, “On Tuesday last, a falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place, was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed”? What is symbolically suggested here? Hint: Relate the birds to scene ii.


2) What does Macduff say about Malcolm and Donalbain?

3) What does Macduff say about Macbeth?

4) What is meant by the line, “Lest our old robes sit easier than our new”?

5) Why doesn’t Macduff go to the coronation?

ACT 3 Study Questions

Scene 1

1) What is Banquo’s opening soliloquy about? Please translate it line by line.
2) Why does Macbeth wish Banquo dead (name at least 2 reasons)—look at his speech in lines 50-76?
3) What is significant about the following quote, “For them the gracious Duncan I have murder;/ Put rancors in the vessel of my peace/ only for them,”
4) How does Macbeth convince the murders?

Scene 2

1) What is significant about the quote, “We have scotched the snake not killed it./ She’ll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice/ remains in danger of the former tooth.” What does Macbeth mean?
2) Why does Macbeth tell his wife, “Be innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck,/ till thou applaud the deed.”?
3) What is significant in the quote, “Come, seeling night, Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day,/ and with bloody and invisible hand/ cancel and tear to pieces that great bond/ which keeps me pale.” What is Macbeth saying and what is the great bond?
4) Explain the symbolism of crows, night and sleep in this scene. What does it suggest?

Scene 3

1) What happens in this scene? What is botched?


Scene 4

1) What event is most important in this scene?
2) Why does Macbeth say, “There the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled/ hath nature that in time will venom breed,/ no teeth for the present.” What is he talking about? Who is he talking about?
3) What is significant about Banquo’s ghost? What does it suggest? How does Macbeth react to it? Is it real or in Macbeth’s mind?
4) Discuss how blood is used in this scene? What does it symbolize?
5) How does Lady Macbeth react to Macbeth’s visions?

Scene 5

1) Most critics think this scene was placed into Macbeth by a different/later author (someone other Shakespeare). Do you agree or not? Why?

Scene 6

1) What does Lennox say in this scene about Fleance and Banquo?
2) What would have happened to Duncan's sons if Macbeth had them under lock and key?
3) Where did MacDuff go?