Macbeth study guide questions – Flashcards
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What is the point of the first scene literally and in reference to the whole play?
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The theme of the play is set; Foul is fair and fair is fowl - the witches have the ability to create confusion and deception - not everything is as it seems; introduces weather motif
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What does Duncan call Macbeth when he hears Macbeth has defeated Macdonwald?
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Worthy gentleman and valiant cousin
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Who is sentenced to death in Act I?
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Current Thane of Cawdor for being a traitor
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What are the predictions for Macbeth and Banquo in act I
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Macbeth - Will be than of Cawdor, Will be king; Banquo - lesser and greater than Macbeth, not so happy yet much happier, his children will take the throne
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What news does ross bring Macbeth in act I?
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He will be the thane of cawdor
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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"?
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the offer lies to tempt people
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Malcolm describes Cawdor's last moments before execution. What is Duncan's reply?
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He confessed treason, begged forgiveness, and repented; Duncan trusted him
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Macbeth says, "Stars, hide your fires, Let not light see my black and deep desires." What are Macbeth's desires?
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A wicked, ambitious desire to murder king Duncan so he himself can be king
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After Lady Macbeth reads the letter, what does she tell us is her opinion of Macbeth, and how does she plan to help him?
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She worries that Macbeth is too "soft" so she will using her cunning and deception to convince him to do what's necessary for him to be king
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What is Lady Macbeth's "prayer" to the spirits after she learns Duncan is coming"?
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to rid her of her womanly qualities like compassion, guilt, gentleness, and weakness
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What advice does Lady Macbeth give Macbeth when he arrives home after killing the king?
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Act as if everything is okay and show nothing on his face
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What are Macbeth's arguments to himself against killing Duncan?
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He risks burning in hell, it could backfire, the king trusts him, he is related to the king, the king is a good person, a lot of people will be angry and sad, he has nothing against him expect his own ambition
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What arguments does Lady Macbeth use to convince Macbeth to commit the murder?
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Tells him he is a coward and that he isn't a man if he can't do this, and that she would do that if she had promised it
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What is Lm's plan
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When the king is asleep, LM will get the guards drunk and he could use their daggers to kill Duncan
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What is Macbeth's lie to Banquo about the witches' predictions?
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that he doesn't think about them
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What is the signal Lady Macbeth is to give Macbeth to let him know that she has taken care of the guards (grooms)
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ring the bell
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What excuse does Lady Macbeth give for not killing Duncan herself?
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the king looks too much like her father
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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?
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Stop thinking about it as it is only will only make you crazy
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Then, Macbeth is worried about hearing a voice saying, "Macbeth does murder sleep." What does Lady Macbeth then tell him to do?
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She is unsympathetic and tells him to wash the blood from his hands, take the daggers, back, and smear the blood on the guards to make them look guilty
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Why won't Macbeth take the daggers back to the scene of the crime?
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He is afraid to revisit the actions he has committed
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Who was knocking in act 2
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Macduff
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What three things does drinking provoke
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red noses, sleep, urine
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how does Lennox describe the night, and what is macbeth's response
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Unruly night, chimneys knocked down, stringed dreams, dire combustion and confused events, woeful time, and earthquakes; Said it was a rough night -- ironic/understatement
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What does Macduff discover in at II
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Duncan dead
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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?
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Lady Macbeth helped to plan suntan's murder herself; she prayed to the spirits to unsex her so she isn't gentle -- irony
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What excuse or explanation did Macbeth give for killing the guards (grooms)? What is his real reason?
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Because of his love and devotion to Duncan -- he was courageous by nature
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Why do Malcolm and Donalbain leave?
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They don't want to join with the others because they suspect that one of them had been involved in the murder, so they think they are safer if they split apart
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Why does Ross not believe Malcolm and Donalbain were responsible for Duncan's murder?
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It is against the nature for a son to kill his own father, especially out of ambition/greed -- Macbeth is suspected since the crown falls to him now
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Why does Macbeth want Banquo and Fleance dead?
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Because of the witches' prophecy -- that banquets sons will be heir; Macbeth says he has been given a barren crown that will be taken away by someone outside his family and that he has committed murder, poisoned his mind, and destroyed his soul all for the benefit of banquo's heirs
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What is Macbeth's plan for killing Banquo and Fleance? Does it work?
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Macbeth hires murders to kill banquet and cleanse away from the palace so he can be blameless
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Macbeth says, "The worm that's fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present." What does that mean?
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Fleance is too young to cause harm now, but he may later
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Who (what) did Macbeth see at the banquet table?
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the ghost of banquo
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How does Lady Macbeth cover for Macbeth at the banquet? What excuses does she give for his wild talk?
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She tells the guests that he's been having these fits since he was a child and that it is a regular occurrence for them -- ignore it
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6. Who else was missing from the banquet table (besides Banquo)?
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Macduff
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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?
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he will do anything to protect himself, it would make sense to turn back now, but he will act on his unnatural thought without examining them
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What does Hecate want the witches to do?
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confuse Macbeth so he will be overconfident and lead to his destruction
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What does Lennox think about Macbeth, Fleance, and Duncan's sons?
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Lennox is suspicious that Macbeth killed Duncan and banquet, and set up their sons Malcom, donnelbain, and Fleance. He chooses his words carefully and ironically sees that the scene must make cleanse guilty.
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Witch 2 says, "By the pricking of my thumb, Something wicked this way comes." Who comes?
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Macbeth
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What is Macbeth's attitude towards the witches this time?
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He is desperate and demanding, he now depends on the witches to predict his future
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What four things did the witches show Macbeth? What does each show/say? What is Macbeth's reaction?
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Armed Head - Watch out for Macduff/fears have been confirmed Bloody child -no one born of woman will harm you Child crowned holding tree - You won't be defeated unless Birnan wood comes to your castle in dunsinane hill/ that's ridiculous 8 kings favoring banquo and an image of banquo's lineage of heirs - Act on your impluses
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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?
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He's damned for trusting the witches
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Where is Macduff
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England helping Malcom
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Why does Macbeth have Macduff's family and servants killed?
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He went to kill Macduff but he was gone, but killing his family put his fears to rest
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Why does Lady Macduff's son say liars and swearers are fools?
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Because there are more liers than honest men and they would be foolish to let the honest men hang them - they should band together
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Malcolm says, "Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell. Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, Yet grace must still look so." What does that mean?
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Not everything is as it seems
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Macduff says, "Oh, Scotland, Scotland!" Why?
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He fears the future of Scotland - both Macbeth and Malcom will be bad kings
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What news does Ross bring to Macduff in act 4?
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His family has been killed
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What do the doctor and gentlewoman see Lady Macbeth doing? What do they decide to do about it?
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Sleepwalking and talking about the murders - keep an eye on her and keep that information private
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What does Macbeth want the doctor to do for his wife?
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Cure her of her delusions/pain
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What trick does Malcolm use to hide the number of men in his army?
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Use cute down tree branches to camouflage their numbers
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Malcolm says, "And none serve with him but constrained things Whose hearts are absent, too." What does that mean
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The men serving Macbeth have been forced
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What is Macbeth's reaction to Lady Macbeth's death?
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He was unsympathetic and said it would happen one day anyway but it was a bad time for it to happen because he was busy
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What is Macbeth's reaction to the news that Birnam Wood is moving?
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He calls the messenger a liar and begins to panic -- decides he will leave his castle and go fight
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Who first fights Macbeth? What happens?
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Young siward- he is killed by Macbeth
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Macbeth says to Macduff, "But get thee back, my soul is too much charged With blood of thine already." To what is he referring?
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Macdufff's family who had been killed the Macbeth's murderers
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When does Macbeth know he's in trouble?
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After macduff proclaims that he was ripped from his mother's womb, not born a natural death
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How does Macbeth die?
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Macduff slays him
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Who will be king of Scotland?
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Malcom
