Category 1: Tone & Mood
What mood is created as Macbeth waits to kill King Duncan?
A. Cheerful
B. Relaxed
C. Tense
D. Humorous
C. Tense
Lady Macbeth refers to Duncan’s death as “sleep,” which is an example of _______.
A. Metaphor
B. Euphemism
C. Personification
D. Hyperbole
B. Euphemism
Meiosis is a form of figurative language that _____.
A. Overstates an idea
B. Hides an idea
C. Understates an idea
D. Explains an idea
C. Understates an idea
Antithesis is the use of _____.
A. Similar ideas
B. Opposite ideas
C. Repeated sounds
D. Strong imagery
B. Opposite ideas
An allusion is a reference to —
A. A future event
B. A well-known person or story
C. A personal opinion
D. A setting
B. A well-known person or story
Macbeth’s tone during his dagger soliloquy is best described as —
A. Confident
B. Playful
C. Conflicted
D. Proud
C. Conflicted
A euphemism is used to ____.
A. Exaggerate an idea
B. Create humor
C. Make something sound less harsh
D. Compare two unlike things
C. Make something sound less harsh
Lady Macbeth calling Duncan’s murder “a sorry sight” is an example of ____.
A. Hyperbole
B. Meiosis
C. Allusion
D. Irony
B. Meiosis
Lady Macbeth contrasts “water” with “blood” to show —
A. Nature’s power
B. Weather imagery
C. Innocence vs. guilt
D. Time passing
C. Innocence vs. guilt
Macbeth alludes to Neptune, who is —
A. A king of Scotland
B. A Roman god of the sea
C. A soldier
D. A witch
B. A Roman god of the sea
Which detail best contributes to the dark mood in Act 2?
A. Banquo talking about sleep
B. The ringing bell
C. Macbeth saying goodnight
D. The witches’ prophecies
B. The ringing bell
Why does Lady Macbeth use euphemism when talking about Duncan’s death?
A. She is confused
B. She wants sympathy
C. She wants to soften the seriousness of the crime
D. She is afraid to speak
C. She wants to soften the seriousness of the crime
Why is understatement effective in showing Lady Macbeth’s character?
A. It shows fear
B. It shows excitement
C. It shows lack of guilt
D. It shows confusion
C. It shows lack of guilt
Lady Macbeth believes water can remove guilt, while Macbeth believes _____.
A. Guilt grows stronger
B. Blood disappears
C. Sleep removes guilt
D. Water increases guilt
A. Guilt grows stronger
The allusion to Neptune emphasizes the —
A. Size of the castle
B. Power of the crown
C. Depth of Macbeth’s guilt
D. Speed of the murder
C. Depth of Macbeth’s guilt
Lady Macbeth’s calm behavior after the murder creates a tone of _____.
A. Comedy
B. Confusion
C. Unease
D. Celebration
C. Unease
Calling murder “sleep” shows Lady Macbeth’s attitude toward the crime as —
A. Guilty
B. Emotional
C. Detached
D. Regretful
C. Detached
Macbeth’s intense guilt contrasts with Lady Macbeth’s understatement, emphasizing ______.
A. Their similar values
B. Their different reactions
C. Their love for each other
D. Their loyalty
B. Their different reactions
This antithesis mainly highlights the difference in the characters’ _____.
A. Strength
B. Power
C. Wealth
D. Conscience
D. Conscience
By saying even Neptune’s ocean cannot clean his hands, Macbeth suggests his guilt is ______.
A. Temporary
B. Hidden
C. Forgivable
D. Permanent
D. Permanent
When Duncan’s body is discovered, the mood of the scene becomes —
A. Hopeful
B. Calm
C. Joyful
D. Chaotic
D. Chaotic
Shakespeare’s use of euphemism mainly helps reveal _____.
A. The setting
B. The theme of fate
C. Character differences
D. The timeline
C. Character differences
Shakespeare mainly uses understatement in Act 2 to develop _____.
A. Setting
B. Mood
C. Theme
D. Characterization
D. Characterization
The contrast between water and blood supports the theme that —
A. Violence is exciting
B. Power corrupts everyone
C. Guilt cannot be easily erased
D. Nature controls fate
C. Guilt cannot be easily erased
In Act 2, Macbeth alludes to Neptune when he says that even the god’s ocean cannot wash his hands clean. What is the main purpose of this allusion?
A. To show that Macbeth believes the gods will forgive him
B. To compare his crime to natural disasters
C. To emphasize the overwhelming and permanent nature of his guilt
D. To suggest that water imagery is important throughout the play
C. To emphasize the overwhelming and permanent nature of his guilt