Macbeth

Themes/Mood

100

Hint: This theme is opposite of realistic.

A major mood in Macbeth is unrealisticness. From the begininning of the play Macbeth dosnt think things through and often finds himself in deep predicaments. However, in reality, we know he really isn’t in any predicaments. Macbeth becomes afraid of everyone around him and comes to the conclusion he must kill any “potential threats” that could steal his thrown. He is being unrealistic.

200

Which best describes the play, dark and foreboding or bright and welcoming?

Dark and Forboding describes a major tone/mood in Macbeth. It opens with three witches, thunder and lightening in the backround, and "fog and filthy air". It then proceeds to throw around sinister prophesies.

300

Compared to Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth night a significant theme displayed throughout this play is not found in Shakespeare's other tragedies. Hint: Think of how every murder happened.

Macbeth is the most violent play in all shakespeare's tragedies. From the opening scene where the captain describes Macbeth and Banquo covered in blood on the battlefield, to the killing of Macbeth in the final scenes. Throughout the play,there are many deaths,such as: Duncan, Duncan’s chamberlains, Banquo, Lady Macduff, and Macduff’s son, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth.

400

This major theme starts with 'am' , and ends with 'bition'. Hint: rhymes with rambition

You'd think it was enough to be the nation's greatest warrior and Thane of Cawdor. What more could a man want? Apparently, a lot. Once Macbeth has had a taste of power, he's willing to kill anyone (men, women, and children) who he thinks might undermine his seat on Scotland's throne. But Macbeth doesn’t get to enjoy it for long. He puts his own desires before the good of his country, and, in the end, is destroyed by that ambition.

500

What does a clock tell you?

Macbeth's most famous speech begins "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow," Basically, the idea is that time literally comes to a halt when Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the throne. All of the events that take place between the murder and the final battle seem to happen in an unusual time frame. Macduff's final remark states that the "time is free", now that Macbeth is defeated and Malcolm is set to take his rightful position. This clues us in that by disrupting what should have come in time, the country will have no future without its rightful ruler.

Characters

100

Two Scottish noblemen.

Lennox and Ross

200

Duncans two sons.

Donalbain and Malcolm

300

The goddess of witchcraft, who helps the three witches work their mischief on Macbeth.

Hecate

400

Banquo’s son, who survives Macbeth’s attempt to murder him.

Fleance

500

The brave, noble general whose children, according to the witches' prophecy, will inherit the Scottish throne.

Banquo

Quotes

100

“Fair is foul and foul is fair Hover through the fog and filthy air”

Three Witches

200

"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 accompt? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?" Hint: She's sleepwalking

Lady Macbeth

300

"Is this a dagger I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight, or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?"

Macbeth

400

"And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths." Hint: a) Banquo to Macbeth b) Lady Macbeth to Macbeth c)Macduff to Malcolm

a) Banquo to Macbeth

500

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in this petty 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 a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing."

Macbeth

Symbols

100

This symbol is associated with God, goodness, divine will.

A: light Lady Macbeth asks the dark and evil spirits to stop light from peeping into the dark of night-time. (1.5.3) She suggests that if the light had called to her “Hold, hold”, it was the only way she wouldn’t have killed Duncan. Also revisited when she goes mad, as she always wants a candle with her. Lady Mac needs the power of light to protect her from the dark and evil spirits she unleashed in Act 1. (5.1.4) Blown out flames: “Out brief candle out” Mac referring to death of Lady Mac. When Banquo is killed, there is only enough light from his torch for his murders to see what they are doing, once dead, his candle is snuffed. Death of Duncan, reported chimney smoke strangely went out.

200

When Macbeth goes back to the witches, what is the second thing he sees?

Witches cast the finger of a birth strangled baby into their cauldron at the outset of the play. Banquo’s son Fleance is nearly killed by Macbeth’s murderers. Macduff’s son is murdered by Macbeth. Again emphasizing that since Macbeth has moved on to killing children, he is past the point of no return. Prophecy of the witches: Bloody Child tells Macbeth that he will not die by the hands of any man of woman born. Most of his killing of children is as a result of the prophecy he is given by the witches.

300

In result of Lady Macbeth and Macbeths guilty consciences in the play, they suffer from this major symbol.

Visions and hallucinations reoccur throughout the play and serves as reminders of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s guilty conscience. When he is about to kill Duncan, Macbeth sees a dagger floating in the air. Covered with blood and pointed toward the king’s chamber. Later, he sees Banquo’s ghost sitting in a chair at a feast, playing with his conscience by reminding him that he murdered his friend. Lady Macbeth also eventually has visions , as she sleepwalks and believes that her hands are stained with blood that cannot be washed away. People don't truly know if the visions are real or purely hallucinations. People do believe that it is truly to mess with their guilty conscience.

400

Think closely to the setting that accompany the tragic events in Macbeth. What seems to be a common reoccurrence.

The murder spree's always seems to be accompanied by depressing weather. From the thunder and lightning that accompany the witches’ appearances to the terrible storms that rage on the night of Duncan’s murder, the dreary weather seems to be a common symbol.

500

Specifically this symbol occurs in Act 1, Scene 2 on Macbeth and Lady Macbeths murderous journey and it symbolizes guilt.

Blood is everywhere in Macbeth, beginning with the opening battle between the Scots and the Norwegian invaders. Once Macbeth and Lady Macbeth start their murderous journey, blood comes to symbolize their guilt, and they begin to feel that their crimes have stained them in a way that cannot be washed clean. Macbeth cries after he has killed Duncan, even as his wife scolds him and says that a little water will do the job. Blood symbolizes the guilt that sits like a permanent stain on the consciences of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

Bonus

100

There are approximately 17,000 words in Macbeth. True or false?

True. There are 17,121 words in Macbeth. It is about 50 percent the length of Hamlet.

200

Was Macbeth Shakespeare’s shortest or longest tradgey?

Shortest.

300

When the real Macbeth and King Duncan’s blood lines were traced back it was found that they were blood relatives. True or Flase?

True

400

Shakespeare is responsible for writing the play Macbeth. True or False?

False: Shakespeare didn't write it. Christopher Marlowe did and was murdered for it. The real Macbeth went on to rule for many years. Actors never refer to the play by name- only as 'The Scottish Play'.

500

It was believed that saying “Macbeth” was bad luck. True or fase?

True: Many actors superstitiously refuse to mention the name of Macbeth unless in performance as it is seen as bad luck. This is due to a number of coincidental tragic accidents associated with performing the play, starting with the apparent fact that Macbeth was the play being performed on the night that the original Globe theatre burned down.