Category 1: Tone & Mood
This word best describes the mood in Act 2 as Macbeth prepares to kill Duncan.
What is tense or suspenseful?
In Act 2, Lady Macbeth says Duncan will “sleep” instead of using this word.
What is die or death?
Meiosis is a type of figurative language that _____ the seriousness of a situation.
What is downplays or understates?
Antithesis places two _____ ideas close together for contrast.
What are opposite ideas?
An allusion is a reference to a well-known _____.
What is event, person, myth, or text?
The tone of Macbeth’s soliloquy in Scene 1 is best described as conflicted because he is torn between ambition and _____.
What is fear or guilt?
Using a softer or less direct expression for something unpleasant is called this literary term.
What is euphemism?
Macbeth’s understatement “a sorry sight” contrasts with Lady Macbeth’s reaction because—
A. She believes the murder was unnecessary
B. She is calmer and more in control than Macbeth
C. She wants Macbeth to run away
D. She didn’t know about the plan
B. She is calmer and more in control than Macbeth
Lady Macbeth says, “A little water clears us of this deed,” contrasting water with _____.
What is blood?
Macbeth alludes to the Roman sea god Neptune, which is an example of an allusion to _____.
What is classical mythology?
How does the Neptune allusion contribute to the tone of Macbeth’s speech?
A. It creates a hopeful tone
B. It creates a distant and uncaring tone
C. It creates a dark, despairing tone as Macbeth realizes his crime is irreversible
D. It creates a humorous tone
C. It creates a dark, despairing tone as Macbeth realizes his crime is irreversible
Which theme is best supported by the euphemisms used in Act 2?
A. Ambition always leads to success
B. People often hide the truth to avoid guilt
C. Violence is a natural part of life
D. Loyalty is more important than honesty
B. People often hide the truth to avoid guilt
Why is Lady Macbeth’s understatement effective in Act 2?
What is it shows her lack of guilt compared to Macbeth?
Why does Shakespeare use antithesis between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Act 2?
A. To create confusion for the audience
B. To highlight the theme of fate
C. To emphasize how guilt affects the characters differently
D. To show both characters are equally calm
C. To emphasize how guilt affects the characters differently
How does the allusion to Neptune deepen the meaning of Macbeth’s statement about blood on his hands?
A. It shows Macbeth is knowledgeable about mythology
B. It emphasizes how enormous and impossible his guilt feels
C. It suggests Macbeth blames Neptune for the murder
D. It foreshadows Macbeth ruling the sea
B. It emphasizes how enormous and impossible his guilt feels
Lady Macbeth’s calm behavior after the murder contrasts with Macbeth’s panic, creating a tone of _____.
What is unease or irony?
Why does Shakespeare use euphemism during the murder scene?
What is to reduce the emotional impact or show the characters’ denial?
Macbeth’s reaction contrasts with Lady Macbeth’s understatement because he is _____.
What is emotionally overwhelmed or guilt-ridden?
The contrast between Macbeth’s belief that all oceans cannot wash away his guilt and Lady Macbeth’s belief that water solves everything supports which theme?
A. Ambition always leads to success
B. Appearances can hide inner truth
C. Guilt is easy to forget
D. Power makes people honest
B. Appearances can hide inner truth
How does Macbeth’s allusion to Neptune contrast with Lady Macbeth’s line, “A little water clears us of this deed”?
A. Both characters agree guilt never fades
B. Macbeth minimizes guilt while Lady Macbeth amplifies it
C. Macbeth sees guilt as permanent, while Lady Macbeth dismisses it
D. Both characters believe Neptune will protect them
C. Macbeth sees guilt as permanent, while Lady Macbeth dismisses it
By the end of Act 2, the mood shifts from suspense to ____ as Duncan’s body is discovered.
What is chaos, horror, or shock?
If “sleep” is a euphemism for death, what deeper idea does this choice of language suggest?
A. Death is temporary
B. Duncan is not really dead
C. Lady Macbeth sees the murder as a simple, necessary act
D. The kingdom will sleep forever
C. Lady Macbeth sees the murder as a simple, necessary act
Shakespeare uses understatement in Act 2 mainly to highlight differences in _____. Clue: One of the literary elements of drama
What is characterization?
The antithesis between water and blood supports the theme of _____.
What is guilt vs. innocence?
If Neptune symbolizes purity and cleansing, Macbeth’s claim that Neptune’s oceans cannot wash his hands suggests—
A. His guilt is too small to notice
B. His guilt has permanently corrupted him
C. Duncan’s blood isn’t real
D. He plans to flee to the sea
B. His guilt has permanently corrupted him