Act 1
Where does the play take place?
Scotland
Who discovers Duncan's body?
Macduff
Why is Banquo suspicious of Macbeth?
Because Macbeth fulfilled the witches’ prophecy too quickly and unnaturally
How many apparitions do the witches show Macbeth?
Three
Name all the people Macbeth kills in the play.
King Duncan, the two guards, Banquo, Macduff's family, and Young Siward
In his first soliloquy, what does Macbeth wonder about becoming king?
He wonders if he should let fate crown him king or if he should act on it.
Why does Lady Macbeth not kill Duncan herself?
Because he resembled her father as he slept
What does this phrase mean:
"blood will have blood"?
One violent act, especially murder, will inevitably lead to more violence and bloodshed
What is the dramatic purpose of Malcolm claiming to be a bad ruler?
To test Macduff's loyalty
How does the prophecy of “Birnam Wood to Dunsinane” come true?
The soldiers disguise themselves with branches as they march on Macbeth’s castle
Why does Macbeth call Malcolm the “Prince of Cumberland” a step he must “o’erleap”?
Because Malcolm is named heir, standing in Macbeth’s way to the throne
How do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth make it look like Duncan’s guards killed him?
They smear them with Duncan’s blood and leave the bloody daggers with them.
What does Lady Macbeth mean when she tells Macbeth, “Things without all remedy / Should be without regard...”?
She tells him to stop dwelling on Duncan’s murder because it cannot be undone.
Who says the line?
"What, you egg!"
The first Murderer
What significant theme is represented in Siward's reaction to his sons death?
The theme of honor and masculinity
In scene 7, Macbeth debates whether to kill Duncan. What are his main arguments against killing him?
Duncan is his kinsman, host, a good king, and murder will bring consequences in life and afterlife.
Why does Macbeth claim to have killed Duncan’s servants?
He says he did it out of fury and loyalty to Duncan, claiming his love for the king drove him to act before he could think.
What does the banquet scene symbolize about Macbeth’s mental state and kingship?
It shows his paranoia, guilt, and instability as king
What three vices does Malcolm claim make him unfit to rule?
He says he is lustful, greedy, and lacks kingly virtues
What does “Out, out, brief candle!” symbolize?
Life’s fragility and meaninglessness
Who says the line:
"The raven himself is hoarse / That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan..."?
Lady Macbeth
How does Shakespeare use dramatic irony in Act 2, Scene 3 (the Porter scene)?
The Porter jokes about being the gatekeeper of hell, while the audience knows Duncan has just been murdered inside
Who says the line:
"Some holy angel / Fly to the court of England and unfold / His message ere he come, that a swift blessing / May soon return to this our suffering country"?
Lennox
Name one of the ingredients the Witches add to the cauldron.
Eye of newt, toe of frog, Wool of bat, tongue of dog
What is the significance of Lady Macbeth’s death on Macbeth?
It shows he has become emotionally numb and detached, and his loss of human feeling