Act 3
Why does Macbeth want Banquo and Fleance dead?
He is fearful that Banquo's descendants will become king.
How does Macduff react to the news of his family’s murder?
He is devastated but channels his grief into a desire for revenge against Macbeth, vowing to confront and kill him.
What does Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking reveal about her character?
She's consumed by guilt, and the repeated handwashing show how it's affected her conscience.
What did Lady Macbeth see in her dreams?
Her hands full of blood
Where was he born?
Stratford-upon-Avon
How does Macbeth manipulate the murderers into killing Banquo?
He blamed all of their misfortunes on Banquo
What does Malcolm test in Macduff during their conversation in England?
Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty by pretending to be unfit to rule. When Macduff expresses despair for Scotland’s fate under such a king, Malcolm is convinced of his sincerity.
What does Macbeth mean in the “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” soliloquy?
Hopelessness and nihilistic outlook on life.
Who is framed for the murder of Duncan?
The drunken chamberlain.
Where is the majority of the play taking place?
Inverness
What happens at the banquet that unsettles Macbeth and his guests?
He sees Banquo's ghost
What is the significance of the murder of Macduff’s family?
It shows how far Macbeth has descended into cruelty and tyranny. It is a senseless act that shocks even hardened characters and motivates Macduff to seek revenge.
Dealer's Choice!
Dealer's Choice!
What is the "spot" that Lady Macbeth keeps referring to?
Blood
What is another Shakespearean play that shows a leader that suffers the fate of his own ambition?
Julius Caesar
How does Lady Macbeth respond to Macbeth’s behavior at the banquet?
She yells at Macbeth, and explains that he's been sick as of late.
How does Macbeth interpret the apparitions’ messages?
He feels invincible. He takes the prophecies literally and assumes no man can kill him and that forests cannot move—leading to overconfidence.
How is Malcolm’s rise to power significant at the end of the play?
It represents the restoration of order and justice. Malcolm is the rightful heir, and his crowning marks the end of Macbeth’s tyrannical reign.
Who tells Macduff that his family has been killed?
Ross
Throughout the play, how many reign as King of Scotland?
3
What does Lennox's conversation at the end of Act 3 suggest?
He suggests that Macbeth is behind the murders, but rather sarcastically.
What do the three apparitions tell Macbeth?
How is each of the witches’ prophecies fulfilled?
Macduff kills Macbeth—he was born via C-section (“from his mother’s womb untimely ripped”).
Birnam Wood “moves” when Malcolm’s army uses branches for camouflage.
Macbeth is killed by Macduff, whom he was warned to fear.
Name two of the things that the Weird Sisters prophesied in Act 4.
Many answers.
What is the main point of the play?
Unchecked ambition leads to destruction, which can also be seen in a variety of Shakespearean tragedies.