Characters
What was Macbeth's title before he became Thane of Cawdor?
Thane of Glamis
What event occurs immediately after the Witches' first prophecy in Act 1, which causes Macbeth to start believing them?
Ross and Angus arrive to name Macbeth the Thane of Cawdor, which fulfills one part of the prophecy.
Explain the meaning: "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" (1.3.38).
This line uses a paradox or foreshadowing. It means the day is simultaneously good (fair) because they have won the battle, and bad (foul) due to the terrible weather and the violent, bloody fighting that took place.
The inability of Lady Macbeth to remove the imagined spot of blood from her hand best represents which central theme?
Guilt.
What is the prophecy the Witches give Banquo?
That he will be "lesser than Macbeth, and greater" and "not happy, yet much happier"; most importantly, that he "shall get kings, though thou be none".
What is the name of the son of Banquo who escapes Macbeth's plan?
Fleance
What is one example of an unnatural event mentioned in the scene immediately following Duncan's murder (Act 2, Scene 4)?
Examples include darkness covering the sky during the day, an owl eating a hawk, or horses eating each other.
What does Lady Macbeth mean by this line: "That tend my moral thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe,/ top full of direst cruelty" (1.5.44-46).
She is speaking to the spirits, asking them to remove her feminine qualities (like compassion and maternal instincts) and replace them with masculine cruelty so she can be capable of murder.
How is the theme of Manhood and Cruelty used by Lady Macbeth to manipulate her husband?
She insults his manhood , questioning his courage and calling him a coward to push him into committing the murder.
What is the ambiguous detail about his birth that allows Macduff to ultimately defeat Macbeth?
Macduff reveals he was "not of woman born" but was "from his mother's womb / Untimely ripped" (born by C-section)
Who is the English Earl who helps Malcolm raise an army to invade Scotland?
Siward.
How is the prophecy that "Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill / Shall come against him" fulfilled in the final battle?
Malcolm instructs the soldiers to cut down and carry tree branches from Birnam Wood to disguise their numbers, making the forest appear to be moving toward Dunsinane Castle.
How does this quote reflect the theme of deception: "Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower,/ but be the serpent under it" (1.5.72-73).
Lady Macbeth is instructing Macbeth to maintain an innocent, welcoming appearance ("the innocent flower") while hiding his evil, murderous intentions ("the serpent under’t").
Which major theme is highlighted by the Witches' prophecies and the question of whether Macbeth had to kill Duncan?
Fate vs. Free Will.
What is the first apparition Macbeth sees in Act 4, and what does it tell him?
A head wearing a helmet (armed head) , which warns him to "Beware Macduff; / Beware the Thane of Fife".
Who is the person to whom Duncan gives the title Prince of Cumberland, establishing him as the heir to the throne?
Malcolm.
What specific event from the past does Lady Macbeth constantly relive and refer to during her sleepwalking scene?
The murder of King Duncan and the attempt to wash the blood from her hands.
What is Macbeth conveying about his state of mind at the end of the play with this passage: "Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more..." (5.5.26-28)
He is conveying a feeling of despair. He views life as brief, meaningless, and an illusion ("a walking shadow") after his wife's death and the failure of his reign.
Which theme is demonstrated by the fact that Duncan praises Macbeth's castle just before Lady Macbeth plots his death there?
Appearance vs. Reality
What prophecy gives Macbeth a false sense of security about the final battle?
The prophecy that "Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until / Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill / Shall come against him".
Who is the nobleman that refuses to attend Macbeth's coronation and later flees to England?
Macduff.
What does Macbeth do to Duncan's guards, and what is his stated reason for doing it?
Macbeth kills the guards. His stated reason is a fit of righteous fury over their supposed act of regicide, but his actual reason is to silence them and prevent them from telling the truth.
What does this hallucination reveal about Macbeth's mental state: "Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand" (2.1.40-41).
It reveals his internal conflict and increasing psychological breakdown. The bloody dagger symbolizes the murderous path he is about to take and his overwhelming guilt before he even commits the murder.
How does the theme of Moral Deterioration apply to Lady Macbeth?
She starts the play as bold and manipulative , urging murder, but she cannot handle the psychological burden of guilt, leading to her mental collapse and eventual death.
What is the primary reason Macbeth orders the assassination of Banquo and Fleance?
He fears the prophecy that Banquo's sons will become kings and wants to secure the throne for his own lineage.