Plot Act 1
What prophecy do the witches give Banquo?
He will not be king but will father a line of kings
What vision does Macbeth see before the murder of killing Duncan?
Dagger
What was the Divine Right of Kings?
The belief that monarchs were appointed by God and accountable only to Him.
What does “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” suggest?
Moral inversion and the instability of appearances.
How is masculinity presented as unstable?
It is repeatedly questioned and weaponised; manhood is tied to violence rather than virtue.
Why does Duncan order the execution of the Thane of Cawdor?
He betrayed Scotland by siding with the Norwegian army
Why does Lady Macbeth not kill Duncan herself?
He resembles her father as he slept, suggesting suppressed conscience or emotional hesitation.
How might the Gunpowder Plot have influenced the play?
It heightened fears about treason and regicide, making Macbeth’s crime politically resonant and cautionary.
What does “Stars, hide your fires” reveal about Macbeth?
He recognises his desires as “black and deep” and wants to conceal them from moral scrutiny.
In what ways is Macbeth a tragic hero in Acts 1 and 2?
He is noble, respected, and fatally flawed by ambition; he is aware of the moral consequences yet chooses wrongly.
Why does Maclolm's appointment as Prince of Cumberland create conflict for Macbeth?
It places clear obstacles in his path to the throne, forcing him to have to act.
How does Shakespeare use the Porter scene to shift the tone after Duncan’s murder?
Through dark comedy and references to hell and equivocation, providing momentary relief while reinforcing the idea that Macbeth’s castle has become a metaphorical hell.
Why would King James I have been interested in the witches?
He believed in witchcraft, wrote Daemonologie, and oversaw witch trials, making the supernatural politically relevant.
How does Lady Macbeth manipulate Macbeth in “When you durst do it, then you were a man”?
She equates masculinity with violence, attacking his identity to coerce him.
How would a Jacobean audience felt about Lady Macbeth so far?
Disgust/dislike/distrust in her blurring of moral lines and emasculation of Macbeth
How does Shakespeare structurally move Macbeth from passive recipient of prophecy to active conspirator by the end of Act 1?
Through asides and soliloquies that reveal internal ambition
How does Macbeth’s reaction immediately after the murder reveal that guilt precedes consequence?
He hears voices (“Sleep no more”), cannot say “Amen,” fixates on blood, and speaks in fragmented syntax — showing psychological torment before any external punishment.
How does Shakespeare use Banquo to flatter the Kin James' legacy (Stuart monarchy)?
Banquo is presented as noble and morally upright; James I claimed descent from Banquo, reinforcing Stuart legitimacy.
How does “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” amplify guilt?
Extra 100 for the method
Hyperbolic and mythological imagery suggests his guilt is vast, permanent, and spiritually contaminating.
Is Macbeth more villain or tragic figure in Acts 1 and 2?
Arguably tragic: he recognises the horror of his actions and suffers immediate psychological torment — yet villainous in consciously choosing regicide.
To what extent is Macbeth's decision to murder Duncan in Act 1 driven by internal ambition rather than external influence?
Primarily internal ambition (vaulting ambition) though catalyzed through the witches and Lady Macbeth's manipulation. The decision ultimately rests with Macbeth, acknowledging he has 'no spur' only ambition.
How does Shakespeare present Duncan’s murder as both a political crime and a cosmic disruption?
Through unnatural events (darkness during the day, horses eating each other, storms), suggesting the Great Chain of Being has been violated; regicide disrupts both state and nature.
How does Macbeth reflect Jacobean anxieties about disorder and threats to the state?
By showing how ambition, equivocation, and regicide destabilise political and natural order, reflecting fears of rebellion, Catholic plots, and divine punishment.
What is significant about Macbeth’s inability to say “Amen”?
It symbolises spiritual alienation and fear of damnation — he feels cut off from divine grace immediately after regicide.
How do the witches use equivocation (vagueness) to explore fate versus free will?
They speak in ambiguous language that tempts interpretation, leaving Macbeth to act on possibilities rather than certainties.