The Tragedy of Macbeth

Study Guide
ANSWERS

Identify the following terms literary terms related to “drama”:

drama: A form of literature that tells a story through performances by actors in front of an
audience.
playwright: The author of a drama, or play. For The Tragedy of Macbeth, the playwright is
William Shakespeare.
acts and scenes: These are divisions within a play that divide the action into sections. The
Tragedy of Macbeth, considered Shakespeare’s shortest play, contains five acts, and each
act is further broken up into different scenes. Acts and scenes are represented as Roman
numerals; for example, III iv 10-14 is shorthand for Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 10 through 14.
protagonist: The main character in a play, novel, short story, or other literary work.
tragedy: A play that leads to the downfall or death of the protagonist.
tragic hero: Another name for the protagonist, or main character, in a tragedy. A tragic hero is
an outstanding person of high rank whose downfall and/or death by the end of the play is
caused by his (or her) own flawed behavior. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, the tragic hero
is the character Macbeth.
tragic flaw: Part of the hero’s character that leads him, or her, to make a fatal mistake.
Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his unrestrained ambition.
comic relief: A humorous scene or character that a playwright adds to his (or her) play to relieve
the audience’s tension. An example in The Tragedy of Macbeth is the porter, who is a
character that makes an appearance at the start of Act II Scene iii.
dialogue: Any lines spoken by actors to tell a story.
soliloquy: A long speech expressing private thoughts, delivered by a character who is alone on
the stage.
monologue: A long speech delivered by one character to another character or to a group of
characters.
aside: A private remark to one character or to the audience that is understood not to be heard by
other characters on the stage.
chorus: A single character or group of characters whose words may connect scenes or offer the
collective thoughts or feelings of the community.
stage directions: The playwright’s instructions about the setting, costumes, lighting, identities of
the characters that should be onstage, scenery, etc., to help the cast and production staff
bring a play to life.

Identify the following characters:

Banquo: Macbeth’s fellow general and friend

Malcolm: Duncan’s oldest son
Donalbain: Duncan’s son
Witches: evil women with beards (according to Banquo); they predict and “see” the future
Ross: nobleman of Scotland, tells Macbeth he is Thane of Cawdor
Thane: lord/tax collector
Duncan: King of Scotland
Macdonwald: traitor killed by Macbeth early in Act I
Thane of Glamis: Macbeth’s title, inherited from Macbeth’s father
Thane of Cawdor: Macbeth’s new title early in the play; King Duncan orders that the old Thane
of Cawdor be executed; Macbeth is made the new Thane of Cawdor.
Macbeth - main character and a general in King Duncan’s army

ACT I

Macbeth and Banquo Meeting the Witches on

the Heath, an 1855 painting by French Romantic
painter Théodore Chassériau

I i-iii (Act 1, Scenes 1 through 3)

1. What purpose does the opening scene serve in the play?
Foreshadowing – it sets the mood and creates suspense.
2. What does “Fair is foul and foul is fair” mean?
 Good is bad and bad is good.
3. Why might Shakespeare save Macbeth’s entrance until Scene 3?
Suspense; get the context of the witches and their purpose.
4. What do we know about Macbeth from what people say about him in Scene 2?
He is a brave soldier, loyal to his King, and a good fighter.
5. What is the political situation in Scotland as revealed in Scene 2?
Scotland is at war. Rebels with help from Norway are trying to overthrow King Duncan.
6. What reward does Duncan give Macbeth? Why?
Macbeth becomes Thane of Cawdor, because he fought so well.
7. What do the witches’ revelations in the beginning of Scene 3 reveal about them?
They are evil.
8. What is the very first line Macbeth says in the play? (Scene 3)
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
9. What is Macbeth’s initial reaction to the witches’ predictions?
He is a little curious about their predictions.
10. What is the witches’ prediction for Banquo?
The witches offer a paradox by claiming that Banquo will not be as great as Macbeth, but
he will also be greater; Banquo will not become king, but his sons, grandsons, etc., will
make up a line of kings in the future.
11. Why is Macbeth so startled by Ross’ announcement?
Macbeth is told he is Thane of Cawdor, right after the witches’ prediction.
12. At the end of these scenes, how does Macbeth feel about the prospect of being king?
He is considering it.
13. At the end of this scene, what do Macbeth and Banquo agree to do?
Don’t talk about what happened with anyone else regarding the witches.

I iv-v (Act 1, Scenes 4 and 5)

1. A) What is the meaning of King Duncan’s line, “There’s no art/ To find the mind’s
construction in the face?”
King Duncan means that you can never know what someone is thinking.
B) Who enters immediately after he says this?
Macbeth
2. What announcement does King Duncan make about his son, Malcolm?
King Duncan appoints Malcolm as Prince of Cumberland, meaning Malcolm is now the
heir to the throne.
3. Why does this announcement upset Macbeth?
There is an obstacle in his way to becoming king.
4. What plans does Duncan have in regard to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?
He is going to spend the night at their castle (an honor).
5. Which direction is Macbeth leaning in plans to become king by the end of this scene?
He is thinking about killing King Duncan.
6. What is King Duncan’s assessment of Macbeth at the very end of Scene 4?
King Duncan is still proud of Macbeth.
7. What type of woman is Lady Macbeth, as revealed in Scene 5?
She is manipulative and possibly evil.
8. What is Lady Macbeth’s fear about her husband regarding the unstated, yet understood, plan
to murder Duncan?
She believes that her husband does not have the guts to do what he “needs” to do.
9. What does she mean when she says “unsex me here”?
 She wants to shed her femininity and be cruel.
10. How is this request consistent with the “foul is fair” theme?
She is asking to be the opposite of what she appears.
11. At the end of Scene 5, what is Macbeth’s attitude about the impending murder?
He is starting to have second thoughts about murdering the king.
12. Who will actually “manage” the details of the crime?
Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that she will plan the details of the king’s murder.

I vi-vii (Act 1, Scenes 6 and 7)

1. What is the tone of Scene 6? Why is it ironic?
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are planning a party and a murder at the same time. Lady
Macbeth greets King Duncan to the Macbeth castle at Inverness as if she is a loyal
subject.
2. How do Lady Macbeth and Duncan greet each other?
They are very kind to one another.
3. How are Banquo’s comments about the feeling of birth in the air ironic?
There is death in the air.
4. What do we further know about Lady Macbeth from this scene?
She is very manipulative and phony.
5. In Scene 7, what two factors cause emotional trauma for Macbeth concerning his desire to
murder the king?
A) Duncan is his king and the guest in his home.
B) He likes Duncan and his only reason for killing him is his own ambition.
6. What decision does Macbeth first reveal to Lady Macbeth?
The plan is off.
7. What three methods does Lady Macbeth use to get him to change his mind?
A) Plays on his manhood
B) Calls him a coward
C) Says if she promised him something she would keep her promise
8. What does Lady Macbeth’s reference to nursing a baby reveal about her?
She is absolutely evil and should never be a mother.
9. A) Who thinks up the actual murder plan?
Lady Macbeth
B) What exactly is the plan?
Get the guards drunk/drugged, murder King Duncan, and wipe the blood on the guards to
make it appear as if they had committed the murder.
10. What is Macbeth’s resolve at the end of Scene 7?
That they are going to definitely commit the murder.

ACT II
II i-ii (Act 2, Scenes 1-2)
1. What time is it as this opens?
Night – around midnight
2. What state of mind is Banquo in at the beginning of this scene?
Banquo is nervous and restless.
3. What image does Macbeth see before him?
Floating dagger
4. What does this vision reveal about his state of mind?
He is feeling guilt.
5. What is Macbeth about to do as the scene ends?
He is about to kill King Duncan.
6. At the beginning of Scene 2, what has Lady Macbeth just done?
Lady Macbeth got the guards drunk (to frame them); also, she got herself drunk.
7. Why couldn’t Lady Macbeth do the deed herself?
She says that the sleeping King Duncan reminds her of her father.
8. What does this show about her?
She is not as brave as she is acting.
9. Why couldn’t Macbeth say “Amen” to the guards’ sleepy “God bless us”?
He just committed murder against the King of Scotland; he is feeling guilty.
10. According to Lady Macbeth, why shouldn’t they think about the murder?
Thoughts of the murder could drive them mad/insane (foreshadowing).
11. A) Who went back to put the bloody daggers near the guards?
Lady Macbeth
B) What does this show?
She shows that she is so ambitious that she has no problems with committing murder.
12. What is Macbeth’s wish at the end of Scene 2?
He wishes that the knocking on the castle door could wake up King Duncan.
13. Generally speaking, who seems more upset about the murder, Macbeth or Lady Macbeth?
Macbeth seems more upset because he believes the entire ocean could not wash the blood
from his hands (blood = metaphor for murder). In contrast, Lady Macbeth states, “A little
water clears us of this deed” (II ii 66).

II iii-iv (Act 2, Scenes 3-4)

1. A) What gate does the porter say he is guarding?
The porter pretends that he is guarding the gate to Hell.
B) What is the purpose of this scene?
Comic relief
2. What “natural” disturbances does Lennox report?
During the night, chimneys have blown down, screams of death have been heard in the
air, an earthquake may have occurred, and birds have been out at nighttime.
3. A) Who admits to killing the guards?
Macbeth
B) What reason does this person give?
He was so upset when he saw King Duncan’s lifeless body that he could not control
himself.
C) What is Lady Macbeth’s reaction aftger this admission?
She faints.
4. A) What do Malcolm and Donalbain agree to do after learning of their father’s murder?
 They agree to leave Scotland for fear that they, too, could be murdered.
B) What will people probably conclude by their action to leave Scotland?
Their action makes them look guilty of plotting the murder of their father, King Duncan.
5. Compared to previous scenes, how does Macbeth act at this point?
He acts as if he is not guilty of the crime; he mourns and seems confident.
6. A) In Scene 4, what “unnatural” event does the old man report?
An owl killed a falcon.
B) What symbolism can you ascertain from this?
Something that was killed was of higher power than that which killed it.
7. What “unnatural” event does Ross report?
Horses ate each other.
8. What is Macduff’s conclusion about Malcolm and Donalbain?
Their disappearance after the death of their father seems suspicious.
9. Where has Macbeth gone?
Macbeth has gone to be crowned King of Scotland.