| Describe the witches in Act 1 | Very strange, don’t look human, acts weirdly |
| Describe Macbeth before he hears the prophecy | Before Macbeth hears the prophecy he is noble and just, he has a sense of loyalty and morality. He is a brave warrior that fought for Scotland |
| Describe Malcolm’s role in Act 1 | He was an obstacle for Macbeth because he was the real heir to the throne. |
| Why does Lady Macbeth intervene in the plot to kill Duncan in Act 1? What does she think of Macbeth? Who does she call upon to help with the murder plot aside from Macbeth? | Because Macbeth was getting scared so she wanted to make sure he killed Macbeth. She thinks he is a coward and too weak to go through with the murder. She calls upon the gods to help her be fearless. |
| Describe why Macbeth goes back and forth on whether or not he wants to kill Duncan, what is he scared of? | Because he wants to be king but he knows that it is morally wrong |
| What does Lady Macbeth say she would do that proves her loyalty to Macbeth in Act 1? | Help him become king |
| Describe the murder plan | They planned to get the guards gun then sneak into Duncan’s chambers and kill him then plant the murder weapon/the entire murder on |
| Describe the setting of Macbeth | The middle ages and various locations in Scotland |
| Describe the purpose of using the three witches throughout the play, especially in the beginning | They were characters that carried the theme and represented multiple literary elements in the story |
| Describe Macbeth’s hallucination in Act 2 Scene 1 | Right before the murder Macbeth envisions the dagger as if it was covered in blood. |
| Describe why Lady Macbeth was unable to kill Duncan | She doesn’t want to get her hands dirty so she makes up the excuse that he looks too much like her dad |
| Macbeth imagines a voice speaking to him in Act 2 Scene 2, what is this voice telling him? | That the guilt will rot him, and he will have many sleepless nights |
| Who are Macbeth’s second and third victims? Why does he kill them? | Macbeth’s victims were the guards so because he didn’t want them to become a liability. |
| Describe the behavior and attitude of Malcom and Donalbain after Duncan is murdered | They panicked and were scared so they fled the country |
| What did Duncan’s horses do after Duncan’s murder? | His horses break out of their stalls and ate each other |
| How does Banquo’s attitude toward Macbeth change in the beginning of Act 3? | He is beginning to distrust Macbeth and suspects he might have been the one who murdered Duncan |
| Describe the reason(s) for Macbeth’s fearfulness towards Banquo’s sons | Witches said that Banquo’s son will become kings in the future, and Macbeth doesn’t want to them to threaten his position as king. |
| Describe Macbeth’s behavior and attitude once he becomes king | He becomes power hungry and corrupt; he will do anything to keep him power. |
| Who appeared to Macbeth as a ghost? | He saw the ghost of Banquo in his chair |
| Describe the apparitions Macbeth meets in his last encounter with the witches | The first apparition is an armed head, the second apparition is a bloody child and the third apparition is a crowned child holding a branch. |
| Describe Lady Macduff from the brief scene we meet her | She is feeling abandoned, angry and scolding her son explain to him that his father Macduff left. |
| Describe Malcom’s plan to test Macduff’s loyalty | He kept saying that he would be a bad king to see if Macduff would stay loyal and defend him. |
| Describe what happens in the scene where Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking? | She confesses all the murders she was involved in. |
| How does Macbeth feel going into battle? | He feels confident because he believes in the prophecies |
| What happens to Lady Macbeth at the end of the story? | She is stricken with guilt, and commits suicide. |
| How does Macbeth feel about life in Act 5 Scene 5? | He is haunted by the guilt and loneliness, he feels regret for all the murders he committed |
| Describe the fight between Macbeth and Macduff | He is confident at first, but when Macduff tells him he is not technically born of woman he doubt himself and at that moment Macduff seizes his opportunity and slays him |
| What literary element does Macbeth use throughout the play to reveal who he really is? | soliloquy |
| Describe Macbeth’s tragic flaw | Ambition |
| 3 main themes | The Difference Between Kingship and TyrannyThe Corrupting Power of Unchecked AmbitionThe Relationship Between Cruelty and Masculinity |
Macbeth study guide
August 19, 2019