Macbeth by William Shakespeare
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Macbeth by William Shakespeare Study Guide NAME _____________________ Period ____ Act I 1. The opening scene of Macbeth is one of the most highly compressed in dramatic literature. All the expositionary elements are present including the suggestion of a theme. Identify each of these elements. a. setting: __________________________________________________________________ b. protagonist: ______________________________________________________________ c. preliminary situation: _______________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ d. theme: ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2. What mood is established from the very beginning of the play? _________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 3. Act I, scene 2 includes accounts of three separate battles. In the first battle Macbeth and Banquo, his fellow Scot, do battle against an army led by whom? What is the outcome of this battle? _____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 4. The second and third battles are fought between the Scots and the Norwegians. In the second Macbeth and Banquo defeat a portion of the Norwegian army near Forres in Northern Scotland. The third battle, fought near Fife, about a 100 miles southeast of Forres is fought between what armies? ________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 5. Who is “Bellona’s Bridegroom? (Remember that Fife is 100 miles from Forres.) __________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 6. The Norwegian King Sweno was assisted in his invasion of Scotland by what Scottish traitor? ___________________________________________________________________________ 7. What reward does King Duncan give to Macbeth? ___________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 8. As scene 3 opens, what are the witches’ discussing? _________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2 9. What are Macbeth’s first spoken lines in the play? With whom do these words associate him? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 10. With what three “predictions” do the witches’ greet Macbeth? a. _________________________________________________________________________ b. _________________________________________________________________________ c. _________________________________________________________________________ 11. What three “predictions” do the witches’ make with regard to Banquo? a. _________________________________________________________________________ b__________________________________________________________________________ c. _________________________________________________________________________ 12. How do Macbeth and Banquo react to the news they receive from Ross and Angus? _______ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 13. What words does Malcolm use in Act I, scene 4 to describe the execution and death of the Thane of Cawdor? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 14. Despite the fact that others are more deserving, whom does Duncan name to succeed him on the throne? _________________________________________________________________ 15. What does Macbeth realize about the designation of this person as heir to the throne? _____ ___________________________________________________________________________ 16. Act I, scene 5 introduces us to Lady Macbeth who is reading a letter as the scene opens. Who wrote this letter and what events does he describe? __________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 17. Lady Macbeth realizes that Macbeth has high ambitions, but believes he has a flaw that prevents him from achieving his goals. What is that flaw? What does she decide to do to overcome that flaw? __________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 18. Lady Macbeth offers a kind of prayer, beginning with line 42 of scene 5, to the powers of evil. For what two things does she ask? ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 3 19. It is clear that Lady Macbeth has decided to take charge and to do whatever is necessary for Macbeth to become king. But what does she warn Macbeth to do? _____________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 20. When Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle he notices the peaceful song of the martlet (a sparrow) and its peacefulness. Lady Macbeth greets him with false words of loyalty. How does he refer to her? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 21. In the soliloquy that opens scene 7, Macbeth realizes that that the act of murdering the king will have many consequences. What reasons does he list for not killing Duncan? a. _________________________________________________________________________ b. _________________________________________________________________________ c. _________________________________________________________________________ 22. What does Macbeth realize is his only motivation for killing Duncan? __________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 23. Macbeth at this point appears to have decided not to kill Duncan (lines 34ff.). How does Lady Macbeth goad and taunt him to proceed with their conspiracy against the king? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 24. What is the plan that she decides she and Macbeth will follow to murder Duncan?_________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Act II 25. Why is Banquo up late walking with his son Fleance? _______________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 26. Macbeth tells Banquo that he does not even think about the “Weird Sisters”, but of course he’s thought of little else. After Banquo and Fleance “exeunt,” Macbeth sees something strange. What does he see and what is it doing? ____________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 27. As scene 2 begins Lady Macbeth is down in the courtyard below Duncan’s chamber. What is she visualizing? ___________________________________________________________________________ 4 28. Why did Lady Macbeth not kill Duncan herself? ___________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 29. During the murder Macbeth hears a voice crying out? What does it cry? ________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 30. What did Macbeth do that deviated from Lady Macbeth’s original plan? ________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 31. Why does Lady Macbeth go up to Duncan’s chamber? Why are her hands covered with blood when she returns to the courtyard? _________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 32. The famous “Porter scene” (Act II, scene 3) serves what two purposes? _________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 33. Who is it that actually discovers and announces Duncan’s murder? ____________________ 34. Macbeth and Lennox rush up to Duncan’s room to see for themselves the horrible sight. Meanwhile Lady Macbeth enters and asks what all the commotion is about. When she is told of the King’s murder, what is her response? _______________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 35. While Macbeth was up in the murdered Duncan’s chamber, what did he in panic do that was another deviation from the plan? ________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 36. Malcolm and Donalbain realize that they can trust no one until they know who is responsible for their father’s murder. What do they decide to do to protect themselves? ___________________________________________________________________________ 37. According to the conversation of Ross and the Old Man in scene 4, what unusual occurrences has transpired during the night? _______________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________