Study Booklet

Macbeth

3 Knowledge organiser

1
4 Overview of key allusions

5 Overview of common misconceptions

6 BQ: How does Shakespeare create a foreboding atmosphere in A1-S1?

7 BQ: How does Shakespeare present Macbeth as a formidable warrior in A1-S2?

8 BQ: What prophecies do the Witches make about Macbeth and Banquo in A1-S3?

9 BQ: How do Macbeth and Banquo react to the prophecies and how do their reactions differ in A1-S3?

10 BQ: To what extent is Lady Macbeth presented as an ambitious and assertive character in A1-S5?

11 Assessment

13 BQ: Why does Macbeth feel so conflicted about murdering Duncan in A1-S7?

14 Review of Act 1

15 BQ: What does Macbeth’s soliloquy reveal about his state of mind in A2-S1?

16 BQ: What does Macbeth’s behaviour in the aftermath of the murder reveal in A2-S2?

17 BQ: How does Macduff react to discovering Duncan’s dead body in A2-S3?

18 Review of Act 2

19 BQ: How is the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo presented after the murder of Duncan in A3-S1?

20 BQ: How is Macbeth’s state of mind presented after he sees the ghost of Banquo in A3-S4?

21 BQ: How does Macbeth react to the failure of the banquet at the end of A3-S4 and what does this reveal?

22 Review of Act 3

23 BQ: Why does Macbeth visit the Witches again in A4-S1 and what does he learn?

24 BQ: How does Macduff react to the news that his family have been murdered in A4-S3?

25 BQ: How is Lady Macbeth presented in A5-S1 and how has she changed?

26 BQ: How does Macbeth react to the new of Lady Macbeth’s death in A5-S5?

27 BQ: How is the final confrontation between Macbeth and Macduff presented in A5-S8?

28 Review of Act 4 and Act 5

29 Assessment

30 Quiz questions

32 Retrieval grid

33 Review of characterisation

35 Review of key images

38 Multiple-choice questions

39 Review of big questions

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 Key Scenes

Act 1, Scene 2 Macbeth fights heroically in battle alongside Banquo; Duncan decrees that he will be rewarded with the title of Thane of Cawdor.

Act 1, Scene 3 Three witches prophecise that Macbeth will become king; they prophecise that Banquo’s sons will become kings.

Act 1, Scene 7 Macbeth has doubts about killing Duncan; Lady Macbeth’s intervention convinces him to go ahead and do the deed.

Act 2, Scene 1 Just before killing Duncan, Macbeth hallucinates and sees a floating dagger that is dripping with blood.

Act 2, Scene 2 Macbeth returns after killing Duncan; he believes that his hands will never be clean and that he will never sleep again.

Act 2, Scene 3 Macduff discovers Ducan’s dead body; fearing for their lives, Malcolm and Donalbain decide to leave Scotland.

Act 3, Scene 4 Macbeth hallucinates and sees Banquo’s ghost in his empty seat; Lady Macbeth takes control; Macbeth decides to see the witches again.

Act 4, Scene 1 Macbeth sees the witches; they tell him to beware of Macduff.

Act 5, Scene 3 Macbeth is isolated at Dunsinane Castle; Lady Macbeth has gone mad with guilt.

Act 5, Scene 5 Macbeth is told that Lady Macbeth is dead; he is told that Birnam Wood appears to be moving towards Dunsinane.

Key Characters Key Themes Historical Context

 Thane of Glamis; made Thane of Cawdor  Leads Macbeth to kill Duncan

Macbeth  Kills Duncan Ambition  Eventually destroys Macbeth (hamartia)
 Killed by Macduff.  Also leads to Lady Macbeth’s suicide. Macbeth was most likely written in
1606, early in the reign of James I,
 Wife of Macbeth  Represented by the blood on Macbeth’s hands who became king in 1603. He
Lady Macbeth  Ambitious and ruthless Guilt  Represented by disturbed sleep succeeded Elizabeth I. James I was
 Goes mad and kills herself.  Leads to the death of Lady Macbeth. Scottish.

The play was first performed not

 Macbeth’s friend and brother-in-arms  Macbeth is a ruthless warrior
long after the Gunpowder Plot.
Banquo  Father to Fleance Violence  He feels a deep sense of guilt after killing Duncan
Shakespeare shows how the murder
 Killed at the order of Macbeth.  Macbeth hires murders. of a king leads to guilt, madness
and eventual destruction.
 Thane of Fife  Duncan is a good king
Macduff  Loyal to King Duncan Kingship  Macbeth is a tyrant It was commonly believed at the
 Kills Macbeth.  Malcolm is eventually restored to the throne. time that kings were appointed by
‘divine right’ and were anointed by
 Prophecise that Macbeth will be king  Contrast between appearance and reality God.
Witches  Prophecise that Banquo’s sons will be kings Appearances  Macbeth hallucinates twice
 Tell Macbeth to beware of Macduff.  Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are unable to sleep.

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4
Classical and Biblical Allusions

A1-S2: Expect they meant to bathe in reeking wounds / Or memorize another Golgotha, / I cannot tell (39-41)
Golgotha in Jerusalem was the site of Christ’s crucifixion; a memorable scene of bloodshed and death.

A1-S2: Till that Bellona’s bridegroom, lapp’d in proof, / Confronted him with self-comparisons (54-55)
Bellona is the Roman goddess of war; Macbeth fights so valiantly that he is worthy to be her husband.

A2-S1: Witchcraft celebrates / Pale Hecate’s off’rings (51-52)

Hecate is the Greek goddess of witchcraft; Macbeth embraces the dark power of the night.

A2-S1: With Tarquin’s ravishing strides, towards his design / Moves like a ghost (55-56)
Tarquin raped Lucretia, the wife of a Roman consul, during the night; Shakespeare links Murder with the ‘stealthy’ rape.

A2-S2: Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand? (63-64)
Neptune is the Roman god of the sea; Macbeth wonders if all the water in the ocean will be enough to wash the blood away.

A2-S3: Approach the chamber and destroy your sight / With a new Gorgon (68-69)
In Greek mythology, the Gorgon Medusa turned those who looked at her into stone; the Duncan’s body is an equally horrific
sight.

A3-S1: My genius is rebuk’d, as it is said / Mark Antony’s was by Caesar (57-58)

Mark Antony was told that he would not defeat Caesar; Macbeth sees himself as Mark Antony and Banquo as Caesar.

A4-S3: Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell (22)
Lucifer, the ‘brightest’ angel, rebelled against God; Macbeth was a brave and noble (‘bright’) warrior, but rebelled against
Duncan.

A5-S8: Why should I play the Roman fool and die / On my own sword? (1-2)
Roman soldiers were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender; Macbeth vows to continue fighting.

A5-S8: Turn, hell-hound, turn (1)

In Greek mythology, a three-headed dog called Cerberus guards the entrance to Hades; Macduff calls Macbeth a monster.

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Common Misconceptions

Macbeth is a coward
Lady Macbeth accuses Macbeth of being cowardly and says, ‘screw your courage to the sticking-place’ – but that doesn’t
necessarily mean he’s actually a coward. It’s up for debate. A better way forward is to describe him as a conflicted and
indecisive character.

Macbeth goes mad

There are clear points in the play where Macbeth behaves irrationally. However, to say he just goes mad is an over-simplification.
For example, when he is alone at Dunsinane, he speaks calmly and coherently about his age and increasing isolation: ’My way of
life / Is fall’n into the sere, the yellow leaf’.

Lady Macbeth is a man

More delicate phrasing is required here: Lady Macbeth is not a submissive character and she subverts the gender hierarchy of the
time. She has a desire to transcend her role as a woman (‘unsex me here’) and refuses to conform to limiting social expectations.

Lady Macbeth is just a villain

Lady Macbeth is manipulative and ruthless, but she’s also vulnerable. She concedes that she doesn’t have it in her to kill Duncan
herself because he resembles her ‘father as he slept’ and, later on, she becomes increasingly concerned by Macbeth’s tyranny.
And then there’s A5S1: ‘Out, damned spot!’

Banquo does not care about the prophecies

Banquo is initially sceptical about the prophecies, but that doesn’t mean he’s not intrigued by them. He reflects alone on stage in
A3S1 that Macbeth ‘has it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all’ and wonders ‘May they not be my oracle as well’.

The play ends happily

The play does end happily in the sense that Malcolm is rightly restored to the throne – ‘Hail, King of Scotland’ exclaims Maduff
in A5S9. However, those words reflect the cries of ‘Hail’ from the three Witches in A1S3. This subtle mirroring casts a degree of
uncertainty on the longevity of Malcom’s reign. A happy ending, no doubt, but also a menacingly ambiguous one.

The play is Elizabethan

Macbeth was first performed in 1606, when James I was King of England – so the play is Jacobean. It’s worth keeping in mind
James I was deeply worried about witches and witchcraft and held a genuine belief that groups of witches were trying to kill him.
He published ‘Daemonologie’ in 1597.

Big Question

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How does Shakespeare create a foreboding atmosphere in A1-S1?

Vocabulary

Foreboding Darkness Mystery

Menacing Light Tension
Threatening Thunder Suspense
Mysterious Lightning Foresight

Retrieval

1. The Witches enter to thunder and lighting

2. The First Witch asks when they will meet again
3. The First Witch asks where they will meet
4. The First Witch calls for her familiar
5. The Second Witch calls for her familiar
6. All the Witches chant about the weather

Extract

FIRST WITCH When shall we three meet again

In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
SECOND WITCH When the hurlyburly’s done,
When the battle’s lost and won.
THIRD WITCH That will be ere the set of sun. 5
FIRST WITCH Where the place?
SECOND WITCH Upon the heath.
THIRD WITCH There to meet with Macbeth.
FIRST WITCH I come, Graymalkin!
SECOND WITCH Paddock calls. 10
THIRD WITCH Anon!
ALL Fair is foul, and foul is fair,
Hover through the fog and filthy air.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most accurately describes the effect of the weather conditions at the start of the play?

1. Dramatic and terrifying

2. Menacing and sinister
3. Reassuring and pleasant
4. Chaotic and frightening
Big Question

How does Shakespeare present Macbeth as a formidable warrior in A1-S2?

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Vocabulary

Brutal Courageous Warrior

Ruthless Valiant Hero
Formidable Merciless Thane
Violent Loyal Traitor

Retrieval

1. Malcolm asks the wounded Captain for his report

2. The Captain says that Macbeth defeated Macdonald
3. Duncan requests that surgeons attend the Captain
4. Ross says that the Thane of Cawdor is a traitor
5. Ross declares the battle was been won
6. Duncan decides to reward Macbeth

Extract

CAPTAIN Doubtful it stood,

As two spent swimmers, that do cling together
And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald –
Worthy to be a rebel, for to that 10
The multiplying villanies of nature
Do swarm upon him – from the Western Isles
Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied;
And Fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,
Show’d like a rebel's whore: but all’s too weak, 15
For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name –
Disdaining Fortune, with his brandish’d steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution,
Like valour’s minion carved out his passage

Multiple-Choice Question

Which adjectives most accurately describes the presentation of Macbeth?

1. Bold, brave and ruthless

2. Murderous and evil
3. Cowardly and treacherous
4. Loyal, kind, trustworthy
Big Question

What prophecies do the Witches make about Macbeth and Banquo in A1-S3?

Vocabulary

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 Prophecy Thane Supernatural
Future King Mystery
Power Descendants Trust
Ambition Fate Suspicion

Retrieval

1. Banquo sees the Witches for the first time

2. Macbeth encourages them to speak
3. The Witches greet Macbeth and Banquo
4. The Third Witch says that Macbeth will be king
5. Banquo asks the Witches about his own future
6. Macbeth asks the Witches to stay and speak further

Extract

BANQUO How far is’t called to Forres? What are these,

So wither’d and so wild in their attire,
That look not like th’inhabitants o’ th’ earth,
And yet are on’t? – Live you, or are you aught 40
That man may question? You seem to understand me,
By each at once her choppy finger laying
Upon her skinny lips; you should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so. 45
MACBETH Speak, if you can: what are you?
FIRST WITCH All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Glamis!
SECOND WITCH All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!

Multiple-Choice Question

Which one of statements below about the prophecies is inaccurate?

1. Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor

2. Banquo will become King of Scotland after Macbeth
3. Macbeth will become King of Scotland
4. Banquo’s sons will become kings

Big Question

How do Macbeth and Banquo react to the prophecies and how do their reactions differ in A1-S3?

Vocabulary

Prophecy Power Supernatural

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 Fate Ambition Trust
Future Glory Intelligence
Hope Happiness Reality

Retrieval

1. Banquo questions the reality of what he has witnessed

2. Ross announces to Macbeth that he will be rewarded
3. Banquo realises that one of the prophecies is true
4. Macbeth questions Banquo about how he feels
5. Banquo warns the prophecies might harm them both
6. Banquo notices Macbeth is intrigued by the prophecies

Extract

MACBETH [Aside] Two truths are told,

As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme – I thank you, gentlemen –
This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor.
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion,
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs
Against the use of nature? Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most accurately describes the Macbeth’s reaction to the prophecies?

1. Eager to become king

2. Uncertain, but also intrigued
3. Mortified at the thought of Duncan’s death
4. Happy at what he has heard, but also sceptical

Big Question

To what extent is Lady Macbeth presented as an ambitious and assertive character in A1-S5?

Vocabulary

Prophecy Thane Supernatural

Future King Mystery

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 Power Descendants Trust
Ambition Fate Suspicion

Retrieval

1. Macbeth’s letter reveals that he met the Witches

2. Lady Macbeth believes Macbeth lacks ruthlessness
3. The Attendant announces that Duncan will arrive
4. Macbeth arrives and Lady Macbeth greets him
5. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to hide his true feelings
6. Lady Macbeth reassures Macbeth that he has a plan

Extract

LADY MACBETH yet do I fear thy nature, 15

It is too full o' the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great,
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly,
That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, 20
And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou’ldst have, great Glamis,
That which cries, ‘Thus thou must do’, if thou have it;
And that which rather thou dost fear to do
Than wishest should be undone. Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear 25
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most accurately describes Lady Macbeth’s initial reaction to Macbeth’s letter?

1. Doubtful about the credibility of the prophecies

2. Excited to hear the news and keen to know more
3. Excited to hear to the news and eager act swiftly
4. Concerned at the trouble the prophecies might cause
Assessment

How does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman in A1-S5?

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Source: https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/AQA-87021-SQP-V1.PDF

Key Points on the Extract

 This is the first time the audience sees Lady Macbeth

 The raven is symbolic of death and Lady Macbeth’s murderous intentions
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 Lady Macbeth’s direct appeal to the spirit world emphasises her cruel, evil nature
 This is further emphasised by her references to the ‘thick night’ and ‘smoke of hell’
 Lady Macbeth’s rejection of her femininity helps to establish her as a ruthless character
 Techniques to explore: tone, alliteration, sibilance, symbolism, metaphor.

Wider Links

 A1S5: Lady Macbeth concedes that her husband lacks ruthlessness; she initially flatters him; she reassures about her plan
 A1S7: Lady Macbeth calls her husband a coward; she accuses him of breaking his promise; she attempts to reassure him
 A2S2: More accusations of cowardice; Lady Macbeth’s confidence and strength contrasts to Macbeth’s mental fragility
 A3S4: Lady Macbeth attempts to reassure the Scottish nobles; she despairs at Macbeth’s erratic behaviour
 A5S1: Lady Macbeth is plagued by guilt; she sleepwalks whilst darkly remembering Duncan and Macduff’s family

Extracts from Character analysis: Lady Macbeth, by Michael Donkor

Act 1, Scene 5 of Macbeth is set in Macbeth’s castle in Inverness. It forms part of the audience’s first encountering of
Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth has just read Macbeth’s letter, which outlines the weird sisters’ prophecies. She
proceeds to express to herself her concern that Macbeth does not possess the steeliness or desire to use underhand
means to acquire the glittering titles the witches have said lay before him.

In this scene, Lady Macbeth’s characterisation is used to continue the play’s steady ratcheting up of tension. The
suspense of this passage is enhanced by the fact that Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy after the messenger has left is uttered
in a stolen moment of stillness before action and fretful dialogue commences. It is a fleeting opportunity for her to
consider her own feelings and responses to the unfolding events before Macbeth enters with weaknesses that will
inevitably require her ‘tending’.

The soliloquy’s opening image – a croaking raven – is a telling one. The bird not only has associations of ill omens
but was also renowned for eating the decayed flesh of fallen soldiers on battlefields, closely linking to the idea of the
Macbeths – and Lady Macbeth in particular – being a sinister, parasitical couple feeding on the lives of those more
powerful and benevolent than themselves.

[Lady Macbeth] does not want to remain in a sexless, physically diminished state. She also wants to be reconstituted
and refigured as a being hard and armoured like her warrior husband; as a monstrous being with unnaturally thickened
blood and breasts that produce deadly poisonous ‘gall’.

The most familiar, recognisable reading of Lady Macbeth’s role in the play is that she is the puppet master who pulls –
often mercilessly yanks – at Macbeth’s strings. Several aspects of her portrayal in Act 1, Scene 5 add to this view.
When Macbeth enters, not only does she shape and direct his behaviour, she also speaks significantly more than he
does. Macbeth’s utterances are concise and practical, hers expansive, detailed and richly embroidered with imagery,
reflecting the elaborate workings of a mind masterminding a dastardly plan.

Source: https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/character-analysis-lady-macbeth

Big Question

Why does Macbeth feel so conflicted about murdering Duncan in A1-S7?

Vocabulary

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 Conflicted Deceitful Murderous
Disloyal Indecisive Confused
Guilty Ruthless Hopeful
Treacherous Ambitious Hesitant

Retrieval

1. Macbeth says it is best that Duncan is killed quickly

2. Macbeth concedes that Duncan is a good king
3. Macbeth hesitates and says he will not kill Duncan
4. Lady Macbeth calls Macbeth a coward
5. Lady Macbeth explains how simple it is to kill Duncan
6. Macbeth leaves to kill Duncan

Extract

MACBETH We will proceed no further in this business:

He hath honour’d me of late; and I have bought
Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
Not cast aside so soon. 35
LADY MACBETH Was the hope drunk
Wherein you dress’d yourself? hath it slept since?
And wakes it now, to look so green and pale
At what it did so freely? From this time
Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard 40
To be the same in thine own act and valour
As thou art in desire?

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most accurately describes Macbeth’s state of mind at the start of the scene?

1. Indecisive and doubtful

2. Reluctant to kill Duncan, but committed to the plan
3. Excited about becoming king
4. Confident that Lady Macbeth’s plan will work

Review of Act 1, Scene 1

1. Where is the scene set?

2. What does ‘hurly-burly’ mean?
3. Write down the numbers of two lines that are written in rhyming couplets.
4. How many witches are there?
5. What sort of animal is Graymalkin?

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6. Complete the line: ‘Hover through the _______________’

Review of Act 1, Scene 2

1. What is the name of the king?

2. Which character is described at the beginning of the scene as a ‘bloody man’?
3. Who did the rebellious Thane of Cawdor fight alongside?
4. Complete the line: ‘For brave Macbeth _______________’
5. How does Duncan decide to reward Macbeth?
6. Complete the line: ‘What he hath lost _______________’

Review of Act 1, Scene 3

1. Complete the line: ‘So foul and fair a day _______________’

2. Pick out two quotes that indicate the witches are ugly.
3. Why does Macbeth find it hard to believe that he will be made Thane of Cawdor?
4. Complete the line: ‘All hail Macbeth, that shalt _______________’
5. Complete the line: ‘Thou shalt get kings _______________’
6. Banquo says of Macbeth, ‘Look how our partner’s rapt’ – what does he mean?

Review of Act 1, Scene 5

1. What is Lady Macbeth reading as the scene opens?

2. Complete the line: ‘yet do I fear thy nature, / It is too _______________’
3. Which important character is due to arrive at Macbeth’s castle?
4. Complete the line: ‘The raven himself is hoarse / That _______________’
5. Complete the line: ‘look like th’innocent flower _______________’
6. How does Lady Macbeth reassure Macbeth at the end of the scene?

Review of Act 1, Scene 7

1. Complete the line: ‘If it were done when ‘tis done _______________’
2. What does Macbeth mean when he says that Duncan’s ‘here in double trust’?
3. Complete the line: ‘From this time / Such _______________’
4. What shocking promise does Lady Macbeth say that, given the chance, she would have kept?
5. When Macbeth says, ‘If we should fail?’, how does Lady Macbeth respond?
6. Where is Macbeth planning to go when the scene ends?

Big Question

What does Macbeth’s soliloquy reveal about his state of mind in A2-S1?

Vocabulary

Soliloquy Hallucination Perception

Stage Dagger Darkness
Insight Blood Witchcraft
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 Revelation Pressure Murder

Retrieval

1. Macbeth sees a floating dagger

2. Macbeth questions if it is real
3. Macbeth places his hand on his real dagger
4. The floating dagger appears to drip with blood
5. Macbeth hears a bell
6. Macbeth leaves the stage to murder Duncan

Extract

MACBETH Is this a dagger which I see before me,

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee:
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. 35
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
I see thee yet, in form as palpable 40
As this which now I draw.
Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going,
And such an instrument I was to use.
Mine eyes are made the fools o’th’other senses,
Or else worth all the rest. 45

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most accurately describes Macbeth’s state of mind during his soliloquy?

1. Eager to murder Duncan

2. Prepared to murder Duncan
3. Doubtful that he will be able to murder Duncan
4. Unable to murder Duncan
Big Question

What does Macbeth’s behaviour in the aftermath of the murder reveal in A2-S2?

Vocabulary

Blood Fear Confusion

Daggers Regret Deception
Guilt Blame Cowardice
Symbolism Responsibility Shame

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Retrieval

1. Lady Macbeth says she couldn’t murder Duncan herself

2. Macbeth says he has murdered Duncan
3. Macbeth asks who is in the room next to Duncan
4. Macbeth looks down at his hands
5. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth not to think of the deed
6. Lady Macbeth becomes frustrated with Macbeth

Extract

MACBETH I'll go no more:

I am afraid to think what I have done;
Look on’t again I dare not. 55
LADY MACBETH Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures; ‘tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal,
For it must seem their guilt. 60
Knock within
MACBETH Whence is that knocking?
How is’t with me, when every noise appals me?

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most accurately describes Macbeth’s behaviour in the aftermath of the murder?

1. Relieved that he has finally murdered Duncan

2. Excited at the prospect of becoming king
3. Unsure about how to hide the murder weapons
4. Deeply regretful and confused about what to do next

Big Question

How does Macduff react to discovering Duncan’s dead body in A2-S3?

Vocabulary

Horror Murder Trust

Shock Cruelty Regicide
Dismay Mortality Daggers
Panic Anger Violence

Retrieval
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1. Macduff discovers Duncan’s dead body
2. Macduff tells Macbeth and Lennox to view the body
3. Macduff orders the alarm bell to be rung
4. Lady Macbeth pretends to be confused
5. Macduff tells Banquo that Duncan has been murdered
6. Macduff tells Malcolm that Duncan has been murdered

Extract

MACDUFF O horror, horror, horror!

Tongue nor heart cannot conceive, nor name thee!
MACBETH and LENNOX What’s the matter?
MACDUFF Confusion now hath made his masterpiece:
Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope
The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence
The life o’th’building!
MACBETH What is’t you say, the life?
LENNOX Mean you his majesty?
MACDUFF Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight
With a new Gorgon: do not bid me speak:
See, and then speak yourselves.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which adjective most accurately describes how Macduff reacts to discovering Duncan’s dead body?

1. Angry
2. Horrified
3. Surprised
4. Suspicious

Review of Act 2, Scene 1

1. Is the scene set during the day or late at night?

2. What is the name of Banquo’s son?
3. What is a soliloquy?
4. Complete the line: ‘Is this a dagger _______________’
5. What does Macbeth think is dripping from the dagger?
6. At the end of the soliloquy, what is Macbeth planning to do?

Review of Act 2, Scene 2

1. Complete the line: ‘That which hath made them drunk, _______________’
2. How many daggers does Macbeth enter the scene with?
3. What is Macbeth looking at when he says ‘This is a sorry sight’?
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4. Complete the line: ‘A foolish thought, _______________’
5. What does Lady Macbeth tell Macbeth to do with the daggers?
6. Complete the line: ‘My hands are of your colour, _______________’

Review of Act 2, Scene 3

1. What is Macduff’s title?

2. Why has he arrived at Macbeth’s castle?
3. Complete the line: ‘O horror, _______________’
4. What are the names of Duncan’s two sons?
5. Who does Macbeth confess to killing?
6. Why does Lady Macbeth have to be helped off stage?

Big Question

How is the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo presented after the murder of Duncan in A3-S1?

Vocabulary

Distrust Paranoia Betrayal

Suspicion Scheming Plot
Fear Plan Threat
Insecurity Murder Power

Retrieval

1. Banquo suspects Macbeth has murdered Duncan

2. Banquo hopes that his own prophecy might come true
3. Banquo tells Macbeth he will go riding

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4. Macbeth confesses he is worried about Banquo
5. Macbeth orders the murder of Banquo
6. Macbeth tells the Murderers they must kill him soon

Extract

BANQUO Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,

As the weird women promised, and, I fear
Thou play’dst most foully for’t; yet it was said
It should not stand in thy posterity,
But that myself should be the root and father 5
Of many kings. If there come truth from them –
As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine –
Why by the verities on thee made good,
May they not be my oracles as well,
And set me up in hope? But hush, no more. 10
Sennet sounded. Enter MACBETH, as King, LADY MACBETH,
as Queen, LENNOX, ROSS, Lords, Ladies, and Attendants
MACBETH Here’s our chief guest.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most accurately describes the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo after Duncan’s murder?

1. A relationship based on mutual fear and distrust

2. A friendly and good-natured relationship
3. A relationship put under strain by Banquo’s jealousy
4. A relationship unchanged by Duncan’s murder
Big Question

How is Macbeth’s state of mind presented after he sees the ghost of Banquo in A3-S4?

Vocabulary

Feast Celebration Ghost

Reputation Expectation Haunting
Image Loyalty Hallucination
Power Allies Panic

Retrieval

1. Macbeth asks where he should sit

2. Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo for the first time
3. Lady Macbeth encourages the guests to remain calm
4. Lady Macbeth berates Macbeth
5. Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo for the second time

20
6. Lady Macbeth tells the guests to leave

Extract

MACBETH Thou canst not say I did it; never shake 50

Thy gory locks at me!
LADY MACBETH Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often thus,
And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat.
The fit is momentary; upon a thought
He will again be well. If much you note him, 55
You shall offend him and extend his passion.
Feed, and regard him not. [To Macbeth] Are you a man?
MACBETH Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that
Which might appal the devil.
LADY MACBETH O proper stuff! 60
This is the very painting of your fear

Multiple-Choice Question

Which adjectives most accurately describe Macbeth’s reaction to seeing the ghost of Banquo?

1. Shocked and horrified

2. Calm and composed
3. Surprised and irritated
4. Cheerful and amused

Big Question

How does Macbeth react to the failure of the banquet at the end of A3-S4 and what does this reveal?

Vocabulary

Distress Power Murder

Paranoia Control Revenge
Guilt Ambition Delusion
Regret Status Insecurity

Retrieval

1. The Lords and Attendants leave the banquet

2. Macbeth remarks on Macduff’s absence
3. Macbeth reveals that he has a spy in Macduff’s house
4. Macbeth says that he wants to know about his future
5. Lady Macbeth says that Macbeth needs to sleep
6. Macbeth concedes that he has been acting erratically

21
Extract

MACBETH I hear it by the way, but I will send. 130

There’s not a one of them but in his house
I keep a servant feed. I will tomorrow –
And betimes I will – to the weird sisters.
More shall they speak. For now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst; for mine own good, 135
All causes shall give way. I am in blood
Stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o’er.
Strange things I have in head that will to hand,
Which must be acted ere they may be scann’d. 140
LADY MACBETH: You lack the season of all natures, sleep.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most precisely describes Macbeth’s reaction to the failed banquet?

1. Relieved that the guests have left

2. Embarrassed at his erratic behaviour
3. Angry and confused at his insecure status
4. Hopeful that Lady Macbeth will provide guidance

Review of Act 3, Scene 1

1. Where is the scene set?

2. Complete the line: ‘Thou hast it now, _______________’
3. Who are the ‘weird women’?
4. Does Banquo promise to attend the feast?
5. Who does Banquo plan to take hunting with him?
6. How many murderers are there?

Review of Act 3, Scene 4

1. Where is the scene set?

2. What news does the First Murderer give Macbeth?
3. What has happened to Fleance?
4. Complete the line: ‘There the grown serpent lies; _______________’
5. Why does Macbeth think that the table is full?
6. Complete the line: ‘never shake / Thy _______________’

22
Big Question

Why does Macbeth visit the Witches again in A4-S1 and what does he learn?

Vocabulary

Spell Apparition Revenge

Storm Reassurance Isolation
Night Arrogance Desperation
Kingship Insecurity Murder

Retrieval

1. Macbeth encounters the witches

2. The First Apparition speaks
3. The Second Apparition speaks
4. The Third Apparition speaks
5. Macbeth sees the procession of eight kings
6. Macbeth vows to get revenge of Macduff

Extract

MACBETH Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo. Down!

Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs. And thy hair,

23
 Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first;
A third is like the former. Filthy hags!
Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes! 115
What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?
Another yet? A seventh? I'll see no more.
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass
Which shows me many more. And some I see
That two-fold balls and treble sceptres carry: 120
Horrible sight! Now, I see, ‘tis true,
For the blood-bolter’d Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which adjectives most precisely describe Macbeth’s reaction to seeing the procession of kings?

1. Reassured and confident

2. Confused and anxious
3. Dismissive and indifferent
4. Horrified and disturbed
Big Question

How does Macduff react to the news that his family have been murdered in A4-S3?

Vocabulary

Murder Distress Army

Revenge Guilt Attack
Desperation Disbelief Patriotism
Anger Hatred Kingship

Retrieval

1. Maduff asks Ross about the welfare of his family

2. Ross is untruthful and says that they are well
3. Ross finally concedes that Macduff’s family is dead
4. Macduff reacts with anguish and despair
5. Malcolm encourages Macduff to seek revenge
6. Macduff vows to kill Macbeth

Extract

MACDUFF My children too?

ROSS Wife, children, servants, all
That could be found.
MACDUFF And I must be from thence!
24
 My wife kill’d too? 215
ROSS I have said.
MALCOLM Be comforted.
Let’s make us med’cines of our great revenge
To cure this deadly grief.
MACDUFF He has no children. All my pretty ones?
Did you say all? O hell-kite! All?
What, all my pretty chickens and their dam 220
At one fell swoop?

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most precisely describes Macduff’s reaction to the news that his family have been murdered?

1. Initially doubtful, but then angry and vengeful

2. Unemotional and seemingly calm
3. Upset, but not distraught
4. Irritated that Ross initially lied
Big Question

How is Lady Macbeth presented in A5-S1 and how has she changed?

Vocabulary

Light Guilt Fear

Darkness Paranoia Regret
Night Blood Murder
Sleepwalking Stain Power

Retrieval

1. The Gentlewoman reports to the Doctor

2. The Doctor notices Lady Macbeth speak
3. Lady Macbeth sees blood on her hands
4. Lady Macbeth remarks on Duncan and Macduff’s wife
5. Lady Macbeth mentions Banquo
6. The Doctor leaves feeling stunned

Extract

LADY MACBETH Yet here’s a spot.

DOCTOR Hark! she speaks; I will set down what comes from her
to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly. 30
LADY MACBETH Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One, two. Why then ‘tis
time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier,
and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when
25
 none can call our power to account? Yet who would
have thought the old man to have had so much blood in 35
him?
DOCTOR Do you mark that?
LADY MACBETH The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? What,
will these hands ne’er be clean?

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most precisely describes Lady Macbeth’s state of mind?

1. Deeply troubled and regretful

2. Melodramatic and self-indulgent
3. Calm and rational
4. Confused and disorientated

Big Question

How does Macbeth react to the new of Lady Macbeth’s death in A5-S5?

Vocabulary

Death Acceptance Shadow

Isolation Mourning Fate
Loneliness Light Fear
Regret Dark Horror

Retrieval

1. Macbeth suggests he is confident about the battle

2. Seyton informs Macbeth that Lady Macbeth is dead
3. Macbeth sees Lady Macbeth’s death as inevitable
4. Macbeth reflects on the transience of life
5. The Messenger says that Birnam Wood is moving
6. Macbeth vows to fight his enemies

Extract

SEYTON The queen, my lord, is dead.

MACBETH She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time; 20
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle,
26
 Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale 25
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which adjective most precisely describes Macbeth’s reaction to the news of Lady Macbeth’s death?

1. Relieved
2. Cheerful
3. Irritated
4. Melancholic
Big Question

How is the final confrontation between Macbeth and Macduff presented in A5-S8?

Vocabulary

Justice Restoration Murder

Order Throne Butcher
Lineage Crown Fiend
Kingship Punishment Resolution

Retrieval

1. Macbeth declares that he will never surrender

2. Macduff enters and challenges Macbeth
3. Macduff calls Macbeth a villain
4. Macduff says that he ripped from his mother’s womb
5. Macduff calls Macbeth a coward
6. Macbeth and Macduff fight

Extract

MACBETH Why should I play the Roman fool, and die

On mine own sword? Whiles I see lives, the gashes
Do better upon them.
Enter Macduff
MACDUFF Turn, hell-hound, turn.
MACDUFF Of all men else I have avoided thee:
But get thee back, my soul is too much charg’d
With blood of thine already.
MACDUFF I have no words;
My voice is in my sword: thou bloodier villain
27
 Than terms can give thee out.
Fight. Alarum

Multiple-Choice Question

Which statement most precisely describes Macbeth’s portrayal?

1. A coward who is eager to avoid Macduff

2. An archetypal hero
3. A bold and defiant warrior
4. A shameful tyrant who is rightly confronted

Review of Act 4, Scene 1

1. Complete the line: ‘How now, you secret, black, and _______________’
2. What does the first apparition warn Macbeth about?
3. What does the Second Apparition inform Macbeth about?
4. How about the Third Apparition?
5. What disturbing final vision do the Witches show Macbeth?
6. Complete the line: ‘Thou art too like the spirit of _______________’

Review of Act 4, Scene 3

1. Complete the line: ‘Your castle is surpris’d; _______________’

2. Complete the line: ‘Wife, children, servants, all _______________’
3. Complete the line: ‘Did you say all? _______________’
4. What does Malcolm mean when he says ‘let grief / Convert to anger’?
5. What does Malcolm mean when he says ‘Macbeth / Is ripe for shaking’?
6. What do Malcolm and Macbeth pledge to do at the end of the scene?

Review of Act 5, Scene 8

7. Complete the line: ‘Of all men else I have _______________’

8. Why does Macbeth believe he leads a charmed life?
9. Why does Macduff not fear Macbeth?
10. Complete the line: ‘Then yield _______________’
11. Complete the line: ‘I will not yield / To _______________’
12. What does Macbeth do at the end of the scene?

28
Assessment

How does Shakespeare present the attitudes of Macbeth and Banquo towards the supernatural?

29
Source: https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/sample-papers-and-mark-schemes/2018/june/AQA-87021-QP-JUN18.PDF
Quiz Questions

1 Which monarch was on the throne when Macbeth was first performed?

30
 2 What title does Macbeth hold at the beginning of the play?

3 What title does King Duncan reward Macbeth with for fighting so bravely?

4 In which act and scene does Macbeth encounter the witches?

5 What does ‘regicide’ mean?

6 What is the name of Banquo’s son?

7 Which character says, ‘Look, how our partner’s rapt’?

8 Where is Macbeth’s castle located?

9 Which character says, ‘Look like the innocent flower’?

10 In which year is it generally thought the play was first performed?

11 What is name of King Duncan’s eldest son?

12 In which act and scenes does Macbeth ‘see’ a floating dagger?

13 After murdering Duncan, is it true or false that Macbeth returns with the murder weapons?

14 Which character says, ‘This is a sorry sight’?

15 Which character is the first to discover Duncan’s body?

16 To which country does Donalbain flee after he discovers that Duncan has been murdered?

17 In which act and scene does Macbeth ‘see’ Banquo’s ghost?

18 In which year was the Gunpowder Plot?

19 What does ‘hamartia’ mean?

20 What genre is Macbeth (tragedy, history or comedy)?

21 In which act and scene does Macbeth visit the witches for the second time?

22 What title does Macduff hold?

23 Which character says, ‘Thou liest, though shag-hair’d villian’?

24 In which act and scene is Macduff’s wife killed?

25 What is Lady Macbeth referring to when she describes ‘the golden round’?

Quiz Questions

26 Which word from the original Greek means excessive pride or confidence?

31
27 Which character says, ‘Bleed, bleed, poor country!’?

28 Which character informs Macduff that his wife and children have been killed?

29 Which character says, ‘Out, dammed spot! Out I say!’?

30 Which wood do Malcolm and Madduff’s army gather by towards the end of the play?

31 Which castle is Macbeth based in at the end of the play?

32 How many acts does Macbeth have in total?

33 Which character says, ‘What's the boy Malcolm?’?

34 In which act and scene is Macbeth informed that his wife has died?

35 Which character informs Macbeth that his wife has died?

36 Macbeth says, ‘At least we'll die with harness on our back’ – what is he referring to?

37 Which character kills Young Siward in battle?

38 Which character says, ‘Tyrant, show thy face!’?

39 Who is Macbeth referring to when he says, ‘Of all men else I have avoided thee!’?

40 In which act and scene is Macbeth killed?

41 Which character kills Macbeth?

42 Who is Malcolm referring to when he says, ‘dead butcher’?

43 Where will Malcolm eventually be crowned?

44 What is the word that describes the ideals of bravery, military skill, courtesy?

45 What is the word that describes a monologue delivered by a character alone on stage?

46 Who was the monarch before James I?

47 Which characters are collectively called the ‘weird sisters’?

48 What is the name of the dissertation published by James I on necromancy and witchcraft?

49 How many marks are available on the Macbeth section of the exam?

50 Roughly how much time will you get to answer the Macbeth task?

32
33
34
Review of Main Characters

Macbeth
1. Macbeth begins the play as ‘brave’ and ends as a ‘dead butcher’.
2. He believes that Duncan is a good king and has been ‘so clear in his great office’.
3. Macbeth’s ‘vaulting ambition’ leads him to kill Duncan, although he initially says he will ‘proceed no further in this
business’.
4. Lady Macbeth accuses him of being ‘green and pale’ and calls him a ‘coward’ when he expresses doubts.
5. He worries that Duncan’s blood will never wash clean from his hands and that he will ‘sleep no more’.
6. In the aftermath of the murder, Lady Macbeth accuses Macbeth of being ‘infirm of purpose!’
7. With Duncan ‘in his grave’, Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance.
8. Macbeth’s mental fragility is demonstrated when he accuses Banquo’s ghost of shaking ‘thy gory locks’ at him.
9. With the feast disrupted, Lady Macbeth once again accuses him of being ‘unmann’d’.
10. At the end of the play, isolated and deluded, Macbeth vows that he will ‘not be afraid of death and bane’.

Brave Ruthless Ambitious Tyrannical Erratic

Lady Macbeth
1. Lady Macbeth is ambitious and intelligent, but at the end of the play she is described as a ‘fiend-like queen’.
2. She believes her husband is equally ambitious, but also ‘too full o’ the milk of human kindness’ (i.e. not ruthless enough).
3. Lady Macbeth evokes the power of evil spirtis to ‘unsex’ her and fill her ‘top-full of direst cruelty!’
4. She is the architect of the plan to murder Duncan; she tells Macbeth to ‘leave all the rest to me’.
5. In the aftermath of the murder, Lady Macbeth is decisive and domineering; she orders Macbeth to ‘give me the daggers’.
6. She scolds Macbeth for his weakness by saying that it is ‘a foolish thought to say a sorry sight’.
7. When Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo, Lady Macbeth attempts to calm the situation by asking the ‘worthy’ thanes to ‘sit’.
8. Towards the end of the play, Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and ‘rubs her hands’.
9. She sees spots of Duncan’s blood on her hands and says that ‘all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand’.
10. The doctor eventually reports to Macbeth that Lady Macbeth is ‘troubled with thick coming fancies’.

Intelligent Charming Manipulative Domineering Cruel

Macduff
1. Macduff arrives to wake the Duncan the morning after the murder takes place; he was commanded ‘to call timely on him’.
2. Macduff dutifuly describes Duncan as ‘royal’, his ‘master’ and his ‘king’.
3. Upon discovering Duncan’s dead body, he loudly exclaims ‘O horror! horror! horror!’ in anguished confusion.
4. Maduff’s loss of control contrasts to Macbeth’s hyperbole; Macbeth eulogises Duncan’s ‘silver skin’ and ‘golden blood’.
5. Macbeth furiously notes Macduff’s absence at the feast, remarking that he ‘denies his person at our great bidding’.
6. The witches warn Macbeth to ‘beware Macduff’, but he is confident that ‘none of woman born shall harm’ him.
7. Macbeth hires murderers to kill Macduff’s wife and family; the first murderer calls Macduff a ‘traitor’.
8. Before being slaughtered, Macduff’s son calls the first murderer a ‘liar’ and ‘shag-hair’d villain!’
9. Meanwhile, in England, Macduff bemoans Macbeth’s ‘great tyranny’ and calls him a ‘hell-kite’ for slaughtering his family.
10. In the final stages of the play, Macduff demands that Macbeth ‘show thy face!’ before killing him’.

Principled Dutiful Honest Intelligent Vengeful

35
Review of Key Images

Night and Darkness

 Macbeth pleads for darkness – ‘Stars, hide your fires’ (Iiv)
 Duncan arrives at Inverness at night – ‘The king comes here tonight’ (Iv)
 Lady Macbeth evokes the darkness – ‘Come, thick night’ (Iv)
 Macbeth attempts to gain Banquo’s support at night – ‘The moon is down’ (IIi)
 Duncan is murdered at night – ‘Nature seems dead’ (IIi)
 The night of Duncan’s murder is unnaturally stormy – ‘The night has been unruly’ (IIiii)
 Darkness falls after Duncan is murdered – ‘dark strangles the travelling lamp’ (IIiv)
 Banquo is murdered as night is falling – ‘A light, a light’ (IIIiii)
 Witches are associated with night – ‘midnight hags’ (IVi)

Gloomy Daylight
 The battlefield is stormy – ‘thunder and lightning’ (Ii)
 The witches meet on a blasted heath – ‘fog and filthy air’ (Ii)
 Macbeth and Banquo remark on the bad weather – ‘So foul and fair a day’ (Iiii)
 Banquo thinks about the fading of the light – ‘a borrower of the night’ (IIIi)

Light
 Lady Macbeth keep a light beside her – ‘She has light by her continually’ (Vi)

Notes

 Darkness is associated with evil deeds and deceit

 By contrast, light is linked with justice and truth
 Darkness is replaced by light at the end of the play (the scenes in England take place in daylight)

Review of Key Images

36
Blood
 Macbeth’s sword is stained with blood – ‘smok’d with bloody execution’ (Iii)

 Macbeth and Banquo are covered in blood – ‘bathe in reeking wounds’ (Iii)

 The Sergeant is badly injured – ‘gashes cry for help’ (Iii)

 The Second Witch has been slaughtering pigs – ‘Killing swine’ (Iiii)

 Macbeth’s dagger drips with blood – ‘gouts of blood’ (Iii)

 Macbeth believes he will never be able to clean Duncan’s blood from his hands – ‘Neptune’s ocean’ (IIii)

 Macbeth becomes increasingly murderous – ‘blood will have blood’ (IIIiv)

 The Second Apparition advises Macbeth to continue fighting – ‘bloody, bold, and resolute’ (Iiv)

 Malcolm says that Scotland bleeds – ‘her wounds’ (IViii)

 Macduff bemoans the state of Scotland – ‘Bleed, bleed, poor country’ (IViii)

 Lady Macbeth sees blood on her hands – ‘damned spot’ (Vi)

 Lady Macbeth recalls the blood from Duncan’s murder – ‘so much blood in him’ (Vi)

 Macbeth’s severed head is presented to Malcolm – ‘Th’usurper’s cursed head’ (Vix)3

Notes
• Blood is a brutal reminder of death
• Blood is associated with guilt

Review of Key Images

Sleep

37
 The First Witch curses the captain of the Tiger – ‘Sleep shall neither night nor day’ (Iiii)

 Macbeth fears that he will never sleep again – ‘Macbeth does murder sleep’ (Iii)

 Lennox has a disturbed sleep on the night of Duncan’s murder – ‘strange screams of death’ (IIiii)

 Lady Macbeth sleepwalks – ‘Look how she rubs her hands’ (Vi)

Notes
• Disturbed sleep is form of retribution
• Disturbed sleep is linked with evil deeds and feelings of guilt

Review of Key Images

Children
 Lady Macbeth invokes evil spirits – ‘Take my milk for gall’ (Iv)

 Lady Macbeth worries that Macbeth is not ruthless enough – ‘too full o’th’milk of human kindness’ (Iv)
38
 Macbeth likens the emotion of pity to a vulnerable baby – ‘Pity, like a naked newborn babe’ (Ivii)

 Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to murder Duncan – ‘pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums’ (Ivii)

 Lady Macbeth sleepwalks – ‘Look how she rubs her hands’ (Vi)

 The Second Apparition is a bloody child – ‘a bloody child’ (IVi)

 Macbeth murders Macduff’s children – ‘all my pretty chickens’ (IViii)

Notes
• Children symbolise pity and vulnerability
• Children are connected to maternal instincts
• Milk symbolises tenderness, compassion and sympathy

Multiple-Choice Questions

Which adjective best describes Macbeth in A1-S2?

Fearful Confident Merciful Violent Brave

Which adjective best describes Macbeth’s initial reaction to the news that he will be made Thane of Cawdor?

39
 Excited Insecure Confused Grateful Disappointed

Lady Macbeth says of her husband that he is, ‘too full o’th’milk of human kindness’ – what does she mean?

Macbeth is a too cowardly to kill Duncan Macbeth is too compassionate to kill Duncan

What does Macbeth’s hallucination in A2-S1 reveal?

He is looking forward to killing

He is going mad He feels under pressure
Duncan

Which adjective best describes Macbeth at the beginning of A2-S2?

Arrogant Proud Insecure Relieved Remorseful

Which adjective best describes Macbeth at the end of A3-S4?

Loyal Ruthless Powerful Confident

Macbeth sees a ‘show of eight kings’ in A4S1 and says, ‘Horrible sight!’ – what does he mean?

He means that the apparitions are grotesque He means the thought of losing his power is disturbing

Why does Macbeth arrange of have Macduff’s wife and children murdered?

He wants to get revenge He wants to set a trap for Macduff He wants to demonstrate his power

Which adjective best describes Macbeth’s reaction to the news that his wife has died?

Annoyed Regretful Relieved Fatalistic Distraught

At the end of the play, Malcolm describes Macbeth as a ‘dead butcher’ – what does he mean?

Macbeth is brutal Macbeth is skilful Macbeth is clumsy Macbeth is a hero

Review of Big Questions

1. How does Shakespeare create a foreboding atmosphere in A1-S1?

2. How does Shakespeare present Macbeth as a formidable warrior in A1-S2?
3. What prophecies do the Witches make about Macbeth and Banquo in A1-S3?
4. How do Macbeth and Banquo react to the prophecies and how do their reactions differ in A1-S3?
5. To what extent is Lady Macbeth presented as an ambitious and assertive character in A1-S5?

40
6. Why does Macbeth feel so conflicted about murdering Duncan in A1-S7?
7. What does Macbeth’s soliloquy reveal about his state of mind in A2-S1?
8. What does Macbeth’s behaviour in the aftermath of the murder reveal in A2-S2?
9. How does Macduff react to discovering Duncan’s dead body in A2-S3?
10. How is the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo presented after the murder of Duncan in A3-S1?
11. How is Macbeth’s state of mind presented after he sees the ghost of Banquo in A3-S4?
12. How does Macbeth react to the failure of the banquet at the end of A3-S4 and what does this reveal?
13. Why does Macbeth visit the Witches again in A4-S1 and what does he learn?
14. How does Macduff react to the news that his family have been murdered in A4-S3?
15. How is Lady Macbeth presented in A5-S1 and how has she changed?
16. How does Macbeth react to the new of Lady Macbeth’s death in A5-S5?
17. How is the final confrontation between Macbeth and Macduff presented in A5-S8??

41