Macbeth Study Questions



Macbeth Act III Questions

Scene One

1) In what two ways does Banquo’s speech show that Banquo is a threat to Macbeth?

2) What does Macbeth request of Banquo?

3) What will Banquo and Fleance be doing until the banquet?

4) What does Macbeth reveal about Malcolm and Donalbain?

Read Macbeth's soliloquy :

"To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus-"

5) Paraphrase the soliloquy.

6) What does Macbeth assume Banquo’s prophecy means? (think about the meaning of “fruitless crown” & “barren scepter”)

7) How does Macbeth convince the murderers to want to kill Banquo?

8) Why is it interesting that Macbeth employs professional cut-throats to kill Banquo?

Scene Two

9) What kinds of things does Lady Macbeth spend the majority of this scene reiterating to Macbeth? What developing theme does this support?

10) In what ways has Macbeth changed since the murder? How is the way he handles Banquo’s death regarding Lady Macbeth different than how he handled Duncan’s death?

11) In many ways the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have been reversed. Show how their relationship has altered. What does this alteration mean to their relationship?

Scene Three

12) Summarize this scene.

13) What is significant about the purpose of the third murderer? (Why did Macbeth send a third one?)

14) What goes right in this scene? What goes wrong?

15) What are Banquo’s last words and how does this affect the plot of the play?

Scene Four

16) What is Macbeth’s reaction to the murderers’ news?

17) Why is Macbeth confused by the invitation to sit down? What do we realize as an audience after reading others’ reactions to his words?

18) How does Lady Macbeth respond to his "fit"?

19) Once again there is a shift in their relationship. Explain this shift.

20) How does Lady Macbeth end the evening? Why?

21) Why do you think Macbeth decides to visit the witches again?

22) Examine the following lines & explain their meaning:

For my own good

All causes shall give way. I am in blood

Stepped 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 scanned.

Scene Five

Read Hecate's speech closely. She is the Queen of witches.

23) Why is she angry with the other three witches?

24) What does she suggest about the witches' plans for Macbeth?

25) In many productions of the play, this scene is left out.

What effect does leaving the scene out have on our understanding of the role of the witches in determining Macbeth's actions?

Scene Six.

Scene six provides us with an insight into Macbeth's reign and the way in which he is viewed by the Thanes.

26) What do we learn of Malcolm?

27) What do we learn of Macduff? What is Macduff’s plan?

28) What does Lennox reveal about the public’s opinions of Macbeth?

Synthesis:

Complete the figurative language chart in your own notes. It is presented in order.

|Ex. Figurative Language / line |Type of figurative language |Explanation/ paraphrase of |Analysis: What does the |

|#s | |figurative language |figurative language mean? |

|We have scorched the snake, not | | | |

|killed it: She’ll close and be | | | |

|herself, whilst our poor malice | | | |

|remains in danger of her former | | | |

|tooth (sc. Ii, 13-15) | | | |

| |Metaphor |Macbeth’s fear of getting caught| |

| | |is poisoning his thoughts. | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

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| | | | |

|Come, seeling night, scarf up | | | |

|the tender eye of pitiful day | | | |

|and with thy bloody and | | | |

|invisible hand cancel and tear | | | |

|to pieces that great bond which | | | |

|makes me pale (sc. ii 46-50) | | | |

| |Simile |Macbeth felt like he had almost | |

| | |gotten away with it, was almost | |

| | |home-free, but because Fleance | |

| | |isn’t dead, he is afraid and | |

| | |doubtful. | |

| | | | |

|There the grown serpent lies; | | | |

|the worm that’s fled hath nature| | | |

|that in time will venom breed, | | | |

|no teeth for the present (sc. iv| | | |

|30-33) | | | |

|What man dare, I dare. Approach| | | |

|thou like a rugged Russian bear,| | | |

|the armed rhinoceros, or the | | | |

|Hyrcan tiger (sc. iv 100-103) | | | |

| |Metaphor |Macbeth tells his wife that if | |

| | |he appears scared, then he would| |

| | |be like a little girl. | |

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|Can such things be, and overcome| | | |

|us like a summer’s cloud (sc. | | | |

|iv, 112-114) | | | |

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|Stones have been known to move | | | |

|and trees to speak (sc. iv 124) | | | |

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