“And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths” (123-124). Paraphrase the meaning of Banquo’s statement.
Witches want to gain their trust
How does Macbeth convince the “murderers” to agree to kill Banquo? What important instructions does he give them?
Wants them to be killed far away to avoid suspicion
How is Macbeth characterized in the Sergeant’s initial description of him? (16-23)
Brave and ruthless
What are the main arguments Lady Macbeth uses to try to convince her husband to commit the murder? At what point do we see that she has succeeded?
Calls him a coward, accuses him of being unreliable –> she can’t trust his love if he changes his mind so quickly
She succeeds when Macbeth asks what if they get fail
In what way does Macbeth’s final fate bring the story “full circle”? (How are the beginning and ending of the story symmetrical?)
In the beginning he beheads Macdonwald for being a traitor, now he is the traitor that has been beheaded
Explain what the following lines reveal about Lady Macbeth’s character:
“Hark! Peace! / It was the owl that shrieked” (2-3).
“Had he not resembled / My father as he slept, I had done it” (13-14).
She is startled and paranoid
She didn’t kill Duncan because he reminded her of her father
What is verse
“Poetic” writing
Lines of deliberate length/structure
Eg. poetry, songs, theatre
What do Malcolm and Donalbain plan to do, and why? (140-144)
Malcolm will flee to England, and Donalbain will go to Ireland
They are worried they are next
What does Macduff reveal about himself, and how does Macbeth react? (13-22)
He was delivered by C-section; therefore, he was not technically born of a woman
Macbeth realizes that he has been tricked by the witches
What is trochaic rhythm
1 stressed syllable + 1 unstressed syllable
DA-da
eg. HAN-dle
How does Lady Macbeth’s attitude towards her bloody hands compare to Macbeth’s? (67-68)
Macbeth feels extremely guilty, but Lady Macbeth feels no remorse
What is iambic rhythm
1 unstressed syllable + 1 stressed syllable
da-DA
eg. to-DAY
What attitude does Macduff seem to have towards Macbeth? Why does he decide not to attend the coronation?
Macbeth might not be fit to be king
Keeping an eye on Macbeth
“Out, damned spot!” (38) What “spot” is Lady Macbeth alluding to? What is significant and ironic about this?
She sees blood on her hands; represents her guilt; ironic because she initally felt no guilt
“Bear-like I must fight the course” (2). What analogy is Macbeth using to describe his situation, and what is his intention?
He is the bear, an allusion to bear baiting
He intends to fight it out, but views himself as the victim
“I have done no harm. But I remember now / I am in this earthly world, where to do harm / Is often laudable, to do good sometime / Accounted dangerous folly.”
Explain the meaning and significance of Lady Macduff’s words. What attitude towards good deeds is being expressed?
Doing harm is applauded, to do good is punished (fair is foul)
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow…”
Carefully read Macbeth’s monologue in lines 19-28.
What overall attitude towards life does this speech express?
What poetic and figurative devices does Shakespeare use to emphasize the speech’s ideas?
Life is meaningless - nihilism
Uses apostrophe, personification, metaphor, and repetition
Relatable because sometimes everybody has those feelings
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (11).
What are some possible meanings of this paradox?
Good things can be bad, and bad things can be good
What is prose
“Normal” writing
Eg. sentences, paragraphs, newspapers, books, textbooks, etc.
“Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck” (45). Why doesn’t Macbeth tell Lady Macbeth about his plan? In what way are the two characters changing or switching roles?
Initially, Lady Macbeth was confident and ruthless, while Macbeth was questioning and uncertain; now the roles are swapped
What is Macbeth written in?
Iambic pentameter
Characteristic of Tragedy
Serious (rather than comical)
Ends unhappily, usually with the protagonist’s death
The suffering of the characters is intended to ‘purge’ the audience of negative emotions, leading to catharsis (a sense of relief / renewal)
Although the protagonist dies, the story may end with hope for a brighter future:
The corrupt or suffering characters have died, and the survivors may now live on in peace
“False face must hide what the false heart doth know” (82). Explain the meaning of this final line.
Look innocent, face hides his feelings
In his heart, he knows it is wrong
“I fear / Thou play’dst most foully for it” (2-3). What worries Banquo and why? What is his current attitude towards the prophecies?
How does this line relate to the theme that “fair is foul”?
Suspicious of Macbeth; attitude is that Banquo’s prophecies may come true
He did something evil to gain a reward
