Act 1 Scene 2

Question 1

overview of act I scene ii

Answer 1

king duncan hears good news of the battle: banquo and macbeth have fought valiantly against his enemies, and the king rewards macbeth with a new title

Question 2

finish the quote: ‘brave..

Answer 2

…Macbeth’

Question 3

‘brave Macbeth’

Answer 3

• our first impression of him

Question 4

finish the quote: ‘smok’d with..

Answer 4

…bloody execution’

Question 5

‘smok’d with bloody execution’

Answer 5

• he is a skilful murderer
• ‘bloody’ - violent mood

Question 6

finish the quote: ‘like Valour’s…

Answer 6

..minion’

Question 7

finish the quote: ‘unseam’d him..

Answer 7

..from the nave to th’ chaps’

Question 8

‘unseam’d him from the nave to th’chaps’

Answer 8

• merciless and ruthless killer
• at the start of the play, macbeth is celebrated for his bloodthirsty nature- he cut the traitor macdonald from the nave to the chaps
• its ironic - this violence eventually leads him to his downfall

Question 9

finish the quote: ‘fix’d his head…

Answer 9

…upon our battlements’

Question 10

‘fix’d his head upon our battlements’

Answer 10

• play is cyclical
• trophy and a warning

Question 11

finish the quote: ‘o valiant…

Answer 11

…cousin, worthy gentleman’

Question 12

‘o valiant cousin, worthy gentleman’

Answer 12

• at the beginning, macbeth is universally loved
• duncan’s reaction is not of horror, but of admiration
• world of masculinity, violence and honour
• to be considered a good man, you would have to prove yourself in battle
• duncan is appreciative and respectful - he calls him cousin

Question 13

‘worthy’

Answer 13

• witches have just told the audience that ‘fair is foul’
• this suggests that ‘worthy’ macbeth may not be as good as the other characters believe
• audience hasn’t seen macbeth yet - their view on him is based on what others say

Question 14

what is our first impression of macbeth?

Answer 14

he is a great warrior, a heroic character who is fierce and valiant on the battlefield

Question 15

finish the quote: ‘as sparrows, eagles…

Answer 15

…or hare, the lion’

Question 16

‘as sparrows eagles, or hare the lion’

Answer 16

• macbeth at the top of the food chain
• didn’t ever feel threatened or afraid
• sarcastic - macbeth is more of a predator than prey
• macbeth has far more value than soldiers -> stands above the rest

Question 17

finish the quote: ‘as cannons over-charg’d..

Answer 17

..with double cracks’

Question 18

‘as cannons over-charg’d with double cracks’

Answer 18

• macbeth has far more value than soldiers
• stands above the rest
• gives audience a sense of macbeth’s explosive, violent behaviour
• he himself is a powerful weapon capable of killing
• alliterative strong ‘c’ - mimics dynamic movement of macbeth through the battlefield

Question 19

finish the quote: ‘the thane..

Answer 19

..of cawdor’

Question 20

‘the thane of cawdor’

Answer 20

• going to be hung
• title given to macbeth
• he recieves the name of a traitor

Question 21

finish the quote: ‘what he hath lost…

Answer 21

…noble macbeth hath won’

Question 22

‘what he hath lost, noble macbeth hath won’

Answer 22

• stripped of his title
• bestowed on macbeth as a result of his bravery and loyalty
• interesting paradox

Question 23

how does this scene begin and end?

Answer 23

• with duncan
• structural decision
• presents duncan as authoritative and in charge
• he is the only one who asks questions

Question 24

symbol of blood

Answer 24

• blood symbolises death
• foreshadows macbeth’s eventual demise
• symbol of lineage/bloodline