Macbeth Key Questions Flashcards
(36 cards)
List 3 examples of Macbeth’s:
- Skill “B Macbeth”
- Loyalty “The l and s I owe to”
- Weakness “I s thee s” and “Why c may crown me”
- Skill - “Brave Macbeth”, “Hare, the lion.”, “The victory fell on us.” “Noble Macbeth hath won.”
Loyalty - “the loyalty and service I owe to.”
Weakness - “I see thee still.” About the dagger
His ambition is his weakness
“Why chance may crown me.”
“We have scorched the snake, not tamed it.” - He wants nore for his security to be King
How would you compare the character of Macbeth to Macduff, towards the end of the play?
Macbeth is a t…
- Macduff has honour because he decides to kill Macbeth’s hired soldiers. Macbeth is considered a ‘tyrant’ as he kills everybody he sees.
What approach would you take to an essay question titled: How does Shakespeare explore the weakness of Macbeth?
“Like the poor c …” “We f ?”
“Why c may crown me”
“C of M I will surprise”
- Weakness of Macbeth - I could talk about how Lady Macbeth is his weakness previously questioning his manhood. Mocking him - “Like the poor cat i’th’adage.” Fully convinces him “we fail?”
His ambition is his weakness, “why chance may crown me.” Thinks of doing regicide. He has an epithet of being a tyrant as he becomes ruthless “castle of Macduff I will surprise.”
Look at Macbeth’s dagger
soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 2, what evidence can you find to suggest uncertainty?
“A..” (God)
“Macbeth doth m s”
- Uses a series of rhetorical questions. He can’t say ‘amen’ as he dirsupted the great chain of being.
“Macbeth doth murders sleep,” he has destroyed the natural things of life.
Elaborate on the reasons why Shakespeare chose a nobleman for the witches to destroy.
- Shows how no one is perfect as he has used this as a tragedy. From power to nothing
To what extent do you agree that Macbeth is a casualty of the witches’ prophecies?
- It was fate on how he met the witches in the first place. However, his ambition was what lead to all of this due to the free will he was give. He could have dismissed this but he decided not to.
Describe Lady Macbeth using 3 adjectives, providing an example from the text for each one.
“Come thee s”
I would d the b” of her own child
“Art thou a”
- Supernatural - ‘come thee spirits’
Strong woman - ‘I would dash’d the brains’ of her own child
Courageous - “Art thou afeard.”
Explain what is happening to Lady Macbeth in Act 5 Scene 1, using the terms ‘spiral’ ‘victim’ and ‘regret’
- She carries a ‘candle’ which symbolises the light and absolution for her crimes as she is full of regret for the murders .
How would you use the quotation ‘Out damn spot! Out I say!’ to answer a question about Lady Macbeth’s weakness?
- “Out damned sport, out I say,” Used to symbolise the blood on her hands as they are involved with the murders. Regret
Analyse the following quotation for meaning: ‘Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash’d the brains out’
- This shows how she is a strong woman and is ambitious for Macbeth to be King. He would even kill her child to become a monarch. She is a strong woman who is emotionless
Elaborate on the reasons why Lady Macbeth must die at the end of play.
She had to die at the end pf the play as a woman cannot be victorious in a play in the audience back then. Also, she disrupted the great chain of being which needs to be restored later.
To what extent do you believe that Lady Macbeth was never a strong woman to begin with?
“Art thou a”
“D the b out” of her own child”
I strongly disagree that Lady Macbeth was never a strong woman. She managed to persuade Macbeth to kill Duncan questioning his courage ‘art thou afeard?” She would do anything to begin with ‘dash’d the brains out’ of her own child. She has mascuiline qualities of emotionless
List all 6 of the witches’ prophecies, throughout the play.
- Prophecies: - Mabeth will be thane of cawdor
- Macbeth will be King
- The trees will move on the hill of Macbeth’s kingdom
- Macbeth will not be killed by a man with nornal birth
What can you say about the witches’ appearance in the play?
They usually come out in the dark with thunder and lightning (pathetic fallacy). This is due to Shakespeare ensuring the audience of their supernatural ability
Find 3 examples from the play to suggest that Shakespeare was mocking witches and the art of Witchcraft.
“W women”
“U beings”
“Weird women,” “unearthly beings,”
Look at Act 1 Scene 1, what evidence can you find to suggest Shakespeare was being very stereotypical was his portrayal of the witches?
Thunder and lightning to show their evilness as dark can symbolise the Devil
They speak in rhyme to show their supernatural ability
What could Shakespeare have done to minimise the blame most readers put on the witches, for the downfall of Macbeth?
. Show Macbeth murdering the other people, limit the focus of the witches and more thoughts in his head
To what extent do you agree that the witches were to blame for the downfall of a great man?
. I somewhat agree that the witches were to blame for the down. However, it was Macbeth’s overall choice.
Identify 3 points in the play where Banquo’s behaviour and/or reaction juxtaposes Macbeth’s.
“The h is your own”
I shall be c”
- He is sincere with Duncan “the harvest is your own,” whilst Macbeth is dupliticious.
- He does not get involved with Macbeth. He is loyal and trustworthy “I shall be counsel’d
What was Shakespeare’s main reason for including Banquo’s ghost in Act 3?
He uses Banquo in act 3 scene 3 to show how Macbeth is paranoid and fearful at this moment. He does this by showing Banquo as a ghost.
What approach would you take to an exam question titled: How does Shakespeare portray the character of Banquo?
“The h is your own”
“I shall be c”
Banquo is shown to be loyal and trustworthy. “The havest is your own.”
Stands by Macbeth “I shall be coun’seled
Analyse Banquo’s dying words for meaning:
‘Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Thou may’st revenge – O slave!’
Banquo uses the imagery of a bird to Fleance to be safe as birds ‘fly’ to be safe. He must fly in order to be safe, “revenge” as he must take down Macbeth
How would the fate of Macbeth have been different if Banquo wasn’t murdered?
“May they not be my o as well, and set me up in h”
Macbeth could have lived longer as Banquo thought that him being King would have benefited him. “May they not be my oracles as well, and set me up in home.” He would not intervene
Banquo was a good man who was betrayed simply by ambition. To what extent do you agree?
“The h is your own”
I strongly agree that Banquo was a good man who was betrayed simply ambition. He was a good man as he was genuine “the harvest is your own.” He supported Macbeth and was loyal. Did not get involved in the murders.
