Macbeth Act 1
SCENE 1
1. What atmosphere is established in this scene?
Scary and bad and dark and rainy
2. What purpose does this scene serve?
Something bad is going to happen in the future
3. Explain the concluding heroic couplet?
Fair and foul are important throughout the story. it shows that somehow Macbeth and the witches are connected. Something good and bad could be happening at the same time SCENE 2
1. Why is King Duncan so pleased with Macbeth?
Because he has won victory after victory
2. What does the Captain tell them about Macbeth, Banquo and the battle he was just in?
He tells them they both should be honored and also to kill the Thane of Cawdor
3. Who is “the Norweyan lord”?
He is Sweno
4. What news does Ross bring the
…show more content…
Explain Banquo’s lines:
What, can the devil speak true? (112)
These lines mean the outcome will be involved with the devil. He’s asking if the devil speaks the truth because sometimes he wins and the darkness tells the truth.
Comparing the witches to the devil
. . . oftentimes, to win us to our harm, (135-6)
The instruments of darkness tell us truths.
10. Paraphrase Macbeth’s short soliloquy.
More of an aside
Line 127 it starts
Imperial thane- it’s going to come true that he is going to be king
It cannot be bad or good if it’s good why is he thinking about killing his own king
11. Banquo comments to Ross and Angus that Macbeth seems lost in thought and distracted by his “new honors.” How is Macbeth’s response to Banquo significant?
The power will get to his head and he will make the wrong decisions
12. Does Macbeth heed his warning? Why, or why not?
No Macbeth doesn’t take notice his warning and he thinks everyone is going to be easy and he can handle it
Heed means like follow or listen too
Doesn’t follow warning
Macbeth goes back and forth a lot
Macbeth says to Banquo that they are going to talk about it later
SCENE IV
1.Why did the Thane of Cawdor die a noble death?
Because he confessed before he died and was forgiven
2.Explain the King’s lines: “There’s no art /To find the mind’s construction in the face.”
The king couldn’t tell that the thane of Cawdor was a trader therefore he doesn’t have good judge of character
3.How does Macbeth answer
(“fair” versus “foul”). Paraphrase what Duncan says about his relationship with the now-deceased Thane of Cawdor.
Macbeth's solution of killing his current problem finalizes his actions of immorality as well as his foil found in Banquo. Even after his death, Banquo is able to keep his integrity and use it to punish, or even remind, Macbeth of his moral supremacy. Banquo returns, as a ?horrible shadow,? to haunt Macbeth at a feast and successfully does so to the point of 'unreal mock'ry' (III.iv), certainly driving Macbeth?s darkness into a phase of decay, leading to further irrationality. This continued irrationality is the cause of yet another stockpile of dead bodies, revealing Macbeth?s inability to cope in his dark
22. What does Macduff reveal to Macbeth that suddenly makes Macbeth lose his sense of security?
The fact that the witches can affect Macbeth so easily shows what a weak character he has. The first predictions have such a strong influence on Macbeth that he sends his wife, Lady Macbeth, a letter asking her advice on how to respond to the witches' words, showing again the weakness of his character.
On the night MACBETH brutally kills the King of Scotland, Banquo fearful of his own 'cursed thoughts' observes that:
In William Shakespeare’s play ‘Macbeth,' he shows us a world without compassion and mercy. Macbeth is a story about a Scottish army general who is visited by three witches after winning a paramount battle in a war against the Netherlands and England. The witches had given him , and a dear friend of his, Scottish general Banquo a prophecy stating Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland and the told Banquo his Son’s would become Kings but not him. This prophecy can be seen as a catalyst to the lack of compassion and mercy portrayed in the world of Macbeth. Examples of such instances and behaviors are throughout the book.
Audience becomes aware of Macbeth’s corruption when he plans to kill his ‘friend’, Banquo. He describes him as “dispatched” (3.4.15), and later as “safe” (3.4.25). This positions the audience to feel as though Macbeth is somewhat desperate to convince himself that he has acted appropriately despite using corrupt power. Using this stylistic device of language further demonstrates that Macbeth has now been corrupted to the extent that he longer feels compassion for his former companions. This ultimately establishes the representation that Macbeth’s illegitimate power has directly resulted in his destructive nature.
Act 2, Scene 2, takes place in the home of Macbeth as a result to the
This speech portrays Banquo’s new found reluctance towards the witch’s forecast of the future. He now sees what Macbeth is blind too, the possibility of knowledge becoming more harmful to the men rather than helpful in Macbeth’s want for more, particularly pertaining to him becoming King. As Macbeth begins to weigh the prophecy against logic and the now present, he accepts the fact that if “two truths are told, as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme.” Macbeth is now beginning to assume that if portions of the prophecy are being fulfilled as the witch’s had said, it is only a matter of time before he shall become king. As Macbeth continues to be engulfed by what will be his future downfall, he assumes that all of his new found
such a crime. I now feel doubt, I hold no real trust any one. I cannot
Shakespeare’s characters are predisposed to problems within such as “so foul and fair a day I have not seen” Act 1, scene 3 line 38 this is showing the influence on Macbeth the witches make even before they meet him. “A sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion” this tells us that Macbeth is born to rule to be at the top of the hierarchy and that he won’t let anything stop him making the audience wonder if he would commit crimes to get what he feels is rightfully his.
After killing King Duncan , Macbeth is starting to realize what it is that he has done, and becomes suspicious and paranoid of everyone around him by puting spy's in every castle and killing those who are any treat to him what so ever. Banquo is the only other person who knows of the meeting with the witches and he would assume that it was Macbeth who killed the King. The witches also said that Banquo would beget kings but he himself would never be king after Macbeth, and so Macbeth decides that Banquo is a threat to him. To get rid of the treat with banquo he decides to kill him and his son Fleance.
After Macbeth and Banquo receive prophecies, the foil characters start to diverge as Banquo’s takes the moral path of goodness while Macbeth takes the immoral path towards his ultimate decline. Banquo and Macbeth have the opportunity to pursue the same path, but because of his unchecked ambition, Macbeth deviates from Banquo's path of good morals. Immediately after the witches tell their prophecies, Banquo’s mindset is wary and rational. He warns Macbeth that, “oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / the instruments of darkness tell us truths...” (1.3.125-126). Banquo is not obsessed with the prophecies and the idea that one day his ancestors will be kings. On the other hand, Macbeth speculates, “Two truths are told, / as happy prologues to the swelling act / of the imperial theme.” (1.3.130-132) Because two of the three prophecies have come true, Macbeth is blinded by his ambition and seems to fantasize about the idea of being king. These contrasting reactions show that Macbeth takes a
Thane of Cawdor to me promise no less to them' (act 1, scene 3, page
In this play different types of irony help in the development of characters, and as a result convey the themes of the play. First, Macbeth invites Banquo to his feast, ?Fail not our feast,? says Macbeth, ?My lord I will not,? replies Banquo ( ,