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CONTECTS:
Macbeth
Assignment
NAME:
………………………………………………………..
CLASS: ………………….. This assignment is meant to help you understand the plot and relationships between characters in Macbeth. You may base your answers on our viewing of the play, the written summary in your Resource Book, and the text itself. The scenes are given as a reference only. Answer the questions in full sentences only where necessary. ACT I1. What do the witches predict for Macbeth? (2) 2. What do the witches predict for Banquo? (2) 3. Who does Duncan name as his heir? Scene iv (1) 4. Why does this annoy Macbeth? Scene iv (2) 5. How does Lady Macbeth hear about the witches? Scene v (1) 6. What is Lady Macbeth’s reaction to the witches’ predictions? Scene v (2) 7. Name 2 things that persuade Macbeth to carry out his murder of Duncan? Scene vii (2) Act II8. What is Macbeth’s reaction to his deed after he has killed Duncan?Scene ii (2) 9. Why does Macbeth kill Duncan’s guards? Scene iii (2) 10. Why do Malcolm and Donalbain decide to run away? Scene iii (1) 11. What is Macduff’ s attitude to Macbeth’s coronation? Scene iv (1) Act III12. Why does Macbeth plan to kill his former friend, Banquo? Scene ii (2) 13. Does Lady Macbeth approve of the plan to kill Banquo? Why? Scene ii (1) 14. Do the rest of the guests see Banquo’s ghost appear? Scene iv (1) 15. What is so significant for Macbeth about the appearance Banquo’s ghost? (2) 16. Who is Hecate? Scene v (1) 17. Why does Hecate scold the witches? Scene v (2) Act IV18.
What further reassurances do the witches give Macbeth? Scene i
(2) 19. Why is Macbeth’s revenge on Macduff’s castle both pointless and counter-productive? (2) 20. Which two Scottish Thanes join Malcolm by the end of this act? Scene iii (2) Act V21.
Who has the doctor come to treat?
Scene I
(1) 22. What does he diagnose the problem as? Scene iii (2) 23. How does Macbeth react to the defections by his Thanes? Scene iii (1) 24. How does the first reassurance of the witches come true? Scene vi (1) 25. How does Macduff fit the second reassurance of the witches? Scene viii (1) 26. Who is crowned King after Macbeth? Scene viii (1) (Total: 40)
Worksheet 1: Contemplating our own mortality Class: _________ Macbeth, beseiged by his enemies, has just been told of his wife’s death (probably suicide) (Act V, scene v) Macbeth: Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and
tomorrow Creeps in
this petty pace from day to day
20 To the last
syllable of recorded time; And all our
yesterdays have lighted fools The way to
dusty death. Out, out, brief
candle, Life’s but
a walking shadow, a poor player That struts
and frets his hour upon the stage
25 And then is
heard no more. It is a tale Told by an
idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying
nothing. 1. According to Macbeth, what organises and measures our time? (1) (Interesting Note: this idea was only developed in the 1920s by followers of De Saussure and has revolutionised our philosophy of language and reality) ________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What does the word “petty” (line 20) tell us about Macbeth’s idea of life at this point? (2) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What is Macbeth referring to when he says “dusty death”? (1) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What “yesterdays” have brought about Lady Macbeth’s death? (2) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. The image of existence as a “walking shadow” comes from Plato who compared our lives to shadows made on the back of a cave wall by statues carried on the shoulders of people passing in front of a wall. a) Name 3 “shadows” that Macbeth has been presented with. (3) ________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ b) How has his own reign been like a shadow? (2) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Macbeth suggests that his wife (and others) are fools. How has Macbeth himself been a “fool”? (2) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ 7. It is often suggested that this is Shakespeare’s funeral oration for Macbeth as well, since he is not given one later. Do you agree with the final statement that his life signifies nothing? (2) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. One image of Lady Macbeth is that her life was a brief candle. What does this suggest about her life? (2) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. What 3 distinct things does Macbeth compare “Life” itself (line 24) to? (3) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Total: /20 Worksheet 2: Imagery as message Class: _________ As the Scottish thanes march to beseige Macbeth in Dunsinane castle, they describe Macbeth and contrast him with Malcolm (Act V, scene ii): Menteith:
What does the tyrant? Caithness:
Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies. Some say
he’s mad; others that lesser hate him Do call it
valiant fury, but for certain
valiant = brave He cannot
buckle his distempered cause
15
distempered
cause = corrupt rule within the
belt of rule. Angus:
Now does he feel His secret
murders sticking on his hands. Now minutely
revolts upbraid his faith-breach;
upbraid = condemn, censure Those he
commands move only in command, Nothing in
love. Now does he feel his
title
20 Hang loose
about him, like a giant’s robe Upon a
dwarfish thief. Menteith:
Who then shall blame His pestered
senses to recoil and start,
pestered = troubled When all that
is within him does condemn Itself for
being there?
25 Caithness:
Well, march we on To give
obedience where ‘tis truly owed Meet we the
med’cine of the sickly weal,
weal = kingdom And with him
pour we in our country’s purge,
purge = cleansing medicine Each drop of
us. Lennox:
Or so much as it needs To dew the
sovereign flower and drown the weeds.
30 Make we our
march towards Birnam. Placing
the passage in context: 1.
Who is
the tyrant?
(1) _______________________ 2.
Why is he
fortifying Dunsinane?
(2) Because ______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Understanding
the imagery: 3.
List some
of the images used to contrast Macbeth and his rule with those used for Malcolm. (8) Macbeth
Malcolm _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ 4.
How are
the images of Macbeth vastly different to those of Malcolm?
(2) Macbeth is described as _______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ whereas Malcolm is _________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Picking
up the suggestions: 5.
What does
“sticking to his hands” (line 17) remind the audience of?
(2) The ___________________________________________________________________________ and the _______________________________________________________________________ 6.
What is
significant about Birnam for Macbeth?
(1) Birnam ______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Themes:
Kingship 7.
How do
the Scots respond to Macbeth now?
(2) They now ______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ 8.
How has
the Scottish response changed from Act I?
(2) They used to ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
Total:
/20
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