Acts 1 & 2

Question 1

What does Macbeth say about the day?

Answer 1

‘So foul and fair a day I have not seen’

Question 2

How does Banquo first describe the witches?

Answer 2

‘What are these… That look not like the inhabitants o’the Earth, And yet are on’t?’

Question 3

Banquo says the witches should be women, but what forbids him to think so?

Answer 3

‘You should be women, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so’

Question 4

What is the Prince of Cumberland to Macbeth?

Answer 4

‘The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies’

Question 5

Macbeth’s first soliloquy. Hint: stars.

Answer 5

‘Stars, hide your fires; let not light see me black and deep desires’

Question 6

Why does lady Macbeth fear Macbeth’s nature?

Answer 6

‘And yet I do fear thy nature, it is too full o’the milk of human kindness, to catch the nearest way’

Question 7

What does lady Macbeth call upon, and to do what?

Answer 7

‘Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!’

Question 8

Finish the sentence from Lady Macbeth’s speech: ‘make thick my blood..

Answer 8

‘Stop up the access and passage to remorse, that no compunctious visitings of nature shake my fell purpose’

Question 9

What does lady Macbeth want to happen to her milk?

Answer 9

‘Come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers’

Question 10

What are Macbeth’s doubts about killing the King?

Answer 10

‘He’s here in double trust; first, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself’

Question 11

What does Macbeth think will happen if he kills Duncan? Hint: people will cry.

Answer 11

‘Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, that tears shall drown the wind’

Question 12

Finish the sentence: ‘I have no spur..

Answer 12

‘To prick the sides of my intent, only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself, and falls on th’other’

Question 13

What’s Macbeth’s seemingly final decision in the murder of Duncan that he says to lady Macbeth?

Answer 13

‘We shall proceed no further in this business’

Question 14

What is lady Macbeth’s response to Macbeth’s decision not to kill the King?

Answer 14

‘I have given suck, and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck’ my nipple from its boneless gums, and dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn’

Question 15

Lady Macbeth describes some unnatural events: ‘tis unnatural, even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last..

Answer 15

‘A falcon, towering in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawk’d at and kill’d’

Question 16

What does Macbeth say about nature?

Answer 16

‘Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse the curtain’d sleep’

Question 17

After Macbeth says ‘I have done the deed’ what does he say he thought he heard?

Answer 17

‘Methought I heard a voice cry ‘sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep!’’

Question 18

In Macbeth’s soliloquy after he kills the King, what does he say about his hands?

Answer 18

‘What hands are here? ha! They pluck out mine eyes. Will all great neptune’s oceans wash this blood clean from my hand? No. This my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red’

Question 19

What does lady Macbeth say clears them of the deed?

Answer 19

‘A little water clears us of this deed’

Question 20

How is the murdered Duncan described?

Answer 20

‘His silver skin laced with his golden blood, and his gash’d stabs look’d like a breach in nature’