ENGLIT MACBETH other key points

Question 1

How does shakespeare use varying language throughout Macbeth?

Answer 1

• nobles in play speak in iambic pentameter (5 stressed and 5 unstressed syllables) and usually spoken in blank verse (where the words don’t rhyme)
• deviation from this is usually reserved for moments when characters act evil (LM, rhyming/witches, trochaic tetrameter)
• sometimes characters speak in prose (no rhythm or rhyme), usually lower class such as the porter and makes his speech sound more natural

Question 2

Why does Shakespeare use dramatic irony?

Answer 2

-to create drama and tension throughout the play

Question 3

How is nature shown in Macbeth?

Answer 3

• nature is used to reflect what’s actually going on
• “the moon is down”, unusual behaviour in II.1 shows that the murder is already disrupting the natural order of nature
• stars already hidden show that Macbeth’s rhyming couplet has been reflected in nature

Question 4

Why does Duncan’s murder take place offstage?

Answer 4

• it would be impossible to feel any sort of sympathy for Macbeth if the audience were to witness him do the deed himself
• important to see his reaction after so we can see this sympathy

Question 5

How is the knocking of the gate significant in II.2?

Answer 5

• audience and characters have been engrossed in scary world with’s Macbeth’s ramblings and LM’s rushed nature, knocking brings the audience’s attention to the outside world and they are not immediately poisoned by deeds
• also a reference to the knocking of the gates of hell, e.g. LM leads Duncan by the hand into hell from which he never emerges

Question 6

Why is the porter more than just comedic relief?

Answer 6

• he describes images similar to the ones that the plays; characters are going to go through
• he jokes about being the gate-keeper to hell, but might have some truth as Duncan was murdered there
• relieves tension but also builds suspense before the other characters discover Duncan’s body

Question 7

How does nature reflect the events of the play in II.4?

Answer 7

“a falcon…was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed”

• unnatural as falcon would have been higher ranked in nature than the mousing owl
• represents Macbeth killing Duncan
• links to how nature represents the real world throughout the play

Question 8

How does the old man speaking contrast with the way Rosse speaks in II.4?

Answer 8

-old man speaks in more sincere and superstitious language, whereas Rosse speaks in a more artificial way brought about in perspective when he speaks to Macduff

Question 9

How do Rosse and Macduff contrast in II.4?

Answer 9

• Rosse intends to believe the story that Macbeth has set wherein Duncan’s sons killed him to seize the throne and he will go to Scone
• Macduff announces his intention to go to Fife, hints that he doesn’t trust Macbeth
• Rosse understands, hints that he doesn’t fully believe Macbeth but hides it out of fear, he too is hiding the truth from the outside world

Question 10

What do the many double meanings throughout Macbeth do?

Answer 10

• create uncertainty as one thing being said could always mean something else and the audience isn’t sure what to believe
• adds to the tension in the play as it creates deep uncertainty

Question 11

Why is Macbeth’s feast in III.4 so important?

Answer 11

-a feast was a symbol of respect and kingship, Macbeth is hosting it in an attempt to adhere to Scottish society

Question 12

Why is it it significant that the murderer enters the feast with blood on his face in III.4?

Answer 12

because it could by symbolic of the fact that Macbeth can never truly hide the evil deeds that he has done

Question 13

Why does III.6 exist?

Answer 13

• gives a reason for Macbeth to kill Macduff so it can be put in context for the story
• allows the audience to leave the claustrophobic mind of Macbeth and back into the play

Question 14

How does I.2 create an effective opening to the play?

Answer 14

• contrasts the eerie opening with brutality and “bloody execution”
• this sets the tone for the rest of the play

Question 15

How does Shakespeare build suspense for the end of Act I?

Answer 15

• murder has been planned but hasn’t happened yet

- builds suspense for the audience as they wait to see what comes next

Question 16

Why is it significant that Duncan’s murder takes place offstage?

Answer 16

• increases suspense and allows the audience to imagine the murder for themselves, making it more horrific
• lets the audience see how Macbeth and LM are affected by what they see in Duncan’s room

Question 17

What is the purpose of II.4?

Answer 17

• acts as a bridge between Act II and Act III

- its purpose is to create a sense of fear and tension

Question 18

What is the purpose of III.6?

Answer 18

• acts as another bridge scene between Act III and Act IV
• minor characters tell audience everything that’s happened; macduff raised an army against Macbeth while Malcolm is at the english court

Question 19

Why is III.6 from the perspective of minor characters?

Answer 19

-to show how far-reaching and widespread the discontent against Macbeth is in Scotland, even those with a small stage presence are affected by it

Question 20

How is the ending of III.6 impactful?

Answer 20

• sends a message to the english asking them to free Scotland from “a hand accursed”
• builds the tension because it becomes a question of how far Macbeth will go before he is stopped
• audience sees that Macbeth’s death is inevitable and the only way to restore peace in Scotland

Question 21

How does Lennox’s speech in III.6 seem to be angry?

Answer 21

• full of short exclamations such as “but peace!” and “damned fact!”
• exclamations highlight his anger, but hints that he’s afraid to show it
• short, broken sentences suggest that he’s holding back his emotions

Question 22

How does Shakespeare make IV.2 confusing?

Answer 22

starts the scene mid-dialogue so that the audience can feel just as confused as Lady Macduff is about her husband leaving

Question 23

What is the purpose of V.2?

Answer 23

• builds tension as the audience knows that the final battle with Macbeth is approaching
• plan to meet the English army near Birnam wood, it’s a reminder of the witches’ prophecy and hints that Macbeth might be defeated

Question 24

How are extended metaphors used throughout V.2?

Answer 24

“drown the weeds”
weeds represents Macbeth, he’s stopping anything from growing and destroying the land
“his title hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief”
suggests that the responsibility of being king is too great for Macbeth

Question 25

How does V.4 contrast with Macbeth?

Answer 25

“the time approaches, that will with due decision make us know”

calm discussion of the english army’s battle plan makes them seem in control, this contrasts to Macbeth’s frenzied state of mind

Question 26

What is the purpose of the minor characters throughout the play?

Answer 26

they’re there to progress the story throughout and show how power changes

Question 27

What do the Scottish thanes say they will do?

Answer 27

“give obedience where ‘tis truly owed”

• gradually start to question whether Macbeth is a rightful king and start to resent his tyranny
• eventually end up siding with Malcolm to help defeat Macbeth

Question 28

What are some of the techniques that Shakespeare uses to create different atmospheres?

Answer 28

• setting
• use of the supernatural
• humour
• different senses
• language

Question 29

What is significant about the location that the witches often appear at?

Answer 29

• they always appear in spooky and deserted places
• gives a sense of isolation and secrecy and the fact that they’re separated from the rest of the characters
• often accompanied with “thunder and lightning” which makes them more menacing

Question 30

What is significant about the location of a lot of the scenes?

Answer 30

• a lot of scenes take place in Macbeth’s various castles around Scotland
• reminds the audience that the Macbeths are a family in nobility, however their actions contrast this and are not noble at all

Question 31

How is using the senses effective for helping mood and atmosphere?

Answer 31

makes the scenes more vivid which allows the audience to imagine what’s happening more easily

Question 32

Why are there moments of noise throughout the play e.g. drums and flourish?

Answer 32

to contrast with moments of silence e.g. the quiet calm when everyone’s sleeping before Macbeth murders Duncan

Question 33

What is significant about the english army advancing with a “drum”?

Answer 33

sounds of battle highlights the violence that occurs throughout the play

Question 34

What is significant about Duncan’s entrance being accompanied with a “flourish” (fanfare)?

Answer 34

contrats with the “hideous trumpet” and “alarum bell” that announces his bell, shows how the atmosphere has changed

Question 35

What is significant about the witches speaking unnaturally?

Answer 35

because they exist outside of the natural order

Question 36

Why do some other characters such as M and LM occasionally speak in rhyme?

Answer 36

usually to make two lines of speech sound final or to emphasise that it’s important

Question 37

How does Shakespeare change the pace of language throughout the play?

Answer 37

• long sentences and words slow things down and make the characters sound more thoughtful
• short words and sentences speed things up, this can be used to add tension or to make characters seem more upset

Question 38

What is an example of Shakespeare rearranging words?

Answer 38

“Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripped”

• having “untimely ripped” at the end makes it more dramatic
• whole sentence builds tension by saving the key info until the end

Question 39

What is the purpose of imagery in Macbeth?

Answer 39

helps you to picture what Shakespeare’s describing and sticks in your mind better

Question 40

What are the 3 kinds of imagery found in Macbeth?

Answer 40

• similes
• metaphor
• personification

Question 41

How are snakes used as an extended metaphor throughout the play?

Answer 41

-I.5: “look like th’innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”
-III.4: “there the grown serpent lies…hath nature that in time will venom breed”, Macbeth describing Banquo, describes Fleance as having “venom”
snakes used as a metaphor to describe deception or betrayal

Question 42

How do Macbeth and LM talk about light and darkness?

Answer 42

they use darkness to represent blindness and ignorance and light to represent sight and knowledge

Question 43

How is darkness shown to have taken over evil in II.4?

Answer 43

“and yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp”