Macbeth Flashcards
Banquo’s son
Fleance
Who did Shakespeare write Macbeth for?
King James I
What major historical event in 1605 inspired Macbeth?
The Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes and others attempted to blow up Parliament to replace James with a Catholic king.
What is Macbeth’s title at the beginning of the play?
The Thane of Glamis
Traitor that Macbeth kills on a battlefield
Macdonwald
King who Macbeth kills
Duncan
Duncan’s two sons
Malcolm and Donalbain
Who is suspected of hiring the guards to kill Duncan?
Malcolm and Donalbain
Traitor executed on the king’s orders
Thane of Cawdor
Three Prophecies
- Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor, 2. Macbeth will become King, 3, Banquo will father kings
How did the Thane of Cawdor react to his execution?
He faced it with dignity
Why does Lady Macbeth not kill Duncan herself?
She says he looked too much like her father.
What hallucination does Macbeth see before killing Duncan?
A dagger
Who discovers Duncan’s body?
Macduff
What happens to Duncan’s horses after his death?
They break free and begin eating each other.
Does Lady Macbeth think Macbeth is ambitious?
Yes, but he lacks the evil to get what he wants.
Refuses to go to Macbeth’s coronation
Macduff
Plan’s Duncan’s murder
Lady Macbeth
Stabs King Duncan
Macbeth
Provides comic relief
The Porter
Drugs the guards
Lady Macbeth
Stabs the guards
Macbeth
Where does the play take place?
Scotland
Where do Duncan’s sons go after his death?
Malcolm goes to England and Donalbain to Ireland
What was the historical inspiration for the figure of Macbeth?
There was an actual king named Macbeth in Scotland around 1040.
Why does Shakespeare include supernatural elements in Macbeth?
To interest King James I
Why is Macbeth so upset that he can’t pray?
Inability to pray is associated with demonic possession.
How is Duncan at Macbeth’s house in “double trust”?
Macbeth is both his subject and his host.
What is an aside?
A speech given by an actor that other characters on stage cannot hear. It expresses the speaker’s thoughts.
Why does Macbeth say he killed the guards?
Out of anger (but really he did it to cover his crime.)
What is a tragic hero?
A tragic hero is someone of high status (usually nobility) who experiences a downfall. The downfall is brought on by a tragic flaw (hamartia).
How does Banquo die?
He is murdered on his way to a banquet at Macbeth’s castle. His son runs away.
Does Lady Macbeth know ahead of time about Banquo’s death?
No
What is the shape and message of the first apparition that the witches show to Macbeth?
It is a armed head (head in a battle helmet) that warns him to beware of Macduff.
What is the shape and message of the second apparition that the witches show to Macbeth?
It is a bloody child that says no man who is born of woman will hurt Macbeth.
What is the shape and message of the third apparition that the witches show to Macbeth?
It is a chlld holding a tree that says Macbeth will never be vanquished (destroyed) until Birnam Woods (forest) moves to Dunsiname Hill (castle).
What is a likely reason Macbeth hires a third murderer to go after Banquo?
He doesn’t trust the first two and wants to make sure the job the done correctly.
Why does Macbeth kill Macduff’s family?
He had intended to kill Macduff, but since he missed his chance before Macduff fled to England he will kill his family in revenge.
Why does Malcolm try to convince Macduff that he would be a lustful, greedy, and tyrannical leader?
To test Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland.
What does the doctor say is wrong with Lady Macbeth?
She suffers from an illness of the mind and nothing he can cure physically.
How does Lady Macduff feel about her husband’s trip to England?
She thinks he is a coward who has abandoned them.
After the three apparitions, what do the witches then show Macbeth?
A line of 8 kings who all look like Banquo.
How confident is Macbeth about his ability to win against Malcolm’s army?
He is pretty confident due to what the apparitions said up until when he see the trees of Birnam Woods moving to the castle.
How does Macbeth react to Lady Macbeth’s death?
He says she should have died later when he had time to mourn her.
Why is Siward not upset about his son’s death?
The fact that he had wounds on the front meant that he died like a man and not retreating.
What is happening to Macbeth’s army over the course of the fifth act?
They are abandoning him and often joining the other side.
Will Macduff fight anyone other than Macbeth?
No, he says that Macbeth’s soldiers are pitiful men coerced into fighting and he’ll save his sword for Macbeth or else not use it.
Why does Macbeth hesitate to fight Macduff?
He has enough Macduff deaths on his hands already.
Why does Macbeth go onto the battlefield despite knowing he’ll likely lose?
He doesn’t want to fall on his own sword, which he considers a coward’s death, but would rather die fighting
Who are the three characters who are King of Scotland in the span of this play?
Duncan, Macbeth, and Malcolm
