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British Literature > Macbeth > Flashcards

Macbeth Flashcards

1
Q

Banquo’s son

A

Fleance

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2
Q

Who did Shakespeare write Macbeth for?

A

King James I

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3
Q

What major historical event in 1605 inspired Macbeth?

A

The Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes and others attempted to blow up Parliament to replace James with a Catholic king.

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4
Q

What is Macbeth’s title at the beginning of the play?

A

The Thane of Glamis

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5
Q

Traitor that Macbeth kills on a battlefield

A

Macdonwald

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6
Q

King who Macbeth kills

A

Duncan

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7
Q

Duncan’s two sons

A

Malcolm and Donalbain

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8
Q

Who is suspected of hiring the guards to kill Duncan?

A

Malcolm and Donalbain

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9
Q

Traitor executed on the king’s orders

A

Thane of Cawdor

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10
Q

Three Prophecies

A
  1. Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor, 2. Macbeth will become King, 3, Banquo will father kings
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11
Q

How did the Thane of Cawdor react to his execution?

A

He faced it with dignity

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12
Q

Why does Lady Macbeth not kill Duncan herself?

A

She says he looked too much like her father.

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13
Q

What hallucination does Macbeth see before killing Duncan?

A

A dagger

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14
Q

Who discovers Duncan’s body?

A

Macduff

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15
Q

What happens to Duncan’s horses after his death?

A

They break free and begin eating each other.

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16
Q

Does Lady Macbeth think Macbeth is ambitious?

A

Yes, but he lacks the evil to get what he wants.

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17
Q

Refuses to go to Macbeth’s coronation

A

Macduff

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18
Q

Plan’s Duncan’s murder

A

Lady Macbeth

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19
Q

Stabs King Duncan

A

Macbeth

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20
Q

Provides comic relief

A

The Porter

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21
Q

Drugs the guards

A

Lady Macbeth

22
Q

Stabs the guards

A

Macbeth

23
Q

Where does the play take place?

A

Scotland

24
Q

Where do Duncan’s sons go after his death?

A

Malcolm goes to England and Donalbain to Ireland

25
Q

What was the historical inspiration for the figure of Macbeth?

A

There was an actual king named Macbeth in Scotland around 1040.

26
Q

Why does Shakespeare include supernatural elements in Macbeth?

A

To interest King James I

27
Q

Why is Macbeth so upset that he can’t pray?

A

Inability to pray is associated with demonic possession.

28
Q

How is Duncan at Macbeth’s house in “double trust”?

A

Macbeth is both his subject and his host.

29
Q

What is an aside?

A

A speech given by an actor that other characters on stage cannot hear. It expresses the speaker’s thoughts.

30
Q

Why does Macbeth say he killed the guards?

A

Out of anger (but really he did it to cover his crime.)

31
Q

What is a tragic hero?

A

A tragic hero is someone of high status (usually nobility) who experiences a downfall. The downfall is brought on by a tragic flaw (hamartia).

32
Q

How does Banquo die?

A

He is murdered on his way to a banquet at Macbeth’s castle. His son runs away.

33
Q

Does Lady Macbeth know ahead of time about Banquo’s death?

A

No

34
Q

What is the shape and message of the first apparition that the witches show to Macbeth?

A

It is a armed head (head in a battle helmet) that warns him to beware of Macduff.

35
Q

What is the shape and message of the second apparition that the witches show to Macbeth?

A

It is a bloody child that says no man who is born of woman will hurt Macbeth.

36
Q

What is the shape and message of the third apparition that the witches show to Macbeth?

A

It is a chlld holding a tree that says Macbeth will never be vanquished (destroyed) until Birnam Woods (forest) moves to Dunsiname Hill (castle).

37
Q

What is a likely reason Macbeth hires a third murderer to go after Banquo?

A

He doesn’t trust the first two and wants to make sure the job the done correctly.

38
Q

Why does Macbeth kill Macduff’s family?

A

He had intended to kill Macduff, but since he missed his chance before Macduff fled to England he will kill his family in revenge.

39
Q

Why does Malcolm try to convince Macduff that he would be a lustful, greedy, and tyrannical leader?

A

To test Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland.

40
Q

What does the doctor say is wrong with Lady Macbeth?

A

She suffers from an illness of the mind and nothing he can cure physically.

41
Q

How does Lady Macduff feel about her husband’s trip to England?

A

She thinks he is a coward who has abandoned them.

42
Q

After the three apparitions, what do the witches then show Macbeth?

A

A line of 8 kings who all look like Banquo.

43
Q

How confident is Macbeth about his ability to win against Malcolm’s army?

A

He is pretty confident due to what the apparitions said up until when he see the trees of Birnam Woods moving to the castle.

44
Q

How does Macbeth react to Lady Macbeth’s death?

A

He says she should have died later when he had time to mourn her.

45
Q

Why is Siward not upset about his son’s death?

A

The fact that he had wounds on the front meant that he died like a man and not retreating.

46
Q

What is happening to Macbeth’s army over the course of the fifth act?

A

They are abandoning him and often joining the other side.

47
Q

Will Macduff fight anyone other than Macbeth?

A

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.

48
Q

Why does Macbeth hesitate to fight Macduff?

A

He has enough Macduff deaths on his hands already.

49
Q

Why does Macbeth go onto the battlefield despite knowing he’ll likely lose?

A

He doesn’t want to fall on his own sword, which he considers a coward’s death, but would rather die fighting

50
Q

Who are the three characters who are King of Scotland in the span of this play?

A

Duncan, Macbeth, and Malcolm

British Literature (3 decks)

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