Macbeth Act 1-2 Notes

Question 1

Explain the purpose for Act 1 Scene 1

Answer 1

• A famous scene
• Elizabethans are extremely superstitious so the scene is quite scary
• Sets the stage for Macbeth
• Overall purpose: establishes the setting, establishes a great deal of suspense, and introduces the main character

Question 2

Meaning of “in thunder, lightning, or in rain”

Answer 2

• A metaphor
• the witches can see the future, the witches have some understanding of the past to the future, and they know when the battle is done
• Reference to them having an understanding of the future that they know when it is going to thunder, lightning, and rain
• Witches know where Macbeth is going to be and what time

Question 3

Meaning of “fair is foul, and foul is fair”

Answer 3

the reference at the end sets the end of the play where things that were once good will be bad → foreshadows events of the play where things that were good will be evil and things that were evil will be fair

Question 4

When is the war over?

Answer 4

As of Act 1, Scene 2

Question 5

What kind of war was it?

Answer 5

Civil war where someone tries to overthrow the King –> King of Norway wanted to do this

Question 6

Why did Macbeth get Thane of Cawdor title?

Answer 6

• Scotland fended off the enemies because of Macbeth and Banquo. → only reason they win war
• Duncan is happy and captures the thane of cawdor and kills him off to give the thane’s title to Macbeth
• Battle over, Macbeth gets thaneship as he was such a noble person in the fight

Question 7

Why is Act 1, Scene 2 here?

Answer 7

• Shakespeare has to establish Macbeth’s role and establish Macbeth’s character and without this his decline is meaningless, he is loyal and reason that the war was won → #1 function
• We need this scene to understand his decline
• It also provides a lot of background information on how the war ended and what happened

Question 8

What procephies did Banquo get?

Answer 8

he will be lesser than Macbeth but greater, he will be not as happy as Macbeth but happier, and that his sons will become kings, even though he will not.

Question 9

Why do the wicthes tell Macbeth about the prophecy of Thane of Glamis?

Answer 9

Macbeth is not shocked about this because he already knows this, the witches tell him this to entrap him by telling him what is already true → the more likely to believe the next thing, by knowing that he is thane of cawdor and glamis by doing nothing but being himself, he believes that he will be king

Question 10

What figurative language is in Act 1, Scene 3 where he receives prophecies?

Answer 10

Decent amount of dramatic irony as we know he will be Thane of Cawdor

Question 11

Why does Macbeth heart start to pound and what does this reinforce?

Answer 11

• Macbeth contemplates the events if it’s good or not saying that witches cannot be good and if they are so bad why have they given him so many good he questions, his heart starts to pound and starts the picture and think that King Duncan will die and makes him shake a lot → reinforces that Macbeth is loyal and has a little human nature to himself as he questions it

Question 12

What is Malcolm’s position and what is he named?

Answer 12

• Malcolm is king’s son and heir to the throne
• Malcom is named successor

Question 13

What does Macbeth comment on not being upset about King Duncan dying and what does this show?

Answer 13

Macbeth wouldn’t be upset about King Duncan dying and that if his hands did it or someone else’s he wouldn’t look at → you see his decline here

Question 14

Why does everyone go to Macbeth’s castle and what does this do to the play?

Answer 14

Everyone is going to go to Macbeth’s castle to celebrate the war and Malcolm’s success → advances plot

Question 15

What language is the letter written in and what does this show about Lady Macbeth’s character?

Answer 15

Lady Macbeth is reading a letter but it is in prose → her character is highly intelligent and dual-faced

Question 16

What does the letter contain and what does this show about their relationship?

Answer 16

• Showing a trusting and open relationship
• The letter says that Macbeth is telling her of the prophecies not what he is going to do (does not suggest killing the king)
• The letter announces Macbeth’s promotion to the thaneship of Cawdor and details his meeting with the witches.

Question 17

What is Lady Macbeth’s response to Macbeth’s letter?

Answer 17

• She says that Macbeth is too nice, implying that she is more evil and less kind
• She states that it is great that he has ambition but its not good enough if he doesn’t have the illness → not having the guts to do it or be immoral
• She says that he wouldn’t want to cheat himself but he wouldn’t complain if he won
• Line 25: she wants to influence him by using her words to convince him to kill Duncan

Question 18

What unthinkable action did Shakespeare add and how did it affect the audience?

Answer 18

Suggests the unthinkable as by killing the king in Shakespeare’s time is very risky as it shows society the suggestion of killing the king, got people excited about this craziness

Question 19

Why is Lady Macbeth seen as evil but understanding in her soliloquy before the King arrives?

Answer 19

• Shakespere is showing the effect of oppression as Lady Macbeth can’t show her strength to be a lady thane
• It shows that when women are oppressed, it shows how women can’t be as equal as man
• The only way she can find power is through this murder and convincing Macbeth to do it

Question 20

How does Lady Macbeth greet Duncan and what does it reinforce?

Answer 20

• Lady Macbeth greets Duncan in a very lovely tone ← reinforcing that she is two-faced and deceptive nature of a personality
• Misleads us about her character

Question 21

What figuartive language is in Act 1, Scene 6 when the King arrives and what does it show about his charcater?

Answer 21

Duncan comes and says that it smells great here at the castle and he is excited to be here ← dramatic irony as he is going to be killed
Shows that Duncan is oblivious

Question 22

What reasons did Macbeth consider (4)?

Answer 22

• First reason: those who do bad things might have bad things come upon them, he is scared of karma
• The second reason: he is hearing double trust, he feels that he needs to protect him as his host and his loyal soldier
• Last reason: “I have no spur…” most important, he has no reason to kill the king, only his desire which is not enough
• Third reason: Duncan is a good king and a good person and if he was killed everyone would be sad as no one wants him gone

Question 23

What does Macbeth conclude at the part scene and how does Lady Macbeth change his mind?

Answer 23

• It is the party scene and Macbeth has decided that he will think about the murder and concludes that he will not murder him
• Lady Macbeth convinces him to go through with it by mainly manipulating his manhood
• She tells him that she would take their baby off her breast and crushed its skull if she said that she would do so
• Tells him to be a man and Macbeth begins to admire her stern confidence to go through with the murder

Question 24

What is the plan of the murder?

Answer 24

They are going to get the guards drunk and stab the king with the servant’s weapons

Question 25

After Lady Macbeth manipulates him, what is Macbeth’s response?

Answer 25

Macbeth tells her that she should only have male children as her danger and strength is inspiring

Question 26

What does Act 1, Scene 7 end with and what is occurring as we are heading into Act 2?

Answer 26

• The scene ends with them following through with the murder
• Heading into Act 2, there is so much suspense building up

Question 27

Who is Fleance and why do we care for him?

Answer 27

Fleance is Banquo’s son → not a major character, but we care about him and are curious about him as they are promised to be kings

Question 28

What happens when the party is over and what is Macbeth’s statement and Banquo’s response?

Answer 28

• The party is over and Banquo, Fleance and Macbeth walk and chat about the prophecies
• Macbeth wants to talk about the prophecies but Banquo wants to talk about it later, Macbeth says a clever statement saying that if he was with him, then Banquo will get honored so Macbeth tells him to stick with him
• It is Macbeth’s way of saying that he is planning something
• The audience is not sure of the honor here
• But Banquo shuts him down, this is his last chance to follow with Macbeth
• Banquo doesn’t want to sacrifice his existing honor for more → reinforces his character → loyal

Question 29

What does Banquo’s deny of joining Macbeth do to their connection?

Answer 29

Up till now, Macbeth and Banquo are connected as generals and this division causes a rift

Question 30

What does the blood on the dagger represent?

Answer 30

Foreshadows what he is about to do

Question 31

What do the hallucinations represent?

Answer 31

• He interprets the hallucination about what he is about to do, the dagger is doing this as motivation for what he is about to do, the effect of immorality and ambition
• The hallucinations are a warning and the effect of guilt on mental health → foreshadowing his mental decline

Question 32

Why does Macbeth get scared at the end of the dagger scene?

Answer 32

He gets scared at the end and talks about it as the devils work

Question 33

What thing snaps Macbeth back from the dagger scene and what does this do to him?

Answer 33

The bell rings and snaps him back to where he was going and pushes him to move along with the plan

Question 34

Why does the murder of Duncan not occur on stage?

Answer 34

The murder of Duncan does not occur on stage in the play, no live murder scene → because of the social time

Question 35

What figurative language is at the beginning of Act 2, Scene 2

Answer 35

• Massive suspense as we are waiting to see what will happen
• Lady Macbeth is waiting to find out what will happen with the murder

Question 36

How is Lady Macbeth when she waits to see what happened with the murder?

Answer 36

• She is quite scared and nervous → up to this point she is evil and happy about the murder, it is the first innocence in the entire play where you see her weakness through her evil established beforehand
• Macbeth enters and she pulls herself together

Question 37

How is Lady Macbeth after she goes up to put the daggers back and see Macbeth?

Answer 37

• Lady Macbeth is very calm and collected
• Lady Macbeth decline is more hidden → shows the difference between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s decline

Question 38

Why does Shakespeare make us feel pathos for Macbeth during the bucket of water scene?

Answer 38

• Pathos as he was manipulated into murdering Duncan and also from guilt
• Shakespeare puts this in to make us feel bad then find out he becomes consumed by evil

Question 39

How is the porter as a character and why is he here?

Answer 39

• Porter is a servant → speaks in prose and hilarious
• The porter is here comic relief, this is here as a murder just occurred which is pretty heavy
• No more porter than this scene
• Everyone loves the porter

Question 40

What role is McDuff?

Answer 40

Scottish Thane of Fife

Question 41

What role is Lennox?

Answer 41

Lord

Question 42

What figurative langauge is presented as McDuff and Lennox awake the King?

Answer 42

Dramatic irony as we know the King is killed

Question 43

What does Macbeth admit after finding out the King has been killed and what impression does this have on the audience?

Answer 43

Macbeth admits he has killed the two guards, he justifies the murder of the guards as his anger for his love for Duncan
We no longer feel sympathy for Macbeth → theme of corruption

Question 44

What do Malcolm and Donalbain discuss about?

Answer 44

• They decide to leave as they may be suspected
• They say that it is easy to be sympathetic
• “Daggers in men’s smile” → everyone looks so innocent
• Malcolm goes to England and Donalbain goes to Irenland
• Malcolm and Donalbain are the opposite from being naive, Like Duncan → so they are saying don’t trust them, we have to leave because if one of them is the murder, they are next
• This is smart because they get away from the murders but it is stupid because they look guilty

Question 45

What is the function of Act 2, Scene 4?

Answer 45

Function: provide lots of background information

Question 46

What role does Ross have?

Answer 46

Ross is not a thane but noble

Question 47

What happens in Act 2, Scene 4? (After Malcolm and Donalbain leave)

Answer 47

Macbeth becomes King

Question 48

Does McDuff go to the coronation and what do his actions to do the play and his character?

Answer 48

• Mcduff is not going to go to the coronation → he is going to fife
• Mcduff becomes a dominant character in the second half of the play
• Advances the plot
• Mcduff is suspicious of everything as he doesn’t attend coronation as he is suspicious of Mcbeth → Macbeth would notice this and sets up the primary conflict of the play