Macbeth: Plot Summaries And Key Quotes

Question 1

What happens in Act 1 Scene 1?

Answer 1

• There is a prologue of evil: the witches plan to meet with Macbeth.

Question 2

What features does act 1 scene 1 contain?

Answer 2

• Pathetic fallacy to connotate evil and supernatural
• Rhyming to show how their scheming + supernatural elements
• Equivocal language to confuse the audience but also show that the witches are manipulative

Question 3

What happens in act 1 scene 2

Answer 3

King Duncan is told of the success of the battle and of the bravery shown by Banquo and Macbeth. He decides to reward Macbeth with the title ‘Thane of Cawdor’.

Question 4

What features and quotes are in Act 1 Scene 2

“Brave …”

Answer 4

• “Brave Macbeth” Lots of adjectives to show how Macbeth is courageous and valiant soldier

Question 5

Key quotes of act 1 scene 1
F is F and F is F
“In t, l or in rain?”

Answer 5

• “Fair is foul, and foul is fair,” - Oxymoron to show equivocal language to confuse the audience. Manipulative
• “In thunder, lightning, or in rain?” Pathetic fallacy to conmotate evil

Question 6

What happens in Act 1 Scene 3

Answer 6

The witches speak strange prophecies to Macbeth and Banquo - and Ross brings the new title to Macbeth.

Question 7

What features are used in act 1 scene 3?
“L than Macbeth, and G”
“F and F

Answer 7

• “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater” Contradictions which foreshadow the future importance specific with Macbeth ambiguity of Banquo. It’s also capricious (highlights the dangerous predicament Macbeth will be in) and the witches have been presented to be vindictive.
• Macbeth says “foul and fair” to show he has a similar mindset to the witches.

Question 8

Act 1 Scene 3 What do we know from Macbeth’s monologue?

If c will have me King, why c may crown me”

Answer 8

• “If chance will have me King, why chance may crown me” He now has the ambition to become King and now thinks it is possible after being rewarded the title of Thane of Cawdor. Thinking of doing regicide?

Question 9

What happens in act 1 scene 4

Answer 9

Duncan announces that his son, Malcolm, will be the next King of Scotland - and Macbeth begins to worry.

Question 10

What quotes are used in Act 1 Scene 4

“Let not l see my B and D desires.”

Answer 10

• “Let not light see my BLACK and DEEP desires,” Adjectives ‘black’ and ‘deep’ shows how the hamartia is now involved. Macbeth is ambitious once again.

Question 11

What happens in act 1 scene 5?

Answer 11

Lady Macbeth reads her husband’s letters telling what happened; she welcomes him home, and then prepares to receive the King.

Question 12

What features are used in Act 1 Scene 5
Take my m for g
Look like he I F but be the S under it

Answer 12

• “Take my milk for gal.” She does not want the milk from her breats to have a child. This can be interpreted that she could be the next witch. This also brings about tension in the play.
• “Look like th’innocent flower but be the serpent under it.” This simile is used to show the manipluation and power Lady Macbeth has. DUPLICITY

Question 13

What happens in act 1 scene 6?

Answer 13

King Duncan and his followers apporach Macbeth’s castle and are welcomed by Lady Macbeth.

Lady Macbeth is duplicious throughout (two-faced)

Question 14

What happens in act 1 scene 7?

Answer 14

Macbeth leaves the state dinner, suddenly worried by what he is planning to do - to murder Duncan. But Lady Macbeth stirs up his spirits again.

Question 15

What features are used in Act 1 Scene 7? One is about Lady Macbeth with a shocking quote and the other is from Macbeth
“And d the b out” of her baby
F f must hide what the f h doth know

Answer 15

• The audience is then shocked by this statement as Lady Macbeth says “and dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this.” This shows the supernatural qualities of witches. This is abnornal and she has the ideology of a witch.
• The idea of duplicity is introduced again as Macbeth says, “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”

Question 16

What are the key quotes in act 2 scene 1? One is about sleep and the other is a stage direction of a bell
And yet I would not s; m powers
“A b rings”

Answer 16

“And yet I would not sleep; merciful powers,” Sleep is considered to be natural but Macbeth distupts this as he does something unnatural - this leads to the great chain of being when Macbeth kills Duncan as he sleeps

Stage direction: “A bell rings” - This is the spur for Macbeth to do action. Lady Macbeth controls Macbeth which moves him

Question 17

What are the key quotes in Act 2 Scene 2? One is about sleep

Macbeth doth m s

Answer 17

“Macbeth does murder sleep.” This re-emphasises the idea of how Macbeth disrupts the natural order as he murders King Duncan. The Divine Right of Kings is disrupted and something natural as sleep is disrupted.

Question 18

What is the key quote in act 2 scene 3 where Macbeth uses equivocal language?
You are, and do n k”

Answer 18

“You are, and do not know’t.” This is the equivocal language used by Macbeth as Donaldbain is in Macbeth’s way. The equivocal language is shown as Macbeth is speaking in metaphors. He is intentionally ambiguous to hide his intentions.

Question 19

What are the key quotes and main ideas in act 3 scene 1? One is about Macbeth trying to get Banquo on his side.

Also what do we learn in Macbeth’s soliloquy?
“we hear our b c”
“He h a w”

Answer 19

• Macbeth says “we hear our bloody cousins,” to try to get Banquo on his side. However, the audience is worried for Banquo and Fleance. This also creates lots of tension and a sense of foreboading.
• In his soliloquy he starts to fear Banquo as he seems to be a noble King. “He hath a wisdom,” which shows how Banquo is smart and courageous

Question 20

What are the key quotes and ideas in act 3 scene 2?

We have s the snake, not k it”

Answer 20

The power starts to shift towards Macbeth as he says, “We have scorch’d the snake, not kill’d it;” which shows how he is not finished and he feels insecurity of his position.

Macbeth also starts to talk more than Lady Macbeth showing how the power shifted

Question 21

What is the key idea of darkness and light in act 3 scene 3?

“Who did s out the l”

Answer 21

All the murders happen at night which can suggest how God is not present and evil.
“Who did strike out the light?”

Literal: Ambiguity of who put out the light
Symbolic: Who killed him
Banquo to the audience is a good person now. King James I is related to Banquo as well

Question 22

What are the main three themes in Macbeth?

Answer 22

• Ambition and power
• The supernatural
• Appearances and reality

Question 23

How is ambition and power shown in Macbeth

Answer 23

• The fatal flow
• Leadership
• Greed

Question 24

How does Shakespeare show the fatal flaw?

Answer 24

• Fatal flaw is a mistake in the central character’s personality which drives their actions.
• Macbeth is basically a good man gone wrong
• He is driven by a need for power which eventually sets him on a path to his own destruction. Wife has it as well

Question 25

Evidence of the fatal flaw in Macbeth
"I have no s"
"To p the sides of my i, but only"
"Vaulting a, which o itself and falls on th'other"
Lady Macbeth (stage direction)
And analysis

Answer 25

“I have no spur”
“To prick the sides of my intent”
“Vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself and falls on the other.”

• He reaches to the conclusion (about killing Macbeth) that the only thing that is motivating him (his ‘spur’) is ambition which he compares to a horse leaping over an obstacle (‘vaulting ambition’).
• As for the horse and rider, what is on the other side of the obstacle is unknown - it could, of course, be disaster.
• If Lady Macbeth does not ‘enter’, the outcome could have been different.

Question 26

How is leadership shown in Macbeth

Talk about 3 kings

Answer 26

Macbeth shows 3 different Kings

• Duncan is not a good king as although he is kind and generous, he is weak
• Macbeth is strong but he is a bullying dictator
• Malcolm seems to strike a healthy balance as he combines the good qualities of both men.

Question 27

Evidence of leadership during Malcolm questioning Macduff's loyalty
"The k-b graces"
"As j, v, temp'rance, stableness"
"D, patience, c, fortitude"
"I have no r of them, but abound"
And analysis

Answer 27

“The king-becoming graces”
“As justice, verity, temp’rance, stableness,”
“Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude”
“I have no relish of them, but abound”

Malcolm lists the qualities of a good king or leader when testing Macduff’s loyalty but he pretends that he is none of this at all.
It is clear that Macbeth does not have any of these virtues, if anything he displays the oppositie.

Question 28

How does Shakespeare show Greed?

Answer 28

• Along with his ambition, Macbeth is also greedy and selfish,
• He cannot accept that Banquo’s descendants will become kings after him and sets out to alter the prediction by having Banquo and Fleance murdered.
• He is even unprepared to share power with his wif, making secretive decisions and not even caring if she dies.

Question 29

Evidence of Macbeth’s greed
“The s of B k”
“For B i have I f my m”
“Only for them, and m e jewel”

Answer 29

• As Macbeth completely believes the Witches’ predictions he must also believe that Banquo’s descendants will inherit the throne after them (‘the seed of Banquo’s kings’)
• He thinks that everything he has done has ultimately been for their benefit (‘For Banquo’s issue have I filled my mind’) and he has even put his spuld (‘mine eternal jewel’) in danger.
• His greed means that he wishes to KEEP POWER FOR HIMSELF and his own family.
• He concludes that he must alter the prediction by murdering Banquo and Fleance.

Question 30

How is the evil and supernatural shown in Macbeth?

Answer 30

• Wicked thoughts and actions
• The activities of the witches
• The disruption of nature

Question 31

How does Shakespeare show the wicked thoughts and actions in Macbeth?

Answer 31

• The witches’ predictions encourage Macbeth to think wicked and carry out evil deeds.
• As well as murder, Macbeth is also guilty of lying, deception, cowardice, seeking out further contact with evil forces, behaving brutally (mentally and physically) and show a lack of concern and love for others.

Question 32

Evidence and analysis of Macbeth’s wicked thoughts and actions
‘Present F / Are less than H I’
‘Nothing is, but w is n’

Answer 32

• Before the murder, Macbeth wrestles with his own conscience
• The wicked thoughts he has are almost worse than the actual deeds (‘Present fears / are less than horrible imaginings’)
• He becomes more concerned with what might happen rather than reality (‘nothing is but what is not’) and uses evil methods to achieve his desires.

Question 33

How does Shakespeare show the dirsuption of nature?

Answer 33

• Opening of the play a thunderstorm takes place
• Further storm rages on the night of Duncan’s murder and unnatural occurrences are reported in Act 2 Scene 4
• Macduff is not naturally born as Macbeth is not defeated

Question 34

Evidence of the disruption of nature and analysis
“Our c were b down”
“L heard in the air, strange s of d”
“The E was f and did s”

Answer 34

• Lennox talks about events taking place of the murder after announcing the death of Duncan
• These include strong winds, strange ghostly cries in the night, an owl screeching and even an earthquake.
• The natural world has been disturbed and disrupted following the unnatural killing of a King.
  “Our chimneys were blown down”
  “Lamentings heard in the air, strange screams of death”
  The Earth was feverous and did shake”

Question 35

How are appearances and reality shown in the play?

Answer 35

• Seeing things

- Sleep and dreams

Question 36

How does Shakespeare show characters seeing things?

Answer 36

• Play is filled with spirits, ghosts, optical illusions and visions
• Some are conjured up by witches while others are due to guilty conscience
• This is why Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are affected
• It is difficult for them to admit to others what is happening - this might mean they would be suspected of madness.

Question 37

Evidence of characters seeing things in the play?
“Mine e are made the f of the other s”
“I s t still”
“There’s n s thing”

Answer 37

• Macbeth sees a vission of a dagger (‘I see thee still’)
• Even though Macbeth cannot believe his eyes (‘Mine eyes are made the fools of the other senses’) and in reality realises he is having a hallucintation (‘there’s no such thing’) he is still fascinated by the dagger’s appearance

Question 38

How does Shakespeare show sleeps and dreams in the play?

Answer 38

After the murder of Duncan has taken place, both Macbeth and his wife have trouble sleeping and tormented by guilty dreams. Lady Macbeth regularly sleepwalks and replays events in her mind as she tries to wipe away the memory of what she has done.

Question 39

Evidence and analysis of sleep and dreams in the play?

“What, will these h n be c”

Answer 39

• Lady Macbeth sleepwalks the events going on her mind.
• She is thinking about the murders in her mind
• The blood on her handw is, of course, not real but in her highly charged emotional state she imagines that it is (‘what, will these hands never be clean?’).
• Her unconscious words and actions give her away to the people watching.

Question 40

How does Shakespeare present hospitality in Macbeth?

Answer 40

• King Duncan is a guest in Macbeth’s home where he is murdered.
• Later in the playthe Macbeths host a banquet for the other Thanes.
• They are not just being generous - their hidden agenda is to get the other nobles to support them.

Question 41

Evidence of Hospitality in the play
‘You k your own d’
‘Play the h h’
‘Wel…’

Answer 41

• Macbeth subtly reminds his guests their own rank (‘you know your own degrees’) and that he is at the top as King.
• Cleverly he pretends to (‘play the humble host’) to make them less suspicious of his motioves.
• However he has just ordered the murder of Banquo
• Their words are very polite and apparently war.
• The word ‘welcome’ appearsmany times which is almost overdoing it!