Scene 1
1.) What do the nurse (gentlewoman) and the doctor see?
Lady Macbeth come into the room holding a candle, sleepwalking. After a while she begins to shout about the damned spot. (The blood/guilt on her hands.)
2.) What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, "Out, damned spot! Out I say!...will these hands never be clean?"?
It is a reference to the blood on her hands, and the guilt it all symbolizes. The washing of her hands can be done an infinite amount of times and the blood will never go away because her husband and her took the life of such a great king in their own house. (Multitudinous seas incarnadine)
3.) What is wrong with Lady Macbeth at this point of the play?
She's going down the same road her husband is, she may have been cursed too, but she is definitely going crazy. The doctor thinks this is just a strange supernatural occurance and feels that a priest is needed because her mind is infected and plagued and she is spewing forth vile rumors and horrible truths.
Scene 2
1.) What happens in this scene? What new characters are introduced? Why?
People in the army are meeting about the whereabouts of people and when they should all meet up with them. They all seem to meet at Birnam Wood.
New people = Menteith and Caithness
2.) What is significant of the scene?
It shows the people not putting up with Macbeth anymore. They've all had it and they know he is a tyrant and will not stand for him killing everybody all the time! They are all meeting and hoping to overthrow him. It also sets up the men hiding themselves as trees, causing Birnam Wood to rise to the fronts of Dunsinane hill where the witch prophecy will be fulfilled and Macbeth will be slain!!!
3.) What is meant when Caithness says, "Some say he'd mad; others that lesser hate him do call it valiant fury."?
Some say he's crazy, others who don't hate him as much as we do, say he's being bravely mad in fortifying his castle. Either way, he is bent out of control and has been having nonsensical fits of rage and must be stopped.
Scene 3
1.) How would you describe Macbeth's attitude and mood in this scene?
He is arrogant, pretty sure about what the witches said about Birnam Wood reaching Dunsinane. However his cockyness becomes his downfall and did not realize the witches equivocative speakings. He feels invincible, but when news comes about the English forces near his castle, he appears a little confused or dismayed. Nevertheless, he seeks comfort from Seyton whom he wishes to get his armor and weapons for him. He feels he must be prepared to take this battle but will slowly lose hope...
2.) Why isn't Macbeth afraid? Do his soldier's seem afraid? Why or why not?
He feels that he isn't going to lose because of the witches' prophecy, but his soldiers are to be hanged if they should fear battle, so they are probably afraid for their lives due to his cruel ways of treating them.
Scene 4
1.) What does Malcolm order the soldiers to do?
Each soldier should take a branch from Birnam Wood and hold it over their heads as they make their way to approach Dunsinane. This way, when the scouts of Macbeth look, they will not be able to tell how many men are advancing on the castle.
Scene 5
1.) What is meant when Macbeth says, "She should have died here-after"?
She should've died after the war so that there would be more time for him to think about her death and mourn.
2.) What is significant of the following quote, "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury. Signifying nothing."?
Life is meaningless. Macbeth has given up hope. Human existence really means nothing and his passing is no more/no less significant than any other human beings in all of history. It's just a game to be played where no one wins or loses. Just nothing.
Scene 6
1.) What is important about this scene?
The scene shows that Malcolm's army had reached the front of the castle. It is also fulfills the prophecy that Macbeth would not be defeated until Birnam Wood had reached Dunsinane.
Scene 7
1.) Who does Macbeth kill in this scene? What is significant about this death?
Siward's son. Siward is English and it signifies that there must be English sacrifice to vanquish the tyrannical Macbeth. Young Siward is also born of a woman.
Scene 8
1.) What happens in this scene?
Macbeth is encountered by Macduff.
2.) Why does Macbeth lose heart in the fight against Macduff?
Because he has lost everything and doesn't have much else to gain after murdering everyone and losing his wife, losing all respect from everyone else that's alive and important, as well as having no chance to becoming a brave, respectable warrior again after his tyrannical reign as king.
3.) Who is named king at the end of the play?
Malcolm.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Act 4 ~~~ Study Questions~!
Scene 1
1.) What are the four visions that Macbeth sees?
A knight's helmet, a bloody child, A crowned child with a tree in his hand, and 8 kings followed by the ghost of Banquo.
2.) Which visions does he misread or misunderstand and why?
The 3rd. He will be defeated when the Birnam Woods move. Since forests don't just up and move from their position in the soil, Macbeth feels he will be king for the rest of his life! However, it's the final trick from the witches and you know that they can't be telling the truth through these visions.
3.) What news does Lennox bring Macbeth?
He tells Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England.
4.) What does Macbeth decide from Lennox's news?
He decides to act on his decisions and plans to raid Macduff's castle, conquer Fife, and kill everyone in his family!!
5.) How might this scene be a possible climax for the play?
Macbeth takes his final meeting with the witches which begins his fall due to their trickery.
Scene 2
1.) Why does Shakespeare include a scene with Lady Macduff and her son?
To transition from Macbeth taking action from his decisions to the people who will feel his latest decision of murdering all in the bloodline of Macduff.
2.) What is important about this scene?
To reinforce the people who are going to be slain by Macbeth mentioned in the previous scene.
3.) List one motif or symbol from this scene.
When Lady Macduff asks her son how he will live, and they strike up a conversation involving birds.
Scene 3
1.) Why has Macduff Come to England?
He came to prepare an army to take down the tyrannical Macbeth.
2.) What is Malcolm's fear in lines 10-19?
He's scared that since Macbeth has already killed his father yet hasn't done anything to Macduff because he's been away. Because of this, Malcolm feels that Macduff could be using him as a sacrifice to get on Macbeth's good side by letting Macbeth kill him to ensure the bloodline being destroyed further.
3.) Who does the lamb represent in these lines?
Malcolm and the Angry God is Macbeth.
4.) What is significant in the lines, "Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell. Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, yet grace must still look so."?
Angels are still bright, even though the brightest angel (Lucifer) fell from God's gace. Though this is true, even the evilest still wish to be pure and hold good intentions, even the greatest and most graceful must do the same.
Malcolm is comparign Macbeth to Lucifer. Once a brave warrior, worthy to receive the title of Thane of both Glamis and Cawdor. However, he has taken a great fall in his journey to becoming King and going crazy and freaking out at everyone then killing them.
5.) What is significant in the line, "Bleed, bleed, poor country!"?
The country is Scotland and it is bleeding under the oppression and corruption of Macbeth.
6.) What does Malcolm call Macbeth? What list of adjectives does he use?
A big, tyrannical sinner. A bloody, luxurious, avaricious, (VOCAB WORD!) false, deceitful, sudden, malicious, and smacking of every sin that has a name.
7.) How has Malcolm changed since act II?
He has developed a strong hate for Macbeth. He didn't really feel any hate towards him in act II because the only thing on his mind back then was fleeing the country for fear of being death-ed. (Killed!)
8.) What is the atmosphere of this scene? Why is this important?
Secretive, troublesome, and filled with hate. Macbeth's image as a brave warrior (eagle) and good guy is gone. Now everyone finds him to be a tyrannical, corrupt murderer and Malcolm and Macduff are plotting behind his back secretively to rebel against his army and take him down for the good of Scotland.
9.) What news does the doctor bring? How is this symbolic to the scene, especially to Malcolm?
News of many sick people waiting for the King's touch to heal them from their horrible disease. The king can be symbolic to Jesus/God contrasted with Macbeth (King of Scotland) being compared to Satan/Lucifer. Since all previous spoken hate of Macbeth that happened earlier in the scene, King Edward is used to support the Good vs. Evil/Dark vs. Light theme.
10.) How many men did England lend Macduff?
Ten Thousand
11.) What does Macduff mean when he says, "But I must also feel it as a man."?
Malcolm tells Macduff to dispute the slaughtering of his family like a man by getting revenge on Macbeth in the most malicious way possible, but Macduff must feel it as a man. The current situation with Macduff holds so much grief that he can't act back upon Macbeth due to his lack of having any children. The first step Macduff takes in feeling his predicament as a man is blaming himself for their deaths, calling him self a dreaded sinner for being away while he should've been protecting them.
1.) What are the four visions that Macbeth sees?
A knight's helmet, a bloody child, A crowned child with a tree in his hand, and 8 kings followed by the ghost of Banquo.
2.) Which visions does he misread or misunderstand and why?
The 3rd. He will be defeated when the Birnam Woods move. Since forests don't just up and move from their position in the soil, Macbeth feels he will be king for the rest of his life! However, it's the final trick from the witches and you know that they can't be telling the truth through these visions.
3.) What news does Lennox bring Macbeth?
He tells Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England.
4.) What does Macbeth decide from Lennox's news?
He decides to act on his decisions and plans to raid Macduff's castle, conquer Fife, and kill everyone in his family!!
5.) How might this scene be a possible climax for the play?
Macbeth takes his final meeting with the witches which begins his fall due to their trickery.
Scene 2
1.) Why does Shakespeare include a scene with Lady Macduff and her son?
To transition from Macbeth taking action from his decisions to the people who will feel his latest decision of murdering all in the bloodline of Macduff.
2.) What is important about this scene?
To reinforce the people who are going to be slain by Macbeth mentioned in the previous scene.
3.) List one motif or symbol from this scene.
When Lady Macduff asks her son how he will live, and they strike up a conversation involving birds.
Scene 3
1.) Why has Macduff Come to England?
He came to prepare an army to take down the tyrannical Macbeth.
2.) What is Malcolm's fear in lines 10-19?
He's scared that since Macbeth has already killed his father yet hasn't done anything to Macduff because he's been away. Because of this, Malcolm feels that Macduff could be using him as a sacrifice to get on Macbeth's good side by letting Macbeth kill him to ensure the bloodline being destroyed further.
3.) Who does the lamb represent in these lines?
Malcolm and the Angry God is Macbeth.
4.) What is significant in the lines, "Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell. Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, yet grace must still look so."?
Angels are still bright, even though the brightest angel (Lucifer) fell from God's gace. Though this is true, even the evilest still wish to be pure and hold good intentions, even the greatest and most graceful must do the same.
Malcolm is comparign Macbeth to Lucifer. Once a brave warrior, worthy to receive the title of Thane of both Glamis and Cawdor. However, he has taken a great fall in his journey to becoming King and going crazy and freaking out at everyone then killing them.
5.) What is significant in the line, "Bleed, bleed, poor country!"?
The country is Scotland and it is bleeding under the oppression and corruption of Macbeth.
6.) What does Malcolm call Macbeth? What list of adjectives does he use?
A big, tyrannical sinner. A bloody, luxurious, avaricious, (VOCAB WORD!) false, deceitful, sudden, malicious, and smacking of every sin that has a name.
7.) How has Malcolm changed since act II?
He has developed a strong hate for Macbeth. He didn't really feel any hate towards him in act II because the only thing on his mind back then was fleeing the country for fear of being death-ed. (Killed!)
8.) What is the atmosphere of this scene? Why is this important?
Secretive, troublesome, and filled with hate. Macbeth's image as a brave warrior (eagle) and good guy is gone. Now everyone finds him to be a tyrannical, corrupt murderer and Malcolm and Macduff are plotting behind his back secretively to rebel against his army and take him down for the good of Scotland.
9.) What news does the doctor bring? How is this symbolic to the scene, especially to Malcolm?
News of many sick people waiting for the King's touch to heal them from their horrible disease. The king can be symbolic to Jesus/God contrasted with Macbeth (King of Scotland) being compared to Satan/Lucifer. Since all previous spoken hate of Macbeth that happened earlier in the scene, King Edward is used to support the Good vs. Evil/Dark vs. Light theme.
10.) How many men did England lend Macduff?
Ten Thousand
11.) What does Macduff mean when he says, "But I must also feel it as a man."?
Malcolm tells Macduff to dispute the slaughtering of his family like a man by getting revenge on Macbeth in the most malicious way possible, but Macduff must feel it as a man. The current situation with Macduff holds so much grief that he can't act back upon Macbeth due to his lack of having any children. The first step Macduff takes in feeling his predicament as a man is blaming himself for their deaths, calling him self a dreaded sinner for being away while he should've been protecting them.
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