Study Questions for Macbeth

1. Why does this play need Act 1, scene 1?

• Why does it begin with the 3 witches alone on stage?
• What is the image of womanhood presented by them?
• Note Banquo's description of them as looking rather masculine in 1, 3. Why this odd description?

2. In 1, 5, Lady Macbeth sums up the conditions that would make her able to murder Duncan.

• What does she need to be like to do this?
• How does this relate her to the witches?

3. Act One tells us much about the kingdom under Duncan.

• What has his reign been like recently?
• How does the plot of the Macbeths fit into the recent history of Scotland under Duncan?
• Why is this important to consider?
• How does Shakespeare present the history and behaviour of the Scots with regard to their kings throughout this play?

4. Consider the differences throughout the first half of the play between how Macbeth and Banquo handle the information given them by the witches.

• What does a sensible Scottish thane do when confronted by witches at random?

5. Look at all the references to "nature" and "unnatural" throughout this play.

• Why are they vital to the plot?
• How does this theme reflect upon the actions of the Macbeths?
• Upon the ultimate crisis of Birnam Wood relocating itself to Dunsinane?
• Symbolically, what does it mean that the forest gets up and moves once Macbeth has become king?
• To put it another way, what kind of world is it when trees can just get up and walk around?

6. In 4,1, three apparitions visit the witches and Macbeth.

• What does each represent?
• How do we as audience respond to them?
• How are we as audience implicated in this plot?
• Do we believe in the witches as much as Macbeth does?
• Are there any significant differences here?

7. Look at the play's geographical center in Act 3; this is often where the author summarizes the major themes of his play through a series of "central" actions.

• What are the major events of this act?
• What do they tell us about the themes of the overall play?

8. So how does Macbeth like being king?

• What kind of king is he?
• What is his reign like, other than brief?
• How does he compare to Duncan as king?
• How do the rebellions under his reign compare to those under Duncan?

9. What are the effects of conspiring to murder upon Lady Macbeth?

• How does she compare to the other women of the play, including
  • the witches
  • Lady Macduff
  • and Macbeth's mother?
• What is a good noblewoman like in this world?

10. In 1,7, Macbeth suggests to his wife to "bring forth men-children only" because she is so fierce.

• Is this a good world to bring forth children in?
• What happens to kids in this world?
• Consider all the children in this play, including the ones that seem to have reached adulthood with their fathers still alive. What are their fates?
• What happens to kids when Macbeth is king?
• When Duncan is king?
• What do these situations tell us about the worlds these respective kings create for their subjects?

11. Why does Banquo's ghost appear at a banquet?

• What does a banquet symbolize in general?
• What does a banquet thrown by a king suggest?

12. How do the Macbeths die?

What do their forms of death symbolize?

Thanks to JM Massi, Ph.D. for writing these study questions.