University:
Eastern Kentucky University
Course:
ENG 474 | Shakespeare
Academic year:

2021
Views:

224

Pages:

2
Author:

do3ran7ut

Macbeth ACT I Study Questions NAME DATE ___11/16/21_________ 1. What atmosphere is established in Scene 1? An atmosphere of chaos and evil is established in Scene 1. 2. How does Banquo describe the Witches when he first sees them upon the Heath? Banquo describes them as old and ugly, "So withered and so wild in their attire." He also says that they do not look like "inhabitants of the Earth." Finally he concludes that they look like women but their beards hinder him from interpreting their gender. 3. Macbeth is reported to be a valiant soldier in Act I. The line, “Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’chops And fixed his head upon our battlements”, paints a different Macbeth. What can you infer from that line? It paints a different picture of Macbeth. He might not be as good as he seems because of the necessary, drastically cruel measures he took in war. Also, it shows that once he commits to doing something , he'll do it and finish it to the fullest extent. 4. In Scene 1 the Witches say, “Foul is fair and fair is foul.” Which characters do you consider fair or foul? I consider the captain fair because he fought bravely to protect the King of Scotland. The three witches are found because they killed the women's husband all because she was rude. The FIRST Thane of Cawdor is foul because he betrayed his king and tried to overthrow him. Macbeth is both. 5. Why do you think Shakespeare opened Scene 3 with the Witches discussing an evil deed they have committed? Shakespeare opened Scene 3 with the witches discussing an evil deed they committed to progress their character plots. In the first Scene it is evident that they are supernatural. In scene 3 it is revealed that they are truly evil. 6. What prophecies do the Witches make for Macbeth and Banquo? The witches prophesied that Macbeth will be the Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland. They prophesied Banquo's children will be kings of Scotland. However, Banquo will not be king himself. 7. What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says of Macbeth, “Yet do I fear thy nature. It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest Way”? Lady Macbeth really wants Macbeth to be king so she can be queen. However, she fears that Macbeth is too nice to do what it takes to be king, killing the current king. 8. Macbeth is having second thoughts about killing Duncan. What are the reasons he gives? Based on these reasons, what does he decide? He has second thoughts about killing Duncan because Duncan trusts him twice as much. He trusts Macbeth as family because they are cousins and as his subject. Because of these reasons, he decides not to kill the king. 9. What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, “Was hope drunk Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since? And wakes it now to look so green and pale”? Lady Macbeth is basically asking Macbeth if he's a chicken and too scared to kill Duncan. She's saying he's not man enough. 10. What decision does Macbeth make at the end of Act I? What has Lady Macbeth said to influence his decision? Macbeth finally decides to kill King Duncan. Lady Macbeth influences him by saying that if she had sworn to smash her babies brains she would do it because she swore to. She uses this story to say to Macbeth that he swore to do this so he needs to go through with it.