Read the excerpt below and answer the questions that follow.
The Tragedy of Macbeth byWilliam Shakespeare
Macbeth, an accomplished war general, is offered a position of power by King Duncan. However, feeling it is not enough, his wife, Lady Macbeth, encourages him to kill King Duncan and obtain the crown. She succeeds in convincing him, and she also succeeds in starting a murder streak: in addition to the king, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth kill the king’s guards to cover up their murder plot. Fearing a prophecy from three witches that Macbeth will lose his crown to Banquo, another successful war leader, Macbeth hires hitmen to murder Banquo and his son.
In this scene, a doctor asks many questions of the gentlewoman, Lady Macbeth’s servant. He visits Lady Macbeth, who appears to be having trouble in the night.
Act 5. Scene I
SCENE I. Dunsinane. Ante-room in the castle.
Enter a Doctor of Physic and a Waiting-Gentlewoman
Doctor
I have two nights watched with you, but can perceive
no truth in your report. When was it she last walked?
Gentlewoman
Since his majesty went into the field, I have seen
her rise from her bed, throw her night-gown upon
her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it,
write upon't, read it, afterwards seal it, and again
return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.
Doctor
A great perturbation in nature, to receive at once
the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of
watching! In this slumbery agitation, besides her
walking and other actual performances, what, at any
time, have you heard her say?
Gentlewoman
That, sir, which I will not report after her.
Doctor
You may to me: and 'tis most meet you should.
Gentlewoman
Neither to you nor any one; having no witness to
confirm my speech.
Enter LADY MACBETH, with a taper[1]
Lo you, here she comes! This is her very guise;
and, upon my life, fast asleep. Observe her; stand close.
Doctor
How came she by that light?
Gentlewoman
Why, it stood by her: she has light by her
continually; 'tis her command.
Doctor
You see, her eyes are open.
Gentlewoman
Ay, but their sense is shut.
Doctor
What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands.
Gentlewoman
It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus
washing her hands: I have known her continue in
this a quarter of an hour.
Lady Macbeth
Yet here's a spot.
Doctor
Hark! she speaks: I will set down what comes from
her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly.
Lady Macbeth
Out, damned spot! out, I say!--One: two: why,
then, 'tis time to do't.--Hell is murky!--Fie, my
lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we
fear who knows it, when none can call our power to
account?--Yet who would have thought the old man
to have had so much blood in him.
Doctor
Do you mark that?
Lady Macbeth
The thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now?--
What, will these hands ne'er be clean?--No more o'
that, my lord, no more o' that: you mar[2] all with
this starting.
Doctor
Go to, go to; you have known what you should not.
Gentlewoman
She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of
that: heaven knows what she has known.
Lady Macbeth
Here's the smell of the blood still: all the
perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little
hand. Oh, oh, oh!
Doctor
What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.
Gentlewoman
I would not have such a heart in my bosom for the
dignity of the whole body.
Doctor
Well, well, well,--
Gentlewoman
Pray God it be, sir.
Doctor
This disease is beyond my practice: yet I have known
those which have walked in their sleep who have died
holily in their beds.
Lady Macbeth
Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so
pale.--I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he
cannot come out on's grave.
Doctor
Even so?
Lady Macbeth
To bed, to bed! there's knocking at the gate:
come, come, come, come, give me your hand. What's
done cannot be undone.--To bed, to bed, to bed!
Exit
Doctor
Will she go now to bed?
Gentlewoman
Directly.
Doctor
Foul whisperings are abroad: unnatural deeds
Do breed unnatural troubles: infected minds
To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets:
More needs she the divine than the physician.
God, God forgive us all! Look after her;
Remove from her the means of all annoyance,
And still keep eyes upon her. So, good night:
My mind she has mated, and amazed my sight.
I think, but dare not speak.
Gentlewoman
Good night, good doctor.
Exit
Read the excerpt below.
GentlewomanShe has spoke what she should not, I am sure of
that: heaven knows what she has known.
31. These lines can best be summarized as
A. She has revealed a secret and God knows the truth.
B. She has spoken abrasively and must ask for God’s grace.
C. She should not have told us that information and I’m going to tell God.
D. God will never forgive her for her sin.
32. Why is the doctor concerned about Lady Macbeth?
A. Her hands are covered in blood.
B. She is hallucinating.
C. She cannot hear.
D. She is paralyzed.
33. Which lines from the text best supports the correct answer to the previous question?
A. You see, her eyes are open/ Ay, but their sense is shut.
B. Here's the smell of the blood still: all the/ perfumes of Arabia/ will not sweeten this littlehand.
C. infected minds/ to their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets:/ More needs she the divine than the physician.
D. To bed, to bed! there's knocking at the gate:/ come, come, come, come, give me your hand.
34. The repetition of the imagery of cleansing hands is most likely used to
A. emphasize Lady Macbeth’s inability to rid herself of her husband.
B. focus the reader’s attention on Macbeth’s mental health concerns.
C. emphasize Lady Macbeth’s inability to escape her mistakes.
D. alert the audience that Lady Macbeth suffers from insomnia.
35. Which of the following is the best summary of the passage?
A. Lady Macbeth suffers from nightmares and the doctor and servant attempt to help her recover her memory loss.
B. Lady Macbeth reveals her guilt through her night-walking habits.
C. The doctor discovers Lady Macbeth has an incurable disease.
D. Lady Macbeth refuses to comply with the directions of her servant and doctor.
36. Which of the following best describes the relationship between the Gentlewoman and the Doctor?
- The gentlewoman is attempting to conceal all information about Lady Macbeth, and the Doctor is questioning her.
- The gentlewoman is trying to catch Lady Macbeth as she commits a crime, but the Doctor ignores the evidence.
- The gentlewoman and the Doctor are both attempting to use Lady Macbeth for their own purposes.
- The gentlewoman wants to tell the Doctor more of the truth, but is afraid.
37. Which of the following lines supports your answer to question 36?
- "I have known/those which have walked in their sleep who have died/holily in their beds."
- "Neither to you nor any one; having no witness to/confirm my speech."
- "Fie, my/lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we/fear who knows it, when none can call our power to/account?"
- "I have two nights watched with you, but can perceive/no truth in your report. When was it she last walked?"
Answer Key
31. A - RL-9.10.2
32. B - RL.9-10.1
33. C – RL.9-10.1
34. C – RL.9-10.4
35. B – RL.9-10.2
36. D – RL.9-10.3
37. B – RL.9-10.1
Note: This text excerpt and question set was copied from Collegiate Academies’ ENG II Interval 1. This passage and question set will not be used as a part of the JPPSS interval because many teachers use this text as a part of their instruction. Feel free to use this set as a part of your instruction or as a cold read if you chose to use a different Shakespearean text.
[1] candle
[2] ruin