Study Guide for the Scottish Play

Study Guide for the Scottish Play

Act II, scene i

Lines 4 – 9 [5 - 10]
Banquo's tired, but is not yet ready for bed. What's keeping him from sleeping?

What’s his reaction to his insomnia?

Lines 13 – 17 [15 – 20]
What reinforcement do we get of Macbeth's observation in I, vii, that Duncan has been a good king?
Lines 33 – 61 [41 – 69]
What "fatal vision” suddenly comes upon upon Macbeth?

What explanations are possible for this vision?

How does Macbeth explain it?

What does this entire incident reveal about his state of mind? About his overall character?

Act ii, scene ii

Lines 9 – 13 [12 – 14]

Why didn’t Lady Macbeth just “do the deed”?

Lines 20 – 34 [26 – 40]

What is Macbeth’s initial reaction at seeing his own bloodstained hands?

What was he unable to say while returning to Lady Macbeth?

What is her advice about this temporary aphasia?

Lines 43 – 49 [57 – 59]

Macbeth has made a serious blunder. What is it?

Lines 49 – 51 [60 – 62]

Macbeth now behaves in a manner uncharacteristic of a great warrior. How do you explain this behavior?

Lines 51 – 56 [64 – 68]

Lady Macbeth moves to amend the blunder. What must she do?

Lines 56 – 67 [70 – 80]

Macbeth and his wife differ on how to clean “the filthy witness from [their] hands”. What differing views do they hold?

Act II, scene iii

Lines 1 – 31 [1 – 22]

Stylistically, how does the Porter’s speech differ from all previous speeches in the play?

The Porter decides to play “Let’s Pretend”. What is he pretending, and why is that appropriate to the situation?

What is the overall tone of this section? What is it even doing here (between the murder and the discovery of the murder)?

Lines 48 – 54 [40 – 46]

What strange events did Lennox and Macduff notice on the previous night? How would the Elizabethan audience account for such goings-on?

Lines 85 – 90 [85 – 90]

Macbeth is deceiving here, but at the same time, he speaks a deeper truth. Explain.

Lines 100 – 112 [105 – 116]

What little flourish has Macbeth decided to add to complete Duncan’s murder? Was this necessary? How does he explain it away?

What is Lady Macbeth’s reaction to Macbeth’s ad lib? Does this seem out of character?

Lines 128 –140 [140 – 152]

You’ve been wondering how Macbeth would become King with the Prince of Cumberland still around. That situation resolves itself. How? Why?

Act III, scene i

Lines 1 – 10 [1 – 10]

What suspicion does Banquo voice in this opening soliloquy?

What secret wishes does he also acknowledge?

What might that, “trusted home, enkindle him” to do?

Lines 29 – 35 [33 – 36]

What “strange invention” do you suppose Malcolm and Donalbain are relating to their hearers?

Lines 48 – 70 [52 – 76]

To be what is nothing? Why not?

Who does Macbeth fear? Anyone else besides him? Is he right to fear said person?

If the Sisters have spoken the truth, for whom has Macbeth sacrificed everything (including his eternal soul)? Is there any way of preventing this predicted outcome?

Lines 76 – 79 [80 – 84]

What misapprehension has Macbeth apparently cleared up in his previous meeting with these two?

Lines 85 – 91, 102 – 108 [91 – 97, 109 – 114]

What double benefit will accrue to the murderers if they go along with Macbeth’s plan?

Lines 108 – 114 [ 116 – 123]

Why does the second murderer agree to the plan?

Why does the first murderer agree to the plan?

Why are these two answers still of great significance to you, even as you read these words, four hundred years after Shakespeare wrote them?

Lines 116 – 126 [127 – 136]

Why, according to Macbeth, is he putting this action into the hands of operatives? Is this the only reason, do you suppose?

Lines 128 – 139 [147 – 151]

What minor alteration does Macbeth make in his work order?

Act III, scene ii

Lines 4 – 7 [6 – 9]

In this brief soliloquy, Lady Macbeth tells how much she is enjoying being queen. How is it so far?

Lines 8 –12 [10 – 14]

How’s Macbeth doing? What’s he been up to?

What is Lady Macbeth’s sound, but ultimately ineffective advice to her husband? Do you think she’s been heeding her own advice?

Lines 19 - 26 [21 – 28]

What words or phrases does Macbeth use to describe the murdered Duncan? What does this reveal about how Macbeth is feeling these days?

Lines 45 – 46 [50 – 51]

What word or phrase does Macbeth use to address his queen? What does this reveal about his feelings for her?

What role has Lady Macbeth played in the plot against Banquo? What does this tell you about Macbeth’s transformation?

Act III, iv

Lines 21 – 25 [24 – 28]

Macbeth would have been “perfect” but for what occurrence? (How does this compare with III, i, 54-5 [58 – 59]?)

What word does Macbeth use to describe Banquo? (How does this compare with III, ii, 19 - 26?)

Lines 43 – 49 [54 – 61]

Why won’t Macbeth sit with the Thane of Ross?

Lines 53 – 74 [63 – 79]

How does Lady Macbeth respond to her husband’s ravings?

a)(to the nobles)

b)(to him)

Lines 93 – 107 [109 – 129]

How can these lines be acted so as to show Macbeth’s strength of character?

Lines 128 – 132 [150 – 155]

Who (besides Banquo) was conspicuous by his absence at the banquet? How does Macbeth plan to find out what he is up to?

Lines 132 – 144 [ 165 – 167]

How does Macbeth explain to himself his strange behavior of that evening?

What does he intend to do about it?

Act III, scene vi

Lines 1 - 49 [1 – 52]

Is Lennox for Macbeth, or against him? What makes you say that?

Lines 24 – 39

Where has Macduff gone? For what purpose?