Questions Act 2 Sc 3 4 Act 3 Sc 1 6 A
Macbeth Comprehension Questions and Analysis
ACT 2, SCENES 3-4
SCENE 3
1. Some people argue that the drunken porter segment is out of keeping with the rest of the play. What do you think? What is the porter talking about and how might these “ramblings” be important to the action that took place before? Would you cut the porter and begin the scene with Macduff entering at line 22 as some directors do? Explain your answer.
2. What is the importance of the lines spoken by Lennox (ll. 58-65)? How do these lines further a theme and/or motif in the play?
3. Who do they believe killed Duncan?
4. What do Malcolm and Donalbain decide to do at the end of this scene and why?
SCENE 4
1. How is a motif and/or theme further developed in this scene?
2. Who is now being accused of Duncan’s murder?
3. Who decides not to go to Scone to see the crowning of Macbeth? What might this suggest?
ACT 3, SCENES 1-6
SCENE 1
Macbeth has been crowned king and is now living in Forres, the traditional home of the Scottish kings. When this scene opens, Banquo is alone on stage, thinking to himself about Macbeth and about the three weird sisters.
1. What does Banquo say about the three weird sisters?
2. What does Banquo “fear…[Macbeth] play’d most foully for”?
3. Explain clearly why Macbeth is not happy, although it appears that he has fulfilled his ambition. Use quotations to support your answer.
4. Why does Macbeth hire others to commit his second murder for him? What argument does he use to persuade the murderers to kill Banquo?
SCENE 2
Lady Macbeth, now Queen of Scotland, finds her position less than she had expected. She still desires to support her husband as much as possible, but she also now realizes with dreadful clarity how empty is that ‘greatness’ which she had once deemed the supreme thing in life.
1. What does Macbeth mean by “we have scotched the snake, not killed it”?
2. What do we learn about Macbeth’s recent sleeping habits?
Macbeth urges Lady Macbeth to pay particular
ACT 2, SCENES 3-4
SCENE 3
1. Some people argue that the drunken porter segment is out of keeping with the rest of the play. What do you think? What is the porter talking about and how might these “ramblings” be important to the action that took place before? Would you cut the porter and begin the scene with Macduff entering at line 22 as some directors do? Explain your answer.
2. What is the importance of the lines spoken by Lennox (ll. 58-65)? How do these lines further a theme and/or motif in the play?
3. Who do they believe killed Duncan?
4. What do Malcolm and Donalbain decide to do at the end of this scene and why?
SCENE 4
1. How is a motif and/or theme further developed in this scene?
2. Who is now being accused of Duncan’s murder?
3. Who decides not to go to Scone to see the crowning of Macbeth? What might this suggest?
ACT 3, SCENES 1-6
SCENE 1
Macbeth has been crowned king and is now living in Forres, the traditional home of the Scottish kings. When this scene opens, Banquo is alone on stage, thinking to himself about Macbeth and about the three weird sisters.
1. What does Banquo say about the three weird sisters?
2. What does Banquo “fear…[Macbeth] play’d most foully for”?
3. Explain clearly why Macbeth is not happy, although it appears that he has fulfilled his ambition. Use quotations to support your answer.
4. Why does Macbeth hire others to commit his second murder for him? What argument does he use to persuade the murderers to kill Banquo?
SCENE 2
Lady Macbeth, now Queen of Scotland, finds her position less than she had expected. She still desires to support her husband as much as possible, but she also now realizes with dreadful clarity how empty is that ‘greatness’ which she had once deemed the supreme thing in life.
1. What does Macbeth mean by “we have scotched the snake, not killed it”?
2. What do we learn about Macbeth’s recent sleeping habits?
Macbeth urges Lady Macbeth to pay particular