Tuesday, February 19, 2013

MACBETH: Study Questions—ACT 5


MACBETH: Study Questions—ACT 5

Scene 1

1) What do the nurse (gentlewoman) and the doctor see?

Lady Macbeth sleepwalking and writing

2) What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!...will these hands never be clean.”

She can’t wash her sins away

3) What is wrong with Lady Macbeth at this point of the play?

She is going crazy because of the murders her husband committed

Scene 2

1) What happens in this scene? What new characters are introduced? Why?

Menteith, Caithness, Angus It shows that other Scottish thanes are rebelling against Macbeth.

2) What is the significance of the scene?

It shows that other Scottish thanes are rebelling against Macbeth.

3) What is meant when Caithness says, “Some say he’d mad; others that lesser hate him do call it valiant fury”?

Some say he is insane, others say Macbeth has brave anger, but he is not giving up.

Scene 3

1) How would you describe Macbeth’s attitude and mood in this scene?

He is confident and still feels invincible

2) Why isn’t Macbeth afraid? Do his soldier’s seem afraid? Why or why not?

The trees haven’t moved. They seem afraid because Macbeth is handing them their death sentence because he is rushing them into a battle they could be killed in.


Scene 4

1) What does Malcolm order the soldiers to do?

Have each soldier carry a tree branch to hide the numbers from Macbeth

Scene 5

1) What is meant when Macbeth says, “She should have died here-after”?

She should have waited to die until there was more time for mourning or she would have died eventually so it’s better now than later

2) What is the significant of the following quote, “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is told no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.”

Life has no meaning

Scene 6

1) What is important about this scene?

The army reaches Macbeth’s castle and the battle begins

Scene 7

1) Who does Macbeth kill in this scene? What is significant about this death?

Young Siward, it signifies that no man of woman born could kill Macbeth

Scene 8

1) What happens in this scene?

Macbeth is slain and Malcolm is pronounced king

2) Why does Macbeth lose heart in the fight against Macduff?

Because Macduff was born via C-Section, therefore not technically of woman born

3) Who is named king at the end of the play?

Malcolm

Act Five Summary


ACT FIVE

Act five was the final act of the play. It opens with Lady Macbeth being observed by a doctor. She was pacing and giving away secrets late at night. In scene two, it shows several thanes are walking through the woods. It shows how many thanes have abandoned Macbeth and are trying to help take him down. In scene three, Macbeth learns of his wife’s illness and the fast approaching army. He still believes he is invincible, so he does not seem worried. In scene four, the army is cutting down trees and moving with them as a disguise. This is important because it shows that Macbeth is defeatable now that the trees have moved. It also shows appearance versus reality. In scene five, Macbeth is talking to his soldiers and Seyton. Macbeth learns of his wife’s death, and that the trees are moving. In scene six, Malcolm, Siward, and Macduff are talking about their battle plans. In scene seven, Macbeth kills Young Siward. In scene eight, Macbeth learns that Macduff was born of a C-section, therefore not technically woman born. He is slain and everyone lives happily ever after.




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Friday, February 1, 2013

Macbeth Act 4 Study Questions


Macbeth Act Four

Macbeth

4.1

1) What are the four visions that Macbeth sees?

-A child holding a tree with a crown
-Eight Kings and Banquo
-Armed head
-Bloody Child

2) Which visions does he misread or misunderstand and why?

That he’s invincible because trees will never move and everyone is born from a woman.

3) What news does Lennox bring Macbeth?

That Macduff is plotting against him in England.

4) What does Macbeth decide from Lennox’s news?

To kill everyone!!!!!!

5) How might this scene be a possible climax for the play?

This scene is the climax because this is where Macbeth begins to believe he is invincible and become a tyrant.

4.2

1) Why does Shakespeare include a scene with Lady Macduff and her son?
To show the choices that Macduff has to make. Lady Macbeth is upset with Macduff because he left them to save the country.

2) What is important about this scene?
Show Macbeth’s cruelty, and how he is trying to hurt Macbeth by killing innocent people.

3) List one motif or symbol from this scene?
How Lady Macduff is the wren that protects her chicks and Macbeth is the Owl that kills the chicks.



4.3

1) Why has Macduff come to England?
To recruit Malcolm and an army

2) What is Malcolm’s fear in lines 10-19?
You were buddies with Macbeth and I don’t trust you.

3) Who does the lamb represent in these lines?
The lamb is Malcolm

4) What is significant in the lines “Angles are bright still, though the brightest fell./Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace,/ yet grace must still look so.”
Macbeth is a fallen angel like Lucifer.

5) What is significant in the line, “Bleed, bleed, pour country!”
The country is falling apart because no one will stand up to Macbeth.

6) What does Malcolm call Macbeth? What list of adjectives does he use?
Macbeth is not a good ruler.
I grant him bloody,
Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,
Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin
That has a name.

7) How has Malcolm changed since Act II?
He runs away in Act II, but now he is coming back to fight

8) What is the atmosphere of this scene? Why is this important?
Hopeful, because Malcolm is saying he’ll come back and fight. This is important because it shows someone may take down Macbeth.

9) What news does the doctor bring? How is this symbolic to the scene, especially to Malcolm?
The doctor says a crowd is waiting for Edward the Confessor to heal him. God appoints kings, and the right king (Malcolm) can heal the country.

10) How many men did England lend Macduff?
10,000 soldiers

11) What does Macduff mean when he says, “But I must also feel it as a man.”
I still have to grieve, because I’m a person with emotions.